Scarlett’s POVA hand struck my face, a sharp, resounding slap that felt like thunder rolling through me. The sting burned hot, not just on my skin but deep within, like a brand marking my shame for all to see. I couldn’t bring myself to lift my head. I stayed down, eyes fixed on the dirt beneath me, feeling the weight of humiliation press down harder than any blow.When I finally stirred, blinking away the daze, I saw I was tied tightly to a post. Bound like an animal, I was displayed for everyone, forced to stand there as though I were some object of twisted amusement.The full realization of my failed escape sank in, colder and more suffocating than the ropes cutting into my wrists. I had tried so desperately to flee, but here I was, dragged back to the place that had already stolen so much from me. Shame washed over me like a bitter wave, a reminder of all the hopes I’d just seen crumble.The familiar scent of my mates filled the air, heavy and unyielding. My heart twisted in my c
Scarlett’s POVI looked over at Clay, hoping to find something in his eyes—a flicker of understanding, forgiveness, anything. But he turned away, unable to even look at me. My heart sank. Then I glanced at Maxwell, and his face was a storm of anger; he turned his gaze from me, too, like I wasn’t worth his attention.Finally, I looked at Lucian. The silence between us spoke volumes. I guess deep down, I still hoped they’d protect me, that they’d cover for me, because they were my mates. They were supposed to shield me, weren’t they?But then I looked at the crowd gathered around us, and the fury in their faces was unmistakable. I knew I was done for. If their Alphas weren’t here, they’d kill me. It was in the eyes of the people. They wanted me dead. Why would my desperation to escape warrant so much hatred?The Guard continued to strip away my clothes, piece by piece, exposing me not just to the cold but to the judgment and wrath of everyone watching. I struggled to hold back the tear
Lucian’s POVScarlett had torn us apart in ways I couldn’t have imagined. She had done the unthinkable—she poisoned the water supply of Redcape, using the same toxic mix she had been accused of using on us.Half the pack lay dead because of her, and all our efforts to clear her name were suddenly, tragically, for nothing.As I looked at her, bound and helpless before us, I felt a twisting in my chest—a mix of anger and sorrow so deep I could hardly breathe. How could she have done something so reckless, so cruel?I wanted to believe in her innocence; we all did. But now, the doubt was consuming me, and I could see it in the faces of my friends too. Perhaps Bianca’s accusation had been true all along.For months, we’d been chasing Gregory, hoping to force a confession from him that would finally clear Scarlett’s name. We had tracked him relentlessly, planning to torture him for answers and make him confess, even if it meant banishing him in secret. But despite our best efforts, he elud
Lucian’s POVAfter an hour, Clay stopped, his face filled with dread. “Shouldn’t we go back out there?” he asked quietly, as if the suggestion itself hurt.I met his gaze, my chest aching with the same guilt. “She probably thinks we hate her… that we’re abandoning her to their cruelty,” I murmured. “But it was necessary. If we hadn’t tied her to that post, if we hadn’t made it look like we were condemning her, they would’ve beaten her to death right there. It was brutal, yes… but it was the lesser evil.” Maxwell’s voice was steady, but I could hear the strain beneath it, as if he were trying to convince himself as much as us.Finally, I couldn’t bear it any longer. I took a deep breath, feeling a sliver of resolve harden within me. “Now,” I said, and Maxwell immediately moved, grabbing a few pieces of clothing for Scarlett. We hurriedly got dressed, our hearts pounding with the urgency of our plan.When we reached the clearing, dread pooled in my stomach. Scarlett was gone. Her bonds
Scarlett’s POVI watched as the crowd slowly drifted away, leaving me alone in the biting cold. The chill seeped deep into my bones, and with each passing second, it felt like a part of me was freezing, hardening, becoming numb.They’d left me out here to die, abandoned and alone. The harsh reality settled over me like the weight of the snow piling up around my feet. I hadn’t meant to kill anyone—I swear, I hadn’t. All I wanted was to escape, to break free from the constant weight of life pressing down on me. I was so tired, so worn down, and all I wanted was a way out.I looked around, desperate for a glimpse of mercy, my teeth chattering so hard they hurt. Maybe someone, anyone, would take pity on me and save me from this fate. But there was no one. They were gone—all of them. I was alone, forgotten like a discarded piece of trash.It struck me then, like ice running through my veins: they were waiting for me to die, for my body to freeze over and turn stiff before they’d even consi
