Chapter 153
Elsa
I stood across from the police officer, my hands clenched so tightly
my nails cut into my palms. The fluorescent lights of the station
buzzed overhead, casting harsh shadows that made everyone look ill.
A female officer approached, setting a cup of water in front of me
that I didn’t touch. I stared at it, watching the surface ripple from my
shaking hands hovering near it. Her dark eyes held a hint of
sympathy, but her posture remained professional, distant.
“Ms. Hale,” Officer Davis said, leaning forward, “I understand family
loyalty. But your cousin threatened medical staff with a knife. That’s
not just a simple misdemeanor.”
I insisted, slamming my palm against the table. “He was just scared.
for his aunt. You have to understand-”
“What I understand,” the female officer cut in, “is that hospital
disturbances carry mandatory minimum sentences. Three months at
least, even if the doctor doesn’t press charges. The law doesn’t easily
forgive these offenses.”
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“Three months?” My stomach dropped like an elevator with cut
cables. I dug my fingernails deeper into my palms, using the pain to
keep myself from screaming.
“There has to be something-” I began, my voice raw with emotion.
“Get a lawyer,” Officer Davis said, standing up and effectively ending
our conversation. “This will go to court. That’s the best advice I can
give you.”
I stumbled out of the station into the night air, the moon hanging
overhead like a silent witness to my misery. My legs felt boneless, and
I slammed my back against the brick wall, sliding down until the
pavement. I hugged my knees to my chest, trying to breathe through the panic clawing at my throat. Each breath felt like swallowing glass.
“Fuck, fuck, FUCK!” I whispered harshly, banging the back of my head
against the wall with each word.
Something wasn’t right about mom’s treatment being canceled. The
timing was too convenient. Just hours after I’d confronted Drake at
the hospital, suddenly the rare medication my mother needed was
given to someone else?
How convenient that there just happened to be another patient with
a matching need for that exact treatment. How convenient they just
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Chapter 153
happened to have higher priority. The coincidence stank worse than a
week–old carcass.
My hand shook violently as I pulled out my phone and dialed the
number I’d been trying to avoid. It rang three times before he
answered.
“What?” Drake’s voice was cold, distant. I could hear voices
murmuring in the background–he was in a meeting. Probably with
the Black Obsidian pack elders.
“Did you do it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“You’ll need to be more specific, Elsa. I’m in the middle of
something.”
“Don’t pretend, you arrogant bastard.” My voice grew stronger with
rage, my fingers gripping the phone so hard I heard the case crack.
make sure my mother’s treatment was canceled? Was that
“Did you
your way of punishing me for leaving?”
The background noise on his end diminished–he’d moved somewhere
more private.
“You’re being ridiculous,” he said flatly.
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“Don’t lie to my fucking face!” I was shouting now, pacing in tight circles, not caring who heard. “Who else has that kind of power? Who else could make a hospital reallocate rare medication with just a phone call? You knew about mom’s silver toxicity. You always said I
needed this job to keep her treatment going.”
“I was aware of your mother’s condition, yes,” Drake said carefully.
“That doesn’t mean-”
“Drake, I followed you for ten fucking years!” My voice broke, and I punched the brick wall, welcoming the sharp pain that shot up my
r? arm. “My mother even made you soup on your birthday, reme She barely had the strength to stand and she cooked for you! How
could you be so goddamn cruel?”
There was silence on the other end, then a soft exhale. “You think you’re that important to me?” His voice had gone dangerously quiet. “You think I have nothing better to do than micromanage your family’s medical care? Your arrogance is astounding.”
The line went dead. I stared at my phone in disbelief, tears blurring
my vision.
“FUCK YOU!” I screamed at the blank screen, hurling my phone
against the ground. It bounced instead of breaking, which only made
me angrier.
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I drove away from the police station in a daze, my mind replaying Drake’s words over and over. Twice I swerved, nearly hitting parked
cars. After the second near–miss, I slammed on the brakes, tires screeching as I pulled over, my hands shaking too badly to grip the
steering wheel.
“Shit, shit, shit,” I chanted, banging my forehead against the steering
wheel.
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