Chapter 21 Pain exploded through my chest. I dropped to my knees, gathering the pieces with trembling fingers. "You vicious bitch!" Tears burned my eyes. "You did that on purpose!" Camila pressed her hand to her chest in mock horror. "I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean for that to happen! Though I have to say, the craftsmanship really wasn't very durable, was it?" White-hot rage erupted through my veins. I shot to my feet and slapped her across the face with every ounce of strength I possessed. The sound cracked through the room like a gunshot. Camila crumpled to the floor, a bright red handprint blooming across her cheek. She covered her reddened cheek. "You hit me!" The bathroom door burst open. Darrell rushed out wearing only a towel, his face pristine and unmarked,water still dripping from his hai. The scratches I'd left had already healed completely - Alpha healing at work. His recovery ability meant there was no evidence of what he'd tried to do to me. His gaze swept from Camila on the floor to me standing over her. "What the hell happened?" His voice turned dangerous. Camila pointed at me with a shaking finger. "She hit me! For no reason!" "Are you insane? How could you attack Camila?" I pointed at the scattered sapphire fragments. "She deliberately smashed my mother's necklace!" Darrell's eyes went to the broken necklace, then back to Camila's face. Darrell's expression hardened. "Camila wouldn't do something like that. Stop making accusations." "Are you fucking kidding me?" Camila struggled to sit up, tears streaming down her face. "Darrell, I really didn't mean for it to break. I was just trying to hand it to her, but she suddenly turned around and it fell.I feel horrible about what happened, but she hit me without even listening to an explanation." "She's lying!" I lunged toward her, but Darrell caught my arm. Camila sobbed harder. "Why would I intentionally destroy her belongings? I have no reason to hate her." "Enough!" His Alpha command slammed into me like a physical force. "Apologize to her. Now." "Apologize?" I stared at him in disbelief. "She destroyed the only thing I had left of my mother!" 'It was an accident! And you assaulted her!" I broke free from his grip and rushed at Camila again. In one swift motion, I shoved her hard. She stumbled backward, her head striking the corner of the wooden nightstand with a sickening thud. Blood immediately began pooling beneath her skull. "Camila! Darrell's roar shook the windows. His hands closed around my throat like steel bands. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. You crazy bitch!" Spit flew from his lips. "How dare you hurt her!" Black spots danced at the edges of my vision. I clawed at his fingers, but his grip only tightened. I should have taught you a lesson long ago!" He shoved me backward with savage force. My body hit the wall like a rag doll, my head cracking against the plaster. Stars exploded behind my eyes as warm blood trickled down my neck. Darrell was already moving toward Camila, but I found my voice. "Wait." I struggled to my feet. "Before you play hero to your precious princess, I have something to say." He paused, his arms halfway to Camila. I straightened my spine and looked him dead in the eye. "I, Sable Crawford, formally reject you, Darrell Hawthorne, as my mate." I'd planned to wait until I was leaving the pack to reject him formally. Give him a proper explanation, maintain some dignity. But watching him defend the woman who just destroyed my mother's necklace while threatening me with violence? This needed to happen now. The words hit him like a physical blow. His face went ashen, then flushed red with humiliation. "You can't-" His face darkened with rage. "How dare you! What gives you the right to reject an Alpha?" 'I've never meant anything more in my life." "You arrogant little bitch!" His voice turned dangerous. "You think you can just walk away from me? From what I've given you?" "Darrell…" Camila's weak voice interrupted from the floor. "My head… it hurts so much. I think I might have a concussion." She touched her scalp delicately, her fingers coming away with blood. "I'm scared. Please take me to the hospital, Relly. Please." The manipulation was obvious, but Darrell's attention immediately shifted to her. 'Fine." He turned back to me, his gray eyes like winter storms. "You want to reject me? I, Darrell Hawthorne, accept your rejection and formally reject you in return." The mate bond severed with brutal finality. Pain lanced through my chest as the connection snapped. "You're nothing," he snarled. "A nobody who was lucky I gave you three years of my life. You think you'll find better? You're damaged goods now. No Alpha will want a reject." He scooped Camila into his arms, his voice turning tender as he looked down at her. "Come on, baby. Let's get you to the hospital." "Clean up this mess," he ordered without looking at me. "And if you're not gone by the time I get back, I'll have you arrested for assault." The house fell silent except for the sound of his car roaring to life outside. I sat there for several minutes, touching the tender spot where my head had struck the wall. My fingers came away sticky with blood. Slowly, carefully, I gathered the sapphire fragments from the carpet. Each piece felt like a knife to my heart, but I collected them all. The broken chain. The shattered stone. Even the tiniest chips. I placed everything into a small velvet pouch from my purse and walked to my car. My hands shook as I started the engine. The empty house behind me felt like a tomb. 1 drove through the dark streets until I spotted the neon cross of Miller's 24-Hour Pharmacy. The parking lot was nearly empty. I pulled into a space near 213 Chapter 21 the entrance and walked inside. I couldn't go to the hospital. Not when Darrell might bring Camila there for her head injury. "Do you have any antiseptic wipes?" I asked the pharmacist. *Aisle three, next to the bandages. Her voice carried concern as she noticed the dried blood on my neck. "Honey, are you okay? Do you need me to call someone?' "Just a small accident. I'm fine." I grabbed what I needed and paid quickly. The fluorescent lights felt too bright, too harsh. Everything felt too much. I drove back to the Moonridge Grand Hotel and took the elevator to my suite. In the bathroom mirror, I examined the damage. The wound wasn't deep - just a small gash where a protruding nail had scraped against my skull. A nail that used to hold our anniversary photo.