ELODIE'S POV

It was just another Monday. But it felt like my funeral.

And today, like every day, I was dragging the bones of what was left into the damn building just to look at him. To look at the man who ripped me apart piece by piece and still had no clue how deeply I bled for him.

God, I hated Mondays.

But more than anything. I hated myself.

For still hoping. For still waking up every morning thinking, maybe today he'll see me. maybe today he'll love me back.

Stupid, stupid girl.

I pulled on my coat, slapped on some lip balm so I didn't look half-dead, and walked into the office like a ghost in her own skin. No one could tell though. I was always on time. Always put-together. Always carrying out my duties like a perfect little Gamma. Even my wolf was tired of me as she whined each day.

Meetings. Pack rosters. Investment briefings. Boardroom memos. Scheduling. I handled everything. I made sure the empire Calhoun was trying to build didn't crumble from the inside. I was the hands behind the throne.

But he didn't see that. He never did.

I kept myself busy all morning, burying my pain beneath back-to-back meetings and hollow smiles. I briefed the warriors. I double-checked the contracts coming in from the trading sectors. I filed the latest correspondence from the Nightbourne Pack, ironically addressed to his attention. Everything had to be perfect. Everything had to be in place.

It wasn't until I glanced at the clock that my heart skipped.

Shit. His meeting.

He was due in five minutes. Of course, I had to go remind him. Of course, I had to walk into his office again and pretend like I hadn't spent the entire weekend crying into a pillow while he probably spent it tangled up with Carmela Reyes.

I took a deep breath. One. Then another. Picked up a few files just to give my hands something to do, anything to stop them from shaking, and slowly started the walk down the hall.

My chest tightened the closer I got, like my heart already knew what I didn't.

And then I heard it.

Laughter.

High-pitched. Feminine. Loud.

My body stopped moving.

That voice. I'd know it anywhere.

Carmela Reyes.

I swallowed. My shoulders slumped. My whole soul felt like it wanted to shrink, disappear into the floor tiles. But I had to go in. I had to do my job.

So I opened the door.

And I swear, blood drained from my face the second I stepped inside.

She was there. Sitting on his goddamn desk like she owned him.

Her Ginger hair tumbling over her bare shoulder as she fed him apple slices...apple, the one fruit Calhoun always said he hated while his hand worked effortlessly on his laptop. and the other hand was wrapped lazily around her waist like it belonged there.

I couldn't breathe.

Calhoun. the Calhoun I knew. The one who hated body contact. The one who once refused to drink from the same cup I used when I had a fever. The one who never let me sit too close, who acted like my very presence disturbed the air around him-he had her sitting on his desk. Feeding him like a child. Touching him like it was nothing.

Who was this man?

He finally looked up at me again. His voice was annoyed.

"What?" he said, like I had barged in on something trivial. "What do you want? Why are you standing there like you've seen a ghost?"

I wanted to throw the files at his face. I wanted to scream and cry. But all I could do was stand there.

Frozen. Humiliated. Heartbroken. Again.

I forced my voice out, barely a whisper. "You have a meeting. In five minutes, Alpha."

Carmela suddenly began to cough violently. My body stiffened. I didn't know what came over me-maybe instinct, maybe worry.but I took half a step forward before I stopped myself. Before I remembered who I was to them. No one.

But Calhoun.

His reaction nearly shattered me.

His eyes widened in alarm. Panic.real panic.washed over his face like I'd never seen before. He immediately reached for the other mug on his table, a ceramic one he never let anyone touch. The one I'd tried to hand him tea in once and he'd refused. He picked it up.his own mug.and gently brought it to her lips.

"Here, baby. Drink slowly," he said, voice calm but hurried. He rubbed her back as she took a sip, whispering something I couldn't hear. His hand never left her body-gentle strokes on her back, soft circles behind her neck. His brows were drawn, his mouth in a tight line of concern.

And it hurt. God, it hurt so badly.

That was the softest version of him I had ever seen.

And that wasn't the worst of it.

Carmela turned her face, tilted her chin up to him like she owned him-and maybe she did-and pressed a possessive kiss to his lips. Her hand came up and wrapped around the back of his neck, curling into his hair like she was comforting him now.

And then she smiled. A soft, smug smile.

"You're such a darling, Cal," she purred. "You'd do anything to make sure I'm okay, wouldn't you?"

