Chapter 1
I was terrified of heights.
At my engagement party, my fiancé, Lucas Grey, tricked me into getting on a car modified to be like a drop tower.
His friends and his childhood friend, Chloe Lane, openly mocked me for being dramatic.
My face went pale as I pleaded with Lucas to stop.
But he laughed and said, "Young people need to fit in."
The machine shot up to the top and then plummeted down.
I wet my pants.
They laughed even louder.
Chloe said, "Let's go again."
Lucas completely ignored my desperate pleas and hit the start button anyway.
A third run followed, then a fourth.
The drop tower malfunctioned completely, jerking wildly up and down.
Sharp pain shot through my belly.
Blood ran down my thighs.
I was pregnant.
Lucas freaked out.
But Chloe clutched her head, crying out in pain.
For the first time, Lucas shifted into a werewolf right in front of me.
He scooped up Chloe and leapt off the drop tower, leaving me on the malfunctioning machine to die.
*****
"Lucas, please, stop!" I gripped the safety bar for dear life.
My nails scraped against the metal, making a harsh, screeching sound.
The drop tower hung suspended in midair.
The wind whipped across my face.
I could barely catch my breath.
"Evelyn, you're being dramatic," Lucas said.
He was sitting right next to me, absentmindedly fiddling with the control panel in his hand.
He went on, "Everyone else is having a blast.
"You need to fit in.
"Come on, is it really that hard to fit in with our group?"
Chloe, sitting in the back, burst out laughing. "Lucas, Evelyn is such a spoiled princess.
"It's just a drop tower ride.
"She's acting like we're trying to kill her or something."
Chloe was Lucas's childhood friend.
Everyone in their group knew she was his best friend.
The rest of the group started egging me on. "Come on, Evelyn. You're really laying it on thick.
"Lucas said you're terrified of heights, but you look fine to me."
I was shaking all over.
My stomach was churning.
Once, I had a raging fever, and Lucas drove all night from out of state to get back to me.
He stayed by my bedside the whole night, wiping my palms again and again with alcohol swabs.
He said, "Evelyn, if you're feeling awful, just bite me. I don't mind the pain."
Back then, he looked at me as if I was some rare treasure.
But now, he kept his head down, pressing the button. He didn't even bother to look at me.
I said, "I really can't do this anymore. Let me down."
Lucas frowned, impatience flickering in his eyes. "Don't be such a buzzkill. We're just having some fun, that's all."
He tapped the screen.
The car suddenly shot upward.
It hurtled nearly 300 feet into the sky.
I felt weightless at once.
Everything started to blur and fade.
I tried to scream, but nothing came out.
The car dropped like a stone, and the wind blasted into my mouth.
It felt like my organs were being yanked in every direction.
Suddenly, a warm, wet feeling ran down my legs, soaking my pants before I realized what was happening.
I peed myself.
I was overwhelmed with shame.
The car hung suspended in midair.
Chloe jabbed a finger at the wet spot on my seat, cracking up with laughter. "Look, Evelyn actually peed herself. That's so embarrassing."
The group erupted in deafening laughter.
"She really did."
"This is too funny."
"Someone record this."
Everyone's phones were flashing at me, capturing every second.
I bit down hard on my lip.
The sharp, metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
Lucas turned to look at me and gave me a look of obvious disdain. "Seriously? You're making such a big deal out of this?
"It's just a game. Why are you freaking out like this?"
Crying, I pleaded with him, "Lucas, please, let me down. I'm begging you."
Chloe leaned in closer.
She affectionately rested her head on Lucas's shoulder. "Lucas, Evelyn really can't handle the pressure.
"How's she supposed to run the Grey family someday?"
"Why don't we go again?
"Consider it a little training for her."
Lucas hesitated. "She's really scared out of her mind."
Chloe pouted. "Lucas, you spoil her way too much.
"She's trying to make you let her off easy.
"If you keep giving in to her, she'll end up bossing you around for the rest of your life."
The group started chiming in. "Yeah, Lucas."
"Don't spoil her."
"Let's do it again."
Lucas's eyes went cold.
He pressed the button without a second thought. "Fine, let's do it again."
He said to me, "Evelyn, you need to get used to it."
The drop tower shot up into the air again.
I squeezed my eyes shut, drowning in despair.
A third run followed, then a fourth.
Every drop felt like a living nightmare.
Suddenly, the machine blared with an ear-splitting alarm.
Sparks shot out as the gears started grinding hard against each other.
The car shook and bounced like crazy, totally out of control.
"What the hell is going on?" Lucas shot to his feet.
He slammed his hand down on the control panel. "The machine's gone haywire."
Chloe screamed. "Lucas, help!"
Suddenly, a sharp, tearing pain shot through my lower belly.
A hot stream slid down my thighs.
The air was heavy with the scent of blood.
I glanced down.
Blood pooled across the seat, turning it crimson.
"Lucas." My voice trembled, little more than a broken whisper. "My belly hurts so much. I... I think I might be pregnant."
Lucas's face went pale, shock flooding his features.
He locked his gaze on the pool of blood, frozen in place.
His hands started to shake. "Evelyn..."
"Lucas, my head hurts so bad," Chloe suddenly cried out.
She clutched her head, her face twisted in pain.
She writhed in her seat, unable to sit still. "My head's about to explode. Lucas, help!"
Lucas whipped his head around to look at Chloe.
Then he glanced at me, his eyes torn with struggle.
The machine plummeted again.
Lucas's body suddenly expanded, muscles bulging as he grew larger and more imposing.
His clothes ripped apart, tearing at the seams.
Silver-gray fur sprouted from beneath his skin, spreading rapidly across his body.
Right in front of everyone, he transformed into a werewolf for the first time ever.
His massive wolf claws tore through Chloe's safety bar, and he pulled Chloe protectively into his arms, shielding her against his chest.
Then, without hesitation, he leapt off the crazed machine.
I stared after him, totally stunned.
He didn't even look back at me, not even once.
I was left on that out-of-control drop tower, and blood kept gushing out.
Everything went black.
*****
The sharp smell of disinfectant stung my nose.
I slowly opened my eyes.
I found myself staring at the blinding white ceiling of the hospital.
I could still feel the dull ache in my lower belly.
Lucas was on one knee beside my hospital bed.
His eyes were bloodshot, and his hair was a total mess.
He called out, "Evelyn, you're finally awake."
He grabbed my hand, holding it tightly.
His tears splashed onto the back of my hand.
I yanked my hand away from him and turned my head, refusing to look at him. "Get out."
Lucas suddenly slapped himself hard across the face.
The sharp crack of the slap echoed through the hospital room.