Ava POV:
The rain felt like a baptism. I walked out of the Vanderbilt Tower with nothing but the clothes on my back and a black leather notebook tucked into my jacket.
That notebook contained the formula for a rapid-healing serum for Wolfsbane poisoning.
My phone buzzed.
NOTICE OF BANISHMENT:
'Ava Mitchell. Rank: Beta. Status: Rogue.'
I was officially a Rogue. Feral. Dangerous. Shoot on sight.
As I stepped onto the sidewalk, a rotten egg smashed against my shoulder.
"Traitor!"
A mob of low-ranking wolves blocked the exit.
"You sold us out!" a woman yelled, throwing a handful of gray powder.
Silver dust. It hit my cheek, sizzling like acid. I hissed.
"Get out of our territory!"
I looked up at the penthouse balcony. Liam was watching, whiskey in hand. He wanted to break me so I would crawl back.
'Never.'
I straightened my spine, ignoring the burning. I let a fraction of my aura leak out. Cold. Ancient. Terrifying.
The mob fell silent. They smelled a predator.
I walked through the crowd, and they parted.
Once around the corner, I pulled out a burner phone. "Nyx."
"Identity confirmed," a distorted voice answered. "Status?"
"I am Rogue. Initiate Protocol: Scorched Earth."
"Copy. We are accessing the Vanderbilt servers. Evidence of Chloe’s embezzlement will be encrypted. When do we release?"
"Wait until the engagement party."
"Transportation is waiting at sector four."
I headed toward the subway. But a black SUV screeched to a halt, blocking my path.
Liam.
He got out, ignoring the rain. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Away from you."
He grabbed my arm. His grip was bruising. He leaned in, sniffing my neck. "You smell... different. Where is the scent of misery?"
"Let go, Liam."
"You have something of mine," he growled. "Chloe says the research files are missing. You took them."
"They are my files."
"You created them on company time. Hand them over, Ava. Or I will have the Enforcers strip search you right here."
