I didn't stop walking. I didn't look back. The booming voice of Leo over the speakers faded into the background as I pulled Lucas toward the damp, mold-smelling basement that had served as our "home" for the past year.
The heavy wooden door scraped against the uneven concrete floor as I pushed it open. I flicked the single dangling bulb on, casting harsh shadows across the cramped room.
"Pack your favorite toy, Lucas," I instructed, my voice brisk.
I grabbed the worn canvas duffel bag from under the sagging mattress. No time for sentimentality. I shoved in Lucas's three threadbare shirts, two pairs of patched trousers, and his only warm sweater. From the bottom drawer of the rickety dresser, I pulled out the folded map of the Southern Kingdom. The thick parchment felt heavy in my hands, a stark contrast to the flimsy life I had built here.
"Are we leaving right now, Mommy?" Lucas asked, clutching a stuffed wolf missing one button eye.
"Yes. Right now." I stuffed the map into the side pocket of the bag and zipped it shut.
The door banged open, rebounding off the stone wall with a loud crack.
Leo stood in the doorway, his chest heaving. The heavy scent of Jasmin's cloying rose perfume rolled off him, suffocating the musty air of the basement. He yanked at his silk tie, loosening it with an impatient jerk.
"What do you think you are doing, Mia?" he demanded, stepping into the small space.
"Packing," I stated, not looking up as I checked the bag's strap.
He let out a short, exasperated breath. "I called your name over the speakers. You embarrassed me in front of the entire pack."
"You embarrassed yourself, Leo," I replied, finally meeting his gaze. "I am just leaving."
He closed the distance between us, reaching out to wrap his arms around me. "Come on, Mia. Don't be dramatic."
I twisted my body, stepping sideways. His hands grasped empty air.
"Don't touch me," I said, my tone ice. "You reek of her."
Leo dropped his hands, his jaw tightening. "I told you, this is just for the pack. Jasmin's father has the influence I need. It is politics."
"Politics got her pregnant?" I shot back.
He ran a hand through his perfectly styled hair, messing it up slightly. "It is an heir. The pack demanded it. But you know you are the only one I care about. Once she has the pup, things will settle down. I will still come down here. I will still see you and Lucas."
"You think I am going to stay in this basement and wait for your secret visits?" I asked, my voice rising. "While you parade around upstairs with your Luna and your new heir?"
"It is a good life, Mia!" he argued, his voice booming in the small room. "You have food, shelter. You are protected. What more do you want?"
I walked over to the small, soot-stained fireplace. A few embers still glowed faintly from the meager fire I had built earlier to keep Lucas warm. On the mantle sat a cheap paper calendar.
I ripped the top page off. It had a large '100' scrawled on it in black marker.
"One hundred nights," I said, holding the paper up. "One hundred nights you spent in her bed, claiming it was just for appearances."
I crumpled the paper in my fist and tossed it into the dying fire. The paper caught instantly, flaring up in a brief, bright burst before curling into black ash.
"Mia, stop this," Leo commanded, his Alpha tone slipping into his voice.
I reached for my left hand and twisted the cheap iron ring off my finger. The metal was dull, scratched from years of hard labor in the pack kitchens.
"And this," I said, holding the ring between my thumb and forefinger. "Seven years. I gave up my clan, my family, for this."
I flicked the ring into the fireplace. It landed in the ashes with a dull thud.
"Consider those seven years fed to the dogs," I told him, picking up the duffel bag and slinging it over my shoulder. "I am done."
Leo's eyes darkened, the amber irises flashing with sudden, raw fury. He lunged forward, his large hand snapping out to clamp down hard on my shoulder.