Scarlett’s POVMartha’s eyes softened as she watched me dress, but I could see sadness there too, buried beneath her hurried determination. She took a deep breath, as if trying to steady herself, and then spoke. “I don’t believe the rumors, Scarlett. I don’t believe you slept with that visitor,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.“I was there when Bianca’s daughter was beaten for calling you an outsider, just because you dared to say you weren’t a Vladislav. That woman—Bianca—she’s vindictive. I wanted to warn you, tell you to steer clear of her, but I was afraid. I thought maybe I’d be making trouble where there was none. Now, I think she set this all up, probably with someone else’s help, just to hurt you. She knew it would be considered a ‘domestic matter’ so your mates wouldn’t be able to defend you.”Martha’s words made my heart ache. All this time, she’d seen through Bianca’s schemes, but she’d felt powerless to act. She was crying now, tears sliding down her weathered chee
Scarlett’s POV“Thank you,” I murmured as I sank into the passenger seat, feeling a strange warmth spread through me. As the car began to move, I watched Redcape fade into the distance, slipping away like a bad memory. My heart filled with a quiet, cautious joy. I never thought I’d leave that place alive, not after everything that had happened. I closed my eyes and silently thanked the goddess for this small mercy, for this second chance. Maybe, just maybe, I could finally leave the past behind.The driver cleared his throat, his voice warm and surprisingly gentle. “I’m Ebenezer Jenkins. What’s your name?”A flicker of panic shot through me. My real name could tie me to everything I was running from, could undo the fragile safety I’d just found. “Annika Petrov,” I replied smoothly, offering a name that felt distant enough from my true self. He nodded, smiling as though he bought it.“Sounds like a Southern name,” he said, giving me a curious glance. “What’s a Southerner like you doing
Clay’s POVI felt like I was losing my mind. Rage boiled inside me, hot and uncontrollable, consuming every logical thought. I couldn’t rein it in, and neither could my wolf.How had we let it come to this? How had we allowed things to spiral so far out of control? I had been ready to go rogue, to tear through the Elders and make them see sense by force if I had to. I would have wiped them out, if it meant Scarlett could be accepted. But Lucian and Maxwell insisted on diplomacy, on being patient. They wanted to clear her name, to make the people love her.And look where that naive plan got us.When I saw the guards pulling her clothes from her body, stripping her dignity away as if she were nothing, I could hardly bear to look. And to find out they hadn’t been feeding her? They were starving her.We had given strict orders for her to receive the same meals as us, three times a day. But they ignored us. They starved her, tortured her, while we were off hunting down that snake, Gregory.
Lucian’s POVElsa was hiding something from us. I could tell. She thought it would be better for us not to know, like she was shielding us from some truth that could break us. I prayed, deeply, that whatever she was holding back wasn’t something too awful, something that would shatter what little we had left.“I just need the spirit to give us a sign,” Maxwell murmured, his voice thick with grief as tears rolled down his cheeks.That’s all we really wanted—a sign. A clear path. We needed something solid, something real to grasp onto in this dark, foggy mess.Elsa’s face was calm as she replied, “I’ve already told you—the spirits say to form an alliance with the West. They are pointing west.”But I shook my head, frustration edging my voice. “Not for the war, Elsa. I need a direction to find Scarlett.”She lowered her head, a sad acknowledgment in her expression. “I don’t have magic, Alpha. I only know what the spirits choose to share with me. But I’ll tell you this: bittersweet news i
Lucian’s POVThe room was filled with a heavy, suffocating silence. I felt my heart sink as I realized what this meant. Scarlett was out there, exposed and vulnerable, in a state that made her a target for any predator, any alpha, and we had no idea where she was or how to find her. And somehow, she was trying to reach us, trying to connect, but something was keeping her from us.The silence after Elsa’s words was suffocating. Her gaze held a sorrowful understanding, as if she saw through all the bitterness and regret we carried, all the wounds we had inflicted on ourselves and on Scarlett. Maxwell, fists clenched, got up and swung his fist hard into the wall, his knuckles splitting against the impact. I could feel the anguish radiating from him, a shared pain we both bore for what we had done to her.“I’m sorry,” Elsa said softly, her eyes flickering with genuine sadness. But her words offered no comfort; they only deepened the ache within me.I took a steadying breath, forcing mysel
