106
~Lira’s POV
I stayed on that hotel bed for a long ti, staring at the ceiling like it could suddenly solve my problems for . My mind kept spinning in circles, the sa thoughts returning over and over like a bad song on repeat. I felt angry. I felt betrayed. I felt like a fool. And I felt like the world was laughing at with their stupid comnts online.
They all wanted Elara to win. They all wanted her to shine like she was so perfect chosen one.
And ?
They wanted punished.
The thought made my jaw clench so hard it hurt. I sat up slowly, wiping the last traces of weakness from my eyes with the back of my hand.
"I am not done," I whispered. "She thinks she’s safe. She thinks she is protected. But she won’t be forever."
Still, there was the problem I didn’t want to think about: Alpha Darlon. Nothing about that man was easy. He was powerful. He was dangerous. And now that Elara had him, she wasn’t just protected by a pack. She was protected by an army.
"How do I get past him?" I asked the empty room. "How do I reach her without being torn apart?"
There was no answer, so I unlocked my phone and began calling people. Contacts I knew from the past. People who used to owe favors, or at least pretended to. My fingers trembled slightly as I dialed the first number.
It rang once. Twice. Then cut off.
Blocked.
I tried another.
Blocked.
Another.
No response.
"What is wrong with all of you!" I snapped, pacing the room like a wild animal. "One problem and you all disappear? Cowards!"
I tried the fourth number.
"Pick up... pick up..." I muttered.
Silence. Then the screen went black.
Blocked again.
My chest tightened with humiliation and rage. It felt like everyone had suddenly thrown away like trash. Like, I was only useful when I was winning.
I threw the phone on the bed and breathed hard, trying to calm myself. I needed a plan. Sothing sharp. Sothing final. Elara could not live. Not if I wanted my story back.
"She dies," I said quietly to myself. "And I take my place. No matter what it takes."
I didn’t care how evil it sounded in that mont. Pain changes people. Being replaced changes people. I felt like the world shoved aside and told to stay quiet. I couldn’t.
But I needed help, and every na I called turned its back on . The anger built like fire in my stomach. I needed air. Food. Sothing to bring back to myself. I grabbed my bag and stepped out of the room, heading downstairs.
The hotel lobby looked different now. Or maybe it was who was different. My eyes scanned everything like a hunted animal. I walked toward the small restaurant area, thinking of ordering sothing simple, just to stop the shaking in my hands.
That was when I froze.
Three n. All in black. Standing at the reception desk. Their posture was too stiff. Too professional. And the way the receptionist kept staring nervously told everything I needed to know.
I moved quietly behind a pillar and leaned just enough to hear them.
"Have you seen this woman?" one of the n asked, placing a picture on the counter.
I didn’t have to see it clearly. I knew it was my face.
The receptionist hesitated. "I... I’m not sure."
"She checked in here," another man said. "We know she did. Alpha Darlon wants her found. Now."
Hearing his na made sothing cold run down my spine. So it was true. He was hunting . And if he wanted found, then I was in more danger than I thought.
I stepped back slowly, heart pounding. I needed to leave. Right now.
I rushed back to my room, my breathing quick and uneven. I grabbed what I could: a few clothes, my broken phone, my purse. I wore a hoodie, pulled the hood over my hair, and then tied a face mask around the lower part of my face. I looked like soone trying to disappear. Maybe that was exactly what I needed.
A sharp knock hit the door.
"Open up!"
The voice was rough. It was too familiar with authority.
I didn’t answer.
Another knock. Harder this ti.
"We know you’re in there."
I didn’t think. I just moved. I went straight to the window, pushed it open, and swung one leg out. The drop wasn’t too bad. I could land without breaking sothing.
The door banged loudly behind , and soone shouted, "She’s running!"
I jumped.
The landing hurt, but I stayed on my feet and took off running. The mask made it hard to breathe, but I didn’t stop. Not even when I heard footsteps behind .
"Stop right there!" one of them yelled.
Like I would listen.
I sprinted across the parking lot, weaving between cars, pushing through panic and fear and anger all mixed. The n chased , their steps getting closer. I could feel their eyes on my back like claws.
I cut around the corner of the hotel, but I made the mistake of looking back, and that’s when they spotted my face clearly under the hood.
"There!" another voice shouted. "It’s her! Run!"
I didn’t think. I just ran.
Because if they caught , I knew my story would end right there. And I wasn’t ready for it to end. Not while Elara was still breathing.
I ran like my life depended on it. Maybe it did. The cold air slapped against my face, and every breath burned, but I kept going. My shoes pounded against the ground, too loud, like they were giving away. I could hear the n behind , their footsteps getting closer, their voices echoing through the parking lot.
"Stop! Don’t let her get away!"
I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. I just pushed my legs harder, even though they felt like they were shaking. Fear crawled up my spine, but anger kept moving. Anger that Elara was living a peaceful life while mine was falling apart. Anger that I was the one running when she was the one who ruined . At least, that’s how I saw it.
A car horn blared as I cut across a lane, but I barely noticed. I almost got hit, but the driver swerved and yelled sothing at , sothing I didn’t hear clearly. All I could hear was my heartbeat, loud and fast like it was trying to break out of my chest.
Just keep going. Just don’t stop. Don’t let them touch you.
My hood started to slip, so I yanked it down lower and pulled the mask tighter. I could feel the desperation in every movent. I darted between two parked cars and ducked low, hoping to lose them. Maybe hidden or disappear. But the n turned the corner right after .
"She went this way! Hurry!"
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