CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 19

Cynthia

I feel all the strength drain from me. I know what he’s talking about. There’s no mistaking it. If he has to, he’ll use the blood debt to keep me tied to him. He may not beat me and torture me as his father did, but he’ll strip me of my choice. I stumble back, the urge to throw up overwhelming.

"Do you even know what you’re saying?" Robert sounds pissed.

"Do you have a better idea?" Adam snaps back. "Watson won’t support me if I don’t marry Tina. If I don’t become Alpha, then the ownership of Cynthia’s blood debt will be given over to Norman. There is no winning here for anybody! And besides, with Tina by my side, I have a better chance of making all these changes in the pack."

I don’t want to hear anymore.

With my hand on my flat belly, I rush back to the bedroom. My blood is pounding as waves of anger and betrayal wash over me. This isn’t about choosing Tina over me. He wants Tina to stand by him before the pack while I remain his dirty little secret. And our child? My hand curls into a fist on my stomach.

He doesn’t plan to free me. He plans to simply take my leash, take over my ownership.

This time the pain is a vicious ball inside me, suffocating me.

I reach for the bag I hid under the bed and bring out the black phone. It’s already got a sim within it, and I shoot off a message to Tony. I get a response within a minute. I don’t hesitate now. The time for hesitating and planning is over. The one person I was beginning to trust over all others has just stabbed me in the back. Now is the time for action.

Grabbing the bag and my shoes in one hand, I hurry across the living room. I open the front door as softly as possible and then leave it ajar, knowing it makes a definitive clicking sound when it shuts. I don’t bother with the elevator, just using the emergency exit stairs. I’ve just exited the building when a hand grabs me.

I let out a startled cry only to hear a voice say, "It’s me, Miss Rose."

I come face to face with Watson.

He doesn’t look very happy. “I had a feeling I would be seeing you around here.”

"Let go of my hand," I say tightly.

He does so, tucking his own in his pockets. His voice is thin as he says, "When I convinced Adam to hire a new male assistant, I didn’t think he’d move you into his apartment."

"Don’t worry," I snap. "I was just leaving."

"Actually," Watson gestures, "why don’t I give you a ride to wherever it is you are going?" He looks pointedly at the shoes in my hand. "I can drop you off. I’ve been wanting to talk to you as well."

I look up and down the empty street. Watson might be an elder, but he’s going to be physically stronger than me. He could always force me into this car if I don’t agree. And a car ride would be quicker.

"Very well. I need to get to Florentia Street."

There’s a black car parked just a few feet away, and he opens the backseat door for me. "Of course. On the way, let’s talk."

There’s a stoic-faced man in the driver’s seat, and I feel a hint of dread. I want to text Tony to let him know what’s happening, but I don’t want Watson to see my phone in case he decides to throw it out. I don’t know how ’civil’ this conversation is going to be.

As he begins driving, Watson glances at me. "How long have you and Adam been involved?"

"We’re not involved."

"I don’t like being lied to, Miss Rose." His eyes are hard.

"And I’m not lying," I hiss. "Adam was using me to become Alpha. He wanted me to get dirt on Norman, so I did. And now he has no more use for me."

"I see," Watson says thoughtfully. "And what is your plan now?"

"I’m leaving the city," I say bluntly. "And I won’t be back. You don’t have to worry about me ever again."

"I would prefer not to." He reaches into his coat’s inner pocket and brings out a thick yellow envelope. "Adam is meant to become the next Alpha, and my daughter is the best person to stand by his side, Miss Rose. Whatever ambitions you have of becoming the alpha female, you should get rid of those. You could never be half the woman my daughter is. She is more experienced, more educated, more connected than you can ever hope to be. For Adam’s future prospects, you should follow through with your plan and leave. I thought the bullying attempts in the company would convince you to walk away, but I underestimated you. You have thicker skin than I anticipated."

My eyes turn to him, shock hitting me like a punch in the gut. "All that bullying, you were behind it?"

Watson doesn’t look the least bit upset. "I have worked hard to pair Adam with my daughter. I wasn’t going to let a woman like you disrupt my daughter’s future."

His words are insulting, but I don’t care.

"I saw the way Adam looked at you and defended you. I noticed how he faced off against his own brother for you. I didn’t like it. Tina didn’t like it either. Which is why this is the best solution for us all."

He hands me the envelope. "This is a new identity, along with a forged birth certificate, educational degrees, and a resume with references. There is money in here that will let you settle anywhere for at least a year. All these new details have been updated in the system, and whoever runs a background check on you will be able to verify this information."

I’m silent for a moment as I take the envelope, and then I ask, "And let me guess? In return, you want me to leave Seattle for good?"

"Don’t ever come in front of Adam again," Watson says darkly. "You will be his downfall."

The downfall of the man who was willing to keep a leash around my neck to keep me next to him.

I give him a humorless smile. "Alright. I’ll leave."

"Good. This is your stop."

I see Tony’s car parked outside a red brick building. So, he got my message to meet him here. I get out of Watson’s car, and he drives away. As soon as he turns the corner, Tony is out of his car and hurrying toward me.