I held my breath. My nails dug into the folders I held. It took everything in me not to break down right there on the spot.

Calhoun's lips twitched into a small smile.

It was the first time I had ever seen warmth on his face like that. And it was like it had been carved for her. Only for her.

His eyes flicked to hers, and with a small, quiet chuckle, he said,

"Of course. Anything for you."

Anything for you.

Not me.

Never me.

My hands trembled.

My phone buzzed in my coat pocket. The vibration dragged me back to reality-just barely. I glanced down at the screen. It was a calendar reminder. Pack Alpha council, twenty minutes in.

I cleared my throat softly and lowered my gaze to hide the burn rising behind my eyes.

"Alpha Calhoun," I said, "some of the Pack Alphas are still waiting for your response. Most of them. they aren't in a good mood."

I could barely lift my eyes, but I did. Just a little. Enough to see Carmela roll hers dramatically and let out a disgusted grunt.

"Ugh. Cal," she scoffed, pointing directly at me. "I swear, I hate this Gamma of yours. Doesn't she know when to shut up?"

I stiffened.

And then his glare found me.

A harsh flick of those dark eyes that had once softened in my dreams.

"Tell them I'll join them soon," Calhoun snapped, not even sparing me a full glance. "My future Luna nearly choked. She needs to be attended to. Now."

My lips parted to say something-to offer to push the meeting, or maybe to suggest someone else deliver the message-but the second I took a breath to speak, he cut me off.

"Carmela comes first before any Pack meetings," he said, sharply. Like it was a reminder. Like I'd somehow forgotten my place.

My heart clenched so painfully I had to clench my fists to keep my voice from shaking.

"Yes, Alpha," I whispered, and quickly typed the message to the Alphas' platform to reschedule the session. I was just about to turn when Carmela let out another little groan, dragging her fingers through her hair in mock stress.

"You know," she drawled, "I've heard people say Elodie makes the best broth in the office. I'd like to try one. I'll stay back here and rest. And if I like it. maybe I'll let her serve me again."

My lungs locked.

Please no. Not this.

Then Calhoun spoke, "You heard her. Go make the broth. Stay with her until I get back."

That was it. No second thought. No consideration. No look at me to see the pain his words carved into me.

I forced a smile-God, it hurt to even curve my lips-and nodded.

"Yes, Alpha."

And then I turned. My feet felt heavy. My chest ached. My eyes burned. But I walked out. I made the broth. It only took three minutes.

Three minutes to convince myself to breathe.

Three minutes to pull myself back together.

When I came back in, carefully holding the tray, the first thing I saw made my stomach twist.

Carmela. Standing close. Too close. Straightening Calhoun's tie with both hands, like a perfect little wife. His head bent slightly as he let her. He didn't even acknowledge my return.

I lowered myself as I stepped in, walking past them quietly. As I turned toward her with the bowl, Calhoun brushed past me and walked out-just like that.

I brought the broth to her, placed it gently on the side table.

She barely looked at me. Just picked up the spoon, took a sip And then, her face twisted in Disgust.

"What the hell is this?!" she snapped, just before she shrieked. I barely had time to step back when she hurled the hot broth straight at me.

It splashed across my chest and shirt, scalding heat burning into my skin as I let out a sharp cry.

"Ahh!" I gasped, stumbling back, trying not to drop the tray.

But she wasn't done.

The next thing I saw was Calhoun's mug-his sacred mug-the one he only let her touch. She hurled it with such rage I couldn't dodge it fast enough. It shattered right against my cheek and pain exploded through my face, my ears ringing from the force.

Glass cut into my skin. Blood trickled down. I staggered and caught myself on the wall. My heart raced. My vision blurred.

She stood. Her eyes glowing a dangerous amber. Her voice dripped venom.

"The broth is cold, Gamma. What were you trying to do? Poison me?"

I couldn't speak.

I opened my mouth, tried to explain, but nothing came out. Just stuttering breaths and shame burning hotter than the broth that clung to my clothes.

The door burst open.

Calhoun rushed in, followed by a few staff members who gasped at the sight.

But Carmela.Carmela was faster.

She turned to him with tears already streaming down her face-like she'd rehearsed this moment. She rushed into his arms like the victim, burying her face into his chest as she cried.

"She tried to poison me," she wailed. "I swear, Cal. just because I told her off earlier for interrupting us. She did something to the broth, I know it. I don't feel good."

