Chapter 3

Halfway through the banquet, Adrian's face changed. Vanessa had opened the mind-link. I couldn't hear what she said, but I saw the panic flash across his face.

"Selene, Vanessa's not feeling well, I have to get to the hospital—"

"Go. I'll get myself home."

I cut him off before he could finish the polite excuse he'd already prepared.

He blinked. "Sorry. Thanks for being my date. I'll send the payment to your account."

I nodded. He apologized one more time and walked out without looking back.

Once he was gone, the alcohol seemed to lift a little. I let out a slow breath.

Why?

I'd known he didn't love me. So why did my chest still feel like it had been split open?

Why bring me into this world at all? Was I only here to be a copy of my sister?

I gathered up my dress and walked. Half an hour, in heels, before I finally flagged down a cab. By then my feet were ribboned with blisters.

First thing in the morning, I went to the pack registry office and filed paperwork to leave the pack.

The clerk frowned over my application. "Selene, your family is here. Your job is here. Why pack up so suddenly?"

I held his gaze. "I'm resigning soon. I'm taking a position in another pack. I'll likely settle there."

He sighed. It was a personal decision and there was nothing he could do but respect it. "Does the Alpha know?"

I made a fist. "Yes."

He nodded. "Once the Alpha signs off, you're good to go."

I took the form back. My heart was pounding. "Thank you."

Walking out of the office, I felt lighter than I had in years.

Soon I'd be free of Vanessa's shadow. Free of Adrian. Free of that suffocating house.

Adrian didn't care about me. He wouldn't care that I was leaving either. All I needed was his signature.

I went back to the office. Adrian was the first person I saw.

He started when he spotted me. "Sorry. The other night was such a mess.I never got you home."

"It's fine," I said, calmly, already calculating how to get him to sign the form.

He didn't seem reassured. His brow drew tighter.

I held out the resignation letter and the separation form together. "I need you to sign this, please."

He took them. Before he could read a word, a bright voice rang out behind him. "Adrian!"

Vanessa came skipping over. The smile faltered when she saw me, then snapped back into place.

"Looks like the two of you had a very nice night. So cozy already."

The words landed like a stone in a pond. Every employee within earshot turned to look.

Adrian tapped her forehead. "Don't talk like that. You're supposed to be resting at the hospital. What are you doing here?"

She tugged at his sleeve, pouting. "Oh, am I in the way? Fine, I'll go. Don't bother looking for me later."

She turned on her heel and stormed off in those little leather shoes.

"Hey."

Adrian started after her. He still had my paperwork in his hand. He didn't even look at it. He scrawled his name across the bottom and ran after her.

I picked up the form. I tucked his signature carefully away.

Just as I'd expected. Adrian didn't care about me, so why would me leaving matter to him?

To him, I was an employee. Vanessa's sister. That was all. Someone like that could disappear overnight and no one would notice.

I packed up the research I'd written. Every paper, every notebook on healing I'd kept since university. Years of work. The only thing I had to my name.

I went home. The house was empty.

I ate something quickly and went to my room to pack. I might never come back. I wanted to take everything I could.

Then I found the wolf-fang necklace under the couch.

I froze. Childhood memories came back in pieces, like a broken mirror catching the light.

When I was ten, I'd found a small, dirty boy in my grandmother's orchard. He'd looked starved. Huddled under an apple tree, devouring fruit by the handful.

I gave him my lunch. I gave him every coin I had.

He gave me a necklace made from one of his fangs.

The necklace had vanished a few years later. The boy's face had blurred with time.

I thought about it for a moment. Then I tucked the necklace into my bag.

I had almost finished packing when I heard the front door unlock.