Page 43 of Hard Knot

"Yeah," she shrugs, fiddling with her key – the only functioning lock I've seen in the whole place. "Sometimes the maintenance guy comes by to check if the water's still running. Throws in a cleaning tablet once or twice a year since the water's basically toxic at this point."

"How do you shower? Brush your teeth?"

"Bottled water for teeth," she says, pushing open her door. Even doing that is deemed as a workout because she has to use the whole half of her body to push against the door to get it to budge. "And I don't shower here. I use the school facilities. The female cleaner, she's a Beta. She's pretty nice about it. Leaves me a blanket and pillow each night so I can sleep on the bench if I’m not up to staying in this hellhole. It’s not very comfortable during the winter months, so I opt to sleep in the changerooms most of the time. They’re a lot safer and well insulated."

From my position in the stairwell, I deploy my drone outside her window. The footage confirms my worst fears – part of theroof has completely caved in, creating an easy access point for anyone determined enough to get in.

Carter takes in the room slowly, his jaw clenching tighter with each detail – the mattress on the floor, the plastic bins serving as storage, the bucket positioned under a perpetually leaking ceiling.

"This is unacceptable," he says finally, the words coming out like they've been dragged over broken glass.

"Yup." Elizabeth sits on her makeshift bed, looking oddly small in Carter's oversized blazer. "Which is why I try not to stay here much. The changeroom's actually safer, believe it or not."

"What happens if someone just walks in here?"

She pointed to another bag that was right next to her bed, near what I can only assume is a pillow, though it looks like a morphed couch cushion.

"Pepper spray and a nightly prayer. Sometimes both."

Un-fucking-acceptable.

I’m making up words at this point while checking the structural integrity readings from my drone. The whole building is one strong wind away from collapse. Even for a hardened Omega, this is beyond dangerous –it's practically a death trap.

"I used to stay at a motel," Elizabeth continues, picking at a loose thread on her dance shorts. "But I was burning through my savings too fast. Emergency funds only stretch so far, you know? So..." She gestures vaguely at her surroundings. "Had to adapt."

"How long have you been here?" Carter asks, still standing, as if sitting would somehow make this situation more acceptable.

"Almost five years. They moved me here during my first year when it became clear I wasn't going to attract a suitable pack." A bitter smile crosses her face. "That and because I was…what did they call me? Oh right, a 'rebellious psycho bitch.'"

Five years…

I watch Carter's reflection in my drone's camera.

Five years in what amounts to a concrete coffin.

The Giovanni empire has done some dark things, but this...thisis a special kind of cruelty that’s supported by the government not giving a damn about who gets left behind in this dump of a place.

"You don't belong here, Abbie," Carter whispers, the words carrying through my earpiece like a prayer.

Elizabeth shrugs, but the gesture lacks her usual defiance.

"This is the end of the road for the Forgotten Ones. Think of it as an initiation that never graduates to that freshman stage." Her laugh is hollow. "You're just...stuck. Trying to prove yourself to a tier of power that doesn't give a damn."

She tries to make it sound casual, but the tension in her shoulders betrays her.

Rising from the mattress, she moves toward the door.

"You should go. It's getting late, and this area..." She bites her lip. "The Alphas around here get...creative at night. October's coming up, so they like to do their killing sprees with masks. Really embrace that Halloween spirit, you know?"

"How exactly is that supposed to encourage me to leave you here?" Carter's voice carries that lethal edge again.

Elizabeth laughs, moving to a miniature fridge in the corner. When she opens it, the drone's camera reveals nothing but bottles of water – not a scrap of food in sight.

"Don't worry about it," she says, closing the door. "I'll be fine. Maybe I'll see you around campus tomorrow?"

Through my drone's feed, I watch Carter struggle with himself.

He clearly doesn't want to leave, but I can see him fighting against appearing too clingy:too invested too soon.

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