Chapter 110

"I'm fine," Dev's voice groaned as Zeke disappeared around the corner of the hallway leading to the front door.

"The fuck you are," Arielle and Zeke said.

I heard him groan and the shuffle of clothing.

"Don't make it any worse--"

"I'm not--"

"D', I swear to the goddess," Zeke snarled, his voice a low rumble.

Arielle walked in dressed in a cute lounge set, her hair pulled back from her face in a half up, half down look. She smiled, shaking her head. Behind her, Zeke came back with Dev curled in his arms. He was clearly tired and he looked worse for wear.

"This got a little hectic, I just---"

"I already told you I was letting Zeke deal with you," Arielle said, waving her hand.

"You're hurt," Zeke said. "How bad is it?"

"I'm not bleeding, just a cracked rib," Dev said.

"And no painkillers?" Zeke asked, his voice growing colder.

Dev said nothing. Zeke growled and turned, what he said after that, I wasn't sure.

"I'll be in with food for both of you--- warm food." She shook her head, eyeing the dish that Zeke had abandoned. " One day I'll get that man to actually warm up the food before he starts eating it…" She looked at me. "How was shopping with Grandpa?"

"Good…"

"And you and Zeke have been chit chatting."

"I’m corrupting her!” Zeke called down the hallway.

“Already?” Arielle grinned. “Did you tell her the couch story?”

“Of course."

Dev groaned and Arielle laughed.

“I hate everything about this conversation,” I muttered.

Arielle just threw her arm around me and pulled me toward the kitchen. “You love it and you know it. Are you joining for some late-night eats, or did grandpa wear you out?"

"I'll probably call it a night so you can… deal with them?"

She chuckled. "You and Zeke really were having a heart-to-heart."

Zeke came down the hallway. "Do not warm up my food."

"Don't eat hot things cold. Eat cold things cold." Arielle shook her head and pulled a different container out to give to him. She spooned some into the dish that Zeke had been eating out of and popped it into the heating box, tutting.

"Honestly, Dev goes through all the trouble of making you cold dishes, and you just eat the hot ones."

Zeke popped open the new container, grabbed his fork, and started to eat what looked like pasta.

“Technically, I eat all of the dishes hot or cold…"

She turned on him, fixing him with a look that could curdle milk.

“Also, you’re supposed to be asleep,” she said, tugging gently on the back of his hair like she was scolding a puppy. “You were up for thirty-six hours. You’re not immortal.”

“Arguably,” he said through a mouthful, “I could be.”

“You’re not,” Dev called from down the hall.

"Quiet, you," Zeke snarled. "I'm still pissed off with you and that stupid hospital. There's not reason you should have gotten hurt."

Arielle lifted up to kiss his cheek.

"Go." Arielle pointed toward the hallway with a commanding little flick of her fingers. “Get Dev cleaned up and check his bandages. I’ll bring food to the bed like the overindulgent goddess I am.”

He scoffed. "And ruin your pretty hands? I think not, Luna."

"Don't flirt."

He winked. When it was done heating up, Zeke grabbed the ball out of the hot box and disappeared down the hallway. Arielle smirked at me.

"You… seem to always be running things like a pack."

“I run everything like a pack,” Arielle said cheerfully.

That got me thinking.

I leaned against the counter. “Do you think… Vivian was planning for something like this? Like… with Tyler and maybe someone else?” I grimaced. "Neil, probably?"

Arielle snorted so hard she nearly dropped her wine glass. “Vivian? In a triad? Oh please.”

I blinked, startled. “What? Why not?”

“Vivian doesn’t share,” Arielle said, swirling the glass. “Not power, not attention, and definitely not her men. You can’t build a triad on selfishness, Renee. You need trust, vulnerability, and a whole lot of mutual respect. That girl is allergic to all three.”

I laughed despite myself, but a twinge of unease settled in my chest.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just thought I saw her today… and a guy I've never met before."

