Chapter 4

For the next two days, I locked myself in my bedroom and didn't step outside.

Until there were only three days left.

The paint was washed away, but the deep cut on my palm still throbbed.

Four items left in the journal.

[Fourth: Go with Declan to the downtown Dark Mythology exhibition.]

[Fifth: Take one last group photo.]

[Sixth: Return everything they ever gave me.]

[Seventh: Say a final goodbye.]

Two knocks at the door.

Declan pushed it open and saw me sitting by the window, staring blankly.

"Stop sulking. Get dressed. I'm taking you to that exhibition today."

My fated mate sounded like he was doing me a massive favor.

I blinked, turning my head to look at him numbly.

He had clearly heard about the gallery, but he didn't ask if I was hurt. He just tossed an elegant shopping bag onto my bed.

"Chloe feels bad about your fall yesterday. She's been blaming herself."

"She knows you wanted to see that exhibition, so she begged me to take you out."

So this was Chloe's pity.

I stared coldly at the expensive dress inside. It was too short and the wrong fit. She clearly bought the wrong size for herself and was just getting rid of it.

"Okay."

I changed into the tight dress, followed him downstairs, and got into the car.

The car was filled with Chloe's favorite, cloying perfume.

The passenger seat was pushed all the way back, forcing me to sit rigidly straight just to balance.

We hit the highway. Declan rested one hand on the wheel and turned on the stereo.

The song blasting from the speakers was another one of Chloe's favorite generic pop songs.

"Amara, we're almost there. Stop pouting."

He gave me a sideways glance. "Chloe is still your sister. Be mature and stop making a fuss over nothing."

I watched the guardrails fly by and gave a soft hum of agreement.

The mate bond throbbed painfully in my chest. He was sitting right next to me, but I couldn't feel a single trace of warmth from his soul.

Declan's phone vibrated. The screen lit up with the name "Chloe".

He answered it instantly, cutting off the stereo.

"Declan..."

Frantic sobs poured through the speakers.

Declan slammed on the brakes, tires screeching.

"What's wrong, Chloe?! Tell me where you are!"

"I... I got lost in the rough part of town. There are some drunk men staring at me. I'm so scared. I think they want to grab me..."

"Find a place to hide and don't move! I'm coming!"

Declan hung up and yanked the wheel, pulling an illegal U-turn across the median.

"We can't go to the exhibition today."

He spoke rapidly, not even looking at me.

"Chloe is in danger. I have to go to her. Grab a cab and go back yourself."

The car stopped at the bottom of an off-ramp.

We were at the edge of the expressway. Beyond the guardrail was a pitch-black stretch of woods.

No cabs ever drove this way, and feral Rogues could show up at any moment.

"Declan, I can't get a cab out here," I reminded him.

"Just walk to the intersection and you'll find one!" he snapped. "Amara, can you show a little empathy? She's in danger!"

He leaned over and roughly pushed my door open.

"Get out. We're out of time. Just behave."

Freezing wind rushed into the car. I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out.

The door slammed shut. The tires rolled over a puddle, splashing me with mud as the car sped away.

Too weak to shift into my wolf form, I braced against the biting wind and walked along the edge of the highway.

It was ironic. Declan once swore he would never leave me standing alone on a dark road.

But now, he had probably forgotten that entirely.

I walked along the shoulder until my legs were numb, finally managing to flag down a car.

I didn't return to the pack. Instead, I had the driver take me to the exhibition center.

It was a premium dark mythology exhibition, using holograms to simulate the ghostly flames and deep abyss of the Underworld.

The girl taking tickets looked at my pale face and hesitated, but said nothing.

I sat by myself in the vast, dark hall, quietly watching the dazzling but fake lights.

They were stunning, but terribly fake.

There was none of that freezing, ghostly light that drained the warmth from a soul when the Dark Goddess of Death descended.

I pulled out my phone and opened my messages with Declan.

The screen was still stuck on a message from a few days ago, where I told him the Reaper was taking me back to the Underworld.

He had replied with a mocking emoji.

I held up my phone and snapped a selfie.

In the background were the colorful, fake lights of the Underworld.

I sent the photo to our pack group chat: [Fifth wish. A group photo. Done.]

Ten minutes passed. The chat was dead silent.

After another ten minutes, Chloe posted a photo of herself leaning on Declan's shoulder. The caption read: [Thank you guys for saving me today.]

Ryker commented: [Don't walk around there alone from now on.]

Julian commented: [Call me directly next time.]

I locked the screen, put away my phone, and calmly crossed out the group photo wish in my journal.

I only had my last two farewell wishes left.