The Fall

Chapter 10

Zoe- 2016

I think I blacked out from ecstasy, is that a thing? I remember having s*x, coming over and over and over on Eero’s d**k. Goddess, it was perfect. I woke this morning sore but rested and rejuvenated. I wasn't disappointed that Eero wasn’t in my bed. He understood the assignment. I wasn’t looking for an attachment. I was looking for exactly what he gave me. Looking at my reflection, I am radiant. f*****g glowing.

In my room, my sheets smell like us. I inhale one of my pillowcases, the hints of cedar and rosewood wrapped in a rich musk, it is smokey, rich, decadent. I strip my sheets but I take that pillow case off and fold it, tightly stuffing it into the front pocket of my luggage. I quickly showered, then dressed in one of the athletic sets Kari got me, a deep plum legging and sports bra set. I school my obvious euphoria when I head downstairs. My stupid grin and glow are a sharp contrast to how I have been the past two months.

I am in the hall heading toward the kitchen when I hear the low timber of hushed voices talking, there is a sharp edge to the words being exchanged and I can feel the tension. I instantly recognized the baritone of Eero. “It’s not my f*****g concern, I did this as a favor to you.”

“And I appreciate that. Just do what you can. That girl is spiraling out of control.” that is Alpha Porter’s voice. What girl, I wonder?

“It’s not my problem Porter. It is not my business to care about the people involved.” What business? He sounds so cold and detached.

“I am asking you to make an exception.” Porter is pleading with him.

“I understand what you are asking, I understand what you were attempting to show me this weekend but it doesn’t sell anything for me. It changes nothing. But I appreciate the hospitality.”

There is a heavy sigh, one that belongs to Porter. I hear the chairs scrape along the hardwood floor and the shuffling of bodies as they rise. The sliding glass door opens, and I round the corner, my curiosity piqued when I hear it click shut behind them. The two are exiting, and on the porch are Kamden and Ava waiting. Alongside them are the two wolves who had accompanied Eero to the river on Saturday. Ava's face is a storm of emotions, red and blotchy—could she be crying? I watch them discreetly from the edge of the kitchen, desperate to eavesdrop on their conversation.

And then it happens: Ava reaches into her cross-body bag. Wait, is that my bag she's holding? She retrieves a stack of cash and hands it to Eero, who passes it to one of the unfamiliar wolves for counting. A few more words are exchanged, and Porter hands over a piece of paper before shaking Eero's hand. Finally, the three wolves depart from the back porch, leaving Kamden, Porter, and my sister.

Porter says something to Kamden, and a few moments later, he storms off the porch in the direction that Eero and the others took. My sister and Kamden are left behind. I walk to the fridge and grab a bottle of water, attempting to get closer to the conversation without being too conspicuous. Picking up an apple, I take both items to the table, trying to act as if I've just arrived. As I bite into the apple, my eyes meet Kamden's, and I give him a polite nod. What on earth is happening? My sister looks visibly shaken, hiding partially behind Kamden. She shifts just enough for me to spot the two pins on the cross-body bag—definitely my bag.

I clear the room in four quick strides, I push open the sliding glass door. “Why do you have my bag?” I demand.

“I needed to borrow it. I needed a bigger bag.” It is crazy how fast she goes from sniffling damsel to defensive b***h. She is practically sneering at me.

“You didn’t ask.” She never f*****g asks. She just takes and takes. She pulls it off her shoulder and swings it towards me.

“It’s a f*****g ugly bag.” She says as she knocks her shoulder into mine, passing me to head into the kitchen. Kamden follows after her offering me a sympathetic look.

I open the bag, finding only a few of my belongings inside: my chapstick, my wallet, and a comb. However, something at the bottom catches my eye—a slip of paper. It turns out to be a bank receipt, indicating a withdrawal of $3,680.00 and an available balance of $0.72. My heart skips a beat as the realization hits me like a freight train. What in the world? Dazed, I feel my surroundings blur, the sounds becoming muffled, and my ears popping. What the hell is going on?

Without thinking, I turned on my heel and followed the direction Ava went. "Ava!" I shout, my teeth clenched, my fists balled at my sides. "Avvvva!" I make my way down into the basement, where Kamden stays when he's at his parents' place. I find her standing there, her hands on her hips.

"What the f**k did you do?" I roar, my anger boiling over.

"Exactly what it looks like. I needed to pay off a debt, a long-owed debt from Mom. You helped," she retorts, her admission catching me off guard.

