Chapter 5

Kari's POV

I walked out of the mansion without a single question from my parents, who sat stiffly in the living room. They couldn't care less if I got knocked down by a car. And why should they care?

I just needed to forget myself, at least for a little while. I wanted to forget Titan, who was probably tangled up with Indira right now. Forget my pack, who clearly didn’t give a damn about me.

A shoulder to cry on would be nice, but that could wait until I was deep enough in alcohol to pretend I was fine.

The guards at the main gate bowed as I passed, saying nothing as I stepped out onto the streets of the estate.

I kept walking, not sure how long it would take to get where I needed to be. Cabs weren’t exactly common in this area, and unlike my parents, I didn’t have a car. Not that I could ask them for one, not with things being the way they were.

A few cars finally came into view. I let out a breath and stopped for a moment, steadying myself before continuing.

Did I really need a cab when my legs worked just fine? I decided against it and kept walking, scanning my surroundings for a bar. The problem was, I had no clue where I was going.

I passed a couple of restaurants and for a moment, the thought of stopping to eat crossed my mind. But food wouldn’t fix anything. It would just make me feel heavier, fuller and worse.

Titan probably spent last night with Indira. Maybe they had already even slept together before he rejected me.

I stopped walking and placed my hands on my hips.

I liked to tell myself I didn’t care what people thought, but the truth was, I cared way too much about what happened with Titan. Hadn’t he sworn he loved me? Hadn’t we been everything to each other?

What changed?

It was all Indira, that bitch!

She must’ve done something, twisted something in his mind, made him throw me aside like I was nothing.

She was supposed to be my best friend and my sister. How the hell did this even happen?

I started walking again, forcing myself to think less, even as the thoughts kept piling up.

Why hadn’t I put the pieces together sooner?

A new road stretched ahead of me, one that hadn’t been here the last time I was in Houston.

They must have built it after I left for Titan’s pack. Why did every thought and every breath drag me back to Titan?

Couldn’t I just stop thinking about him?

I stopped at the edge of the road, staring at the stream of cars rushing by. I needed to cross, but my feet wouldn’t move. A thought entered into my mind: what if Indira was already pregnant with Titan’s child?

That was the very last straw for me.

I took a step then another, but somewhere between starting and stopping, I lost track of what I was doing.

A loud honk split the air and a hand yanked me back.

“What are you doing?!” someone yelled.

"Isn't that the Alpha's daughter?" A young girl whispered to her mother.

“She’s probably tired of living,” another woman scoffed. “Let her die, she's no use to us.”

I blinked rapidly as my mind caught up to what just happened. I had almost walked into traffic. The hand gripping my arm was strong. I turned to its owner, who was a man. Tall, broad-shouldered and unfamiliar.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

I forced a nod. “I’m fine.”

“Come with me.”

I should have refused, but I didn’t. He had just saved my life, and if he hadn’t… well, I didn’t know what would’ve happened. I gave a last glance at the passersby who wanted me dead, then followed this man.

“Where were you headed?” he asked as we walked.

“A bar,” I admitted. “I just want to drink until I didn’t feel anything anymore.”

He gave me a frown. “Are you okay?”

I shook my head. “I just want to die.” I told him. “You should have let me.”

He scoffed. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do,” I whispered. “Why did you save me?”

“Was I supposed to let you die when I could stop it?” His tone sounded almost wounded, and guilt pricked at my skin.

“I’m sorry.”

“You need food,” he said, ignoring my apology. He changed directions, leading me toward a nearby eatery. “A full stomach makes everything feel less awful. My treat.”

I didn’t resist. His presence was a distraction, one that I desperately needed.

We stepped into the restaurant, and he told me to find a seat while he bought the food. People talked, laughed and lived around me. I felt detached from it all. I almost thought about running off while he was at the counter, but I shook off the thought and found a table by the window.

When he brought the food, I ate slowly, more out of obligation than hunger. I didn't even see or properly taste what I was eating. But by the time I finished, something in my chest felt a little lighter.

“Thank you,” I murmured, offering a genuine smile to him. This was the first time someone was being kind to me since everything happened.

He nodded and studied me closely. “What happened to you?”

I told him everything about Titan and Indira. Titan's rejection and my parents’ vow to cut me off. The feeling of being nothing and having nowhere to go.

“This is pathetic,” he said when I finished. “That man, whoever he is, doesn’t deserve you as his Luna.”

“I thought as much.” I sniffled and looked at my empty plate.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Kari,” I said, wiping at my face. “I’m sorry, my name is Kari.”

“Kari.” He nodded. “Forget your parents, I’ll talk to them and make them see reason. Take me to the palace.”

I looked up hopefully. “What’s your name, kind sir?”

The man took a look at me, smiled and answered. “Victor. My name is Victor.”