The Handprint That Shattered My Bond

Lucian adjusted his glasses, exhaling heavily. "Alright, fine. I'll be real with you. I want to break the bond."

My heart stopped.

"We've known each other since fresh wolf year," he continued. "There's stuff I can only say to you. I've fallen for someone else-a she-wolf who makes my heart race again. I don't want to string her along, so I'm ending things with Natalie. I want to give her a real home, a real life."

He paused, his voice dropping. "But you know I've been scraping by on a teacher's salary. Our joint assets are just the house. That's not enough to give her the life she deserves."

Lucian locked eyes with Mark. "Natalie 's family is loaded. I need to walk away with more of her money. Whatever it takes. You'll help me, right?"

Mark's face twisted, conflicted. After a few seconds, he clapped Lucian's shoulder. "I'll help you, wolf. Let me think it over, and I'll get back to you."

The rest was random small talk. Lucian dropped Mark off and drove away.

I sat frozen in the driver's seat, my hands trembling.

My head was still spinning when the dash cam footage jumped to a new clip.

A she-wolf climbed into the passenger seat. She looked young-high school young. She giggled, leaning toward Lucian. "Where are we eating tonight?"

I stared at her pale neck, my stomach churning. Was this the she-wolf Lucian was cheating with? His own student?

Lucian smiled, his voice dripping with affection. "We're hitting that fancy Italian place I booked. But first, we're picking up your mom."

The car pulled up to an apartment complex. The she-wolf hopped into the backseat, and another she-wolf slid into the front. She wore a sleek, form-fitting dress that hugged her curves, her hair swept up elegantly.

The she-wolf in the back chattered excitedly. "Mom, you look gorgeous. Lucian's gonna lose it."

The she-wolf laughed softly, scolding her. "Chloe, hush. Little wolves shouldn't talk like that. Sit still-Lucian's driving."

Her ears turned pink as she glanced at Lucian, clearly fishing for a reaction.

"You're stunning, Vanessa," Lucian said warmly. "Absolutely beautiful."

So Vanessa was the she-wolf. Chloe was her daughter.

I fast-forwarded. Lucian dropped Chloe off at her boarding school after dinner, leaving just him and Vanessa in the car. They pulled into an underground garage-this garage.

Lucian leaned in, kissing her deeply, his hand gripping the back of her head. The air in the car grew heavy, the windows fogging up as their breathing filled the space. The car rocked slightly, and Vanessa's hand pressed against the passenger window, leaving that damn handprint.

The sounds-raw, unmistakable-echoed through the speakers. I felt bile rise in my throat. I gagged, barely managing to fling the door open before I started retching, clutching the handle for support. The leather seats reeked, the air thick with betrayal.

Tears streamed down my face, not from sadness but from rage. I wiped them away, grabbed the dash cam, and stormed to another car-one that didn't stink of them.

Those two? They're going to pay.