The journey to Qingzhou was long and tedious.
On the way, I overheard a pair of werewolves whispering with smirks plastered across their faces:
“Has the Alpha of the Medina Pack woken up yet?”
“Yes, three days ago. But he’s been at odds with the Bennett Pack. It’s a mess.”
“Of course it is. How can an Alpha mourn his mate’s sister so desperately? I heard he shredded through the Bennett mansion until his claws were raw and bleeding. It’s terrifying.”
“I wonder who Alpha Taylor truly loves?”
“Who knows?”
Lawson, my Beta companion, cleared his throat, his expression tinged with concern.
“Eden,” he began carefully, “why did you destroy the Bennett mansion and fake your death before leaving? There must be more to it.”
He seemed to have more to say, but he held his tongue.
I gazed out at the rippling waves beyond the boat, my heart eerily calm.
“Lawson,” I said, my voice steady, “the past is behind me. From now on, I’m no longer Eden Bennett. I’ve taken my mother’s name. I’m Eden Mendez.”
Faking my death wasn’t for anyone else’s sake.
Certainly not to make Alpha Taylor Medina regret his actions to the point of despair.
That would’ve been too petty, too ridiculous.
I was never someone’s pawn, nor did I want my life tied to another’s emotions.
Whether Alpha Taylor thrived or suffered, it no longer concerned me.
From this moment on, I was no longer Eden Bennett.
And I would never see him again.
