Chapter 26

Autumn's POV

I'm finally leaving! Everything is going on for my good and I couldn't be more happy. I feel like since I came back, I haven't had any good thing to be happy about. Now I'm going to begin my life afresh.

I smiled to myself as I folded another piece of clothing into my bag. My room was a mess. My bed was covered in clothes I didn’t even care about. I just wanted to take the few things that mattered to me and leave this place behind. Finally. I was finally leaving.

No more pretending and no more fake smiles. No more of those three standing around me like I belonged to them. I didn’t belong to anyone.

I stood by the window for a second, just to feel it, the quiet victory. The soft wind coming through the crack made me feel free already. I was so happy I could laugh, but I didn’t. I didn’t want anyone thinking I was going crazy. Not yet.

Just as I zipped up my bag, I heard a knock on my door.

I didn’t need to ask who it was. The knock was too impatient. It could only be her.

“Go away,” I said, not even bothering to look.

The door opened anyway. Agatha walked in, arms crossed like always, that stupid annoyed look on her face like she owned the place.

“You’re really doing all this just for attention?” she asked, voice cold.

I turned slowly. “Are you seriously here again?” I laughed a little. “Can’t you find someone else to bother?”

Agatha rolled her eyes. “You think people don’t see through you? You act like some broken little girl, but you’re just a manipulative brat.”

I walked up to her, staring her straight in the eye. “Stay mad. Go cry to your precious Alphas.”

“You lied about everything,” she hissed. “And now you’re pretending to be the victim. Pathetic.”

I didn’t have time for this. I grabbed her shoulder and shoved her back. She stumbled out of the room. Before she could say anything else, I slammed the door in her face and locked it.

“Get out,” I said through the door. “Before I make you.”

She banged on the door once, but I ignored it. I wasn’t about to waste my time arguing with someone who didn’t matter anymore.

I picked up my bag and took one last look around. This place was never my home. It was a prison with nice furniture. I didn’t want anything from here. I didn’t want their protection, their lies, or their fake concern.

I walked downstairs with my bag, feeling light, almost excited.But then, the front door wouldn’t open.

I paused and tried again. It was still locked.

I frowned, checking the knob again. “What the hell...?”

I dropped my bag and rushed to the back door. Locked. The side door was also locked. The windows were too high and bolted shut.

“No,” I whispered. “No no no.”

I ran back to the front, yanking the handle harder this time. Still nothing. It didn’t make sense.

Is this a joke?

I started banging on the door, yelling. “Open this damn door! I said open it!”

No one came.

So I grabbed the nearest vase and smashed it against the floor. The sound echoed loud and sharp. I didn’t stop there. I reached for another expensive sculpture, a glass one, and threw it at the wall.

“Come down here right now!” I screamed.

Agatha was the first one to appear, standing on the stairs with that same calm face like I wasn’t worth her time. “You need to stop acting crazy.”

“You locked me in here,” I shouted.

“You think everything’s about you? Maybe they locked the doors because you act like a psycho.”

I grabbed the broken piece of glass near my feet and pointed it at her. She stopped talking.

Then I heard them. They came down slowly, eyes on me like I was some wild animal they were trying to calm.

I pointed the sharp object at them, “Why the hell are you locking me up after promising people that you would let me go?”

“Autumn, please,” Dante said first, his voice calm. Too calm. “Put that down.”

“You think this is funny?” I snapped. “You locked me in here!”

They were being very dishonest and not living up to their reputation as the alphas of this pack. How could they promise one thing and they do another thing?

“We were just trying to talk to you before you left,” Adonis added.

“I don’t want to talk!” I pointed the sharp end at them now, but they didn’t move. “I said I want to leave!”

“You’re overreacting,” Knox finally spoke.

I'm overreacting? I am someone who came back from the dead, how do they want me to act?

“Really?” I laughed. “This is me being calm.”

Dante stepped closer. “Autumn, you don’t have to do this—”

I moved fast. I grabbed Agatha and pulled her close, pressing the broken glass to her neck.

She froze. “What are you doing?!”

“Shut up,” I hissed. “You said I’m crazy, right? Let’s see how far I’ll go.”

“Autumn, please,” Adonis said, stepping forward. “Don’t do that.”

“You want me to stay so badly? Then open the door,” I snapped. “Right now.”

Agatha tried to struggle, but I pressed the glass harder and she stopped. Her breath was shaky. All that talk about being their favorite and they're not even fast enough to help her?

“You’re hurting her,” Dante said, trying to stay calm.

“That’s the point,” I said, smiling now. “You want to protect her? Then let me go.”

“Autumn, don’t do this,” Knox said. “You’re not like this.”

“You don’t know what I’m like,” I said, staring him dead in the eyes. “None of you do.”

I saw the panic in their faces now. They didn’t expect this. They thought I’d cry and beg again. That I’d throw a tantrum and then calm down.

But this time, I meant it.

“I’ll start stabbing her right now,” I said slowly. “And I won’t stop until she stops breathing.”

Agatha gasped. “You’re insane.”

“Probably,” I said. “But you’re the one who called me a liar. You should’ve known better.”

Dante took a deep breath. “Okay... okay. Let’s talk.”

I didn’t blink. “No. Open. The. Door.”

They didn’t move fast enough so I pressed the glass harder.

Agatha screamed.

“Stop! Stop!” Adonis shouted. “We’ll open it. Just... just don’t hurt her.”

I waited. Dante pulled out his keys slowly, never breaking eye contact with me. One move, I thought. Just one wrong move and I’ll make them regret it.

He walked to the door and finally the lock clicked. I smiled and pushed Agatha away. It was time for me to leave finally, and it's all thanks so Agatha for being stupid.

I grabbed my bag immediately and headed towards to door. However it felt strange the moment I stepped out. A strong wind blew over me.

I started feeling dizzy and I heard my name being called in a distance. I could hardly walk and I stopped on my tracks.

What is going on? I can't move anymore, I felt my body slowly going down. I'm not too long I saw the darkness. What have these bastards done to me?