Talia's POV



Getting out of Vance's house was not an enjoyable experience. I cursed the day that I married him. The day that set my life on this trialsome road.

I had succeeded with Tracy though. I left her traumatized.

She knew that their wicked secret had gone beyond just the three of them.


There was no way Vance would not know about it in a couple of weeks.

She was visibly shaken. It even threw her off her high.


Out of the danger zone, irrespective of the large scratch I had sustained on my thigh, I was indecisive about waiting for Karl or just going back.

I stood for a while, before going back.

Half the time, my heart was in my mouth.

There were the wrong kind of people everywhere.

I walked as fast but quietly as I could.

Using my wolf instincts, I traced my way back to his house.

I contemplated waiting for Karl, or just knocking Maxine up. It was unfair to have her attend to two night walkers.

I heard his door open, and one of the men who came to get Vance at the apartment he locked me up came out.

My eyes almost popped out. I thought that was the biggest shocker of all, till he leaned in and kissed Maxine on the lips. She put her hands around him and drew him in to herself. The girl who served me ginger tea was far less gentle that the version of her I saw with that guy.

I put my hand to my lips and held them tight before I screamed out of fear and disgust.

He put his hand in his pocket, and gave her something that she quickly tucked into her breasts.

It was all too much for my head to process.

I was no longer safe. For all I cared, she could be an informant.

It was so strange that a woman had a baby for a man who did stuff as shady as Karl did. She definitely wasn't at all clueless.

'He can't know about this. Karl can't know about this." I whispered to myself.

The big gruff guy who was just leaving looked in my direction, seeing nothing in particular, he smiled, turned and bounced off.

'What can't I know?" I heard Karl's voice from behind me.

I was very startled, but not startled enough to blurt anything out, for the sake of my own life.

'Why did you creep up on me like that? And how long have you been there?" I asked, still reeling from the shock of his presence.

'I've been waiting for you. Maxine shouldn't have to attend to two night walkers separately." He replied.

'The exact same thing I thought!" I exclaimed.

Hushing me, he took my hands and motioned for us to sit on the shrubs.

'Did you see what happened?" I asked, feeling sorry for him.

'Yeah. I kinda always knew that the baby wasn't mine." His voice had the undertone of defeat. '

'I'm sorry about that. What about the guy? He looks like one of the guys who came to get Vance at the apartment where he…" I started to explain, but could not finish.

'He's one of us. Was. He was one of us until minutes ago." He said.

'What the fuck is going on?" I was tired of so many discoveries.

'I wasn't just waiting for you. I wanted to see what was going on. He wasn't at the meeting. It meant something. I had to come and confirm the rumors I have been hearing."He explained.

I felt so bad for him.

'So he's tired of Vance? Who would've thought? What do you think he's up to now? Showing up at your house." I asked him.

'She's tired of me too. Word on the street, they're leaving tonight. Apparently he's no more interested in life in Moonstone. I hear they're going to some other pack." Karl was a broken man, and it sure didn't seem like it was his first time.

I put a hand to his back to pat him. He needed it.

'So you weren't just waiting for me?" I asked him.

'No. I didn't want to spoil their plan. I want her to be happy. She isn't with me." He confessed.

Apparently, Maxine was tired of it all and sought comfort from someone else. Someone who'd let her in better than Karl did.

In about thirty minutes, we saw her drag a box out, holding two other bags, and carding a sleeping baby.

Karl was crying, but the tears in my eyes were long dried.

Something in me broke for her, for Karl, and for the baby.

Life for either one of them would never remain the same. And she really did love him till the end. The look I saw in her eyes the previous night was not just love, it was ‘goodbye'.

I was determined to stick with Karl till he could drag himself up to head into the house.

'Let's go on. I wish her the best." He wiped all traces of weakness off his face, stood tall and strong and gave me a hand.

Together, we walked into the empty house, doused in the scent of Maxine's perfume.

'I got that for her as a push present. When she had our baby." He explained.

'Let's sit around and mourn our losses, shall we?" I suggested, pushing him on the nearest seat.

'You're that girl he used to fool around with, the one who is now a Luna in Silverhaven." He said, looking at me.

'Firstly, that's very random. Secondly, it's very shocking, seeing that you're grieving, and lastly, how hadn't you figured that out?" I asked him. 'You said it yourself that I took over someone else's life." I continued, remembering it because it hurt the most of all.

'I'm sorry. I don't like grief. It messes me up. I've lost too many people to feel it so deep in my bones anymore." He explained.

I understood him, but I hoped I would never get to that point.

'What next?" I asked, since he wasn't down and out from Maxine's departure.

'We are striking Landon in five days. You have to hurry up." He said.

'That should be more than enough. I slipped a note into their bathroom. It contains all I told her." I replied to him.