"What debt?" I demand, utterly confused.

"A drug debt. What do you think Mom was running from when she lit herself on fire?" she snaps at me, her finger jabbing into my shoulder.

"And who do you think she was running from?" She turns away from me, her back now facing me as she starts gathering her clothes from the couch and shoving them into her backpack.

“How’s it feel to f**k the guy practically responsible for killing your parents.” Her words are like a punch to the gut, I feel a heavy weight, like a brick lodged itself under my collarbone. I am confused, angry, and betrayed. Ava turns her back from me and gathers her clothes off the couch, shoving them into her backpack.

I take off, my heart pounding, and I find myself sprinting through the field, my feet hitting the ground in a blur of motion. I'm running toward the river, following the familiar trail that leads to the falls. My body moves at a speed I'm not accustomed to, the lush greens and earthy browns of the forest becoming a blurred backdrop as I race onward.

When I arrive at the falls, I don't hesitate. I leap right off the highest point, soaring through the air before crashing into the frigid water below. The cold envelops me, seeping into my skin and bones, but I welcome it. I swim down to the bottom and grasp onto one of the rocks below, letting time come to a standstill as I force the world to fade away. My limbs feel slack, and I watch as the trail of bubbles I've left behind disappears. With my final breath, I scream, and a surge of despair filters through me. What did I do?

With my lungs burning and the need for air becoming unbearable, I prepare to kick off from the riverbed and make my way back to the surface. But just as I'm about to do so, a sudden plunge of white and bubbles erupts beside me. Strong arms wrap around me, pulling me toward the surface with an urgency I can't comprehend. I take in an unintended gulp of water just before we burst through the surface, and the outside world rushes back in, leaving me gasping for breath as the cold river surrounds me.

Eero. It's Eero who pulled me up from the depths, his face etched with a mix of relief and anger.

"What the hell were you doing?" He snarls at me, his voice filled with frustration.

"What the hell are you doing?" I counter, still choking out water, gasping for air.

"You were down there for nearly four minutes. I thought you were drowning. I had to save you," he responds, his anger giving way to concern.

"Saving me?" I sputter incredulously. "I didn't need saving."

"What's wrong with you?" Eero's expression softens as he searches my face for answers.

"You. You're what's wrong," I retort, my frustration boiling over.

Eero looks puzzled. "I'm sorry about last night," he begins, his tone changing to a more apologetic one. "I shouldn't have... you're not even 18 yet, and my wolf was more in control than I was. If I hurt you—"

I raise my hand to stop him from continuing. "I don't care about last night. It meant nothing. You were just a means to an end."

Eero doesn't seem pleased by my words, his jaw clenching slightly in response.

"What I care about is the drug money," I seethe.

"The drug money?" Eero asks, his eyes scanning my face for an explanation.

"Don't play dumb," I snap. "The money my sister gave you this morning."

“Oh.”

“Yeah, Oh.” I mock, my anger palpable. I feel so stupid, so used. My whole being is radiating rage. He took advantage of me, he knew about my family’s debt and slept with me. I f****d him.

"Let me explain," Eero pleads, following me as I climb out of the water. All I want is to get away from him, from this town, from my sister. I despise this place.

"Don't f*****g bother," I spit out, my rage evident. "Wolves are all the same." I mutter to myself, "Such small brains," as I march back toward the packhouse. Eero grabs my shoulder, spinning me around to face him. "Zoe."

“Don’t f*****g touch me,” I warn him, giving him a venomous look. "Don't ever touch me again. Leave me the f**k alone." I wrench myself free from his grasp and run back to the house. I don't stop until I'm upstairs, frantically packing all the possessions Kari has given me into two suitcases. I have so little, no personal items, no photos, nothing. The overwhelming feeling of being truly alone crashes over me. Tears flow freely as I work, my anger fueling my frantic panic and my desperate need to escape this town. I'm emptying the bathroom when Kari appears in the doorway.

"Is there anywhere I can drive you?" She asks quietly. I shake my head because I'm afraid that if I open my mouth, sobs will pour out. In less than twenty minutes, I've packed my entire life into two suitcases. I have no money and no plan, but I push out the front door and race down the steps.

Alpha West is waiting in the driveway, leaning against a white Cadillac. "I hear we're heading to the same place. Get in," he says, taking both of my suitcases and popping open the trunk.