Chapter 24
Elena's POV
I rolled onto my side, pulling Caleb's sweater tighter.
Damon didn't just want control over his life. He wanted absolute dominion over everyone around him. Even his own father couldn't override his decisions once his mind was made up.
And me? I was supposed to be his mate.
If I openly chose Caleb, Damon wouldn't just be hurt. He'd see it as the ultimate betrayal. The ultimate challenge to his authority.
He'd destroy us both.
So my best option—my only option—was to slowly fade from Damon's life. Give him space to fall for Scarlett. Let him break the blood pact himself by choosing her.
Then I'd be free. The promise would dissolve on its own.
Please, I thought desperately. Please let him love her instead. Please let him forget about me.
---
The next three days were hell. Four final exams.
I should have been focused, surrounded by textbooks and coffee.
Instead, I spent every waking hour in a fog of exhaustion and anxiety, because Damon had decided to resume his daily check-ins.
Damon: Hey. How'd the exam go? Don't stress too much.
Damon: Went to the underground track today. Almost broke my speed record. Would've been cool if you were there to see it.
Damon: Scarlett keeps asking about you, by the way.
That last one made my stomach drop.
Damon: Her dad used to be Alpha of the Sunlands Territory. Lost a challenge, whole family got exiled. But Scarlett doesn't complain about it. She's so fucking resilient. Always smiling, always optimistic.
The subtext was clear: Unlike you, who mopes around acting like your life is so hard.
Damon: We met at the races. You should see her behind the wheel of that custom bike. That kind of wild, fearless energy...
He's telling me how attractive she is.
He's comparing us.
He's making sure I know she's everything I'm not.
Wild. Fearless. A real wolf, not some defective half-shift who couldn't even complete her first transformation.
I typed back: That's nice.
Hit send before I could overthink it.
His response came instantly: You okay?
Elena: I'm fine. Just stressed about finals.
Damon: You'll do great. You always do.
I wanted to throw the phone across the room.
Instead, I muted the conversation and shoved it in my bag.
---
When Friday afternoon came and I walked out of the exam hall, I felt like I was going to fail.
The final essay question stared back at me like an accusation.
Lila was waiting outside, bouncing on her toes. "How'd it go?"
"I think I'm going to fail." My voice came out flat. Dead.
"What? No way. You're like the best student in that class—"
"I couldn't finish the essay. I just... froze." I pressed my palms against my eyes. "Lila, I think I actually bombed it."
She grabbed my arm, steering me toward the campus coffee shop. "Okay, first of all, you're spiraling. Second of all, even if you did badly on one exam—which I doubt—you've got enough credits to graduate. One bad grade won't kill you."
"Yeah, but—"
"But nothing. You're graduating soon. This is one test. It's not the end of the world."
We ordered drinks—her usual caramel monstrosity, my plain black coffee—and collapsed into a corner booth.
"So," Lila said carefully. "Have you thought about what you're doing after graduation?"
The question hit like a punch to the gut.
After graduation. When I'd officially be out of excuses. When my family would expect me to fulfill the blood pact.
When Damon would expect me to slide seamlessly into the role of his Luna, his perfect obedient mate.
"Not really," I lied.
Lila stirred her coffee, not looking at me. "You could always do grad school. Buy yourself some time."
I went very still.
"What?"
"Grad school." She shrugged. "You're smart. Your professors love you. Apply for a master's program. Maybe even abroad—broaden your horizons, you know?"
Abroad.
The word echoed in my skull.
If I left—if I put an ocean between myself and Saint-Helier—maybe the blood pact would weaken.
Maybe Damon and I would just... drift apart. Become strangers.
"That's..." I swallowed hard. "That's actually not a bad idea."
Lila's face lit up. "Right? I'll help you research programs! We can look at schools abroad."
"I'd need to take the GRE," I said, half to myself. "And get letters of recommendation. And—"
"And you'd be free." Lila reached across the table, squeezing my hand. "Elena, you deserve to live for yourself. Just once."
---
That night, back in our dorm, Lila pulled up the university announcement board on her laptop.
"Oh, check this out!" She turned the screen toward me. "There's a career fair tomorrow afternoon. Alumni networking thing. Bunch of major companies coming to recruit."
I glanced at the list. Law firms. Tech startups. Consulting groups.
And there, near the bottom: Vance Industries.
My heart stopped.
Lila scrolled past. "Though I heard their AI division is actually run by someone else now." She whistled. "Starting salary is like eighty grand. Not bad for a first job."
Caleb.
Would he be there? Would he come to campus?
"Elena?" Lila waved a hand in front of my face. "You zoned out."
"Sorry." I cleared my throat. "I'll... I'll check it out. Even if grad school works out, a backup plan can't hurt."
Lila grinned. "That's the spirit."
But all I could think was: I might see him tomorrow.
"Oh!" Lila snapped her fingers. "I almost forgot. Tomorrow's your birthday too, right?"
I nodded.
She bounced excitedly. "We should celebrate! Go to The Glitch Bar, get some drinks, dance—"
"No." The word came out too sharp. Too fast.
Lila's smile faltered. "No?"
"I don't want to go to a bar." I sighed.
"But last time we went, you seemed like you were having fun—"
My face went nuclear. "Last time I got drunk and did something really embarrassing."
"Embarrassing how?"
I rubbed my face against his neck like a cat in heat. I almost bit his shoulder to claim him.
"Just... bad drunk decisions," I muttered. "I'd rather keep it low-key this year."
Lila's grin turned sly. "Ohhhh. This have anything to do with your mystery sweater guy?"
"Lila—"
"Elena Cross, you are so into this guy."
I buried my face in my hands. "Can we please just do something quiet? Here in the dorm? Invite a couple people, eat cake, that's it?"
Lila sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. Dorm party it is. "