Chapter 3
I woke up at 7 a.m. in the hospital.
The first thing I saw was Felix, slumped beside my bed, holding my hand like he hadn’t moved all night. He looked exhausted–messy hair, dark circles under his eyes, that perfect picture of worry and regret.
As soon as I stirred, he jumped up to pour me some water.
“You destroy your body the second I’m not around? You know your stomach’s always been sensitive–are you trying to kill yourself?”
He snapped at me.
Funny, isn’t it?
I’d spent the past week chasing after him, barely eating, barely sleeping. I lost eleven pounds. I cried myself to sleep every night–if.1 even slept at all.
And him?
He was off somewhere else, completely unbothered.
Kissing some other she–wolf.
“Not even a word?” Felix gave me a crooked smile and reached over to pinch my cheek. “Guess that means I really scared you, huh?” Then, without missing a beat, he added, “Alright, come on. Let’s get some food in you.”
Like nothing had happened.
Like I hadn’t just found out what a two–faced bastard he really was.
He propped me up gently, even grabbed the spoon and
me doting fiancé.
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I almost asked him.
Felix, aren’t you tired of pretending?
Or maybe–
Felix, I heard what you said on that ferry. If you don’t want the mating ceremony, we can cancel it. Right now.
But I swallowed it all down just like I always did.
I kept asking myself how someone who claimed to love me someone I’d loved for years–could turn around and do something like this. Was my past with someone else really enough to make me unlovable?
“Babe why are you crying?”
He set the bowl aside and reached up, fumbling to wipe away my tears. “Okay, okay–I’m sorry, I screwed up. I’m sorry, alright?”
I lowered my gare and shut my eyes.
But be pulled me into his arms anyway.
Orbandslid around my back, slow and steady, as he murmured, “t didn’t mean to scare you. I just needed a minute, that’s all. I guess I panicked. I couldn’t believe this was really happening that I was actually marrying you. It felt like a dream, and I needed to clear my head. I should’ve told you I’m sorry”
“And hey, twenty days. Just twenty more days and we’ll be mated. I’ll stay close. I’ll take care of everything. You’re gonna be the most beautiful bride the world’s ever seen, alright?”
But there’s no “alter,” Felix. Not for us
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He gently wiped the tears from my face with his thumb, those warm brown eyes of his so full of fake tenderness.
When Felix looked at you like that, it was easy to believe he meant every word.
“I’m gonna step outside for a smoke. Then we’ll get you discharged.”
He left his phone on the table–screen still lit, message alerts popping up every few seconds.
And he didn’t think twice about it.
Maybe he really trusted me that much.
Or maybe he just didn’t care.
After all, he was only doing what his buddies had told him to do–play the part. Look convincingly in love.
So I picked up his phone.
The passcode?
My birthday.
I’d always known L
I’d just never used it.
Until now.
I opened Instagram and saw a flood of messages from an account he’d added just yesterday.
[Felix, I miss you.]
[I heard you’re getting mated. Can you send me an invite? I really want to be there.]
[I saw you at the airport–you looked tense. Are you okay?]
I wish I could be with you right now. Hold you, Kiss you.)
He hadn’t replied to any of them–except one.
Just five words: Come to this address.
Below it, more messages followed: [Are you sick? You looked pale. Should I come wait with you at the hospital? I brought your favorite -mushroom soup.]
I turned my head slowly, my stomach twisting
Sure enough, there it was on the table-
A pink thermos
My nausea came rushing back like a punch to the gut.
I closed the app, marked the messages as unread, and set the phone down.
Then I climbed out of bed.
In the lobby, I found exactly what I expected.
Felin
And the same girl from yesterday.