"Cynthia––"

"Let’s talk inside." I jerk my head, feeling incredibly calm.

Maya is waiting for us, and the first thing she does as soon as we walk into her apartment is hug me tightly, her eyes tearing. "You okay?"

"No."

I look around her small apartment, and it feels warm and inviting, a complete contrast to the winter raging inside me.

"Tony," I look at her, "tell her everything."

Tony hesitates, but I nod. "Please. I need your help in breaking it."

"You’ve found a way?" His eyes narrow, and I nod once again.

I take the injections out of my bag. "You need to stop my heart for five minutes with this, and immediately after, you need to administer the antidote."

Tony takes a step back. "Have you lost your mind? The wolfsbane will kill you, and five minutes is too long––"

"I’m pregnant, Tony," I say simply, my heart cold now. "If I don’t free myself now, my child will carry my burden."

Tony looks shocked, his eyes darting to my stomach.

"What if your baby dies?" Maya sounds horrified.

It kills me to say the next words. "Better it dies before it can feel anything than live the life I’m leading."

"Cynthia!" Maya sounds outraged.

However, I don’t flinch. "I won’t bring this child into this world to be a slave. Now is the time, Tony."

"Why aren’t you saying anything?" Maya gives Tony a furious look.

"Come here." Tony takes her hand. "Let’s give Cynthia some space and we should talk."

I sit at the kitchen table, staring down at the envelope in my hand, a cold emptiness expanding inside me. I don’t want to hurt my baby, but I don’t want my child to live the life I have led. My phone starts ringing, and when I look down, I see Adam’s name pop up on my screen. I turn off my phone and take out the SIM, breaking it in two.

I will never see you again, Adam, I think to myself. I will rip off every leash on me, yours included.

When Maya and Tony return, Maya is white as a sheet. I don’t know what I expect her to say, but throwing her arms around me in a strangling hug isn’t what I anticipated. She doesn’t speak, but I feel the wetness on the side of my neck, and some of the stiffness fades from inside me.

“Maya and I discussed this,” Tony says once Maya steps back, wiping her eyes. “Your freedom is necessary, but so is saving the baby. We’re going to call Lydia. She’ll have to be told about all this but––"

“No!” I get to my feet. “No one else should be involved."

"Just hear us out," Maya says quickly. "If either of us give you the injections, we might make a mistake. Having Lydia oversee this whole thing will increase your chances of survival as well as the baby’s."

"I give you my word," Tony interjects, "she won’t say anything to anyone. And if she does, I’ll kill her."

His threat lingers in the air as I stare at him in utter shock. "You’d kill a healer for me? Are you crazy?"

Tony meets my gaze, regret in his eyes. "I’ve failed you all these years, Cynthia. I won’t fail you now. I will handle this situation."

"Don’t––Don’t kill her," I say, refusing to hurt the woman who has been nothing but kind to me. "We’ll just make sure I’m far away before she has time to tell anyone anything. I have an escape plan ready. I just need to free myself first."

"Alright." Tony grabs his keys from the table. "I’ll go get her."

"Throw these in the water on your way." I hand him the broken SIM and my phone."

Tony gives me a sharp look but doesn’t question me.

"Give her something to eat," he tells Maya as he walks out.

"I don’t have an appetite." I shake my head at my friend. However, Maya takes out some eggs and whips them up into a scrambled form.

"Eggs are good for pregnancy," she says firmly. "When was the last time you actually had a meal?"

"This morning." I take a bite of the eggs, and my stomach aches from hunger.

As I eat, Maya studies me. "The father is Adam Moore, isn’t it?"

I jerk, my fork clattering on my plate. "What? How did you––"

"Your reaction from this afternoon when you saw the engagement announcement. And that building is where Adam lives. Everybody knows that."

"Maya, you can’t tell––"

"Of course not." Maya squeezes my hand. "I don’t think Tony has put two and two together yet. And if he has, he’s not mentioned it to me. But Cynthia, instead of doing all this, isn’t it better to get Adam to protect you? Surely, once he becomes Alpha––"

"Adam is marrying Tina," I stare down at the food now, feeling nauseated. "He plans to keep me tied to him using the blood debt. He’d keep me a slave to him."

"He wouldn’t do that if he knows you’re carrying his child!"

My head whips up, anger flashing in them. "Don’t you remember what you told me? Some males marry the woman they want and keep their fated mate by their side to bear their children. Do you have any guarantee that he won’t rip my child from my arms and give it to his wife to raise?"

Maya pales, but she doesn’t give up. "You can’t get pregnant unless he’s mated you."

"It was a fluke." I laugh bitterly. "My wolf and I are not connected in the traditional sense. I was given an aphrodisiac. I did my research, Maya. He was able to knock me up because of the potency of the drug.”

Maya closes her eyes briefly. "He must care for you. Adam, that is."

"In his own way, he does," I mutter. "But his ambition to become Alpha is far greater than his feelings. He’s willing to strip me of my dignity to keep me with him. No better than a sex slave."

