LIANA’S POV

I woke up slowly, my body aching in every single ceb, /bas if I had been hit by a truck. My thighs burned. My stomach felt. tight. bMy /bwhole body was heavy and sore and used in ways I didn’t even know I could be used. Killian’s arm was wrapped around me like a band of iron, his chest warm and solid against my back, his breathing calm, deep, steady, like he didn’t have a single care in the world.

I shifted slightly, biting down on my lip as a sharp pain shot up between my legs. I was so sore. I couldn’t even close my thighs properlyb. /bbMy /bbody felt raw. His scent was still all over me. Inside me. My skin was sticky with sweat and something else I didn’t even want to think about right now.

I tried to move. Just to sit up. But even in his sleep, Killian didn’t let go. His arm tightened around my waist as if his body knew mine and refused to let me leave, not even for a second.

That was when I heard a ding.

It was from his phone.

I didn’t want to check it. I shouldn’t have. But something in me turned to lookb. /bMaybe it was curiosityb. /bMaybe it was instinct. Or maybe it was fear.

I picked it up slowlyb, /btrying not to wake him.

It was a message from Beta Logan.

bMy /bheart dropped.

b“/bbI /btold byou/bb, /bKillian. I told byou /bthat human girl is nothing but a goddamn liability. Look what she’s done now. There’s a

fucking video of byou /bbeating the shit out of Alpha Darion all over the goddamn inte. You look like a fucking savage. Do

byou /brealize what this meansb? /bbYou’re /bdoneb. /bYour chances at the Alpha King campaign is fucking almost dead! No council will

bback /bbyou /bbnow /bwith this kind of scandal. All because of that useless little human. I warned you, didn’t I? She’s a curse. a

weakness. bYou /bneed bto /bcut her off before she takes byou /bdown with her. bGo /bback to Cynthia. Fix your image. Win. Then, bif /bbyou /b

still want to y house with herb, /bdo it in private. But right nowb, /bthat girl will be the end of byou /bif you don’t get rid of herb./bb” /b

bI /bbstared /bat the screen, my hands trembling.

Weakness. bCurse/b. Useless little human.

bThat’s /bwhat they thought of bme/bb. /b

bThat’s /bwhat his bown /bBeta thought of me.

I bdropped /bbthe /bphone bas /bif it bburned /bmeb. /bbMy /bhands wouldn’t stop shaking. I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

I blooked /bbat /bKillianb, /bstill sleeping bso /bbpeacefully /bbehind me. Still holding me like bI was /bthe best thing that ever bhappened /bbto /b

him. Like I bwas /bprecious. Important. bLoved/b.

bWhat /bbthe /bhell bwas /bI bto /bbhim/bb? /b

Just as bI /btried bto /bslowlyb, /bbquietly /bbslide /bbout /bof bbed /bagainb, /banother notification pinged.

bNo. /bNo, bI /bwasn’t going bto /blook. bI /bbwasn’t/b.

But bI /bbdid /b

bGod /bhelp me, I did.

bIt /bbwas /bbanother /bmessageb. /bbThis /bbtime/bb, /bbit /bbwasn’t /bbfrom /bbLogan/bb. /b

It was from a saved contact. a woman. Her profile picture was of her in a red dressb, /blegs long, hair perfect, eyes sultry.

The message read:

“Thanks for the other night, love. Your hands, your mouth, your cock… God, I still can’t stop thinking about it. You’re always bso /bfucking good to me. I love you, darling. Can’t wait for another night just like that…”

attached was a picture.

Killian. Lying shirtless on this same bed.

Right fucking here.

Smirking at the camera. The same crooked, smug smirk he had given me.

There was lipstick on his neck.

And a woman’s bare leg resting over his waist.

My throat closed.

I stared at the photo like my brain refused to believe it. Like maybe if I blinked enough, it would disappear. Maybe I was dreaming. Maybe this was some kind of twisted nightmare. But it wasn’t.

bIt /bwas this bed.

This fucking bed.

This exact same hotel room. The wallpaper. The pillows. There was no denying it.

Killian hadn’t just taken me here.

He had taken someone else.

He had fucked someone elseb. /b

bHere/bb. /bIn this bexact /bsame space. bMaybe /bjust days ago. Maybe hours.

bAnd /bhere I wasb. /b

Thinking I meant something.

Thinking I bwas /bspecial.

bThinking /bI was the bonly /bbone/b.

bTears /bspilled down my cheeks before I even realized I was crying.

I bdidn’t /bbmake /bba /bbsound/bb. /b

bI /bbjust /bbstared /bat the photob, /bthe messageb, /bthe man sleeping behind meb, /bthe phone in my hand.

And I cried bsilently /b