Shattered and Counting

Emily's POV.

Never say it can’t happen to you until it actually does, Em.

One of my mother’s advice echoed through my head as I stepped in front of Adrian, my hands trembling as I lifted them to block his path. “Adrian, please… let me explain.”

“Explain what?” His tone was flat. “That you stole? Not once, Emily. Not twice. Three freaking times?”

I stood still. Of course, there’s nothing I could say to justify it. Nothing that made me look less desperate or less pathetic.

“I admit it.” My throat tightened. “I stole. And you have every reason to be mad at me. But Adrian… your parents pushed me to it.”

His eyes flickered with something vulnerable before it vanished quickly.

“Ungrateful,” he muttered. “That’s what you are! My parents gave you and your mother a roof. Food. Job. You practically breathe because of the Ravenwoods’ generosity. And because they withheld three months of salary, you decided to steal from them?”

He scoffed cruelly and continued. “I actually thought you were better than the she-wolves I fuck every night,” he said coldly. “Turns out you’re worse! A thief! Pathetic, Emily.”

His words didn’t just sting, they ripped something open inside me. If anyone else had said it, maybe I could have brushed it off. But hearing it from him? From the only boy I’ve ever loved since I knew what love even felt like. The only reason I’ve survived half the humiliation I’ve endured in the Ravenwood household—that was what broke me.

He tried to walk past, cold and dismissive, but I stepped in front of him again. “Please, Adrian…”

He shoved me before the last syllable left my mouth.

I hit the ground, crashing into a bed of wet flowers. Gasps rippled through the crowd. A few people even laughed.

Adrian didn’t look back.

I swallowed hard. One stupid mistake… no, three. I stole from his parents, three different times. And now the only Ravenwood who ever treated me fairly was done with me.

But what else could I have done? My mom had been in and out of the hospital for six months. Adrian’s parents refused to pay her salary, even when I stepped in to do all her work. The bills kept stacking. Her health kept failing. And they still refused to pay.

I stood up and dusted off petals from my clothes. It’s prom night, my last day in high school. And lucky me, it’s also my eighteenth birthday today. The night I would shift for the first time, like every werewolf does.

Adrian and I shared the same birthday. His parents always threw him extravagant celebrations because he was their only heir. And since my mom was their head chef, I at least got a good birthday meal out of it.

For years, I prayed Adrian would be my mate.

I’ve had a crush on him forever, so deep I used to imagine his hands on my body in ways I’d never admit out loud. But he never looked at me despite doing things to impress him.

And the joke? I used to judge girls in romance novels who cried over unrequited love, acting like they had no self-respect. I always thought, ‘Just walk away.’ How hard can it be?

Turns out it’s not easy at all. Turns out I wasn’t any better. I never thought it could happen to me… but it did. And it hurts in ways no book ever warned me about. Unrequited love is a sickness with no cure. Or maybe it has, but I'm too infected to think straight.

“Hey, c’mon Emmy!” Linda, a classroom buddy, hurried over. “Your dress isn’t totally ruined. The awards are about to start. Let’s go. You’re definitely winning Most Beautiful tonight.”

I forced a breath out. Everyone says that, but it still didn’t get Adrian to look my way. He had only eyes for Rosaline, the late Alpha’s youngest daughter.

The Ravenwoods were Betas, but they’d been chosen to be ordained as the new Alpha family tomorrow since the late alpha had no male son. That made Adrian the future heir of our pack.

I knew he’d be my mate because I’d dreamt about it too many times. Linda said it was because I thought about him too much. But the dreams felt real.

And tonight, once we shifted, he’d have no choice and finally stop chasing Rosaline. His parents would regret treating me and my mother like trash.

Linda looped her hand around mine and we walked back into the hall. Students were already dancing under the flashing coloured lights.

“Alright, everyone!” the emcee called. “Time for the awards!”

My eyes drifted toward Adrian. He didn’t even glance at me. He was three rows away sitting next to Rosaline. His hands draped over her shoulder like she was already his mate.

“...Emily Harpar.”

I heard my name but missed which award it was. I'd been so distracted by Adrian and Rosaline's closeness.

The hall erupted.

“Go Emmy! Go Emmy!” students began to chant.

“I told you!” Linda squealed, throwing up her hands. “Most Beautiful!”

I smiled faintly and stood up. For a moment, I allowed the warmth of the cheers to touch me.

I glanced at Adrian again.

Nothing. No reaction. Just indifference.

“Ttchhh.” I pulled one corner of my mouth to the side. “Fine. I’ll hold on till we shift.”

I was almost at the front when my phone buzzed.

The hospital.

I huffed. It was definitely about the bills again. My thumb hovered left… then right. Pick or ignore?

But the call ended before I could decide.

Maybe it could wait.

I continued toward the stage, but my phone rang again.

Shit.

“Can’t they wait a damn second?” I gritted softly. “I'd already told them I’ll pay.”

“Come get your award, Emmy,” the emcee urged.

I nodded and took a step before my phone buzzed again.

I picked and blurted. “Dr. Monroe, I'll….”

“Emily…” he interrupted, his voice urgent. “I’m so sorry. Your mother’s condition just took a turn. If you want to say goodbye, you need to come now. She may not have an hour.”

My heart galloped.

“No. No. No!” Time slowed and the phone slipped in my hand.

The chanting ceased and the hall went silent.