Chapter 7
ELODIE’S POV—
Several days slipped by, and he never came. No footsteps outside my door. No shadow darkening the hallway. No Calhoun.
My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind constantly, crying for him, but I shut her out. I couldn’t afford to listen. I had already promised myself never again. Never again would I waste another tear for him. He wanted me gone, pushed aside, replaced. So be it.
The hospital walls became both my prison and my comfort. Days passed in silence, broken only by the beeping machines and the occasional nurse’s voice. Then one afternoon, my phone lit up with a message. My chest tightened before I even reached for it. It wasn’t him. It was his Beta.
“Spend a few more days in the hospital. Rest. Take good care of yourself p>
I let out a long, shaky breath. Relief washed over me in a way I hadn’t expected. At least it wasn’t Calhoun ordering me around. At least it meant I could heal without the constant panic of disappointing him, without worrying he’d cut off what little wages I had left. For the first time in days, I felt the tiniest flicker of peace.
That peace didn’t last.
When I was discharged and finally back home, my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. The office group chats were exploding…messages rolling in one after another. Against my better judgment, I opened them. And my entire mood crumbled.
Every line was filled with updates about Calhoun and Carmela. Photos. Messages. Gossip. I scrolled, and each word was another dagger.
He had bought her an island near one of the neighboring Packs. An island. He had shut down not one but two luxury boutiques so she could shop for her birthday, celebrating her for an entire week. I didn’t even notice when my tears started falling—I just kept scrolling, staring through the blur.
Then came the part that nearly broke me: he had brought her to the Damaris Pack house. Introduced her to his family. For the future mating ceremony.
Bile rose in my throat. My vision blurred completely. I didn’t bother to read the rest…the lists of gifts, the details of her celebrations. I tossed my phone across the room and buried my face in my hands, staying unmoving.
My wolf pressed against me, whispering comfort, but I shoved her back. I couldn’t listen. Not when my chest already felt like it was splitting apart.
Wiping at my wet cheeks, I pulled the blankets to my chest. “No more,” I whispered to no one. “No more.” Closing my eyes, I let the exhaustion drag me down into a heavy, dreamless sleep.
Two days later, I forced myself back to the office. My colleagues welcomed me with warm smiles and soft voices, and I played along, nodding, thanking, pretending. But inside, I was hollow. I avoided him, avoided even being near his door. Weeks passed, and I perfected the art of slipping tasks to other executive assistants, keeping my distance like my life depended on it.
But like the devil he was, he found a way.
One morning, I carried a final file to his office. My chest tightened as I stepped inside. He sat behind his desk, eyes fixed on his computer screen, fingers typing steadily as though I didn’t exist. I set the file down quietly, almost holding my breath, and turned to leave.
“Elodie p>
His voice froze me mid-step. I turned back slowly, my stomach knotted. He didn’t even look at me when he spoke.
“I’m heading out for a meeting now. Stay with Carmela. She hates eating alone. I’ll be back later p>
My heart sank so fast it hurt. My lips parted, ready to reject, to beg him not to do this to me again but before I could speak, the sound of heels clicked across the floor.
Carmela stepped out of his private bedroom, her eyes finding me immediately. She smirked, her voice sharp.
“You! Come over. I have several things you need to help me with p>
I turned, desperate to object, to tell him no but he was already on his feet, already at the door. Without a glance back, he opened it and slammed it shut, leaving me there.
Alone. Again. With her.
Carmela didn’t say another word. She just turned on her heels, as she walked straight into the dining suite. I stood frozen, my chest tight, but in the end, what choice did I have? With a long, defeated sigh, I followed.
She slid gracefully into a seat as though she owned the world and, with a flick of her wrist, pushed a glass of wine toward me. Her long nail tapped the rim twice before she lifted her chin at me.
“Drink it,” she ordered, her lips curling. “I don’t trust the wine. If it’s bitter, your tongue should suffer not mine p>
The words cut deeper than I expected, but I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my composure. My voice trembled despite my effort to sound respectful.
“What if the wine is poisoned?” I asked quietly. “If you think it’s unsafe, why not dump it out and request for a fresher bottle instead p>
Her eyes narrowed into slits, and she leaned back, glaring at me like I was filth. Then she scoffed, the sound sharp and cruel.
