I lifted my foot and stepped right over the scrap of black lace.
The sickeningly sweet scent of vanilla and rose clung to the air near my ankles, but I didn't stop. I left Kael sputtering in the hallway and strode directly into our bedroom. My worn leather suitcase sat on the top shelf of the closet. I dragged it down, threw it onto the mattress, and popped the latches open.
"Are you seriously doing this?" Kael demanded. The rubber tires of his wheelchair squeaked against the hardwood floor as he rolled into the room. "Throwing a tantrum over a piece of laundry?"
I ignored him. I pulled a stack of faded sweaters from the dresser and dropped them into the open case.
"Stop ignoring me, Elara!" He slammed his palm against the armrest. "Where do you think you are going? You don't have a dime to your name. You don't have a pack. You don't even have a wolf!"
"I am leaving," I said, grabbing a handful of socks and tossing them in next.
"You are making a fool of yourself." Kael rolled closer, parking his chair right beside the bed. He reached out and grabbed a gray shirt from my hands, tossing it onto the floor. "Put the clothes back. Stop this ridiculous act. You expect me to beg you to stay? Over a maid's jealousy?"
I bent down, picked up the shirt, and folded it neatly before placing it inside the suitcase.
"You think this scares me?" Kael scoffed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "You will be sleeping on the streets by nightfall. The nearest town is fifty miles away. You can't survive out there alone."
"That is not your concern anymore."
"It is my concern when my mate acts like a spoiled child on the eve of my Alpha ceremony," he growled. "I offered you a place here. I offered you an allowance. You should be thanking me."
"Thanking you," I repeated, closing a side compartment. "For cheating on me in your study. For replacing me with a pureblood. You are right, Kael. I should write you a thank-you note."
He gritted his teeth. "I am doing what is best for the pack. Selene brings political power. You bring nothing."
The bedroom door swung open before I could answer.
Selene strolled in. She paused just inside the threshold, a smug smile playing on her lips.
My eyes locked onto her shoulders. She wore a heavy, silver-knit winter cloak. The thick yarn shimmered under the bedroom lights, the intricate braided pattern unmistakable.
I recognized every stitch.
I had knitted that cloak last winter. My fingers had cramped and bled from working the stiff, enchanted thread, weaving protective runes into the lining to keep Kael warm during the brutal mountain frosts. When it went missing from the closet, Kael told me he had used it to line a wooden box for a pregnant stray dog behind the kitchens.
Selene gripped the edges of the silver fabric and spun in a slow circle.
"Kael, honey," Selene purred, feigning innocence. "Does this look good on me? I thought I might wear it to the ceremony tomorrow night. The forecast says it will snow."
Kael shifted uncomfortably in his wheelchair. He shot a quick, nervous glance in my direction, likely expecting me to scream or throw something.
I just picked up my toothbrush from the bathroom counter and dropped it into a plastic pouch.
Selene stopped twirling and faked a gasp, pressing a manicured hand to her chest. "Oh, Elara! I didn't see you there. Are you cleaning out your closet? Making room for my things?"
"I am packing," I said flatly.
Selene stepped closer, running her fingers over the silver yarn draped across her collarbone. "I just love this cloak. Kael gave it to me last winter. He said it was far too beautiful to sit in a dark closet. It keeps me so warm."
"I know," I replied, zipping the plastic pouch.
Kael frowned, clearly thrown off by my calm tone. "Elara..."
"You told me you gave it to a stray dog," I said, looking directly at Kael.
Selene's smug smile faltered. "Excuse me?"
"I said," I turned my gaze to Selene, scanning her from head to toe, "it is a perfect fit for a stray."
"How dare you!" Selene snapped, taking a step toward me. Her eyes flashed a dangerous, predatory yellow. "I am a pureblood. I am the future Luna of this pack. You are just a wolfless servant."
"Then you should easily find your own clothes," I said.
I grabbed my winter boots from the corner of the room and shoved them into the last empty space in the suitcase.
"Kael, are you going to let her speak to me like that?" Selene whined, gripping the back of his wheelchair. "She insulted me."
"Enough, Elara," Kael ordered, his voice hardening. "Apologize to Selene right now."
"No."
I grabbed the two halves of the suitcase and slammed them together. The heavy zippers engaged with a loud, metallic scraping sound. I pulled the tabs all the way around, sealing the bag shut.
"I am packed," I announced.
I lifted the heavy suitcase off the mattress by the top handle. The wheels hit the floor with a solid thud.
Kael stared at me, his jaw slack. He had expected tears. He had expected me to fall to my knees and beg for my place in the pack, or at least fight Selene for his affection. My complete indifference was tearing his ego apart.
"Where do you think you are going?" Kael demanded, his voice rising in panic and fury. "You have no car. You have no money."
"Out of my way," I said.
I walked directly toward the door. Selene stood in my path, glaring at me with her arms crossed over the silver cloak.
"Move," I told her.
"Make me," she sneered.
I didn't stop walking. I drove the hard plastic shell of the suitcase directly into her shins.
Selene yelped, stumbling backward and clutching her leg. "You crazy bitch!"
"Elara!" Kael yelled, spinning his wheelchair around to face me. "Stop this right now! This is an order from your Alpha!"
"You are not my Alpha," I said, stepping past Selene and crossing the threshold into the hallway.
The air outside the bedroom felt lighter. The oppressive weight of the manor, the suffocating stench of Kael's lies, all of it began to peel away from my skin. I didn't look back. I just kept walking, the wheels of my suitcase rumbling against the floorboards.
I heard the frantic squeak of rubber tires behind me.
Kael pushed himself out of the bedroom, desperate to keep up.
"You think you can just walk away from me?" Kael shouted down the hall. "After everything I provided for you?"
I reached the top of the main staircase. I gripped the handle of my bag, ready to carry it down the steps.
Kael lunged forward in his chair. He slammed his hand against the wooden doorframe of the nearest guest room, blocking my path to the stairs. His knuckles were white, his face twisted in absolute rage.
"If you walk out that door today, I will never let you come back!" he roared.
