Chapter 3

It was past 11 by the time we got home.

Fighting my exhaustion, I tried to open the car door, only to find it locked from the inside.

"Hold on. Yvonne isn't awake yet." Nathaniel looked at me in the rearview mirror.

"Getting out won't wake her."

"Opening the door will let the cold in. Yvonne isn't as strong as an ordinary wolf. She gets sick easily." Nathaniel pulled the blanket up over her.

I looked at him calmly.

I didn't shout or argue with him anymore.

I simply reached for the emergency hammer I'd left by the back window and swung it at the glass as hard as I could.

The glass cracked with a bang, making them both jump.

By the time Nathaniel understood what had happened, I'd already climbed out through the broken window.

He started to push his door open to come after me, but Yvonne grabbed his shirt.

She slumped against Nathaniel's chest, her eyes red.

"Nathaniel, what happened? You scared me half to death."

She'd just woken up. With her nose red and her eyes full of tears, she looked more pitiful than ever.

Nathaniel pulled her close and murmured something soothing.

I'd just gotten my documents together when the door was kicked open.

Nathaniel's expression darkened with anger when he saw me.

"Apologize."

Yvonne held his arm, her voice catching as she tried to stop him. "Let it go, Nathaniel. Chloe couldn't have meant it."

And then she squeezed out a few more tears.

Nathaniel wiped her tears away, his brows drawn together.

He'd worn that same grim expression whenever he stood up for me at school.

Now that same anger was turned on me, all because of another woman.

"You wouldn't let me out of the car. That's why I broke the glass."

I gripped my ID.

"All I wanted was to get out."

His tone was as harsh as ever. "I told you we'd open it in a minute."

I took a breath.

"I don't want to wait."

Every second I spent in the same space as those two made me sick.

Yvonne curled up against him with a hand over her chest.

"Nathaniel, please stop fighting. Both of you. This is my fault. I shouldn't have fallen asleep.

"But I've been posing for photos all day, and I'm exhausted. Unlike Chloe, who's had an easy day and still has the energy to break a window."

And the tears started again.

Nathaniel frowned at me, his expression even more accusing.

"Chloe Shaw, are you really refusing to apologize?"

"I didn't do anything wrong."

Nathaniel gave me a cold look and took out his phone. Right in front of me, he called the coordinator and canceled our mating ceremony, just six days away.

"Chloe Shaw, I gave you a chance."

Before, my wolf would already have been crying. I'd have lowered my head, apologized, and begged him not to cancel the ceremony. This time, I was calm.

When I didn't give in and apologize as he'd expected, panic flickered across Nathaniel's face.

But it was gone almost immediately.

"Pretending you don't care?

"Chloe Shaw, that doesn't work on me. Go on. Keep acting like you're above it all."

He went to the bathroom counter, grabbed the matching cups and toiletries I'd bought, and threw them at my feet.

Then he went to the bedroom and brought out my clothes, my bags, and the photos of us. He threw those out too.

"Since the ceremony is canceled, you and I are strangers now.

"You have no business living here anymore. Take your things and get out of my house."