Chapter 2: The Madness

Valkyrie

I sank to the floor, trembling, my back pressed against the cold, unforgiving wall. My cheek still stung from the slap, but it was the ache in my chest that felt unbearable.

Tasya's words echoed in my mind, each syllable a shard of glass cutting through the fragile remnants of my spirit.

But beneath the sorrow, something else began to stir—a flicker of anger, faint yet insistent.

I didn’t ask for this bond. I didn’t choose Ragnor as my mate, nor did I choose his rejection.

Why must I bear the weight of their hatred for something I had no control over?

A soft knock at the door jolted me from my spiraling thoughts. This time, the voice that followed was a balm to my frayed nerves.

“Valkyrie? It’s Nancy.”

I wiped at my eyes quickly, trying to mask the vulnerability etched into my face before opening the door.

Nancy’s expression was filled with concern, her gentle presence a stark contrast to the storm that had just torn through my world.

“I heard what happened. Are you okay?” she asked softly.

I shook my head, the lump in my throat making it impossible to speak. Nancy sighed, her warm hand finding mine as she guided me to sit on the edge of my cot.

“She had no right to treat you like that,” Nancy said firmly, her voice laced with indignation. “Beta or not.”

“She’s right, though,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “I don’t belong here. I’ve never belonged.”

“Don’t say that,” Nancy insisted, gripping my hand tighter. “You’re stronger than you think. And whether they like it or not, you’re tied to the Alpha. That has to mean something.”

I let out a bitter laugh, the sound hollow in the small room. “It means nothing. He rejected me, Nancy. In front of everyone. And now, I’m just... nothing.”

Nancy opened her mouth to respond, but a sudden commotion outside interrupted her. Raised voices and hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway, each sound tinged with urgency.

“What’s going on?” I asked, standing.

Nancy shook her head, her face pale. “I don’t know, but it sounds serious.”

Before we could step outside to investigate, the door burst open again.

This time, it was Duncan, one of the pack’s guards and one of the few who had ever shown me kindness. His expression was grim, his usual composure replaced with a sense of urgency that made my stomach churn.

“You’re needed,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Me?” I asked, my heart sinking. “Why?”

“The Alpha is in trouble,” Duncan replied, his gaze darting briefly to Nancy before settling on me. “And you’re the only one who can save him.”

My breath caught. “What do you mean? What’s happened?”

“There’s no time to explain,” Duncan snapped, though his eyes softened slightly. “Come with me. Now.”

I hesitated, fear and confusion battling within me. What could I possibly do to help the Alpha—the very man who had rejected me and left me humiliated?

“Go,” Nancy urged, her voice steady despite the worry etched across her face. She gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Whatever this is, you can handle it.”

Swallowing my fear, I nodded and followed Duncan into the chaos.

The packhouse was a flurry of movement, voices overlapping in panic as pack members rushed to and fro.

My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing like a drum in my ears as Duncan led me down a series of winding hallways to a secluded chamber.

Two enforcers stood guard outside, their expressions stony. They stepped aside at Duncan’s signal, and I stepped into the room, my breath catching at the sight before me.

Ragnor lay on a massive bed, his body wracked with violent convulsions. His skin was deathly pale, glistening with sweat that drenched the sheets beneath him.

His crimson eyes flickered open briefly, locking onto mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.

Pain and something else lingered in his gaze—pleading, perhaps?

“What’s happening to him?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“The madness,” Duncan said grimly. “It’s starting.”

I froze, the weight of his words settling over me like a heavy fog.

“What do you mean, starting?” I whispered, dread pooling in my stomach.

Duncan’s jaw tightened. “The curse that plagues our Alpha line. It’s why you’re here, Valkyrie. Your wolf—when it awakens—it has the power to heal him. To stop the madness from consuming him completely.”

My heart raced, the truth hitting me like a thunderclap. This was why they’d taken me in. Not out of kindness or generosity, but because they believed I was the cure to their curse.

“I don’t even have my wolf,” I said, my voice breaking. “How can I save him?”

“You’re all we’ve got,” Duncan said, desperation creeping into his tone.

Before I could respond, Ragnor let out a guttural growl, his body arching off the bed. His crimson eyes locked onto me again, and this time, they weren’t pleading.

They were feral.

“Valkyrie!” Duncan shouted as Ragnor’s hand shot out, claws extending and aiming straight for me.