2

ELODIE

I kept running until a loud, broken sob ripped from my chest.

I had no idea where I was, but I knew I hadn’t made it home. Yet.

I tried to keep running, needed to, but my body betrayed me. My legs wobbled underneath me, my lungs burning and making it impossible to breathe properly.

Slowly, my restraint shattered and I began to slow down. As I staggered to a stop, I clamped a hand over my mouth to muffle the cry that burst out of my chest. But I failed. It shattered what little composure I had left, and my knees buckled, forcing me down onto the cold ground.

How could Zane do this?

I pressed both hands to my head as it suddenly throbbed.

But the thoughts flooding it wouldn’t stop. Would he claim he never knew I’d delayed marrying because of him? Because I didn’t want any man who wasn’t him?

Did it never matter to him? Or was I the only fool who thought it meant something?

He spoke like he would do anything just to be with Avery. Like she was the center of his world… the only thing that mattered.

If that didn’t mean everything we shared was a lie, then I didn’t know what else to call it.

Because a man who truly loved me would never be secretly desiring my best friend while standing beside me all this time.

“Most men out there are lowlives. They are going to do nothing but ruin you. So when I tell you to stay away from them, you do and wait for your mother and I to choose a proper suitor for you. But if you decide to go against my word, don’t you dare come crawling back on your knees.” My father’s voice returned to my mind, taking me back to the day I tried to snuck back into the house after seeing Zane, only to get caught.

But now look where my sacrifices had gotten me, defying my father’s order, risking it all, loving a man with my whole life. Look where it led.

More tears streamed down my face as I sniffled, trying to get a reign on my emotions. I had to get home.

I needed to get there before my father did. I needed time to accept this reality… to figure out what excuse I would give for leaving the coronation without informing him.

Because if he found out why on his own, by then, I would be completely done for.

It felt as though my body was rooted to the filthy ground, but I pushed myself up anyway.

However the second I stood, I staggered back, dizziness crashing over me and stealing the air from my lungs.

For the past few weeks, I have been fighting strange symptoms like nausea, an unexplainable weakness and dizziness. But I’d brushed it off, thinking it was just a flu that would pass in a couple of days but as the feelings hit me now and again, the air on my skin rose, dread coursing through me.

“No,” I mumbled to myself, shaking my head as a terrifying thought began to form. “This can’t happen.” My panic increased as I gazed up to take in the building in front of me, and much to my horror, it was the pack’s hospital. Owned by my father.

“No!” I gasped, but the world spun around me, darkness taking over my vision. The last thing I heard and saw was the sharp sound of the door flying open and a uniformed young woman hovering over me before everything went blank.

***

I don’t know for how long I was unconscious but when my eyes finally opened, I could now clearly see everything but there was one thing that still remained; the pain from my mate and best friend’s betrayal. It hasn’t eased, rather, it has now settled deep within me.

But before I had the time to dwell on it, my eyes met with the ceiling and I realized how starkly different it was from my room. I knew I had fainted in front of the hospital but don’t tell me t…they actually brought me in?!

The possibility struck me and I jerked upright into a sitting position. I slowly looked around and I felt my breath catch. This was one of the wards. Or was I mistaken?

“Miss Elodie,” My heart skipped a beat as the door opened and in came the doctor, Ms. Martin. “You’re awake?” Beaming with a smile, she asked as she now stood in front of me, her eyes sweeping over me.

I evaded her question .

“Why did your staff bring me here…” I still felt strange and foggy but I asked weakly. Seeing her hesitation, my pulse spiked. What was I thinking still sitting here? “No. You know what? Just forget I was ever here.” I scrambled off the bed, ignoring how it caused my head to spin.

As I stormed towards the door, I felt like I might vomit if I made any further movement than I had but I chose to ward off the feeling.

On getting to the door, I was twisting the doorknob when the doctor ran forward, catching the door before it could fully open.

“No, miss. I’m afraid you can’t just leave like this,” She shook her head. “Your eyes are pale. You don’t seem well enough and we are conducting tests to see if…”

I shuddered at the mention of the test, my already pale face turning ashen with horror.