<b>Chapter </b><b>6 </b>
Reba’s POV
I staggered down the sidewalk, each step painful through my body. The morning sunlight hurt my eyes, and my head throbbed from the hangover and overwhelming regret. My body ached everywhere, a constant reminder of what–and who–I’d donest night.
Gosh, I should at least ask Dominica for taxi fare. My pride got in the way, as usual. That same pride. that kept me from seeing what was happening with William for five whole years.
The city was already busy around me, people hurrying past with their coffees and briefcases. Their normal lives made me feel even more lost. Just yesterday morning I was nning my wedding. Now I was limping home from a one–night stand with a werewolf who thought I was worth paying for. The memory made my cheeks burn with humiliation.
I checked my phone. Eight missed calls from William. Twenty–three text messages. I couldn’t bring myself to read them. Each notification made my stomach tighten with anger. After five years of lying to me, he had the nerve to act concerned?
But William’s description of Dominic as “a self–righteous, arrogant bastard” felt urate afterst night. The way he’d looked at me when offering payment made me feel worthless, like I was just another transaction in his day. At least I hadn’t told him my name.
“He’s an insufferable egomaniac,” I muttered as I climbed the stairs to Sofia’s apartment, my body protesting with every step. “I hope I never see him again.”
Even <b>as </b><b>I </b>said it, I couldn’t ignore the memory of his touch or the strange connection I’d felt. Something I didn’t understand and didn’t want to think about.
By the time I reached Sofia’s door, I could barely stand. After all this experience, I didn’t know how to face her, wondering if I looked as broken as I felt inside.
Sofia flung the door open before I could knock the door. Her eyes were wide with worry, dark circles
beneath them.
“Ba! I’ve been worried sick. Where have you been? William’s been texting and calling nonstop<b>, </b>I
“Did you respond to him?” I interrupted, walking past her into the apartment and heading straight for the kitchen. My throat was dry, and I needed water desperately.
“No, of course not. I told him I hadn’t seen you since you left.” Sofia followed me, her bracelets jingling. “I’ve been up all night worried about you.”
I filled a ss with ice water and gulped it down, wincing as it hit my raw throat. “Sorry. I should
have called.”
Sofia studied me closely, her eyes moving from my tangled hair to my wrinkled clothes. When her gaze reached my neck, she gasped.
“You slept with someone.” It wasn’t a question. “Oh my God, Ba. Did you sleep with William? Those marks on your neck…”
I touched my neck, feeling the tender spots where Dominic had kissed me. “No, not William.”
Sofia’s eyes widened further. “Not William? Jesus, what happened? You’re getting married this
afternoon!”
The mention of the wedding hit me hard. I set the ss down before my shaking hands dropped it. The reality of everything suddenly felt overwhelming.
“I’m not marrying William,” I said quietly. Saying it aloud made it real, and I couldn’t handle it. I leaned against the bathroom doorway, then slid down to sit on the floor, my legs giving out.
Sofia crouched beside me, her face full of concern. “Ba, what’s going on?”
“I hate him, Sofia.” The words came out with a sob I couldn’t control. “I found out he’s been sleeping
with Olivia–my bridesmaid–for years. They have a son together. A six–year–old boy named James.”
The pain of saying it out loud was almost physical. While I had been nning our wedding,
dreaming of our future children, William already had a son. A child who was growing up while I remainedpletely unaware.
Sofia’s mouth fell open. “What? How did you-”
“I went back to the apartmentst night to get my engagement ring. Found messages on hisptop. Pictures. Documents.” I hugged my knees to my chest. “He was nning to mark me today, use me for status with the pack, then officially reject me after I’d given him a child<i>.</i>”
“That maniptive son of a bitch,” Sofia whispered, sitting down beside me. “And then you… what?
7:53 Sat, Sep 20
Found someone else to sleep with<b>?</b>”
I nodded, feeling ashamed and empty. “I went to a bar. Got drunk. Met a guy. It was stupid and impulsive.” I couldn’t tell her how intense it had been, how for brief moments with Dominic, I’d actually forgotten about William and everything else.
“Who was he?” Sofia asked.
“Just some guy,” I lied. I couldn’t tell her it was Dominic Sterling, the future Alpha of the Silver Moon. That would make everything even moreplicated. After all, I won’t have anything to do with him in the future.
Sofia took my hand. “It’s okay, Ba. You don’t have to tell me everything. Just… are you okay?”
I shook my head, finally letting the tears fall. “No. I’m not okay. My entire life just fell apart, Sofia, Five years with William, all a lie. The wedding, the pack eptance, everything I thought I was building toward… gone.”
Every memory with William now felt tainted. Every “I love you,” every promise, every n for our future–all of it had been calcted and false. And I had been too trusting to see it.
Sofia wrapped her arms around me, and I buried my face in her shoulder, crying harder than I had in years. She stroked my hair until I could breathe again.
“It’s going to be alright,” she said finally, looking at me. “We’ll figure this out together. First things first–you need a shower. And then we’re going to the pharmacy for a morning–after pill, because thest thing you need right now is a strange wolf’s baby.”
I hadn’t even thought about that possibility. “Oh God.”
“Go shower. I’ll run to the pharmacy and be back as soon as possible. We’ll handle this one step at a
time.”
I nodded, grateful for her practical approach. Sofia always knew how to break down a crisis into manageable pieces.
The hot water helped ease some of the physical difort, but did nothing for the chaos in my mind. As I washed away the remnants ofst night, I tried to think about what to do next. Where would I go? I couldn’t return to the apartment I’d shared with William. I had some savings, but not enough to start overpletely,
7:53 Sat, Sep 20
I was toweling off when I heard the front door m. Sofia was back sooner than expected.
Then I heard William’s voice, a roar that seemed to shake the walls.
“REBECCA! OPEN THE DOOR!”
Chapter Comments
<b>?? </b>
Visitor
22 hours ago
uh–oh!! (°°)))
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