"Breakfast is coming," he said nonchalantly, already dialing room service as if the intimacy of the night before hadn't been fractured by our ever-growing distance.
Midway through breakfast, his question came out of nowhere: "Why did you change your phone password?" His tone was casual, but the question carried weight.
I didn't look up. "Felt like it." The truth? My old password was a combination of our birthdays. But I was planning to leave, and that no longer felt right.
Ethan set his utensils down, frustration creeping into his voice. "We never do anything together anymore. You wanted to go to the movies before, right?"
There wasn’t really an option to say no. Not to Alpha who am I bonded to obey. So, I nodded.
We ended up in an empty theater, the romantic image I’d once dreamed of playing out in front of me—Ethan and me, sitting close, watching a film. I should’ve been over the moon. But the warmth I once felt for him had long since fizzled out, replaced by icy numbness. I yawned, fighting to stay awake.
Ethan noticed. "You picked the movie, didn’t you? You’re not even enjoying it?"
"It’s fine," I muttered. I couldn’t fake excitement anymore.
Just then, his phone buzzed, and like clockwork, he got up and walked out. No explanations, just gone.
The movie ended, and he still hadn’t returned. I was about to call him when I heard it—Fiona’s saccharine voice, floating through the air.
“Oh, Ethan! You’re amazing!” she squealed.
I turned, seeing her jump into his arms, clutching a huge stuffed toy, and giggling like a child. He laughed softly, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. But when his eyes landed on me, his smile vanished.
"Skylar!" Fiona's voice dripped with faux innocence. "Oh no, don’t get the wrong idea! I just got a little excited."
Ethan didn’t even bother with an apology, lightly tapping her nose in a playful gesture. Then he turned to me as if nothing was wrong. "Movie's over already?"
Before I could respond, the sharp sound of a fire alarm rang through the mall. Panic spread in an instant, and people rushed toward the exits.
Ethan grabbed Fiona’s hand immediately, shielding her like she was the center of his world as they bolted for the emergency exit. I watched them run, my heart hardening even more.
When the chaos cleared and the false alarm was announced, I was already gone.
It took me a while because of my wound, but I still made it out alive.