“Poisoned? Please,” she sneered. “Your life isn’t that important. If it is poisoned, then you’ll die, and it simply means you’ve done a heroic thing, you’ve saved me. Calhoun would be grateful for your sacrifice p>
Her words hit me like ice water, my heart turning cold in my chest. I bit down hard on my lip to stop it from trembling.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, shaking my head. “I won’t be able to taste the wine for you. Perhaps… perhaps I could go get another bottle instead p>
The air shifted instantly. Carmela shot to her feet so suddenly her chair screeched against the marble, the sound slicing through my bones. My heart leapt into my throat. She jabbed a finger at me, her voice rising in a shrill scream.
“How dare you challenge my orders? Do you think Calhoun would think twice before firing you? I’ve looked into your background, Elodie. You’re nothing but a struggling Gamma who would scavenge from trash just to survive. One scream from me…just one…and Calhoun would come rushing in here. Then it would be over for you.” Her lips twisted into a wicked grin. “So the choice is yours. Drink it, or get fired p>
My heart cracked right there. She was right. Calhoun wouldn’t think twice. He’d toss me aside like I was nothing. I couldn’t risk it not when I barely had anything left to hold on to.
My hands shook as I reached for the glass. I whispered a prayer under my breath, then forced the liquid down in one gulp. The moment it hit my tongue, I gagged, it wasn’t wine. It was the most bitter, vile thing I’d ever tasted. I slammed the glass down, my chest heaving, and opened my mouth to speak when a searing burn exploded in my stomach.
The pain was instant and brutal, like acid was eating through my belly. My knees buckled, and I gasped, clutching my stomach.
“Ah—!” A cry tore out of me as I stumbled back and collapsed to the ground, my legs cramping violently. Tears poured down my face as I writhed, the fire inside me unbearable.
I looked up through the blur of tears, desperate for any shred of mercy, but all I saw was Carmela, standing there with her arms folded, a triumphant grin splitting her face.
“P–please,” I choked out, my voice breaking. “Help me… help—” My panic rose. The thought that I was dying here, poisoned by her, tore the scream from my throat. “Help! Somebody, help me p>
Footsteps pounded closer, and I saw Carmela stiffen. Her head snapped toward the door. Panic flickered in her eyes. She moved quickly, unscrewing the cap of the chili sauce nearby, pouring some into her hand, then shoving half of it into her mouth before collapsing to the ground with a wail.
The door slammed open. Calhoun stormed in, his eyes going wide, color draining from his face.
“Carmela!” He rushed straight to her, dropping to his knees and pulling her into his arms. “What’s happening? What’s wrong?” His voice shook with panic.
Carmela whimpered, tears spilling instantly as she clutched at him. “I—I think she did it,” she cried, pointing a trembling finger toward me. “Elodie put chili in my drink. You know I’m allergic. She tried to hurt me p>
Calhoun’s head snapped toward me, his eyes blazing with fury. His voice thundered across the room.
“Elodie! Why?” he roared. “Why would you do this to her? You know she can’t eat chili! Why are you so wicked p>
I couldn’t even form the words through the pain. I was curled on the ground, clutching my stomach, sobbing uncontrollably. But he didn’t care. He didn’t see me.
He scooped Carmela into his arms without hesitation, holding her protectively against his chest. “Hold on, baby, I’ve got you,” he whispered to her as he rushed for the door.
His Beta barreled in, his face grim. Calhoun barked the order without even sparing me a glance.
“Get Elodie. She’s coming too. Figure out why she’s on the ground p>
I could barely stay conscious as the Beta hauled me up, half dragging me out. My body trembled uncontrollably, the fire still raging inside me.
The SUV ride blurred. I remember Carmela being cradled in Calhoun’s lap, his voice soft and frantic for her, while I was shoved into the back, clutching my belly, drowning in my own pain.
Next I didn’t even know what was happening. All I heard were screeching tires. A crash. Metal slamming into metal. My head whipped sideways and slammed into the glass. The window shattered, cutting into my scalp. I tasted blood before I even realized I was throwing it up.
The world spun, horns blared, people screamed. An ambulance siren cut through the chaos. My vision flickered, slipping in and out.
Through the haze, I saw Calhoun, his arms carrying Carmela, his face frantic as he carried her out of the wreckage.
“Somebody help her!” someone shouted. “There’s a girl in the back, she’s bleeding! She won’t make it if you don’t hurry p>
That girl was me.
And still, Calhoun didn’t look back.