I blinked, trembling, bleeding, heart pounding, waiting-just waiting-for him to ask me what happened.

But he didn't.

He kissed her head. Whispered something in her ear I couldn't hear.

Then he turned to someone behind me. Not even to me.

"Clear her desk," he said, coldly. "Her salaries will be slashed by seventy percent. And make sure she learns to make better broth. She'll issue a public apology to Carmela by tomorrow."

Then he wrapped an arm around Carmela's waist, gently tugged her closer, and walked her out.

That was it.

No questions.

No defense.

No glance my way.

Just like that, I was nothing.

And I stood there-shaking, burned, bleeding, humiliated as the door clicked shut behind them.

And my heart.shattered into pieces no one would ever care to pick up.

Elodie's POV ~

My body felt like it was tearing apart. The sound that gutted me wasn't from the wound. it was from the soft echo of Calhoun's footsteps fading, his tall frame disappearing from sight without even a glance back as he carried Carmela away.

Just like that. He was gone.

I bit down so hard on my lip that I tasted blood, but it still couldn't stop the sob that broke through me. The workers nearby were whispering, their eyes darting at me in pity, but I couldn't bear to look at them. I hated their stares, hated the way they reminded me how low I'd fallen. How stupid I've been all these years. My throat burned, and before I could stop it, tears came in waves.

I wiped at my face with my sleeve, gasping, and staggered to the wall where the broom and mop leaned. My hands shook violently as I grabbed them, the wooden handle digging into my palm. Do something. Move. Just move. If I cleaned, maybe I wouldn't collapse.

I forced myself forward, bent down with the mop in one hand, broom in the other, scrubbing at the mess through blurred eyes. My body was trembling, dizziness clawing at my head until I swore the ground was swaying beneath me. I couldn't feel my legs. I couldn't breathe right.

"Elodie, stop-" a gentle voice broke through.

One coworker put an arm around me, while another picked up the broom.

"Let us help you," one of them said softly, her voice shaking with guilt. She knelt, pushing the mop away and reaching for me.

"This is unfair," one of the women whispered. "I passed by earlier and saw her carrying that broth. The steam was rising off it. If it wasn't boiling hot, it wouldn't have burned her skin like that."

I stiffened, my chest heaving, but I kept moving.

Another voice cut in, angrier. "Carmela is a troublemaker. Even if it wasn't hot, why would she throw it like that? That wasn't an accident. That was. that was almost like a murder attempt! She could've scarred Elodie's face forever or broken her nose."

I flinched. My stomach turned.

Then came another sigh. "What can we say? Alpha Calhoun no longer has a mind of his own. He's a puppet now, dancing to Carmela's tune. She's the real ruler of this place. And we all know it, if any of us so much as step on her feet, we'll pay dearly. Pity poor Elodie. She's the one Carmela always picks on."

Their words sliced through me deeper than the burn ever could.

"Thank you," I whispered.

She gave me a sad smile, eyes soft with sympathy, and nodded. "Come. Let's get you out of here."

She led me past the stares, past the whispers, past the wreckage of my pride.

But as soon as I stepped out of the room, memories hit me.

I remembered the day we'd been at that negotiation table, the neighboring pack trying to tear apart our contract. They accused me, pointed their fingers, tried to humiliate me in front of everyone. My hands had shaken, my words caught in my throat, but before I could crumble, Calhoun had slammed his hand against the table, his eyes blazing.

"Touch her name again, and I'll end this deal," he had growled, his voice like thunder. "You fault her, you fault me. Do you want war? Then keep testing me."

The entire room had gone silent. Even the opposing Alpha had paled. And Calhoun. Calhoun had turned his face toward me, his expression unreadable but his presence wrapping around me like armor.

That day, he stood beside me. Unshaken. Defiant. Protecting me with a ferocity that had made my heart soar.

I had been so stupidly excited, so sure it meant something. That maybe. just maybe. he was beginning to see me. To care.

And now.now I could barely breathe through the ache of knowing how wrong I had been.

How very, very stupid I must have been.

All he did was protect his property, not me. It was never love.

I don't know what hurt more-that Carmela spit out one baseless lie with that venomous tongue of hers, or that Calhoun didn't even blink before believing her. Not a single question. Not even a flicker of doubt. He just looked at me.looked through me and passed judgment as though I was already guilty.

