Chapter 5

The sting of Sid’s words still lingered in my chest as I crouched behind the shrubs outside the packhouse, my heart thudding like a drum. My father’s face filled my mind—a man I’d once idolized, now etched with disdain. My nails dug into the dirt, grounding me against the betrayal unfolding just feet away.  

I should have burst into the room, exposed Sid for the liar he was. But when I imagined my father’s reaction, the fury in his eyes, I froze. Would he even believe me?  

The answer came too soon.  

“She’s nothing but a disgrace,” Celeste’s voice cut through the stillness like a blade. “A shameless little brat who has no honor or decency.”  

For a fleeting moment, I held onto hope that my father—my Alpha—would defend me. But his reply shattered it.  

“To think my blood runs in her veins…” His words dripped with loathing. “I cannot believe I birthed something so foul and petty. I should never have chosen a mate. I should’ve waited for you, Celeste. I feel nothing but shame.”  

My breath hitched, a lump forming in my throat. The ache in my chest threatened to crush me, but the pain in his voice… It was worse than any slap or harsh word he’d ever dealt me.  

Celeste, ever the viper, wrapped herself around him. “It’s okay, Drake. You have us now—your real family.”  

Real family.  

I didn’t belong. Not here. Not to him. Not to anyone.  

I sank lower into the shadows, pressing a hand against my mouth to stifle a sob. The air felt heavier, suffocating, as I realized the full weight of their disdain.  

“Get rid of her,” my father commanded coldly. “What the Lycan King does with her is none of my concern. She’s dead to me.”  

His words knocked the wind out of me. My knees gave way, and I crumpled to the damp earth. The world blurred, a haze of pain and disbelief. Dead to him?  

I wanted to scream, to beg for the love that was never mine to begin with. But deep down, I knew it wouldn’t matter.  

When I finally mustered the strength to move, I didn’t dare look back. My body felt like lead as I crept away, my legs trembling with every step.  

---

Back in the small room I called my own, the silence was deafening. I stared at the peeling paint on the walls, the broken dresser, and the mattress sagging under the weight of my despair.  

I didn’t have time to wallow. If they planned to hand me over to the Lycan King like some trinket, I couldn’t stay.  

Grabbing my worn backpack, I shoved what little I owned into it: a spare shirt, a pair of jeans, a small photo of my mother. Beneath a loose floorboard, I retrieved a bundle of crumpled bills I’d saved from odd jobs around the packhouse.  

My hands shook as I tied my shoelaces. I caught a glimpse of myself in the cracked mirror—eyes red and swollen, hair tangled, dirt smeared on my cheeks. I barely recognized the girl staring back.  

But I wouldn’t let them break me.  

---

The air outside was bitterly cold, biting against my skin as I slipped through the back door. Shadows stretched across the packhouse, and the forest loomed in the distance—a dark, silent refuge.  

I moved as quietly as I could, my footsteps muffled by the soft earth. Every creak of the porch, every rustle of leaves sent my heart racing.  

I was almost to the tree line when his voice stopped me in my tracks.  

“Where do you think you’re going, rat?” Sid sneered, stepping out from the shadows.  

Panic surged through me like a tidal wave. I bolted.  

“Don’t let her escape!” Sid roared. His voice was followed by the thundering of feet and the growls of wolves.  

The forest swallowed me as I ran, the branches clawing at my arms and legs. My lungs burned, and my heart pounded in my ears, drowning out everything else.  

“Olivia!” Sid’s mocking voice carried through the trees. “You can’t run forever!”  

I stumbled, nearly falling, but forced myself to keep moving. The dark outlines of trees blurred together, and the ground became a treacherous maze of roots and rocks.  

Suddenly, the gaping mouth of a cave appeared ahead. Without thinking, I darted inside, the damp, musty air wrapping around me like a shroud.  

---

The cave was pitch black, the silence broken only by my ragged breathing. I pressed myself against the cool stone wall, every muscle tense as I listened for footsteps.  

“Where are you, little rat?” Sid’s voice echoed, closer now. “We can smell your fear.”  

My chest tightened, and I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out. My hand brushed against the rough wall, and I followed it blindly, inching deeper into the darkness.  

A faint light ahead made me pause. It wasn’t the moon—it was too steady, too cold.  

I moved toward it, my steps tentative. The light grew brighter, illuminating a narrow exit. I emerged into the night, only to slam into something solid.  

The impact sent me sprawling onto the ground. My head hit the earth, and for a moment, everything spun.  

Blinking through the haze, I saw it: a sleek black car parked at the edge of the clearing. The glossy surface reflected the pale moonlight, and the faint hum of the engine thrummed in the air.  

The door opened, and heavy footsteps approached.  

“Hey, can you hear me?” a deep voice asked, smooth yet commanding.  

I tried to respond, but my throat felt raw, my body too exhausted to cooperate. Strong arms lifted me from the ground, cradling me as if I weighed nothing.  

Through my blurred vision, I caught a glimpse of golden eyes. They glowed faintly in the darkness, like molten fire.  

My breath hitched. I knew those eyes.  

Dalton Skalbeck. The Lycan King.  

Before I could make sense of his presence, the edges of my vision darkened, and the world slipped away.