Chapter 4

The landlord came up the stairs with a spare key, muttering curses.

“Late on rent and you think you can make demands?”

The key slid into the rusty lock. The door swung open.

A thick, sharp stench hit them instantly. Blood and silver, left to fester for over ten hours in a sealed room.

The landlord slapped a hand over his nose and stumbled back.

Maria shoved him aside and rushed in.

On the concrete floor lay an overturned metal box. The white Luna gown lay in a pile of dust.

The shimmering moonstone necklace had rolled into the corner, ignored.

Maria ran straight to the moldy mattress.

“Alina! Alina, wake up!”

She fell to her knees, shaking my body.

I floated above, watching her red-rimmed eyes.

Paramedics rushed in. The lead medic lifted my eyelid, then felt for a pulse on my stiff neck.

He sighed and shook his head.

“No vital signs. Time of death was over ten hours ago.”

Maria collapsed onto the floor, letting out a heart-wrenching sob.

A gust of wind blew through the room. The cracked screen of the phone on the nightstand lit up.

It was still open to my notepad. A year’s worth of expenses.

Rent: 500.

Pack debt: 3000.

Jeremy’s protein bar for tomorrow: 40.

And at the very bottom, my last words.

The pup is gone. I’m gone too. Now, he won’t have to work so hard anymore.

Maria picked up the phone, sobbing uncontrollably.

With shaking hands, she dialed Jeremy’s number.

He answered after a long time.

“Is she done with her drama yet?” Jeremy’s voice dripped with condescension.

“Jeremy, you bastard!” Maria screamed, her voice cracking. “She’s dead! She drank pure liquid silver! Her body is cold!”

The line went silent.

Then, Veronica’s sharp laugh cut through.

“Still trying to trick him? You made up this suicide stunt to force a wedding? Do you really think an Alpha is that stupid?”

Jeremy’s breathing steadied.

“Maria, put Alina on the phone. Tell her this game of scaring me with death is pathetic.”

“She wanted to be Luna. I gave it to her. But don’t joke about the pup. My patience is gone.”

Listening to him, I felt a wave of absurdity.

Even now, he thought I was using my own death to get his attention.

Maria was shaking with rage.

“A joke?” she snarled. “She slept four hours a night for you! Right before she drank that poison, she was still trying to save money for your protein bar!”

“She was so scared of being a burden that she died, taking your pup with her! Are you happy now?!”

The call abruptly disconnected.

Half an hour later.

A black SUV screeched to a halt in front of the building.

Jeremy, in his perfectly pressed uniform, stormed up the stairs.

His breathing was ragged. His brow furrowed. He clearly still thought this was all a drama to force him to submit.

But when he stepped into the hallway, he stopped dead.

Two paramedics were carrying a black body bag out of the room.

The stretcher swayed.

A pale, stiff arm hung from a gap in the zipper.

On the wrist was a cheap bracelet. The two-dollar trinket he’d bought me from a street stall when he first started pretending to be poor.

I’d treasured it. I hadn't taken it off for a whole year.

Jeremy stared at the bracelet.

The color drained from his face.

All the strength left his tall frame. He couldn't take a single step forward.

The arrogance in his eyes shattered, replaced by a raw, creeping horror.

Maria walked out of the room. She walked right up to Jeremy and slapped him hard across the face.

“You thought she was lying to you, didn't you?”

Maria pointed at the black bag. Her voice was hoarse.

“Go on. See for yourself!”

Jeremy stumbled forward, frantic. He ripped open the zipper on the body bag.

And then he froze.