LOGIN~LAIA~I wake in darkness, my body sore... ravished. Damon's scent still clinging to my skin. I inhale, turning around. He's nowhere to be found. I reach for my phone on the nightstand, 4:00 am. Way too early for him to leave, so he definitely didn't sleep in. That's a plus for me because hell, I won't have to battle between pretending to rest and trying to reach Lysandra to find out when the team's picking me up.I shove the blanket aside and stand, my hair cascading down my back. I switch on the light and walk to the mirror, wincing at how tired I fucking lookMessy hair. Flushed cheeks. My breath catches at the sight of Damon's hickey sprawled across my neck. If I'm going anywhere with that, I definitely need a long turtleneck or at least enough foundation to conceal it.I stare around the room, my king-sized bed, wardrobe, racks of shoes and bags, my vanity table with its wide mirror, even the mini refrigerator tucked in the corner.It’s a shame I’m leaving all this behind… going
~LAIA~Butterflies swim in my stomach. I'm scared that I won't be able to leave this life behind no matter how hard I try. I'm scared that when I eventually leave, I won't be able to forget those gray eyes, that intoxicating scent of his, the way he looks at me, and the sessions of training he teaches me. I'm fucking scared that they'll haunt me and my betrayal will make it worse.But I mean, it's life, isn't it... It's never ever fair... it doesn't fucking play fair.I pour my fear into the kiss, allowing him to explore every corner of my mouth, feeling the moment and planning to savor every second of it... because tomorrow I become someone else entirely, a new beginning, and a fresh start.I let the guilt of leaving consume me. We pull apart, and I fill my lungs with as much air as I can.I catch a change in his eyes, and then he looks away, staring through the car window. His jaw is tight, those veins ticking so hard. What's going through his head? Is he probably regretting the kis
~DAMON~I undo the top button of my shirt that has been choking me all night, and take the first breath of the night that doesn't stink of Alpha hormones. The festival has finally come to an end, and thank fuck for that. It's a success, even though Xaden was a ticking PR time bomb the entire time. I can almost feel the ghost of Laia's warm little hand on me. Her soft body, standing between two Alpha males, trying to deescalate a situation. If not for her, a whole new headline would've been splashed across every pack newsletter by morning: Alpha Damon of the Faceless Pack Turns Blood Moon Festival Into a Brawl with his Exiled Brother. Real fucking classy.Everyone's eyes, especially the high-ranking Alphas, are on Laia. Some are looking at her quizzically, probably wondering why the hell she looks so much like my late ex-wife. Others are staring with a different kind of i nterest entirely, their gazes dragging over her in a way that makes my blood boil and Maddox snarling possessively
~ LAIA~My hand clutches the purse tighter as I walk through clusters of wolves, my eyes scanning for that emerald dress.I'm really doing this. I'm really betraying Damon.The thought makes me feel physically ill, but I push it down, bury it deep.I scan through the crowd, everyone's eyes focused on Damon's speech.I spot Lysandra a few seats away... I somehow know that I won't make it down there before Damon catches me, and surely I would have an answer to give on why I was looking for Lysandra.Standing inches away, I spot a waiter... My feet feel rooted to the floor as I wait for him to finish serving a table near where I'm standing. I catch the waiter's eye and offer a subtle smile."Excuse me, could you check on that table over there?" I gesture gently toward the far side of the room. "They seem to need attention."His eyes dart toward me, his brows lifting quizzically. He nods politely and begins to move in my direction."Oh, and one more thing," I say softly, my voice almost
~LAIA~I clutch the purse tighter to my side, my eyes fighting hard to maintain contact with his silver ones, trying to decipher whatever theory he's making up in that slippery mind of his."What do you think would be in a girl's clutch purse aside from girly essentials?" A forced, awkward laugh bubbles up from my chest.He shrugs his shoulders so indifferently, the sly corner of his mouth twitching into a taunting smirk. "I wasn't assuming anything else..."He doesn't get to finish."Get the fuck away from her!" That strong, familiar voice sends my heart surging into my throat.I spin around to find Damon stalking toward us, his grey eyes blazing with barely restrained fury. His entire body is coiled tight, every muscle tense, like he’s in his wolf form about to strike. The temperature around us seems to drop several degrees as pack members instinctively step back, sensing the Alpha's rage."Well, well," Xaden drawls, not moving an inch despite the anger radiating off Damon. "If it i
~LAIA~I barely register the walk back to my room. My legs move on autopilot, my mind still reeling from what I just did.I stole from Damon.The thought hits me in waves, each one threatening to pull me under. My hands shake as I fiddle with the handle and slip inside my room, pressing my back against the door immediately it clicks shut.Breathe, Laia. Just breathe.The realization of what I've done crashes over me, and for a moment, I think I might be sick.What have I done?I push off the door and stumble to my dresser, catching sight of myself in the mirror. My face is pale, eyes too wide, pupils dilated with adrenaline. The black hoodie and leggings suddenly feel like a confession, like evidence of my crime written across my body.Change. I need to change.My fingers fumble with the hoodie, yanking it over my head with jerky, panicked movements. The satin gown lies draped over a chair where I left it, beautiful and innocent, completely at odds with what I've become.A thief. A tr