She nodded. "I'll look into both. Fashion show tomorrow?"

I chuckled and nodded.

I headed to my room and got ready for bed. I wanted to sleep, but I lay in bed. The bags were on the other side of the room still packed. I thought about Zeke’s words and the way they all came together to look after Dev. The way Ari still looked after Zeke and he looked after her. The way they seemed to meld together cohesively.

The happiness on Zeke's face.

Could I have that? Neil’s kindness and quiet intensity. Dominic’s strength and unwavering presence.

Was it selfish to want both?

Or just honest?

The mark on my chest pulsed softly beneath my skin, as if humming in agreement.

Vivian

The spa receptionist didn't even bother to look up.

“I’m sorry, Miss Brightclaw,” she said, voice flat. “Your account has been closed. We’d need full payment for all prior balances before we can book anything further.”

I blinked.

Closed?

“But I’ve been a client here for years.”

The woman finally looked at me. Pity. There was pity in her eyes.

“Yes. But the card on file was declined. And your previous balance went unpaid for three months. We sent multiple notices. Unfortunately, we can’t reopen the account without a deposit and the outstanding balance cleared.”

I felt the heat crawl up my neck. The other clients in the lobby were pretending not to stare, but I knew they were listening. I could feel it.

“My father owns half the city,” I snapped.

“Then perhaps your father would like to call and settle the account,” the woman replied, unbothered.

“I don’t—” I caught myself. “He’s busy.”

“Of course,” she said, as if she hadn’t heard that excuse five hundred times before. “Will you be paying today?”

I stood there, cheeks burning. I didn’t even have enough in my account to cover the tip they’d expect. The garnishments and my meager little paycheck for sitting in the office weren't enough. It was all Renee’s fault.

“I’ll come back later,” I muttered.

“Of course,” she said, tone syrupy and cold. "We look forward to having you."

I turned on my heel and stormed out, heart pounding with humiliation. I didn't get far before I had to sit on the steps of the building, taking deep breaths.

The shelter was the only place left to go.

I’d burned too many bridges, and none of my old hookups were answering my calls. Not the heir to the investment firm, not the modeling agent, not even the guy who lived in that luxury condo complex who used buy me things every time we fucked.

Nothing.

Nobody.

I clutched the strap of my purse so tightly it creaked under my nails.

This was Renee’s doing. Her and that sanctimonious, manipulative, holier-than-thou attitude. She’d taken my father, my money, my position and got even more than that with her stupid Mountainhowl family. Everything was falling apart, and no one cared that I was the Brightclaw princess anymore.

But… there was still one option left.

The journal. I didn't have it, but I remembered enough from it to know that there were enough clues in it to find my real father.

No names, but there were dates and times and locations. He was someone.

Based on the places she'd been, he was rich. Probably an alpha in his own right of somewhere. And he owed me. I couldn't tell if she were in love with him or he with her, but ti didn't matter because I existed and they'd had a plan to oust Domnic from Brightclaw.

If he was still alive, he owed me a future and support.

And if Dominic’s reputation got destroyed in the process?

Good.

Let them all burn for what they’d done.

I reached into my bag and pulled out my phone, fingers flying as I opened the private notes I’d compiled from the journal and started running searches.

No real hits yet.

But I’d find him. I’d figure it out.

I’d reveal everything to the press when I did—Hazel’s secrets and the truth about my paternity. Dominic would suffer for just abandoning me.

Then, I'd go after Renee and I'd take everything she'd taken from me.

I'd deal with Tyler and his little girlfriend somewhere in between.

I got to the shelter just as the intercom crackled.

“Lights out in five minutes. Please return to your designated quarters.”

Then, an alarm tone, like something from a prison, announcing final lockdown for the night.

I winced as I got to my dingy little cell. The fluorescent lights blinked twice and went out.

The silence after was oppressive. I could hear someone crying in the next room. Another girl coughing.

I had to get out of here.