Elle
I sank into the nearest chair, my legs too shaky to hold me any longer. "No," I whispered. "I'm not okay, Lena."
The words poured out of me in a rush. The cake crashing to the floor. The sudden buzz in my head and the mindlink I was never supposed to hear. Glen and Kai's cruel words when they thought I couldn't listen. Glen's face twisting from shock to suspicion, accusing me of planting devices and spying on him. The way he laughed when I said I wanted a divorce. How he walked out twice and left me on the floor both times.
Lena stayed quiet until I finished. Then she let out a long, heavy breath.
"That bastard," she muttered. "I knew something was going on with him and Toria, but I didn't want to believe it had gotten this bad. I have something urgent to tell you about them, Elle. Can I come over right now?"
"No," I said quickly, glancing at the door. "Glen might come back any moment. I don't want another fight tonight. Just tell me over the phone."
She hesitated, then spoke more carefully.
"I've known about the affair for a few months now. I didn't say anything because I thought you were happy in your own way, and I didn't want to hurt you. But after what you just told me, I can't stay quiet anymore."
I closed my eyes and waited, my free hand gripping the edge of the chair.
"Toria is the former Alpha's daughter," Lena continued. "She has a rare illusion gift, but it's made her chronically ill since she was a kid. She's been in and out of medical centers her whole life. She's been after Glen since they were teenagers. Everyone in the pack knew she had feelings for him, but when he chose you… she never really gave up. She uses her frailty to keep pulling him back. Calls him whenever she has an episode, makes him feel responsible for her. It's been going on for years behind your back."
The words settled over me like ice water. I had suspected pieces of it, but hearing Lena confirm everything made it feel real and final.
"I already know some of it," I said quietly.
Lena went silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was thick with surprise.
"You already know? Elle… you sound different. What's going on? You've always fought so hard for this family. You hid your own talents, you took every insult, you nearly died giving birth to Kai just to keep them happy. Now you're ready to walk away?"
"Yes," I whispered. "I am."
The tears finally came, hot and angry. I wiped them away with the back of my hand, but more kept falling. "I've given everything, Lena. Six years of hiding who I really am, pretending I'm just a quiet housewife so I wouldn't embarrass him. I almost died giving birth to Kai because my body wasn't built for a high-blood werewolf child. And now this disease is eating me from the inside because the Moon Goddess apparently doesn't approve of a human like me standing beside a Delta."
"Disease?" Lena's voice sharpened with worry. "What disease? You didn't mention any disease."
I let out a shaky breath. "Luna Decay. The doctor diagnosed me today. Stage Four."
"Gods…" Lena breathed. "Luna Decay? Since when? You said something about suddenly hearing mindlinks too. Are the two things connected?"
"Yes," I said, my voice tired. "I found out not long ago. I've been feeling weak for weeks. The treatment they tried today failed. That's why I can suddenly hear mindlinks. It's some kind of side effect. I didn't tell Glen yet. I couldn't. Not after the way he looked at me like I was the enemy."
Lena's voice softened, but I could hear the concern in it. "Luna Decay isn't just a disease, you know. The old texts say it happens when the Moon Goddess withdraws her blessing from an unequal mating. Werewolves carry strong lunar magic in their blood and through the pack mindlink. When a human like you bonds with someone as powerful as Glen — a Delta — that energy is supposed to strengthen you. But if the bond isn't fully accepted by the pack… or if he keeps it secret… it starts poisoning you instead. Like your body can't handle the constant pull anymore."
I pressed my forehead against my hand, feeling the weight of it all. "The treatment failed. That's why everything is happening so fast now."
"You don't owe him your pain anymore," Lena said firmly. "Pack a bag tonight. I'll come get you first thing in the morning. We'll figure out how to get you through the passage to the Lower City. There's a clinic down there working on hybrid treatments. It's risky, but it's better than staying here and letting them drain what's left of you."
I nodded even though she couldn't see me. "Thank you, Lena. I'll be ready."
After we hung up, the apartment felt colder and emptier than ever. I forced myself to stand despite the ache in my hip and walked to the bedroom. I pulled out a suitcase and started packing practical clothes. Jeans. Simple tops. The few things that still felt like the real me instead of the perfect housewife I had tried so hard to become.
As I folded a sweater, the soft blue notification appeared in my vision.
[ECHO SYSTEM Level 2 – Basic Neural Interface Unlocked]
[You can now faintly see status windows.]
I blinked at the floating text. A small status window hovered at the edge of my sight. It felt strange, but also like the first tiny sign that something inside me was starting to fight back.
I kept packing until the suitcase was full. Then I paused at Kai's door. It was slightly open. I could hear the faint sounds of his game.
I knocked softly and stepped inside. "Kai?"
He looked up, his face guarded. "What do you want, Mom?"
The question hurt more than it should have. I kept my voice gentle. "Are you hungry? I can make your favorite pasta with extra cheese if you want."
He shrugged, but there was still that small flicker of reliance in his eyes. "Yeah. But make it fast. Dad might be back soon."
I stood there watching him, this boy I had carried through months of sickness and pain. He still needed me for the little things, yet the subtle disdain was always there now. The way he spoke to me like I was less.
Before I could turn to leave, he added casually, "I want the three of us to be a real family. Me, Dad, and Toria. She's strong and she understands our world. You could visit sometimes."
His innocent cruelty broke something deeper inside me. The words were said so simply, like he was asking for a new toy. Tears pricked my eyes again, but I swallowed them down.
"Goodnight, Kai," I said softly.
I closed his door and went back to my suitcase. The weight of it felt heavier than it should as I dragged it toward the front door.
I reached the elevator and pressed the button. The doors slid open. I stepped inside, heart pounding with the first real steps toward leaving this life behind.
But before the doors could close, two of Glen's security team stepped forward, blocking the way. Their faces were blank and professional.
"Mrs. Bellarie," one of them said politely but firmly. "Delta's orders. You are not permitted to leave the building tonight."
My stomach dropped. Glen had already given the command.
I stood there with my suitcase, staring at the men who would not let me pass, feeling the walls of this life closing in tighter than ever before.