spun ar

eets. Every breath felt like inhaling broken glass. The rejection was not just emotional. It was ph

the main house. It thumped against the walls

Thump

lass of scotch. Tiffany was laughing and clinging to

re I wa

clock on my cracked beds

nted me out of sight so he could play th

he empty air. "I am no

vanilla again I would beg him to take me back. And I could not do that.

ackpack from the closet. I

photo of my parents from before the crash. I wrapped the photo carefully i

e taped to the back of the wood. It contained my emergency sta

t. Four hun

ss than the cost of a single bottle of wine. In my world

small. My entire life fit into a b

pillow. It was an old model provided

n my head whispered

nted to send Damon a text. I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to curse

e was a lo

own on the bed. I left

llway was empty. Most of the staff were still working at the part

linched at every sound. I felt like a crimina

chen. The cool night air hit my face. It smelled of exhau

y acres of prime real estate just outside the city limits. To get to the main roa

to the

outline of Damon's Bugatti. It gleamed under the secu

. I had scrubbed the rims until my fingers bled because I wanted him to be proud of his ride.

ticed. He n

rom the car and

ent oak trees that cast long scary shadows. The wind

ying to pull me back. It was a magnetic force dragging me toward the Alpha. My wolf

s," I whispered to

grief but she

closed. Two armed guards stood by the control booth. They we

ve. He was a kind Beta who som

I was walking out at 3:00 AM with a backpack. He might

d not

re thick and thorny. They scratched at my jeans and snagged my jacket.

d moved parallel

perimeter. It was a small gap between the iron bars and an old oak t

my ribs. For a second I thought I was stuck. Panic flared

he air in my lu

led down the grassy embankment and land

as

ck at the estate one last time. The mansion sat on the hi

," I said. My

k and started walking toward the city

lk was

y cheap sneakers. The physical exhaustion was the only thing keeping the em

ime I hit the downtown district. The

past me. Commuters in suits rushed toward the

e pack house I was invisible because I was a se

amp. I realized I had not eaten since lunch the day before. I

ndred d

on fancy bakery food. I

ked run down enough to be affordable. The buildings were brick an

above a narrow doorway. The T

tale cigarette smoke and bleach. A human man with greasy hair sat be

s raked over my messy hair

he g

river's license. My pack ID would re

y voice was hoarse. "I have

at the cash in my hand. He looked b

uests. No drugs. You

uickly. "I just

under the glass. He tosse

04. Ups

nd practically r

rners. The carpet was a suspicious shade of brown. Ther

t was dirty. I

as m

and collapsed onto the bed. The mat

t the water s

ity. I had three hundred and fifty dollars to my n

uation crashed down o

chest. The pain in my heart was a dull throb now

st motes dance in the sliver of mo

as

ot have to bow to Tiffany. I did not have to

as a promise to myself. "I will find a j

s. exhaustion p

sleep. I dreamed of grey e

hen but I was not a

was flickering. It was a secret that woul

ster of cells but i

g on. Just li