"Did you hear him say that exactly?" Maya persists. "Did he say he was not going to release you from the blood debt?"

I give my friend an incredulous look. "You wanted me to stick around and play twenty questions with him? Maya, do you understand the situation I’m in? He’s engaged to another woman! He plans on marrying her. He has the upper hand in this situation. You want me to go back to him, pull up a chair, and ask him to clarify what he meant? You think I didn’t know what he was trying to say? For God’s sake, Maya! His own friend understood what he was saying."

Maya flushes, looking embarrassed. "Sorry."

I shake my head, burying my head in my hands, letting the silence surround me for a couple of long minutes. Finally, I mutter, "I don’t want to be in this situation. This isn’t some deliberate plan. I’ve never been with a man, Maya. He was my first. He was my first for a lot of things. I think I fell in love with him. He had me convinced that he loved me too. He kept reassuring me that he would handle everything. But as he did so, he began isolating me from the outside world. He wanted to hide his engagement. I don’t know what else he was hiding. My heart hurts, Maya. It hurts with every breath. I am not enjoying this situation. But I have to protect myself. And I have to protect this child within me."

I look up to see her bow her head, looking ashamed. "Sorry. I was just trying to help."

"I know." I sigh.

"No matter what happens," Maya suddenly says, grasping my cold hands, "Tony and I will always be there for you."

I give her a small smile and suddenly, I look around. "I thought you were living with your sister. Why isn’t she here?"

It’s Maya’s turn to look downcast now. "She didn’t approve of Tony, especially the twenty-plus year age gap. We fought, and she went to stay with some friends."

"I’m sorry." I give her a sympathetic look.

"She doesn’t understand that Tony’s the first guy who’s ever made an effort to court me properly. Wolves our age just want to go to clubs, get in bed, and then ghost you for months. I want someone dependable, and I’m a little old-fashioned myself. Tony treats me like I’m so precious to him. He brings me flowers and takes care of me. He sometimes drops over lunch for me, and we go out for lovely dates. He took me on a carriage ride the other weekend, and then we went boating. He also taught me how to fish. These things matter to me. Spending time with him is important to me. The other day, I found him reading a book series I love, although he’s not fond of the genre. He said he wanted me to have someone to discuss the book with."

My lips curve softly at the look in her eyes. "You’re in love, aren’t you?"

"Madly so," Maya breathes. "I know my sister will never approve of him, but he really makes me happy. I don’t want to let go of that happiness."

"You shouldn’t." Despite my circumstances, I’m happy for her. "You hold on to Tony with everything you have. I’m glad you two met and that you’re doing so well together."

Maya squeezes my hand. "I wish the same happiness for you, Cynthia."

Searching her eyes, I know she means it.

"Everyone’s happiness is different." I cover her hand. "I may not find happiness with my mate, but I’ll find it in my freedom. Losing Adam hasn’t broken me, Maya. I’ve overcome bigger obstacles than this. I won’t break. Don’t worry about me. My freedom is my happiness. And if I don’t get my freedom in life, then the one I can get in death is equally satisfying."

Maya’s lips press together into a thin line. "Don’t say that. You’ll live, and so will your child."

I smile fiercely. "I certainly hope so."

Our conversation is interrupted when the front door opens and we hear footsteps. Both of us get to our feet, and Tony enters the kitchen first, followed closely by a white-faced Lydia.

She takes one look at me and says, "Are you okay?"

I nod.

She glanced at Tony. "I need one moment with Cynthia."

Tony seems to have expected this, or perhaps she told him in the car already because he just nods and ushers Maya into the other room. When the door closes behind them, Lydia meets my gaze. "I am willing to swear a blood oath to keep your secret."

I study her, taken aback. "Why? I thought you would try to convince me not to go through with this. Why are you trying to help me?"

"First of all, because I owe you my life. If you hadn’t warned me that day, I would be dead right now. And second, because I was never able to help you. I should have stepped in the moment I realized the dynamics between you and Jonathon were all wrong. I should have sent in the footage of Norman’s attack on you to the Investigative Force. I should have pressed you more for the truth."

"It’s not your fault, Lydia." I give her a faint smile. "Can you help me now?"

She nods. "My mentor did his thesis on the breaking of a blood debt. He was fascinated by the idea, so I am your best bet to see you through this. I won’t question your decision, but I will swear a blood oath."

"I’ll trust you not to say anything to anyone," I tell her.

She shakes her head. "For your safety, I insist."

Tony returns, almost as if he sensed our conversation was over. I’ve never sworn a blood oath, but I’ve seen a few being sworn, and as Lydia swears on her life and her blood to keep my secret, the magic of our animals binding her words to her soul, I feel a sense of relief.

This is all going to be over soon.

Laying down on the couch, I watch Lydia take out the injection filled with liquid wolfsbane.

My lips press together, not an ounce of fear within me as she approaches me. My hand goes to my stomach.

May we remain together in this life, little one.

Whether it’s a prayer or a wish, I don’t know. But as I close my eyes, the wolfsbane taking its effect on me, I truly hope I get to live a life of peace and happiness with my child.