, something twisted tight in my stomach. I stared at the moonlight spilling through the windo

pretending to help, I stopped going out unless I had to. I went to school. I went to work. Outside o

make up for the ridiculous debt from that three-hundred-dollar dress. Three hundred d

sations turned short and distant, reduced

d to go out. Maybe I could get through the gala without humiliating myself. In just one week, everything wo

ike something was waiting. With grocery bags piled on

in a rich garlic and parmesan sauce. I wrapped Brussels sprouts in bacon and glazed them with maple syrup, finishin

her adored him. My father took it even further. When Phoenix was named heir after Alpha Renard's last son died in a cla

Phoenix Blackwood. For now, tho

I struggled forward. I moved clumsily, unsteady, like some

. I didn't notice anything off. I didn't feel the dan

slammed shut behind me with sharp intent, and a sce

Mas

since childhood. The one who nev

eady insid

dn't come

his lips. I couldn't move, couldn't step back, as

ks she's finally going to be

e mocking edge. He stepped

and his hand clamped around my t

cattered, and somehow, I fixated on the apples rolling across

t the gala? You think you can

making my stomach turn. I twisted my

him. His words cut deep. "Who would even want you? A fr

rantic and trapped. His grip tightened,

d into my ear, his br

ruggled to breathe. I had endured the hits, the i

was somet

was w

ing them down hard enough to leave burning lines. I tried to k

hard, pressing proof of his excitement. "If I show up covered i

ppened to me, but with the gala comin

und my throat. His fingers pressed de

lieve things would change, that I'd fight back

onvincing lie. Whatever it took to stay alive

oice tremble on purpose. I tilted m

t him, and it made my stomach turn. He leaned in, inhaled, th

usea down befor

hip and dragged me closer. I shut my eyes, breathing through my mouth to get past the meta

arp enough to steal the air from my lungs. A cry slipped out

a mark behind on my skin. His hand clamped onto my jaw, forc

myself for

ead, he

n us in that moment. He

ng but a reject, and this is where you belong. No one's coming to save you at that

tealing the air from my

ittle pack bitch, Ava." He didn't bother hiding what he meant. His hand moved lower

for something. We can

went numb. His voice

Drool slipped down onto my jaw as he let out broken sounds. "Such a pretty flaw, Ava. Easy to bre

under

't belong to

ind. I tried to stay there, far away from him, until a sharp blow to my stomach dragged me back in

ed, forcing my

elf into my mouth, his movements rough and choking. I struggled to breathe, my lips splitting under the force. The taste h

ted to the scattered groceries on the floor. He didn't say anyt

kne

w he took in everything without missing

d not

is head slightly. "Alpha heir." He gestured casually. "Ava was just

er echoing after me. The tears that blur

rom somethi

thing. The one who understood. The one w

n i

stay here

t would cost me,