Chapter 4: Severing bonds

“Who is he?”

“My mate.” she lowly whispers, “He said he wouldn't be available and is traveling in another country but he's here.”

Thalia looks awfully comfortable with the foreign man, this isn't the depressed girl Mariella has been painting her out to be. If anything she looks happy, content with what she has done to my daughter and I. “I'll call him.” Mariella snarls, dailing his contact but I don't see her, I'm too busy watching Thalia with a building rage.

The man leaves her and she grins politely as he steps away. “Baby.” he responds, out of view but Thalia's in sight.

“Tell me you have a twin identical to you right now or I swear to God, Nate.”

“Baby, what are you talking about?”

Mariella huffs, “Why are you flirting with my best friend? I told you she's not in a good place right now and how the hell did you even find her?”

“Thalia and I go way back and I wasn't flirting. Where are you? We need to talk, I came to talk about our relationship I can't go on like this.” he sighs.

I watch Mariella, tears glistening her eyes. “Why?”

“I need time to get over my Thalia, I thought I was over her but seeing her struck feelings I need to eliminate before I can fully commit to you.”

“But you love me.” Mariella cries, “You can't be into Thalia when you've never been with her!”

“I was, those three nights were enough for me.” he snaps, “Please don't make this hard Marie, lets meet and talk.”

Three days? During that three days did he meet her? Is that the time she run from me or another time? Either way, I'm struck. I can't believe Thalia could do this to me, she's always been a flirt but I thought it innocent and yet again, I was wrong about it.

“She slept with him?” I turn to Mariella.

Mariella shakes her head, “No. He's just an attention whore.” she screams into the phone, pressing the end call button.

My gaze sees Thalia again, and she's looking for something. “They have that in common.”

“No.” Mariella sniffs. “Please don't say such things about Thalia. It's just a misunderstanding she wouldn't sleep with him while with you, it is not the type of person she is.”

The man returns in view, Thalia smiles at him and he points inside she nods at him. “You don't seem to know her despite being friends for a decade but I do, I've always known who Thalia Rose Laurel was, a psychotic attention whore. I can't believe I let her blindside me.”

I reach in Mariella's lap and snatch Talia's documents, exiting the car with Mariella hot on my trail, the heels on her feet making it harder for her to catch up to me. Seeing I'm too close to Thalia, she screams. “Thalia!” she calls out, and it's loyd enough to alert her best friend of my presence.

Thalia turns pale when she sees me, her gaze looking over my shoulder at where Mariella is trying to catch up with me. “There you are selfish serpent.”

“Kno-.” she bites out, but I grab her before she can say my name fully.

“Don't you dare say my name, Thalia.” I warn, slamming her against the wall her suitcase leans on.

“Alpha, you promised not to hurt her.” Mariella squeaks, out of breath.

I look over my shoulde to her. “Say goodbye.”

“What?” her gaze drifts between Thalia and I.

“Say goodbye.” I repeat, “And go wait in the car.” I order her and when she hesitates I'm tempted to take away my offer. “Now.”

“Go, Ella.” Thalia wails, and at her command Mariella does just that. “Knox, I can't bretahe.”

I turn back to Thalia, rage blinding my every logical decision when I let her go, her head slamming into the wall. She loses her balance and falls to the ground where I toss her documents. “You will not contact Mariella or anyone under my rule unless you want them dead next to you.”

“I won't.” her head shakes, tears on her face as she looks back at Mariella who is watching from a distance with tears too. Her response shocks me, she agrees so easily to leave her friend behind when her friend fought to see her even if it meant her death.

“I need you to do what you do best and run, you hear me?” I coo, watching her with contempt. “Run from everyone that loves you here and if I ever see you again in my pack Thalia? I will kill you, do you understand me?”

She gives me no response so I squat to meet her at eye level, grabbing her face in my hand. “Do.you.under.stand.Thalia?”

She nods, eyes closed like the angel she isn't. “Yes.”

“Good because I promise you will regret if you don't listen. You should stay out of my sight if we ever meet because I will torment you so much you will know how my daughter felt fighting for her life.”

She nods, eyes open now. “I will leave, I don't want this Knox. I don't want us to suffer because of me.”

My hand drops, making her cry harder but it's all fake, she's heartless no hurt I cause her can amount to that which she brought into mine and my daughter's life.

“I'm glad you're taking blame for your actions, you will never see a day of peace for as long as live as retribution for everything you've done to me and my little girl. You will wish I should have killed you today Thalia Rose Laurel.”

She reaches for her passport, knuckles bleeding onto the ground. “You'll never have to see me again, I promise. I'm sorry, very sorry even if it changes nothing.”

“I wish I could reject you as my mate right now but I can't renounce my reign because of this oversight.”

4 YEARS LATER

THALIA

My alarm clock rings crazy, and the moment I shut it down my phone buzzes on the nightstand, the sound vibrating through me. I know if it buzzes twice more, it'll most likely end up on the floor and crack. That would make it phone number three in the last two weeks so yes, I grab it. The light from the phone is nearly blinding, reminding just why I don't drink. “Hello.” I groan, the stench of alcohol on my clothes strong despite being such a light weight I seem to have drunk too much at the office party.

“Thalia,” Eliza nearly whispers on the other end. “Guess who finally had the baby..”

“Oh my God, congratulations Eliza. When did you have her?” I sit up, the haze I felt moment ago now gone. Eliza is my co-worker, we both work for her brother the Alpha of Blood Moon pack.

“Well..” she giggles. “This morning and guess what? Its a boy, he had us all fooled in the scans hiding his little weener from us.”

I grin to myself, genuinely happy for her. “That's incredible Eliza, truly I'm so happy for you if there is anything you need, please let me know.”

“Thank you. But there's something, it's about the business voyage, I need to switch my schedule with yours so I can stay back and take care of this little stinker.”

“Of course.” I instantly agree. “Just send my assistant the details and I will handle it. She can just add it to my workload. ”

“No, Thalia.” she gasps. “The project will take up your time for at least six months that's why Alpha is considering moving there entirely.”

A light tap on my door nearly startled me. “Umm, Eliza. I've got to go but send the schedule to Amara and I will handle the rest.”

“But Thalia-” Eliza whines, right before I cut the call. Whoever it is on the other end of the door knocks again but his time I'm there to open it.