My heart shattered right there.

Didn't I deserve a little trust? Just once? Even half of what he gave Carmela so freely?

Or was right and wrong meaningless in his world, as long as it pleased her?

By the time my kind coworker slipped an arm around me and led me out of the building, I was nothing more than a hollow shell. I didn't even remember walking out the doors, it was like my body moved while my soul stayed behind.

She hailed an Uber for me, her voice soft, her touch careful as if I would crumble if she held me too tightly. When the car arrived, she paid the fare herself and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Take good care of yourself, Elodie," she whispered, her eyes heavy with sympathy I couldn't bear to accept.

I gave her a weak nod, my throat too raw to form words, and slipped into the backseat.

When we pulled up to my apartment, I stumbled out, clutching my bag like it was the only thing tethering me. I left it by the door the second I got inside, too drained to care, and headed straight to the shower.

Water hit my skin, but it wasn't soothing. It was sharp, too sharp, stinging the burns and bruises Carmela had left me with.

By the time I stepped out, I was trembling, my bathrobe clinging to my damp skin. I didn't care that my hair was dripping, that my bed would get soaked-I just wanted to collapse, to sink into the sheets and disappear.

But just as I was about to crawl into bed, my phone started ringing.

My heart sank straight into my stomach when I saw the caller ID.

Calhoun.

For a second, my trembling fingers hovered above the screen, ready to swipe and answer, desperate to hear his voice even if it was dismissive. But before I could, the call ended.

A hollow silence followed, and then a vibration. My chest tightened when I saw the message pop up on my screen: "Bring me ibuprofen and warm milk with honey. Be fast."

Disappointment curled in my belly so sharp it made me nauseous. But without thinking, like the trained fool I had become, I slipped into another wear, tied my hair up with trembling hands, and left my apartment. My feet carried me on autopilot, dragging me toward the errand as if my own body refused to rebel against him.

When I finally reached Calhoun's penthouse, I wasn't prepared. A wave of nausea slammed into me the moment I stepped inside before shock could even register.

Everything was different.

The cold, black interior that had once mirrored him, his taste, his darkness-gone. The little bonsai tree I had planted with his grandfather before the old man passed. gone. In its place stood a sunflower, its bright yellow petals mocking me. Carmela. Of course.

I froze like a fool in the doorway, my eyes stinging as I took in the rest. Expensive handbags and shoes scattered at every corner, perfumes lining the glass tables, soft feminine colors layered over what used to be his.

My heart dropped so violently.

The sound of the door unlocking startled me. Calhoun appeared. He didn't even spare me a greeting. Without a word, he plucked the bag from my hand, rummaging through it. Only when he had confirmed everything was there did he finally bother to lift his gaze to my face.

"Shit," he muttered, his brow furrowing. "Your injuries look terrible. Have you had them treated?"

I swallowed hard. Slowly, I shook my head.

He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Elodie. Carmela's been having her mood swings, like she always does. It wasn't because she wanted to hurt you, alright? She's just. she's just having a rough day. Make sure you get those wounds taken care of. If you need a few days off, I'll sign the form."

A bitter smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. "That won't be necessary, Alpha Calhoun. By the end of the month-"

"Listen to me," he cut in sharply. "I'm only concerned because you need to be strong. You'll be putting together Carmela's welcome back party, and I want it perfect."

His words lodged in my throat. I almost choked on them. My lips parted, but no sound came out. My knees felt weak. I took a step back, needing air.

He noticed. His eyes narrowed as if he was about to speak again, but then a soft, feigned whimper broke the silence.

"Cal."

Carmela stood leaning against the bedroom door, her piercing gaze locked on me. In that instant, her face twisted-pure venom flashing in her eyes. But the second Calhoun turned toward her, she shifted. Her expression melted into one of fragility, as if she'd break apart at the smallest touch.

"Has she brought the stuff?" she asked. "I'm feeling pain all over my body, Cal. I just. I want cuddles. And massages."

My stomach lurched.

His face softened instantly. He nodded, his voice dropping gentle. "Don't hurt your feet. Go lay on the bed. I'll get the maids to heat the milk, then I'll come join you. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered, smiling sweetly.

I stood there, silent. My chest burned. My eyes stung so badly I thought they'd burst. Watching the way his entire being softened for her-while all I ever got was indifference. I remembered the night I almost broke a tooth from clenching down against the stress, the days I tripped in his presence and he hadn't even looked twice. And when I fainted from exhaustion, rushed into the ER-how had he reacted?

