a's

fore finally responding, "Kiera, there

sever our bond anyway. Even if the b

h anger. "Do you even re

ze. "But do you understand what you've done, Dominic? Have you fo

pression was tense as he fou

t finally explain himself, apologize,

d, "We'll talk after

he door behind him. The violent sound extinguish

g ceremony. I took it down from the wall and threw it

pact, sending shards

rom among the fragments, looking just as br

in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I couldn

gain my composure, I got to my f

ry and cracked, and exhaustion was writ

stepmother, Monica

said in a warm, practiced tone. "It's bee

sound calm. "All righ

at my exhausted reflection and

e color to my cheeks, and lipstick made me appear less worn o

hope returned. Maybe my father had remembered that ye

turne Pack, I had finally returned home. T

ong. Not long afterward

ce carried a hint of discomfort. "Don't bother coming after all. You've been away for

allowed myself to feel

after three years, and he suddenly had something

ending to accept her explana

ded, I drove directly

f the car when I heard lau

oor, I was greeted by the sight

a three-tiered cake was at the center. My father, Hugh Mitchell, stood there with a broad smile, one h

a happy, perfect family, one tha

d across her face, and she nearly dropped h

amily gathering." I leaned against the doorframe, ma

ly darkened. "What's with that a

ed inside, my gaze moving from one person to the

Monica. He never bothered to ask what I thought about it. He si

er so quickly, but I couldn't do that. All I could do was spend night afte

t welcoming Thalia home. I didn't invite you because I knew how you

ly lau

n Thalia accused me of poisoning her three ye

hter, happily playing the perfect family, but he left

hildhood, someone he could proudly boast about. Yet I was an omega w

ed the gift I had brought on the coffee table

don't need to keep trying to take Dominic away fro

re you talking about? I never tried to take Dom

to yourself too," I cut in

ble. "I raised you for twenty years, and this is how you sp

cut into my hear

ged to the surface, and tears slipped d

relying on the sharp pain to keep my

etly. "Then preten

ut before I could leave, Th

don't go! This is all my fault. I shouldn't have returned, and I shouldn't have shown up in fro

he cried out like the victim. Then I felt a sharp st

ked my leg free, usi

ly, repeating the same trick she had used befor

he room at the exact mome

wept over the scene before him, and his