y

ek high-rise with a view of the Hudson River. Vertex Group's relocation team was ruthlessly efficient, h

, waiting for the fallout. Waiting for Alec's cal

ever

e not receive the letter? Did Ethan lose his nerve? Or, a cold

the ringing of my phone. I snatched it up, my

s my

ttering coldly outside the window. I took a deep breath, pas

ed to make my vo

ala. It looked so glamorous!" Her voice was thin, fragile as spun glass. Her heart conditi

.. an event," I sa

anding. You must be so proud of him, honey. He's doing such wonderful

tfelt, was like acid in my ears. I wanted to scream the truth. He's a

n clear. Any severe shock or emotio

s her lif

e words tasting like pois

n of the sofa. The knuckles were whi

her voice filled with a joyful, wheezing breath. "To see my daughter finall

aving in. I bit down on my lower lip, hard, until the sharp, metalli

g on the other line." The lie was ragged,

ear. Work har

you to

lipped from my numb fingers, cla

sk sha

o hold my breaking body together. I slid off the sofa onto the hardwood floor, curling into a tight b

arship I'd thrown away for a promise of forever. For t

ry for exactly

d, cold bedrock of fury. I pulled myself up, washed my face in the bat

ne. They would pay for every lie, every humil

leave. I would

his kingdom t

c P

asked, my voice sh

erched on the edge of my desk, her laughter like music, recounting a story about a disastrous shopping trip in Mi

Ethan said, his expression grim.

, airy atmosphere like a lead w

ay? What does

e seemed... diffe

han. She saw me with Breanne at the gala and now she's throw

Oh, Alec, don't be so harsh. You should at least see wh

her place," I said, my voice hard. I looked at the envelope in E

to the corner of my desk, where a pil

r there. I'll lo

lly think-"

ant. A wolfless Omega can't survive two days without her pack, let alone h

aced the envelope on the pile of trash and retreated

ne purred, leaning in to ki

my arms, the scent of her filling my senses, pushed al

e pile of discarded papers still sat on the corner of my desk-junk mail, yesterday's memos

e could clear away the trash. I turned away. The moment passed. I watched the cleaning woman sweep the entire stack-letter and all-

rbage. And I'd just wa