I shook my head, but my denial didn’t matter. His hand struck my face with brutal force, the sound ringing out like something breaking. My vision blurred as pain exploded across my cheek, blood rushing from my nose. Inside me, my wolf screamed, thrashing against the cage I had locked her in for years.
I hit the tile floor hard, the cold biting into my skin as the metallic scent of blood filled my lungs.
Camille gasped theatrically. “Oh, Alpha,” she cooed, pulling the wallet from her bag, her eyes flicking to mine with a private smile. “Looks like I took it accidentally. Silly me.”
The setup was flawless.
The degradation, complete.
They grabbed their luggage, voices light and unbothered.
“I’ll bring you a souvenir magnet,” Julian said cheerfully.
“I’ll get you a keychain,” Corinne added.
“And we’ll bring you all our dirty clothes, Grandma!” the twins howled, their laughter slicing deeper than claws ever could.
The door slammed shut, leaving behind a silence so sharp it felt like it could draw blood.
I didn’t cry.
I didn’t scream.