He signed my leave form. That was all.

No visit. No call. No concern.

But Carmela? A whimper was all it took to melt him.

When he left with her, I felt my throat swell. A single tear slipped free before I could stop it. I turned and walked out, my legs carrying me like they didn't belong to me anymore. A bitter ache rose in my chest. By the time I stepped outside, I tilted my head back to the sky.

And just one tear fell.

It had been days since that last ugly scene. I kept myself busy.

The party Carmela demanded had to be flawless, and that became my excuse for everything. If I didn't think, I couldn't feel. If I didn't feel, I wouldn't fall apart.

But the pressure came at me like a storm. The staff followed me around with endless questions, decorators called me at odd hours about colors and flowers, the planners wanted confirmation on things I didn't even remember agreeing to. My head never stopped pounding.

And Calhoun.when he did call.it wasn't to check on me. No. It was only to remind me of what Carmela wanted. How spectacular she expected her event to be.

By the time the four days bled into each other, I couldn't even remember what I ate or if I slept. All I knew was the migraine drilling into my skull as I dragged myself into the venue. My legs felt like sandbags, my chest tight, but I forced myself to keep moving. The party was set for 8pm sharp, and if nothing else, it had to be perfect.

This is my final duty as Calhoun's Gamma. When all is said and done, I'll walk away with a clean conscience.

The lights dazzled, chandeliers dripping like golden waterfalls, music humming softly to welcome the elites that began to fill the hall. And then, as though she'd been waiting for the perfect moment, Carmela arrived.

I don't think I'd ever seen a dress like that before. Midnight blue silk that clung to her figure as though it had been poured on her body, crystals embroidered along the bodice, catching every shard of light in the hall. The gown pooled at her feet in a sweeping train, the kind only seen on red carpets. Her hair was slicked back, diamonds dripping from her ears, her chin tilted with that practiced arrogance. She didn't just walk in-she sashayed-her heels clicking like an anthem meant to remind the world she was the center of it. And, of course, the guests swarmed her with their praises.

"She looks breathtaking," someone whispered nearby.

"That gown alone must have cost tens of thousands," another added.

"Well, Carmela is Calhoun's weakness, isn't she? Look at this.look at what should have been a simple welcome party, yet here we are at what feels like a gala."

"I remember in college," a man chuckled, "Calhoun wouldn't let any guy look at her twice. He beat one to a pulp just for holding her hand in a group assignment."

"Oh, yes! And the gifts-don't get me started. Carmela was showered with things that made the entire school jealous."

"She was born lucky," someone sighed. "And she still is."

Their words sank into me like knives. I stood at the far end of the hall, trying to disappear into the shadows, clutching a flute of champagne so tightly I thought the glass might shatter in my palm. My eyes stung, but I refused to let tears fall. I couldn't. Not here.

And then. tranquility slipped right out of reach.

I saw the way Carmela paused mid-laugh, as though she caught a scent in the air. Her sharp eyes darted across the hall until they landed on me. And the glint that flashed through them made my stomach twist. A glint that promised cruelty. She had found her prey.

Her heels carried her straight toward me, and with every step she took, my body stiffened. My chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. I wanted to move, to slip away, but my legs betrayed me, rooted to the floor.

"Elodie." Her voice dripped with mock sweetness as she finally stopped before me. Her lips curved, but it wasn't a smile-it was a sneer. "The decorations are decent, I suppose. The guests seem entertained. But me?" She tilted her head, her diamond earring catching the light. "I'm not pleased in the slightest."

She leaned closer, her perfume overwhelming. "And look at you, standing here like some ornament. But tell me, how fitting is it, Elodie, that you.someone so beneath this world, are dressed so plainly? Your shoes, especially. Lower, dull. Not fit for such an occasion. So here's what you'll do." Her eyes sparkled with malice. "You'll bend down-right here, right now and fix my heel straps. They're loose. Do it immediately."

The world stilled. I swear it did. Conversations cut short, music dimmed into the background of my pounding pulse, and suddenly every gaze in the hall was on us. On me. Heat rushed to my cheeks, blood boiling, shame crawling under my skin. My chest burned as Carmela's lips curled, challenging me to defy her.

