Chapter 4

I tucked the discharge papers behind my back.

"Just passing through."

I walked around them and headed for the exit.

"Wait."

I turned.

Alina's eyes flickered. She gripped Dominic's arm tighter and spoke before he could.

"Mia, what happened earlier was Dominic's fault. He just worries about me too much. Don't be angry."

"Come home with us."

I'd been planning to go back for my things anyway. I let her think she'd won.

In the back of the Rolls-Royce, Alina leaned close to Dominic's ear and whispered loud enough for me to hear.

"What flowers should we have at our marking ceremony?"

He pulled her against his shoulder, indulgent.

"Whatever you want. Money's not a problem."

She tilted her face up. He kissed her. They didn't bother to hide it.

I swallowed the disgust and pretended not to notice.

He slid his hand under her shirt and watched my face the whole time.

When he saw I had no reaction at all, the same tight, irritable feeling from the hospital came back.

"Mia. You've been on your phone since you got in the car."

His voice was hard.

"Talking to who? Someone I don't know?"

I'd just confirmed the pickup time with the bodyguard my father was sending. I locked the screen.

"Reading the news."

His expression got worse.

He grabbed the phone out of my hand.

"What's the password?"

I didn't even look up.

"My birthday."

He tried it over and over. He couldn't get in. The phone locked itself.

My birthday had been just a few days ago.

The rest of the drive was silent.

When we arrived, I went straight to the guest room. Everything in my suitcase had been pulled out and dumped on the floor. Some kind of liquid had been poured over all of it.

Alina, obviously.

I didn't care about the clothes. I could buy more once I was home.

But the photo. I had to take the photo.

I'd never gotten to bring him into the world. The ultrasound from when I was pregnant was all I had left of him.

I searched. The photo was gone.

"Looking for this?"

Alina was holding it. Laminated. Her eyes were bright with malice.

"Give it back!"

"Give it back? Sure. Get on your knees and beg, and I'll give it back."

"Not a chance."

She pulled out a lighter and held it under the photo, like she was about to set it on fire.

"No—"

I made myself breathe.

"Please. Give it back. I'm asking."

She laughed, short and sharp.

"You and Dominic are fated mates. So what? You met first. So what? In the end, all he sees is me."

I just repeated it. "Please. Give it back."

She bent down to look at me, savoring it.

"Fine. Since you're being so pitiful about it. Here."

She lit the photo and threw it at me.

I lunged. I beat the flames out with my bare hands. Half of it was already gone.

I slapped her.

She stared at me, stunned, then flew at me, hands at my throat.

We struggled. We hit the balcony railing.

The railing wasn't bolted in properly. It gave way, and we both went over the edge. I caught the lip of the floor with my fingers. So did she.

Dominic ran out at the noise. He saw me first.

"Mia!"

He started toward me—

Then he saw Alina.

"Dominic, save—"

He turned without thinking. He grabbed Alina, pulled her back over the edge, and held her against his chest.

He walked away.

He didn't look back.

He didn't look at me once.

I held on as long as I could. Then my fingers gave out, and I fell. Three stories.

The moment before I hit the ground, something white-hot ripped through my body.

Half an hour later, Dominic finished comforting Alina and searched the entire house.

He couldn't find me anywhere.

That night, on the highway out of Moon Stone Pack territory.

I'd already written the note. I sat in the back of the Maybach with my eyes closed. I felt no pain. What I felt was strength, more of it than I'd ever had in my life.

As we crossed the territory line, my phone buzzed. A text from Dominic.

[I don't have time for hide-and-seek. Alina's discharged at ten tomorrow morning. Come in for a checkup.]

I didn't answer. I pulled out the SIM card and turned the phone off.

Dominic. From this point forward, you and I will never see each other again.