53, PAIN

ANDREA

I stared at Alpha Lucien’s back as he walked out on me. Did he just call me a slut? I rose my hands to stop him, but he walked away from me as though I was nothing but a thorn on the flesh. The thoughts of it made me stagger backwards. His voice was like a broken record in my head as it kept singing those words of disdain to me.

'How could he say such a thing to me?' I mumbled to Kezav.

She howled, and I could tell that she was also upset for my sake, and it made me feel slightly better. But, it wasn’t enough. I looked around the darkened garden and let tears slide down my cheeks. All of these was not fair in the least.

'Andrea, I’m sorry you had to hear all that. I felt like hurting him the same way he did to you, but I was simply scared that you would get more hurt. I didn’t want to be the cause of more of your pain,' she explained.

I itched my hair listless, as the tears fell unhinged. I couldn’t bring it in my heart to be grateful to Kezav. If she hadn’t been here, I wouldn