Chapter 2

Chapter 2 DENISE “Denise.” Elena’s voice made me turn as I saw she was standing at the door of the break room looking perfectly poised as usual. My wolf whimpered inside me—the pathetic omega instincts that made me want to submit to her natural authority. “Yes, Ms. Silvermoon?” “I need help picking up a few things for the trip.” She handed me a handwritten list, My eyes caught on the very first item on the list: contraceptives. “Thank you. Keep this between us?” She winked, like we were girlfriends sharing secrets between ourselves, giggling. I nodded taking the list from her, and left, without a change in my expression. Whatever she was looking for, I was going to make sure that she doesn’t get it. I was nineteen the first time with Dante. It was my birthday—the first birthday I’d ever really celebrated. He brought me flowers and a cake. It was really the basic things but to me, an omega orphan who had never received anything or celebrated my birthday before, it felt like I was on top of the world. And in response, I gave him everything that night. My virginity was his to claim, my body his to destroy, his name, permanent on my lips throughout that night. I really thought I had found my happily ever after. What a fucking joke. Give a girl who grew up with nothing one cake and some flowers, and she’ll hand you her whole heart. Four years together, and I’d never once bought contraceptives. Dante didn’t like them, so I took the pills instead. They made me sick, messed with my wolf, but I took them anyway because he wanted me to. But for Elena? Of course he wouldn’t make her take pills. Apparently that was too harsh on her precious alpha bloodline. — On the drive to the airport, I stayed silent while they talked in the backseat. “We’re running late. Drive faster,” Dante said, his eyes meeting mine in the rearmirror. “Yes, Alpha.” I said keeping my face blank and uninterested as I stepped on the accelerator and turned left on green. A boy darted into the intersection—a werewolf pup who should’ve known better. I swerved hard to avoid him and crashed straight into the curb. “Elena!” At the moment of impact, Dante threw himself over her, shielding her body with his, taking the hit with his body and making sure she wasn’t hurt. The driver’s side took the worst of it. The airbag deployed, and the metal twisted on itself pinning me against the seat. My left leg was trapped, pain blurring everything. “Dante…” Fear clawed at my throat, as I felt the subtle rise of the suffocating darkness. “Help me…” I was terrified of being trapped. Of small spaces where I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Lyra had locked me in that crate during my first year at the academy. No matter how much I screamed or pounded on the wood, no one came to my rescue. For hours and hours, I waited, my voice hoarse from screaming, my hands bloody from hurting myself, trying to stay sane as the air got thinner and thinner. If the janitor hadn’t noticed the puddle of urine on the floor the next morning, I would’ve died in there. “Dante!” Seeing him start to exit the car, I panicked and forgot Elena was there. “Don’t leave me—” “The rescue team is coming.” He helped Elena out, his face dark. He pulled out his phone to call for help. “She’s still trapped.” Elena glanced at me, suspicion showing in her eyes. She had noticed that I had called the Alpha by his first name, like it was familiar to me. No subordinate should be calling their Alpha by his first name. Dante wrapped his arm around her, trying to shield her from looking at me as he ran a hand through her hair, trying to calm her. “The crash wasn’t bad. We’ll take a cab to the airport. We need to be there before our flight is gone. She can stay here while we leave. She’s not important. They’ll get her out.” “But the meeting—” Elena started. “No time.” He checked his watch, then shot me a cold look that was heavy with warning as he looked down and up at me, fury present before hiding it away as she faced her. “Rescue will handle it.” They walked away. Dante never looked back at me. I lost it. Pounded on the window, struggling against the metal pinning me down against the chair. But he never turned around, I watched as he left, his hands around her, muttering soft words to her. Never looking at me. He was afraid Elena would figure us out. Watching him disappear down the street, something inside me finally broke. “Dante!” I screamed, my voice raw. “Help me! You promised you’d never leave me!” Sobs tore from my throat. “Liar! You’re a fucking liar! You said you’d protect me!” My wolf thrashed inside me, feeding my panic. The old trauma spiraled out of control, making me hurt myself as I fought the wreckage. My injuries weren’t serious before, but now blood ran down my face from where I’d smashed my head against the steering wheel. “Let me out… Let me out!” I screamed until my throat was raw. Then I smelled it—smoke from the engine. “The car’s on fire!” “There’s no one inside—I saw them leave!” People were shouting. I sat trapped, my panic fading into something cold and hollow as I started counting. “One, two, three, four…” The night Lyra locked me in that box, I counted to 6,788 before they found me. I wonder what number I’ll reach before I die this time.