I forced air into my lungs. My voice was calm when it came out, though my insides trembled. "I'm sorry, Carmela. I can't bend. My waist still aches and I'm healing slowly." My fingers tightened on the champagne flute until I thought it would shatter. "But if those shoes hurt badly, I can get your costumiers to bring you another pair. What I cannot do is bend."

The silence after that was deafening.

For a moment, Carmela just stared at me. Her face froze in disbelief, like she couldn't quite process what I'd said. It was as though the world had just tilted off its axis, and someone- me, had dared to ruin her perfect balance. I watched her eyes widen, lips parting in shock, and for a heartbeat, she looked like a spoiled child who had never been told no before.

But the shock didn't last long. It twisted, darkened, and within seconds her pretty face was flushed with rage. Her chest rose sharply as she leaned closer, her teeth gritting.

"Did you just say no to me?" she snarled, her voice slicing through the hush of the hall.

Every gaze drilled into me. My heart thundered, but I forced myself not to shrink. My nails bit into the champagne flute as I whispered, steady but trembling inside, "I said I'm sorry, Carmela. I cannot bend. I told you I'm healing. My waist. it still hurts."

And just when I thought the humiliation couldn't cut deeper, fate proved me wrong.

The doors swung open and Calhoun stepped in.

My chest tightened instantly. His commanding presence filled the hall. His sharp eyes scanned the room, narrowing the second he noticed the tension. In three long strides he was near, his entire focus locked on Carmela's face.

The moment she saw him, Carmela's fury melted like ice under the sun. To my shock, her eyes brimmed with tears. tears she summoned faster than I could blink. Before I could even process, she stumbled forward, collapsing into his arms, sobbing as though I'd struck her.

"Calhoun," she cried, her voice cracking beautifully, theatrically. "Please. look at how cold-hearted she has become. All I asked-" she hiccuped against his chest, her diamonds catching the light as her body trembled- "was for her to help me fix the strap of my shoes, so I wouldn't trip and embarrass you in front of all these guests. Elodie was always so perfect in small details like these. But tonight. tonight she refused me. She looked me in the eye and told me she wouldn't bend."

My throat dried. My heart dropped, sinking somewhere to the pit of my stomach.

Calhoun's eyes snapped to me, and the glare that burned from him nearly turned my blood cold. Rage. pure and murderous darkened his gaze as he pulled Carmela tighter against his side, shielding her like a treasure.

"Why would you be so cruel, Elodie?" His voice thundered, rattling me from the inside out. "Carmela is still healing, for goodness' sake. She should not be stressed in the slightest. What's so difficult about helping her with a strap? What?" His jaw flexed, fury lacing every syllable. "As far as you are my Gamma, you will do whatever Carmela asks of you. Whatever it is. If she wants her shoes tied, you bend down and tie them. Immediately. Do it now."

The final snap of his words shattered what little pride I had left.

Around us, murmurs began to swell like poison.

"She's just a Gamma. What right does she have to refuse an Alpha's daughter?"

"Ungrateful thing, standing there as if she belongs in their class."

"How dare she make Carmela lower herself to ask twice?"

"She's nothing compared to Carmela. And yet she acts up?"

"No wonder Alpha Calhoun looks furious, imagine embarrassing him like this in public!"

Every word stung. Each whisper of theirs sliced deeper than the last, tearing at what little strength I clung to. My chest burned, my eyes reddened as I blinked back tears that wouldn't stop stinging.

And then I saw Carmela peeking from the safety of Calhoun's arms, her lips curling into a wicked, satisfied smirk. She wanted this. She had planned it. And she was winning.

Calhoun's growl rumbled, silencing even the whispers. His gaze cut back to me. "I don't want to repeat myself, Elodie."

The final nail drove into me. My shoulders sagged, every muscle of mine screaming in shame, in defeat. My lips trembled as I forced myself to speak. "Yes, Alpha."

The words tasted like blood in my mouth.

Slowly, painfully, I crouched. My waist seared in protest, sending sparks of agony through my body.

My hands shook so badly I could barely find the tiny buckle on Carmela's heel strap. I tried to steady them, tried to swallow the lump in my throat, but it was useless. Two hot tears slipped down my cheeks, falling to the ground.

And just as I reached forward, pain shot through me.

I screamed. Carmela had stomped her stiletto heel onto my fingers, pinning them down. Gasps tore through the hall. My cry echoed against the high ceiling as agony spread like fire through my hand. I whimpered, curling in on myself, clutching my throbbing fingers to my chest.

