chapter 58
Tori's POV:
"You know Ryan?" I asked Sophia doubtfully, watching her reaction carefully.
There was a momentary pause. Something flickered across her tear-stained face. But it vanished so quickly I couldn't be sure.
Sophia sniffled once more before straightening her shoulders.
With practiced movements, she wiped away her tears and smoothed her disheveled hair, composing herself with remarkable speed.
The vulnerable girl from moments ago disappeared behind a carefully constructed mask.
"Thank you for helping me," she said evenly, her voice betraying no hint of her earlier breakdown. "I appreciate your kindness, Tori, but I should go now."
Before I could press further about Ryan, she was already heading for the door, her steps measured and dignified.
I stared at the ceiling that night, unable to sleep.
My mind toggled between Sophia's strange reaction and the chaos I'd caused at the Enchanted club.
Pulling that fire alarm had been my only option to save Sophia, but the consequences could be severe.
The panicked crowd, the management's fury... What if they tracked me down? An Omega causing such disruption in a respectable establishment could mean serious trouble, especially with my history.
Despite my racing thoughts, exhaustion eventually claimed me.
I must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing I knew, I was being pulled from darkness by the sound of groaning.
"Tori?" Morgan mumbled from her bed, her voice pulling me into consciousness.
Her eyes were barely open as she squinted at me. "You stayed with me all night?"
"Someone had to make sure you didn't choke on your own vomit," I replied, tossing her a towel. "Go shower. You stink like a distillery."
She sniffed her shirt and grimaced. "Did you... tell my brother about last night?"
"No," I shook my head. "But you need to be more careful. An intoxicated female in a club full of strange males? Do you have any idea what could have happened?"
"I'm just curious," Morgan said quietly, uncharacteristically subdued. "Thanks for looking out for me. I knew you wouldn't leave me hanging."
I watched her shuffle to the bathroom before packing the last of my things.
The winter break had arrived, and I'd be heading back to my hometown today.
"You're really leaving?" Morgan asked when she returned, hair dripping wet.
"Just for the break. Try not to get into trouble while I'm gone."
After a quick lunch in the cafeteria, we said our goodbyes.
I climbed into the bus that would take me back to the outskirts of Moonhaven, where my aunt had rented a small apartment.
As the landscape changed from the manicured grounds of Moonridge High to the more modest neighborhoods, my thoughts drifted to Lucas.
His intense silver eyes, the low rumble of his voice, the overwhelming presence that made my inner wolf both cower and yearn.
Before I could second-guess myself, I typed out a message:
I think it's best if we keep some distance between us. Thank you for everything.
I hit send before I could change my mind.
Maybe this winter break was exactly what I needed. Lucas wouldn't be able to find me, and perhaps after the holidays, he'd forget I ever existed.
After all, there was nothing special about me. Lucas and I belonged to different worlds. His interest in me would probably fade as quickly as it had appeared.
My phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. Morgan's name flashed on the screen.
"My brother knows!" she wailed without preamble. "Someone told him I was at the Enchanted Club. He's furious!"
"The club owner must have contacted him," I reasoned, though something felt off. "Strange that nobody has contacted me about the... incident."
"What incident?"
Of course she wouldn't remember—she'd been completely intoxicated when I pulled the fire alarm. The entire chaos had probably been erased from her alcohol-soaked memory.
"Nothing," I said quickly. "I've got to go. I'm arriving."
I hung up the phone as the bus pulled into the terminal.
Stepping off with my bag slung over my shoulder, I spotted Anna immediately. My five-year-old cousin was bouncing on her toes, waving frantically.
"Big sister Tori!" she squealed, launching herself into my arms.
Behind her stood my aunt Janet. Her posture was stiff, her smile uncertain.
Four years of bitterness and misunderstanding stretched between us like an invisible wall.
"Hello, Aunt Janet," I said quietly, setting Anna down.
At the sound of my voice, something broke in her expression.
The careful composure she'd maintained crumbled instantly, and tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Tori," she choked out, walking forward.
"I owe you an apology," I replied.
"I'm sorry about Ryan," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I never meant for him to die because of me."
Janet took my hands in hers, shaking her head firmly.
"It wasn't your fault, Tori. You were a victim too." She squeezed my hands. "I was overcome with grief back then and said some terrible things I didn't mean. I hope you can forgive me for that."
"Of course," I replied, feeling a weight lifting from my shoulders.
She pulled me into embrace, and I felt the tension between us dissolving.
Some wounds were beginning to heal.
The next few days fell into a comfortable routine.
I studied in the mornings, cooked lunch, and spent afternoons playing with Anna.
Mrs. White from next door visited frequently, bringing small gifts and unsubtly mentioning her grandson Andrew at every opportunity.
My grandmother nodded appreciatively while I silently fumed.
After she left, I turned to my grandmother. "Please don't accept anything else from the Whites. I'm not marrying Andrew."
"Tori," Grandmother sighed, "with your circumstances, Andrew is a good match, who's willing to take an Omega with your... history."
I felt a familiar ache in my chest. My history. Always my history.
Her words stung because I knew they were true.
What would Lucas Grayson think if he knew everything about me? The mighty Alpha would certainly recoil from the disgraced Omega with a criminal past.
I shook my head vigorously, trying to force Lucas out of my thoughts.
After sending that message to him, I'd immediately powered off my phone—a desperate attempt to sever any connection that might keep him in my mind.
Needing fresh air to clear my head, I decided to go for a walk.
As I opened the door to the hallway, I overheard Mrs. White speaking to another neighbor.
"Yes, I went to see my future daughter-in-law," she said with a forced laugh.
"Pretty thing, I'll give her that, but damaged goods, you know. Spent four years in exile for attacking a male. My Andrew is so generous to overlook such a history."
I silently closed the door, leaning my forehead against the cool wood.
Some truths followed you forever, no matter how far you ran.