My Mate Sent Me to Asylum Chapter 01

My Mate Sent Me to Asylum Chapter 01

My last passenger before clocking out was my former mate. Seven years. Not a single word.

He still looked like he walked off a magazine cover. The watch on his wrist alone was worth eight figures.

The window rolled down. He yanked off his sunglasses like he’d seen a ghost.

“Nova? You’re alive?”

I looked away and tugged my mask higher.

“Mr. Blackwood?”

“What are you doing here?” His voice was sharp. “If you’re alive, why the hell didn’t you ever contact me?”

“Because…” I pulled the mask down.

Burn scars swallowed my face. The old shape of me was gone.

***

Charles didn’t take his eyes off me the entire drive. His mouth opened. Twice. Three times.

But every time he looked at my face, the words died.

Finally he just dropped his head. His voice barely above a whisper.

“After that fire… I tried to find you.”

“They didn’t pull anyone out. We thought you were gone.”

My fingers tightened around the steering wheel. Hearing someone else talk about my own death was a strange kind of ache.

“Guess I’m still here.” I shrugged.

The silence came back, thick and suffocating. I followed the GPS into an upscale housing district downtown.

Before I could even open the door, a kid’s voice cut through the glass.

“Daddy! Mommy and I missed you! You promised we’d go to the amusement park today!”

A little girl barreled into Charles’s arms. His whole face softened. He kissed her cheek.

“Tomorrow. I promise. Pinky swear.”

Behind them, Iris stood there smiling. Until her eyes landed on me.

I saw it. The jolt of shock she couldn’t hide.

“Nova? Is that really you? You’re alive.” She stepped forward and waved the girl over. “Maya, come here. This is Mommy’s teacher. Say hello.”

My chest seized.

That name. Charles and I had picked it out together for our pup.

He’d spent three straight days flipping through a dictionary. Boy would be Luca. Girl would be Maya.

Our child never made it.

The little girl took one look at me and screamed. “Monster! I don’t wanna!”

Charles scooped her up instantly. His hand covered her eyes. “It’s okay. Daddy’s here.”

Iris’s lips curved. Just barely. “Sorry, Nova. Maya’s still little. You probably freaked her out.”

“Come in for a drink. It’s been forever.”

She sounded like the lady of the house. And she was.

Once, Iris didn’t even own a decent pair of shoes. Now she lived in the most expensive villa in the district. Luna of the Blackwood Pack.

“I’m good.” I shifted the car into gear.

“Nova!” Iris grabbed the doorframe. “Are you mad at me for marrying Charles?”

“You’ve been gone seven years. Everyone thought you were…”

“Iris.” I cut her off. “I don’t care what you do.”

Her face went stiff.

Charles caught up. His expression twisted with something like guilt.

“I know you’re still angry. But back then, I didn’t have a choice.”

“Here’s my card. If you need anything. Anything at all.”

“No thanks.” The window went up. My foot hit the brake.

There was a time. Locked inside that psychiatric ward. Every single day. Every single night.

I begged them to let me see Charles one more time.

But now? I didn’t need him anymore.