"Elodie!" Calhoun's voice snapped, alarm flashing across his face. He moved instinctively, but before he could reach me, Carmela collapsed into his arms, her fake tears pouring like a performance she had rehearsed her whole life.

"Oh, Calhoun!" she sobbed, pressing her face into his chest. "I didn't mean to.honestly, it was an accident. My heel slipped. If Elodie feels wronged, I can always go down on my knees and beg for her forgiveness."

Those words knocked my breath from me. I sobbed quietly, clutching my bleeding fingers. Pain twisted every nerve, coldness creeping into my body as though my soul were draining out of me. My knees shook.

But instead of defending me, Calhoun exhaled heavily, his face hardening as he stroked Carmela's hair. "Never mind, Carmela. It was a mistake. I'm sure Elodie understands."

His words hollowed me out. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. It felt like something inside me had shattered beyond repair. Was this what breaking truly felt like? I wondered if I would ever be whole again after what he had done to me. Tears blurred my vision as Carmela peeked out from his chest, her lips curling into a wicked smirk only I could see.

I stumbled into the restroom.

The door slammed behind me, and I slid down the cold tiles, clutching my chest as the sob tore out of me.

My phone buzzed in my palm. A message from Calhoun.

"Where are you? Come over here immediately."

For a second, I wanted to type back: I went home. I feel unwell. But fear coiled around my throat tighter than the collar had. What if he cut my wages? What if I lost everything? I swallowed the scream lodged in my chest and turned toward the hall.

When I stepped in, all eyes shifted to me. A chill swept down my spine. The crowd parted, and there was Carmela on her feet, mascara streaking her face, sobbing dramatically. Her finger jabbed at me.

"Where is my golden bracelet cuff?!" she screamed. "My dead grandmother gave it to me! It's worth millions, it's an heirloom!"

Shock froze me in place. Then anger stirred, trembling through my veins. My voice came careful, shaking. "I didn't take anything."

"Liar!" she shrieked. "It fell when you bent to tie my straps! Gammas like you are thieves!"

Something inside me snapped. My vision went red, humiliation and rage crashing together, but before I could speak, Calhoun finally stepped in. His voice was calm.

"Carmela. Stop it. It must have fallen. I'll have the guards search for it."

Carmela's head whipped toward him, eyes blazing. "Calhoun, what are you saying? That I'm lying? If you won't search her, then we are done! You're prioritizing her over me, your true mate! I won't have it!"

My breath hitched. She turned to storm off, but his hand caught her arm, pulling her back gently. His gaze slid past me, cold, detached, and he signaled to the guards.

"Search Miss Elodie."

The floor tilted beneath me. "What?" The word cracked out of me as I stumbled back, but three guards closed in, massive hands gripping my arms, forcing me to my knees.

"Please!" I screamed, thrashing. "Alpha Calhoun, I swear.I didn't take anything! I'm not a thief! I'm not-" My cries tore into the air, sharp with pain as they yanked my arms behind me.

He looked away. He couldn't even watch. And Carmela.her lips curled with triumph.

My dress ripped under their hands. Rough fingers groped, searching, dragging me. When they found nothing, they shoved me down. I collapsed on the floor, clutching the torn fabric to my chest, sobbing as my bra peeked through the ruined cloth.

One guard muttered, "We found nothing."

Carmela sneered. "Maybe she hid it in her underwear. She's a thief!"

My blood iced. A guard's hand reached for my waist, ready to strip me bare-

"Enough!" Calhoun's voice rang out, panic flashing across his features. But before his order fully landed, another voice pierced the air.

"Found it!"

Everyone turned. A woman stood near a table, holding the golden bracelet high. "It was under here! A few tables away!"

Gasps swept the hall. My sobs filled the silence. The guards released me, stepping back. Carmela's eyes widened, then quickly softened as she ran to Calhoun, burying her face against his chest.

"Oh my goodness," she whimpered. "I.I made a mistake. Elodie. she didn't deserve that. Can I apologize?"

But I didn't lift my head. I stayed on the ground, clutching my torn dress, my shoulders shaking with every broken cry.

Calhoun's hand closed around Carmela's as he began to lead her out. His voice was flat, final.

"No need. That little humiliation won't end her life. She's fine."