Lorarli Pov

I snap my head toward the sound, my heart skipping. Walter. He leans casually against the doorframe, his posture relaxed, his expression filled with contempt. He looks as good as ever, his scent pours into the room, his cinnamon scent spilling with my vanilla, and his eyes lock on me with a storm brewing behind them. I’ve only seen him once or twice over the past few days, but now, standing there, he feels like a storm waiting to break.

"What do you want?" I ask, my voice coming out tired as I drag my words. That’s a first, I’m impressed with myself. Usually, I wouldn’t even meet his eyes, let alone talk back.

"You sure are chatty for someone who’s getting played," he says, his tone dripping with disdain. He doesn’t wait for my reply. He turns around and leaves, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

I sit there in stunned silence, my chest tight and my thoughts spinning. Then I get up and shut my door firmly, leaning against it for a moment. Seriously, what is that omega’s problem? He can never see anyone happy, can he?

I throw myself back onto my bed, burying my face in the pillow. I refuse to let him ruin my mood. Not tonight. Should I go see Torin? He should be in his office. He always comes to me maybe I should go to him for a change.

I quickly change into my newly bought cotton pajamas, the fabric soft against my skin, and step out of my room. My feet carry me upstairs, the quiet of the house pressing in around me. As I approach Torin’s office, I hear raised voices arguing.

I come to an abrupt stop in front of the office. My hand hovers near the door ready to open and announces my presence, but instinct tells me to leave. He’s probably busy; it would be rude to disturb him especially if he’s with someone. I turn away, my steps faltering, but curiosity claws at me. I stop, my heart pounding, and slowly turn back. I creep closer, pressing myself against the wall, listening.

Inside a voice that I recognize as my stupid bonded mate rises laced with fury. "Face it, Torin. You’re falling for her. You can’t hide it anymore."

There’s a pause, then Torin laughs. The sound is cruel, mocking, nothing like the warmth laugh he’s shown me.

"Me? Falling for her?" Torin scoffs. "Don’t make me laugh. She’s pathetic. Easy. A useless little omega who clings to anyone who gives her attention. She’s nothing but a burden. Every word out of her mouth makes me sick. She thinks she’s special; it’s the people around her that are special; she’s just a tool to raise Spade. She’ll never be more than that."

The words slice through me like knives. My breath catches, my chest constricts, and I feel my soul shatter piece by piece. He keeps going, each slur, each insult piercing deeper, shredding the fragile hope I had built around him.

"She’s weak. She’s desperate. She’s the kind of girl who would throw herself at anyone just to feel wanted. And you think I’d fall for that? Never. She’s nothing. I like my Omega’s with a backbone and some dignity"

This isn’t true. This isn’t true. THIS ISN’T TRUE!

I cannot bear to hear more. My heart races, pounding so hard it hurts, my vision blurs and my legs move before I can think, carrying me away from the door, down the hall, faster and faster. My tears stream down my face so fast I cannot stop them.

I burst into my room... the guest room but came to a stop at the sight of it because it’s filled with things Torin bought me, the blankets, the clothes, the little gifts he insisted on. They surround me. I remember how happy and loved I felt when I got them. It was like a breath of fresh air but now I find it all suffocating every item and the room itself resonates with his voice mocking me with a sharp laugh. I shut my ears and cover my ears not wanting to hear anymore of the voices. I cannot breathe. My chest tightens, my throat closes, and the walls feel like they’re caving in.

I snap my eyes open and tumble backwards, my hands clutching at my hair, my breath coming in shallow gasps. I can’t stay here. I can’t look at any of it.

I run outside, my feet pounding against the floor, my body trembling. I push open the balcony doors, the cool night air hitting me like a wave. I stumble into the garden, the scent of flowers mixing the scent of the chlorine. My vision swims, my heart hammering.

I keep running until I reach the shed tucked away at the edge of the balcony, I once hated this place but it’s my haven now, my escape from my cruel life. I push the door open and collapse inside, my back against the wooden wall, my knees pulled to my chest.

Torin’s words replay in my mind, over and over, each one louder than the last. Pathetic. Easy. Trash. Nothing.

I press my hands to my ears, trying to block them out, but they echo inside me, relentless. My tears fall harder, soaking my pajamas, my body shaking uncontrollably. I hate that every single thing he said was true, I knew I was being played and yet I allowed myself to fall into his embrace.

"I’m so stupid," I whisper, my voice breaking. "And pathetic."

The sobs tear through me, raw and violent. My chest aches, my stomach twists, and I feel like I’m drowning in his cruelty. Every gift, every smile, every gentle word, it was all a lie. A mask. And I fell for it.

I rock back and forth, my breath ragged, my thoughts swarming. The shed feels too small, the air too thin. I claw at the floor, desperate for something to ground me, but all I find is emptiness.

The tears don’t stop. My body trembles, my heart feels like it’s breaking into pieces too small to ever mend. I cannot escape his voice, his laughter, his venom. He must be laughing, they must have all been laughing seeing me fall for Torin’s affection in the matter of a week, forgetting everything that has been done. I’m the fool, I’m the joke in this pack.

And in that moment, I realize—I am losing my mind, I am losing it mentally because of this pack. My mind is fracturing under the weight of Torin’s words and my soul collapsing in on itself. I bury my face in my hands, sobbing until my throat burns, until my body feels hollow. The night presses in around me, cold and merciless, and I wonder if I will ever feel whole again.