282
Matt
I shuffled through my pocket, looking for my phone. It wasn't ringing, but it was probably a message from Tony.
"Matt," she said, coming closer, her voice filled with desperation. "Please, you have to see reason."
I scoffed and turned. "Leave me alone."
She hurried to cut me off. "I'm serious!"
"So am I."
Just when I thought my day couldn't get any more fucked, she had to show up with this again.
"Have you been following me, or were you just skulking around hoping I'd show up?" I narrowed my eyes. "Hoping that Tony would show up?"
Something at the back of my mind was on edge. I glanced around, scanning for the danger, but I saw nothing out of the ordinary.
She approached me slowly, her eyes pleading with me. "You know why I'm here. When are you going to stop this and come back to where you belong? How long are you going to ignore your duties to the pack?"
I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. The words sent a spike of pain through me, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been earlier. I ignored it even as that sense of warning was growing louder.
"And why should I listen to him? You? After everything that's happened?"
After everything Oren had done to my mother? To the pack? After everything the pack had done to us?
"You all can go to hell for all I care."
She darted in front of me. "You're angry. That's fine, but we need you—"
"Need us?" I hissed. "They must really be crashing, burning, and salting the earth too. What? You can't figure out how to coupon properly? Are the bank accounts running dry because of the debts?"
I laughed. "What? Has he picked up that potion habit again?"
She went pale as if she hadn't expected me to ask, and that only pissed me off more.
"Tell him to stop fucking around, or go fuck yourself. I don't care which.
Eliza looked down at her feet. "You would have never talked like this to me before that girl…"
I frowned. "Girl? What girl? Are you talking about Lucy?"
"Alpha can make her come back to the pack. Don't you want to be with—"
"Oren can't do shit," I said. "Not unless he plans to kidnap her, and I want nothing to do with it." I paused. "Thinking back on it, it was all fucked up anyway, and we both owe her the apology of a lifetime. Her and Ginevra."
"Think about my grandchildren!"
"You think about them," I said. "And your daughter too. And yourself before he decides to replace you with a younger, healthier, prettier model."
She flushed.
"Whose to say he hasn't already?"
She bared her teeth. "Stop it. This isn't the time to joke, you ungrateful brat."
"Ah," I grinned. "There's the teeth I remember. Must be nice to let loose for a second."
"I—"
I snarled at her. Eliza's eyes widened, and she flinched back.
"Leave me alone," I said. "Leave us both alone. You and your alpha have pissed us off enough for a lifetime."
"Matt, please," she pleaded, her voice trembling. "You have to come back. The pack needs you."
I clenched my fists, my knuckles turning white as I fought to keep my temper in check.
"The pack needs to learn that they can't just betray us and expect everything to be fine," I spat out, my voice filled with bitterness. "You all and Oren brought this on yourselves."
Eliza shook her head, her eyes filled with tears. "But you're family, Matt. You can't just abandon us."
I scoffed, my anger reaching a boiling point. I went still for a moment, eyeing her and the way she pressed her hand to her stomach.
"Oh for fuck's sake…"Eliza flinched at my outburst, her eyes filled with fear. "You… You can't be fucking serious."
I glanced at the hospital doors. "That's why you're here… "
She looked down. Not for Tony or me, not for Ginevra, but for herself and the child she was carrying. Oren's child…
Tony's half-brother.
"Does he know?"
She shook her head silently.
"A boy?"
"I… I'm—"
"Don't fucking lie to me."
Her shoulders slumped, and she nodded. Her eyes filled with tears.
"You should be glad," I said. "You'll finally be luna the way you've always wanted."
"Please, Matthew," she begged, her voice barely above a whisper. " Think about this child who hasn't done anything. Think about Tony. About everything he's put into building up the pack. Do you really want all of that to go to waste?"
The mention of Tony's name was like a lava poured into my veins. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I couldn't afford to burn more energy than I had, and oddly, Eliza was right.
"You're right," I said. Her eyes filled with hope. "Tony does need me…" I narrowed my eyes at her. "Which is why I'm going to give you one last chance to get the fuck out of my face and leave us alone before I lose it."
The hope in her eyes died. She flinched back.
"Y-You wouldn't hurt me."
"No, I'm nothing like Oren," I said. "But that doesn't mean I can't make it very uncomfortable for you. I doubt Peter will be happy to see you here for…"
Movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. My heart pounded in my chest as I saw Cline and several others get out of the car near the exit of the hospital. Son of a bitch, this was a trap. What their plan was, it didn't matter, but it was obvious that Eliza was just supposed to be a distraction, a way to get me to stay in one place, alone and vulnerable, without the option to shift.
I chuckled darkly. "I think we're fucking done here."
"Matt, wait—"
I turned on my heel, storming down the sidewalk. Cline went still for a moment as if he hadn't expected me to notice him. We locked gazes for just a moment, and when I noticed who exactly he'd brought with him, I didn't have time to think; I just had to act. With a surge of adrenaline, I pivoted and took off down the street, my legs pumping as I tried to put as much distance between us as possible.
"After him!"
Behind me, I could hear their heavy footsteps pounding on the pavement, their voices shouting out my name. I could feel their eyes on my back, their breath hot on my neck.
Run, darling. I heard my mother say as if her voice was in the wind. Run quickly! To the right!
I turned right into an alleyway and launched myself at the brick wall. My shoes caught and skidded as I propelled myself over the tall chainlink fence.
Left, darling. Quickly! Faster!
My lungs burned. My legs ached. The pain was coming back, surging through me, but I refused to let them catch me. I had to get away, had to find a place where I could hide and send a message to Tony to watch out.
As I ran, I tried to think of a plan. Where could I go in Black Moon? Back to the hospital, but how long would I be safe there? They'd be watching the hospital going forward.
Did they know where Tony's penthouse was yet? It was too far to get there on foot.
My steps faltered. My heart felt like it had stopped. Something metallic coated my tongue.
There!
I spotted a narrow alleyway up ahead. It was dark and cramped, but it would provide some cover. I darted into the alley, my heart pounding in my chest as I heard the sounds of them closing in. I crouched down behind a dumpster, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I waited for them to pass.
Take another. I fumbled for the pouch and drank another vial. The pain in my chest eased. My lungs stopped seizing.
Keep going, dear. You have to keep going.
Mom? I sniffled. my eyes burning with tears. Is that really—?
"This way!"
I cursed and ran further down the alley. Soon, the alley was silent except for the sound of traffic on the other side. I broke out onto the sidewalk just as the dizziness started to come back. I looked left and then right before drawing my hood and hunkering down to try to blend into the crowd of college students nearby. I kept a stiff and quick pace despite the aches springing up throughout my body.
I knew that I couldn't stay in one place for too long. I had to keep moving, had to stay one step ahead of them. How well did they know Black Moon's capital? I couldn't keep running forever. I needed a plan and distance. I stopped with a crowd, gnawing at my lip and wondering if I was losing my mind.
How could a dead woman be talking to me?
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