Chapter 5

"The elders already investigated," Damon said. "Someone tampered with the flag stand. If it wasn't you, then who?"

"It was not me. Not any of those times. Do you believe me?"

"You keep asking me to believe you, but look at what you do. You keep provoking Victoria. How many times do I have to tell you? I am only kind to her because of the child."

"Fine. If you don't believe me, then let us end this."

Damon froze. "What did you say?"

"I am giving you up. You, Victoria, and your two children. Live happily together."

He punched the wall. " I have always loved you. And you want to give me up for another woman? After everything I have done for us?"

We stood there for a long time. Then Damon took a deep breath. He grabbed my wrist, his voice softening into that familiar tone. "I will talk to Victoria. I will make her drop it. You do not need to apologize. I will handle it."

He touched my hair. " Once this situation is resolved, we will go together. I already arranged everything. There is a small Pack in the north. No connection to Bloodmoon. We can start over there. No elders. No rules. Just the two of us."

He pulled me into his arms. "Endure a little longer. It will be over soon."

I leaned against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. He meant what he said. He truly believed he could do it.

"I need to talk to Victoria," he said. "Wait here for me."

He left. I stood there and looked at the crack he had left in the wall. Then I picked up my phone.

Dr. Ellsworth: "The car will meet you at the eastern border at midnight. Your new identity is ready. For five years, there will be no record of Lena Foster anywhere in Bloodmoon Pack. He will never find you."

I deleted the message and started packing. A few changes of clothes. My mother's pendant fragments wrapped in cloth. One medical notebook. Nothing else.

Three years in this house, and this was all I had to show for it.

Eleven at night.

The Bloodmoon Pack was holding a blessing ceremony for Victoria's unborn child. Everyone was gathered at the Moon Temple. No one noticed me leaving.

I walked down the eastern path and found the car Dr. Ellsworth had arranged. A silent middle aged driver asked no questions.

The car drove into the night. Two hours later, I was sitting in the airport terminal.

The airport was empty at this hour. A few rows of plastic chairs. A few scattered travelers sleeping in corners. Outside the huge windows, the runway lights stretched into the darkness like a single line.

I held the ticket with my new identity. The name on it was not Lena Foster. It was a name I had never heard before. A name that would never be connected to Lena Foster in any Bloodmoon Pack record.

My phone vibrated. An unknown number.

Damon sat in Victoria's house. Victoria leaned against his shoulder. Their daughter slept in his arms. He looked down at her, his features soft. The firelight cast their three overlapping shadows on the wall.

A caption underneath the video read: "He comes every night. He stays until she falls asleep. He tells stories to his daughter. When do you think he will throw you out?"

A second video followed. Damon was feeding his daughter. He brought the small spoon to her mouth. She spit the food out, and he patiently fed her again. Victoria laughed beside him and wiped a stain from his sleeve.

A third video. Damon walked in front of the fireplace with his daughter in his arms, humming a lullaby. Victoria wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and pressed her face against his back.

I watched all of them.

Victoria wanted to hurt me. But she did not know there was nothing left in me that could still feel pain.

The boarding announcement came over the speakers.

I turned off my phone and walked toward the gate. Through the window, I saw an airplane waiting on the runway. The lights from its windows looked like tiny eyes in the dark.

Goodbye, Damon.