Chapter 26

[ 1,103 words ]

Emilia’s POV

The highway stretched endlessly before me.

I kept walking, one foot in front of the other.

A sedan appeared in the distance, and hope flickered in my chest. I raised my hand, waving it like a distress signal.

The car slowed.

Then the driver’s thoughts hit me.

*”Young woman alone on the highway? Probably a prostitute. Or running from the cops. Either way, not my problem.”*

My hand dropped.

The sedan sped past, leaving me choking on dust.

Another car approached—a pickup truck this time. I tried again, giving him what I hoped was a harmless smile.

*”Pretty girl… alone… maybe if I offer her a ride, she’ll be grateful. “*

Nausea rolled through my stomach.

I stepped back from the road’s edge, shaking my head as the truck slowed. The driver leaned out his window, grinning in a way that made my skin crawl.

“Need a lift, sweetheart?”

“No. Thank you.”

He shrugged and drove off, his thoughts trailing behind him like exhaust fumes. *”Pretentious bitch.”*

I stood there for a long moment, feeling how ridiculous the whole situation was.

This was my life now. Stranded on a highway, listening to the worst thoughts humanity had to offer.

I sighed and pulled out my phone. There was only one person I could call who wouldn’t judge me too harshly for this disaster.

Lily picked up on the second ring.

“Emilia? What’s wrong?”

“I need a ride,” I said quietly, glancing around at the desolate landscape.

By the time Lily’s car pulled up beside me, the sun had dipped low on the horizon.

She threw open the passenger door. “Get in before I change my mind about rescuing you.”

I climbed into the car, sinking into the seat with a groan of relief. My feet were screaming, my head was pounding.

Lily pulled back onto the road.

“What the hell happened? “

“It’s complicated,” I muttered, closing my eyes.

“Complicated,” Lily repeated slowly. “Right. Because normal marriages totally involve highway abandonments.”

*”Maybe leaving was a good thing. Better than ending up like his other wives—dead or missing.”*

As we drove toward the city center, the noise started.

It always did in crowded places.

*Did I turn off the stove?*

*If he texts that woman one more time, I swear—*

*Two hundred dollars for groceries. How is that even possible?*

*I should’ve taken that job in Seattle.*

The thoughts crashed over me in waves, each one a tiny needle pricking at my consciousness. I pressed my fingers to my temples, trying to block them out, but it was like trying to hold back the ocean with my bare hands.

Make it stop. Please, just make it stop.

I suddenly found myself missing being around that unpredictable Alpha. It was peaceful. Quiet.

Lily’s apartment was a small, cozy space that smelled like vanilla candles. She led me inside, setting my luggage by the door.

“Sit,” she ordered, pointing at the couch. “You look like you’re about to pass out.”

I collapsed onto the cushions.

Lily returned moments later with two glasses of iced tea, thrusting one into my hands before settling beside me.

“Okay,” she said, fixing me with a stern look. “Spill. How does someone get kicked out of their marriage less than a week in?”

*”Did he finally show his true colors? Did he hurt her?”*

“I wasn’t kicked out,” I clarified, taking a long sip of tea. “I… left.”

“You left?” Lily’s eyebrows shot up. “Voluntarily? In the middle of nowhere?”

*”That’s either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Probably stupid.”*

“Seemed like a good idea at the time,” I muttered.

Lily shook her head.

*”At least she got out before that cold-blooded Alpha could do real damage. Better single than dead.”*

“I don’t even know if that Alpha is going to doom me like the others,” I said quietly, staring into my glass.

Lily froze, her eyes going wide as dinner plates.

“Wait—did I say that out loud?”

I met her gaze. Lily had always been protective of me. Her thoughts weren’t malicious—they came from a place of love, of fear for my safety.

But I couldn’t tell her about my ability.

Not until I understood this ability myself. People’s inner worlds were private, sacred. Invading them without permission felt like a violation, even if I couldn’t control it.

So I lied.

“Yeah,” I said, forcing a small laugh. “You really need to work on that filter, Lily.”

“Oh, Goddess.” She buried her face in her hands. “I’m the worst friend ever. I promise I’m not trying to be negative, I just—you deserve better than this mess, Emilia.”

“I know,” I said gently. “And I love you for caring.”

Lily peeked at me through her fingers, then lowered her hands with a sheepish smile.

“So,” she said, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “Does this mean you’re officially done with the scary Alpha? Because if so, Scott’s going to lose his mind when he finds out you’re single again.”

I set down my glass.

Lily wasn’t just my college classmate, she was also my best friend. After graduation, we both worked at Hanson Group together. Lily worked in the marketing department, so naturally she heard all the office gossip.

“Lily.”

“What?” She held up her hands innocently. “I’m just saying, the guy’s been crazy about you since you started at Hanson Group. Everyone in the office can see it.”

*”She’s so oblivious. How can someone so brilliant be so clueless about matters of the heart?”*

“There is nothing between Scott and me,” I said firmly. “He’s my boss. That’s it. We have a professional relationship, and I intend to keep it that way.”

“But—”

“Lily.” I turned to face her fully, my expression serious. “I worked hard to get where I am. I earned my position through skill and dedication, not because of anyone’s… feelings. I won’t let office gossip or speculation undermine that. There have to be boundaries in the workplace.”

“And,” I continued, a small smirk tugging at my lips, “if Scott truly harbored romantic feelings for me, I suspect the first person on earth to die of grief over it would be you.”

Lily’s face turned scarlet.

“I—what—that’s not—”

“There’s nothing going on there either!” Lily sputtered, her hands flailing. “Scott and I barely even talk! He’s just… he’s professional and kind and—”

“And you turn into a tomato every time he walks past your department,” I finished, actually smiling for the first time since this nightmare of a day began.

Lily groaned, burying her face in a throw pillow.

“I hate you sometimes.”

“No, you don’t.”

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