C29 ADALINE POV

Adaline Point of View

"God, I love you," Zoe says as Cyp thrusts into her.

"We should kill her new friends after this," he grunts, going faster.

Multiple flashes of scenes go by.

"She cursed Luca" Cyp yells.

"Why did he go to her? The plan wasn’t ready," Zoe says, and he strangles her.

"She killed Luca, and he was my friend. When we’re done with her, she will die, painfully, with her Lycan bastard."

"You have to propose to her. She wants to break up with you!" Zoe says hurriedly.

"What the fuck?"

"Let’s not do it tonight. We can go to Romania tomorrow. Cyp, please."

"Shut the fuck up before I claw your throat out, bitch."

"You will smile and act happy."

I gasp for air, tearing myself away from Cyp.

"Babe?" he says, frowning.

I take a step back, my heart pounding and my head spinning from everything I just saw.

"Are you okay?" he asks, and I nod, smiling.

He cannot know.

"My period, stupid period came," I laugh, then peck his cheek.

"Where's the restroom?" I ask, grabbing my bag and heading in the direction he points.

I open the door and gasp, as tears fall freely. Oh my God. How? Oh my God. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

My whole life is a lie. My boyfriend and best friend are psychotic monsters. My God. I check the time and dial my mom’s number, but she doesn’t pick up.

I wipe my tears and try to steady my breathing. God, this pain. To find out I’ve been lied to like this.

Realization and understanding set in. In less than five minutes, this jet will take off, to Romania, the enemy’s Pack. They're going to kill me. Oh God. More tears fall. I have to be strong. I need to find a way off this jet and get home.

I leave the restroom after reapplying my makeup, making my face look flawless, like I didn’t cry or just have my heart shattered by the two people I loved.

I head for the door and get down from the jet, smiling as I walk past the men, wolves, I now know hide behind clothes.

"Where are you going?" I hear, and I stiffen.

I smile at my best friend and the pilot, praying to God my fear doesn’t show.

"I forgot something in the car. I have to get it," I say, staring at her, wondering how I didn’t know I was being played for so long.

"Oh, okay. Help me bring my cookies. You'll see them on the seat," she says, and I nod, turning to walk away but stop when she calls me. God, does she know?

"The keys, silly," she laughs, tossing them to me.

I catch them with shaky hands and force a smile.

The pilot tips his cap. "Please be fast, ma'am. We leave in three minutes. Everyone else is on board."

"Of course," I say, then walk to the car.

I wait until they’ve gone up, then get in, lock the doors, and drive off.

__

I open my apartment door with shaky hands, tears running down my face. I pack everything I can carry, grab my passport, and leave a dozen messages for Mom.

I run to my car, toss the keys to Zoe’s and the ring Cyp gave me into the trash, and drive straight to the airport. I book a flight to New Orleans, it costs a fortune because it’s last minute.

I keep checking my rear-view mirror, terrified they’re following me. I reach the airport and run like my life depends on it, because it does.

I push through the crowd and get on the plane. Even then, I’m still scared. They could be anywhere. They infiltrated my life for years.

I sit between a woman with a crying baby and a man who keeps falling asleep on my shoulder. This flight is going to be hell, but I have no choice.

Throughout the flight, I stay paranoid, scanning every face, every movement. I replay everything in my mind, every contact, every word, every action. All of it… a lie.

How did I get here? Powerless. Played. Weak. Heartbroken.

I was ready to spend the rest of my life with Cyprus. I was ready to ignore everything I felt, and didn’t feel, for him. I thought everything was falling into place. But betrayal came instead.

Cyp’s betrayal hurts, it’s tearing me apart, but Zoe’s is worse. She was my best friend. I emptied myself before her. I loved her. And she never loved me. I was just a pawn in a much bigger game.

The depth of it frightens me. The way they orchestrated it, the time, the precision, and I walked right into it. I was in the enemy’s grasp. They could have killed me.

The plane touches down, and I practically sprint off. I grab my bags and call Mom. Relief floods me, I’m in New Orleans. They can’t get me here. I’m with my Pack. But I’m exhausted. I spent the entire flight crying.

I clean my tears as I hail a cab, climb in, and give the driver the address. I frown as we enter the busy streets of the French Quarter.

"Is there a festival today?" I ask the driver, brushing away a few stray tears. God, I feel like a mess. I was fine, or at least pretending to be, and now I’m wrecked. Maybe this is how I’m meant to be.

"Not really. The locals are throwing a celebration, free food and all. The Mayor threw it for goodwill," she says. I nod, knowing the Mayor is Rick. This is New Orleans. There’s always a party or a reason to celebrate.

As the cab drives through the city, I admire what the Pack has built. New Orleans was a dump, but the Blue Moon Pack turned it around. In this moment, I decide, I will help. I don’t fully understand who I am, or the damage the Romania Pack has done, but I will take them down.

The cab drops me off, and I pay, carrying my bags as I head to my parents’ house. I push through the crowd, hoping no one recognizes me.

"Hi."

I turn to see a woman smiling at me. My guard shoots up. I still can’t reach Mom. I can’t even get into the house.

"Hi," I say, clutching my bags tighter. She notices.

"Let me help with that," she says, taking the bags before I can blink. There’s something about her.

"Are you a local?" she asks, offering me a beignet.

I shake my head. If I eat anything, I’ll throw up. "No, I grew up here," I say, the fatigue evident in my voice.

"I’m Francia. Moved here a while ago. Come, I can’t hear myself think. Let me introduce you to some amazing people," she says, tugging me forward.

I follow. I’m too tired to fight.

"This is my friend, Luc," she says.

I freeze.

Looking up, I meet the eyes of Alexandru.

And for the first time in almost twenty hours, I feel safe.

“Alexandru.” I exhale softly, I collapse to the ground. Everything fades to black.