That I'm terrified he'll try to take my son away?
One lie requires countless others to sustain it. Anna was my assistant, yes, but she'd also become one of my closest friends over the years. I knew she cared about me. She must be so worried. She wanted to help, even if only a little. But all I could offer was silence.
"I can't tell you," I finally said, exhausted. Pleading. "I'm sorry, Anna. I'm just... I'm so tired."
Anna was quiet for a long moment.
"All right," she said at last, seeming to accept that I had my reasons for keeping secrets. Her tone turned soothing. "Get some rest. We'll talk about this tomorrow, okay? Whatever's happening, I'll help you however I can."
"Thank you." It came out barely above a whisper, but inside I was screaming.
I can't leave. I can't.
The contracts bound me. My responsibilities bound me.
Once again, fate had dragged Kayden Blackwood back into my life.
Just like seven years ago.
I'd thought that changing cities, changing my name, changing everything about my appearance would let me escape the past completely.
But I'd been wrong.
Some things can't be escaped.
The mate bond—even severed, it still tries to reconnect when given the chance.
And I'm powerless against it. Even though I'd thought I'd grown stronger over these seven years, transformed myself, built impenetrable armor around my heart... in front of him, in front of that ridiculous, impossible thing called love, I'm still utterly defenseless.
"You're pathetic," I told myself as tears streamed down my face. "Layla Gray, you're absolutely pathetic."
"Miss Ross?"
I startled, quickly wiping my eyes and looking up.
Dr. Amy approached with a file in hand. Seeing my disheveled state, she hesitated. "Is this a bad time?"
"No, I'm sorry. I just..." My face flushed. I sniffled and stood. "Is something wrong with Kai?"
Amy handed me the report. "Blood fluctuation is something all werewolf pups experience during their growth period. Usually, it's not dangerous and shouldn't cause such severe reactions. So we ransome additional tests. Miss Ross, Kai's bloodline carries an extraordinarily powerful force—unlike anything I've ever encountered. His father—"
"He doesn't have a father." The words came out reflexively, too sharp. I caught myself. "I'm sorry, that was rude. But Kai... he doesn't have a father."
"I apologize for bringing up something painful," Amy said with a sigh. "But blood fluctuation this powerful—he can't stabilize it on his own. Without his father's guidance, the episodes will only become more frequent and more severe."
"There's really no other option?" I thought of Kai's pale little face and my heart twisted painfully. I would do anything, pay anything, to spare him this suffering. "Money isn't an issue. Whatever it takes..."
"Well, medication is the only alternative." She pulled a pen from her pocket and scribbled out a prescription. "But these are formulated for ordinary pups. Given Kai's unique situation, I can't guarantee how effective they'll be."
"Thank you." I took the paper with trembling hands like it was a lifeline. Amy left.
Before I could fully process what she'd said, my phone buzzed.
A message from Anna.
"Ella, I looked into your contracts. If you really want to leave, you're looking at roughly $5.8 million in penalty fees. Plus, you'd be blacklisted in the industry—it would be nearly impossible to land major projects again. Are you absolutely certain about this?"
5.8 million dollars.
