Shattered Reflections

Part 1

The concierge fumbled with the keycard against the polished mahogany, his knuckles turning a stark, bloodless white under the harsh lobby lights.

He kept his gaze firmly fixed on the intricate patterns of the marble floor, while a sour tang of cold sweat drifted across the wide reception desk.

This human was visibly broken despite being completely oblivious to the hidden world of shifters, while Craig’s dark shadow loomed over me.

The title of the Alpha’s wife felt like wearing a lead collar in this twisted reality.

I remained completely silent and snatched the small rectangle from his trembling fingers, letting the sharp plastic edges bite into my palm.

My thumb traced the raised numbers on the card to ground me in the physical sensation, as this tiny object held the only key to unraveling my nightmare.

A single misstep on this precarious edge threatened to send me spiraling straight into my husband’s waiting, cruel arms.

Pivoting sharply, I headed straight for the bank of silver elevators, while my footsteps sounded like a ticking clock, echoing through the vast, empty lobby.

Startled by the sharp noise, a few scattered bellhops stiffened their postures, while they pretended to be deeply engrossed in their luggage carts, ducking their heads.

Their pathetic cowering sent a surge of misplaced guilt straight to my gut, while every bowed head was a testament to the monster ruling this city.

Finding Dan was my only remaining, viable option.

Using him to locate Brian might be my only chance to fix this broken reality.

The heavy doors glided shut with a soft hiss, sealing me inside the mirrored box.

Staring back from the warped metal was a stranger’s cold, calculating face, while she looked like a queen, a tyrant’s perfectly groomed and completely untouchable consort.

I closed my eyes tightly, forcing the unsettling image away from my racing mind, while the chime of the first floor broke my concentration.

I stepped out into the plush, carpeted hallway, while Dan’s room was at the end of the corridor.

I didn’t bother knocking, while I swiped the keycard and pushed the heavy door open.

The sound of running water drifted from the bathroom, while steam curled around the edges of the partially open door.

The familiar mix of cedar and sharp mint from his body wash hit me the moment I entered.

My breath hitched involuntarily, and a sharp tightness seized my chest before I could stop it.

The memory of the warmth in his eyes back home threatened to surface.

I dug my fingernails into my palms until the stinging pain sharpened my focus completely.

I stepped further into the room, my eyes sweeping the space, while a sudden movement on the bed caught my attention.

A girl scrambled backward, pulling the duvet to her chest, while her eyes were wide, filled with a panic that mirrored the concierge’s.

I froze, recognizing her instantly, while it was Heather.

She was the same girl I had found cowering next to Brian’s lifeless body in my reality.

Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson as she stared at me, while she pulled the thin, white duvet tighter around her trembling, exposed shoulders.

I could practically hear her heart hammering a frantic, terrified rhythm against her ribs, while the metallic tang of her absolute panic spiked sharply in the warm, humid air.

I felt a sudden, sickening surge of unearned dominance wash over my own instincts, while she stammered out an apology for her lateness.

She was completely naked beneath the thin sheet, while I pushed down a sudden surge of irritation, clamping my jaw shut.

I took a threatening step closer, demanding Dan’s whereabouts, while she gestured toward the closed bathroom door, raising a trembling finger.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I tapped my foot impatiently against the hardwood, while she started rambling, asking if she should have given him something.

My instincts flared at her words.

I let my expression harden into an icy glare, tilting my head to the side.

She shrank back, her scent souring with dread and confessed that Tyler Cole had given her a dose last night.

A dose with no specific target, while I held out my hand, palm up.

Barking an order, I demanded she hand it over immediately, while she scrambled through the discarded clothes on the floor.

Her fingers closed around a small glass vial, while she dropped it into my waiting hand.

It caught the dim light, throwing dancing, iridescent reflections across the walls, while it looked beautiful, but I knew it was a vile, destructive poison in disguise.

It was the very thing destroying the natural balance of our entire, fractured world.

I closed my fist tightly around the cool glass, securing it safely in my palm.

I ordered her out of the room, warning her to stay away from Dan, while she dressed in a frantic blur.

As she reached the door, I took a gamble and asked about Brian, while her spine snapped perfectly straight, the terrified rabbit suddenly gone.

“He’s fine,” she spat through gritted teeth, her eyes flashing with a sudden, venomous hatred.

She slammed the door behind her, leaving me alone with the damning vial.

Then, the bathroom door clicked open, and Dan stepped out—but the look on his face told me he had heard every single word.