Coming with You
Thea’s POV
“Tell me you’re kidding,” I said, staring at Fiona’s grim expression, desperately hoping this was all some twisted joke.
She wordlessly handed me her phone, her face telling me everything before I even read the headline: “Dawnhaven Foundation founder Thea Sterling’s house burns down hours after her identity is revealed.”
I read the headline once, twice, three times, hoping it was just some cruel prank. But as I scrolled down and saw the video of a house engulfed in flames, all hope drained from me. No matter how much I didn’t want to believe it, that was definitely my house burning.
“Shit,” I whispered, my hand shaking so badly I nearly dropped her phone. Without another word, I bolted from the office.
“Thea, stop!” Fiona shouted behind me, but I wasn’t listening.
I sprinted through Dawnhaven’s corridors, barely seeing the startled faces of staff and children as I flew past them. My mind was a tornado of panic and disbelief. All I could think was: I need to see it. I need to see it now.
I jumped into my car, pulling out of the parking lot just as Fiona burst through the front door. She waved for me to stop, but I ignored her and kept driving.
My mind was chaos, anger and panic weaving together inside me. Was it a fire I caused? Had I forgotten to turn off the stove? I couldn’t answer because I couldn’t even remember if I’d turned the damn thing off or not.
My phone rang. Sebastian. I ignored it. I didn’t have the mental capacity to deal with him right now. Then came calls from Kane, then Iris, even Roman and my mother, but I ignored them all. I just wanted to get to my house and see how bad the damage was.
A man leapt back from a crosswalk, giving me the finger as I narrowly missed him. “Watch the fucking road, you crazy she–wolf!”
“Sorry!” I yelled through the window, but I didn’t slow down.
1/3
Coming with You
When I finally reached my neighborhood, I hit a wall of activity emergency vehicles. with flashing lights, neighbors gathered in clusters, news vans parked haphazardly. I abandoned my car half a block away and pushed through the crowd.
An intense wave that made my eyes water instantly. Then the smell acrid smoke mixed with the unmistakable scent of melting plastics and burning wood. My house, my actual fucking house, was being devoured right in front of me.
I watched in horror, unable to believe this was really happening.
Firefighters were battling the blaze, but it was obvious they were just containing it at this point. Even I knew there wouldn’t be much left when they were done.
My heart ached. It might not have been a mansion, but it had been Leo’s and my home. these past few months. I’d loved it, filled with good memories.
Tears threatened to spill. Why was this happening to me? Hadn’t I been through enough?
“Thea.”
That voice. That deep, familiar voice I didn’t want to hear right now. I turned to find Sebastian standing there. He looked at me with sympathy, and I hated that look more
than ever.
“Why are you here?” I asked, quickly wiping away the tears I hadn’t even realized were
falling.
“You didn’t answer your phone. I was worried.” He took a step forward.
I wanted a hug so badly, but I knew I wouldn’t get one from him, nor could I accept one.
“Well, I’m alive, as you can see,” I said, taking one last look at my house before turning to walk away. “Just peachy.”
I started walking back toward my car. I needed to figure out where the hell I was going to sleep tonight. Where I would live. How I would rebuild all the things I’d just lost.
Sebastian’s footsteps followed me. Before I could protest, he slid into my passenger seat as I got behind the wheel.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I shrieked in disbelief.
2/3
Coming with You
He buckled his seatbelt with irritating casualness. “Making sure you’re okay.”
“Get out of my car.”
“No.” His jaw set in that stubborn way I knew too well.
*Sebastian, I swear to god-”
“Drive wherever you need to go. I’m coming with you. End of discussion.”
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