The elevator hummed softly as I stepped in, clutching a vial of calming herbs for insomnia. My senses immediately picked up his presence—a woodsy, rugged scent mingled with a faint trace of pine.
Ethan’s sharp eyes flicked to mine, then down to Vanessa, who was cradled in his arms. She wriggled slightly, her cheeks burning as red as the sunset.
“Ethan, put me down already,” she whispered, voice shaking.
He frowned, his lips pulling into a thin line. “You’re hurt. Stop moving.”
He turned to me then, his piercing gaze making my heart stutter. “What are you doing here? Are you unwell?”
I held up the vial in my hand, struggling to keep my voice steady. “Just trouble sleeping.”
He tilted his head as though considering something. “I’ll send over some dried chamomile from the pack. It might help.”
Before he could say more, Vanessa whimpered softly, her voice small, like a distressed cub.
Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the shaft, and the elevator shuddered to a halt. Darkness enveloped us like a suffocating cloak, and my chest tightened with fear.
The primal panic surged, the same one that had haunted me for years. My knees buckled, and I slid to the floor, trembling.
“Lila?” Ethan’s voice cut through the silence, steady and commanding. “Are you okay?”
I managed a shaky nod, though my voice betrayed me with a weak, “M-Mm.”
He sighed, his tone softening. “Vanessa, I need to help her. Just hold on for a moment.”
“But I’m scared too, Ethan!” Vanessa clung tighter to him, her voice rising. “Please don’t leave me.”
He paused, torn, and then chose. His strong arms stayed wrapped around her as he whispered reassurances, his low voice rumbling like a soothing growl.
I pressed my palms against my ears, trying to drown out the sound of their closeness, but my mind betrayed me with memories.
Years ago, we’d been trapped in an elevator just like this. The same suffocating dark, the same paralyzing fear.
Back then, he’d held me, his warmth chasing away the cold terror. I remembered his embrace, how his wolf had settled, calm and protective, as though he knew instinctively what I needed.
But now, that same warmth was reserved for her.
“E-Ethan…” I whispered, the darkness stripping away my defenses. Tears streamed silently down my cheeks, mingling with the ache in my chest.
“Vanessa’s injured,” he replied curtly, his words cutting through the fragile thread of hope.
I curled into myself, swallowing my sobs. The minutes stretched unbearably until the lights flickered back on, and the elevator began its descent once more.
The moment the doors opened, I bolted, leaving them behind.
When I got home, my claws itched for release. My wolf simmered beneath my skin, restless and betrayed. Mom had sent me images of ornate gowns to prepare for the upcoming Pack Ceremony, but I couldn’t focus on any of them.
Hours passed before Ethan came home. He strode in, his usual commanding presence tempered with guilt. In his hand was a bouquet of lavender and a container of food.
“I brought dinner,” he said, setting it down.
I opened the container, the familiar scent of venison stew wafting up. My stomach churned. “You forgot, didn’t you?”
He blinked, confused.
“My allergy.”
His jaw tightened, and he muttered an apology. “I’ll… I’ll do better next time.”
I smiled bitterly. “Don’t bother.”
The rest of the night passed in quiet turmoil. I cooked a meal for his birthday—something I hadn’t done in years—but he never showed. Instead, a phone call shattered what little resolve I had left.
“Vanessa’s shifted unexpectedly. I need to help her through it,” he said, his voice rushed. “Eat without me.”
He hung up before I could reply.
But my alternate account told me the truth. There he was, with her. The Pack Alpha and his mate-to-be, cutting a cake in a room filled with celebration. Streamers floated mid-air as though frozen in time. Their smiles glowed with the bond I’d never share with him.
The wolf in me howled with grief, and I let it.
I packed my bags in silence, my mind calculating every step to sever our bond. Years of quiet sacrifices, of dimming my own light to bask in his shadow, meant nothing now.
Before I boarded the train, I sent him one last message:
[Happy birthday. Goodbye.]
Then, as the train carried me far from the Pack, I set the wheels of truth in motion. Every secret, every betrayal he thought buried, I unearthed and sent into the world with a single post.
If I couldn’t have the life I deserved, I would at least leave knowing the lies he built his life upon would crumble.
And as the moonlight painted the forest in silver, I swore to never let anyone chain me again.
