Elena
My eyes kept darting around every corner of the room waiting for someone to at least say a word but the only thing I heard was nothing but silence.
“Can somebody say something?” I yelled out loud in frustration.
“Good question.” Alexander’s expression is dark.
“Someone wants you destroyed.
And they’re doing a thorough job.”
My phone buzzes.
Damien.
What the hell is going on?
Are you okay?
Before I can respond, another text.
From an unknown number.
You took everything from me.
Now I’m taking everything from you.
Enjoy watching your life burn.
—V
V.
Vivian.
“She set me up,” I breathe.
“Vivian.
She was here tonight.
She warned me to check the news.
She knew this was coming.”
“Why would she…” Sage starts.
“Because I destroyed her reputation.
Because Luna Catherine forced her to leave.
Because everyone knows now that Dominic loved her and she used it.” I’m on my feet, pacing.
“This is her revenge.”
Alexander’s jaw clenches.
“Can you prove it?”
“No.
But I know it’s her.”
My phone rings.
Dominic.
I stare at it until Sage takes it and answers the speaker.
“What?” she snaps.
“Let me talk to Elena.” He sounds desperate.
“Please.”
She looks at me.
I nod.
“I’m here,” I say.
“Elena, I swear I didn’t know they were going to drag you into this.
The fraud investigation it’s real, I made mistakes with the accounts, but I never meant for you to be implicated.”
“What did you do, Dominic?”
He went silent.
Then: “I moved money.
Pack funds.
I was trying to hide assets from my parents so I could…
so I could take care of Vivian and Mira.
I used our joint accounts because I thought they’d be safe from investigation.”
“You used me.”
“I didn’t mean to!
I thought I’d fix it before anyone noticed.
But someone tipped off the Feds.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.
But Elena, you need to be careful.
Whoever did this wants to destroy both of us.”
The call ends.
I look at Alexander and Sage.
“What do I do?”
“We fight,” Sage says firmly.
“We prove you had no knowledge of the fraud.
We show the charity donations, the divorce timeline, everything.”
“And in the meantime?”
“In the meantime,” Alexander says quietly, “you stay close to people you trust.
Because someone is playing a very dangerous game, and you’re the target.”
I’m about to respond when all our phones buzz simultaneously.
Another news alert.
BREAKING: Alpha Dominic Ashford Found Dead in His Home-Apparent Suicide
The room spins.
“No,” I whisper.
“No, no, no.”
Sage is already on the phone, calling someone.
Alexander grabs my shoulders.
“Elena, breathe.”
“He just called us.
He was just….” I can’t finish the sentence.
My phone buzzes again.
That same unknown number.
One down.
You’re next, little Omega.
Should have stayed in your place.
I showed it to Alexander.
His face goes deadly calm.
The kind of calm that precedes violence.
“We’re leaving.
Now.” He pulls me toward the door.
“Wait!!!!
I need to….”
“You need to survive.
Someone just murdered Dominic and made it look like suicide.
And you’re their next target.”
In the parking garage, Alexander practically shoves me into his car.
As we peel out, I see a black SUV pull out behind us.
“We’re being followed,” I say.
Alexander’s hands tighten on the wheel.
“I know.”
He takes a sharp turn, then another.
The SUV stays with us.
“Hold on.”
He floors it, weaving through traffic.
The SUV matches every move.
We’re approaching a red light.
Alexander doesn’t slow down.
“Alexander!!!!”I called out his name in fear.
We blow through the intersection.
Horns blare.
The SUV follows.
Then, suddenly, police sirens.
The SUV veers off, disappearing into a side street.
Alexander doesn’t stop until we’re miles away, pulling into an underground parking garage I don’t recognize.
“Where are we?”
“Somewhere safe.” He kills the engine, turns to me.
“Elena, I need you to tell me everything.
Every detail about Dominic, Vivian, the Ashfords.
Because someone just committed murder and framed it as suicide, and they’re not going to stop until you’re dead too.”
I’m shaking so hard I can barely speak.
“I don’t understand.
Why would anyone want me dead?”
“Because you know something.
Or they think you do.”
“But I don’t know anything!”
Alexander’s phone rings.
He looks at the screen, frowns.
“It’s the pack council.”
He answers, listens, his face growing darker.
“Understood.
We’ll be there.”
He hangs up, looks at me.
“What?”
“Dominic left a suicide note.
It names you as his accomplice in the fraud.
Says you threatened to expose him unless he paid you to stay quiet.”
I can’t breathe.
“That’s not true.
None of that is true.”
“I know.
But the council has issued a warrant for your arrest.
We have maybe an hour before every cop in this city is looking for you.”
“What do we do?”
Alexander starts the car.
“We run.”