Scarlett’s POV

​I knew I had to do something before they tore the room—and each other—apart. My eyes landed on a glass sitting on the nightstand. I grabbed it and threw it against the far wall with all my might.

​Crash!

​The sound of shattering glass echoed like a gunshot. Both brothers jumped, their heads snapping toward me. They froze, finally looking at my masked face.

​"Both of you, stop it!" I screamed, my voice cracking from the stress. "How can you be at each other’s throats over a woman you don’t even know?"

​The room went deathly quiet. Leo gave me a long, knowing look. Behind that gaze, I could feel him saying, I know exactly who you are. But Leonard looked different. His face was filled with shame. He looked down at his fists, realizing how stupid and insane he was being. To him, I was just a stranger, a dancer he’d met hours ago, yet he was ready to kill his own blood over me.

​"You guys are brothers!" I shouted, stepping between them even though my legs felt like jelly. "How can you fight like this? No woman deserves to come between family. No woman is worth making you two hate each other!"

​They both stayed silent, the heavy Alpha energy in the room finally starting to fade. I turned to Leonard, making sure my mask was steady.

​"I didn’t do anything with your brother," I lied, my heart pounding against my ribs. "He was just worried about you. He came here to check if I was some kind of spy or if I was trying to hurt the family. That’s all."

​Leonard’s face fell. The anger left him, replaced by a look of deep embarrassment. He let go of Leo’s collar and stepped back, smoothing out his shirt. He looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.

​"I... I overreacted," Leonard muttered, not looking either of us in the eye.

​"You both did," I said, pointing toward the door. "Please. Both of you just leave. I can’t do this anymore."

​Leonard looked like he wanted to say a thousand things. He stepped toward me, his hand reaching out. "Samantha, wait. I’m sorry. I just..."

​"Please," I whispered, cutting him off. "Just go."

​"At least give me your number," Leonard pleaded, his voice low. "I don’t want tonight to be the last time I see you."

​"No, sir," I said firmly, standing my ground. "It’s better this way. Now, please leave."

​Leo watched us, his expression unreadable, but I could feel the tension still radiating off him. He was the first to move toward the door, giving me one last, lingering look before stepping out into the hall. Leonard followed him slowly, looking like a man who had just lost the most important thing in the world.

​The second the door clicked shut, I turned the lock and sank to the floor. I was shaking so hard I could barely breathe. My secret was hanging by a thread, and my heart was heavy with the chaos I had caused. I knew I couldn’t stay here another minute.

​I quickly opened a mind link to Ethan. Ethan, I need to leave this hotel right now, I told him, my mental voice sounding just as shaky as my body.

​What happened? Is everything okay? he asked, his voice full of worry.

​Leo and Leonard are here, I replied. It’s complicated... it’s a mess. I’ll tell you everything later, but I need to leave before they come back.

​Pack your things and meet me at the car, Ethan said firmly. I will be waiting right outside.

​"Thank you," I whispered out loud. I scrambled to my feet. I didn’t care about the fancy room anymore. I shoved my few things into my bag. Even though I was putting on my own clothes, I kept the red wig and the silver mask on. I couldn’t risk Leonard spotting me in the hallway or the lobby.

​I hurried out of the room and made my way downstairs, avoiding the main elevators. When I stepped out into the night air, I saw Ethan’s car waiting. I got in quickly, and Ethan told the driver to go.

​As the hotel disappeared behind us, Ethan turned to look at me. "Do you think it is wise to stay in Australia?" he asked.

​"No," I said, looking out the window. "They’ll find me. They’re Alphas; they won’t stop looking."

​"That is what I thought," Ethan nodded. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a folder. "I have booked a flight that is taking you to China. My younger sister and her family live there. She is expecting you. Once you get there, she will help you settle down and stay hidden."

​He handed me the flight tickets and the papers. I looked at them, feeling a mix of fear and relief. China was far away. It was a new start.

​"Thank you, Ethan," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "I don’t know what I would do without you."

​He just nodded. "We’re friends, Scarlett. That’s what friends do."

​We reached the airport just in time. Luckily, I had about an hour before my flight was set to leave. I checked in quickly, my hands still shaking as I held the papers Ethan had given me. When it was time to go, I hugged Ethan tight.

​"Goodbye, Ethan," I whispered.

​"Stay safe, Scarlett," he replied, giving my shoulder a supportive squeeze.

​I walked through security and found a seat in the waiting area. My mind was racing. I couldn’t just leave without a word. I looked around and saw a young lady sitting nearby.

​"Excuse me," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Could I please use your phone for a quick text? Mine died and I need to tell my boss I made it to the airport."

​She was kind and handed it over. I typed in Leo’s number from the card he had given me. I didn’t use my real name; I used the name he had seen on the dancer tonight.

​It’s Samantha, I wrote. I am disappearing just like I told you I would. Please do not look for me. When the time is right, I will be back.

​I hit send, then quickly deleted the message and the sent history before giving the phone back. I felt exhausted, like all the energy had been sucked out of my body.

​"Oh, wait!" the girl said as I started to walk away. "You just got a message back."

​My heart stopped. I panicked. Was he going to tell me he was tracking the phone? Was he going to tell me he would never let me go? I took the phone back with trembling fingers and opened the screen.

​It was just one word.

​Okay.

​I stared at the screen until the letters blurred. I gave the phone back and thanked her, walking to my gate like a zombie. I felt a sharp, stabbing pain in my chest.

​This was exactly what I had asked for. I had told him to leave me alone. I had told him to stay away and not look for me. I wanted him to agree so I could be free.

​But seeing that simple, cold "Okay" hurt more than a thousand angry words. It felt like he was letting me go too easily. It felt like he didn’t care enough to fight, even if fighting was the wrong thing to do. It felt like he was finally closing the door on us, and even though I was the one who asked for it, the silence of his reply felt like a punch to the heart.