Chapter 3

Evelyn dragged me into the Whitmore Pack Hall. A crowd had gathered at the entrance.

When they saw me, every one of them stepped back like I carried a disease.

"He's the one who pushed Cade into the overseas program. The moment Cade landed, he was dragged into an alley."

"Having a stalker like this — Professor Whitmore must be exhausted. If it were me, I'd have reported him to the Pack enforcers long ago."

"What decent thing has a Wolf's Den fighter ever done? Please."

Old memories came back like a wave. My whole body shook.

Evelyn's eyes held no mercy. She pressed down on my shoulders, nearly biting out the words: "Get on your knees and apologize to Cade."

I looked up at her. Her face felt like a stranger's.

Back when I'd been at the Wolf's Den, the wealthy She-Wolves used to force me to my knees and submit to them.

The one time I had no choice but to kneel, Evelyn had stepped in front of me and fought them off with a bottle.

"Rhys. No matter what — don't kneel."

The dignity she had once given back to me, she was now grinding under her heel.

Right then, the screen at the front of the Pack Hall lit up with sounds that made everyone go still.

The footage was of me with a very drunk Evelyn. It was explicit.

The crowd gasped.

"Professor Whitmore is already carrying a pup and this guy still sneaked into her bed — what kind of shameless intruder is he?"

"No wonder he had Cade attacked. He wants to move up. Pathetic at his age."

On instinct I looked to Evelyn for help.

Even one sentence would have done it. One sentence to say who I actually was — her mate of eight years. Even just a word in my defense.

But she said nothing.

Evelyn wrapped an arm gently around Cade and stood there like the noise didn't exist.

The helplessness came over me like a tide.

"I didn't —"

Before I could finish, Cade's roommate grabbed me by the collar and spat in my face.

"Disgusting. Cade and Professor Whitmore are about to complete a formal bond, and you pull this? Get out."

The blows came like rain. Someone kicked me hard in the side over and over. I had nothing left to fight back with.

"Evelyn — please — help me —"

I pressed my fingers into the floor and tried to hold on. What I saw was Evelyn wiping tears from Cade's face.

By the time I was shaking on the ground in my own blood, barely able to keep my eyes open, Evelyn's voice reached me like it was coming from somewhere far away.

"Rhys. Cade was hurt because of you. My silence is me paying for your mistakes."

"And I need to protect what's left of our dignity."

With that, she guided Cade out of the hall.

A moment later, one last blow came from behind, and everything went black.

Outside the Pack grounds, Evelyn was reaching for her car door to take Cade to the Pack infirmary when a man in a formal suit stepped in front of her.

"I have the full account of what actually happened to Cade Pemberton. The truth isn't what he told you."

"There's also a document Mr. Rhys Calloway asked me to deliver to you."

Evelyn's hands shook as she took it. She looked at the first page.

Her eyes went wide.

The words Hidden Bond Agreement stood out in large print at the top of the document.

The expiration date was today.

"How — how is this possible?"

Evelyn stumbled over her words. It felt like something was pressing into her from the inside.

The lawyer spoke carefully. "Under the terms of the agreement, after today the bond between you is legally dissolved."

One sentence. It exploded inside her head.

She remembered the pressure from her family and from the Pack when she had first decided to bond with Rhys. She had handed him a Hidden Bond Agreement with an eight-year term.

"If after eight years you still can't accept it, I'll give you your freedom."

To her, that clause had been meaningless. A formality.

She had never imagined Rhys would actually use it to end the bond.

"I refuse."

The lawyer shook his head slightly. "Mr. Calloway's position is firm. If it goes to the Pack Council, the outcome will be the same."

Evelyn couldn't process it. She pushed past Cade and ran.

When she burst into the Pack Hall, there was nothing left but bloodstains on the floor.

"Rhys..."

She crouched slowly. The blood on the ground cut through her.

She had been focused entirely on Cade. She hadn't looked at Rhys once.

He must have been in agony.

She pulled out her phone and called him over and over. Every time the same recorded message came back.

Her chest tightened. Maybe he was in danger. Maybe he just didn't want to hear from her.

She didn't let herself think any further. She ran back outside.

Cade met her at the door, his voice thin and wounded. "Professor Whitmore, my injuries are really bad. Come to my place and treat them?"

Evelyn had no patience left. She pushed him aside for the first time.

"See a healer. I need to go home."

Cade stood there watching her car pull away. He was furious for a moment. Then he looked down at the document in his hand and let out a slow laugh.

As long as he kept this hidden, Evelyn would never know the truth.

Evelyn drove straight home. The house was completely empty.

Everything was clean and in order. But every trace of Rhys was gone.

"Rhys..."

"Rhys Calloway, do you really think you can leave me?"

She sank onto the couch, drained of everything.

This wasn't anger. This wasn't a fight.

He had decided.