Lucian’s POV“I’m sorry, Maxwell,” I murmured, desperation clawing at my voice. “I swear, I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right.”He looked at me, his face streaked with tears, his eyes hollowed by sorrow and anger. “You can’t bring her back, Lucian,” he whispered, his voice shaking. “You can’t… you can’t fix it. Don’t you see that?” He buried his head in his hands, the weight of grief pressing down on him until his shoulders slumped forward, defeated.“We took everything from her,” he continued, his words choked with guilt. “She had nothing, Lucian—no money, no security, no one. We stole it all. Nikolay was right to keep her from us… he saw what we were, what we’d do to her.” His voice cracked, and he wept openly, the kind of raw, unfiltered grief that comes when there’s nothing left to lose.“Please, Maxwell,” I urged, reaching for something—anything—that might bridge this chasm between us. “I know you felt it, too. She’s out there somewhere, and we can find her. I’ve been
Lucian’s POVThe memories twisted inside me, vivid and merciless. I thought of the day Maxwell and I came home and made her wear those damp, uncomfortable clothes because we refused to let her use our things.The cold-heartedness of it sickened me now, yet she had never complained. She just bore it all, quietly, with a strength we didn’t deserve to witness. And even after everything, she had opened her heart to us. She allowed herself to love us, to see something good in us when we gave her every reason not to.I clenched my fists, feeling the fire of anger and guilt burn within me. How could we have allowed people like Bianca, Stasia, and Gregory to treat her with such contempt? We favored the pack, protected their petty feelings over the well-being of the one who was supposed to be our mate, our equal. And now, we were paying for it. This mess was ours, a twisted reflection of everything we’d allowed and encouraged.The image of Timothy and Tasha flashed in my mind, and I felt a whi
Lucian’s POVLiving without Scarlett felt like drowning in darkness. Every day was an empty, colourless stretch, filled with nothing but sorrow. There was no joy left in my life, no light, no purpose. I spent most nights with a bottle in hand, numbing myself until I felt nothing at all. But even that brought no relief—it only deepened the void she left behind.Clay hadn’t given up, though. He clung to hope like it was the last shred of light in a world swallowed by shadows. He showed her photo to everyone he met, asking, pleading for any sign of her. He offered rewards, desperate promises, anything to find her again. But the days passed, and there was no news. His eyes looked more hollow with each passing day.And Maxwell… he was barely a man anymore. I saw the emptiness in his eyes, a haunting vacancy that mirrored my own. At first, he’d lash out, his anger finding no other place to go. Bianca and her child bore the brunt of his rage, but even he realised that hurting others wouldn’t
Scarlett’s POVThe car came to an abrupt stop, and Keith pulled away, stepping out quickly and rounding the vehicle to open my door. He lifted me out with ease, holding me as if I weighed nothing, his arms steady and unyielding. I clung to him, my body pressed against his as he carried me into the mansion.“All male workers—leave the premises immediately!” he called out, his voice echoing through the grand halls. The urgency in his tone left no room for argument, and as we moved deeper into the house, I felt the space empty around us, leaving only the two of us alone in our need.He laid me gently on the bed, and I couldn’t tear my dress off fast enough, the fabric tearing as I pulled at it, desperate to feel his skin against mine. The ache inside me was unbearable, like a burning hunger that wouldn’t be sated. Keith’s touch was the only thing that grounded me, the only thing that eased the frantic beat of my heart.He touched my forehead, his fingers gentle, his gaze full of concern
Scarlett’s POVEvery fiber of my being wanted to strike him down, to make him feel even a fraction of what he’d put me through.Before Geoffrey could mutter another insincere word, two hefty men appeared and seized him, dragging him away from the crowd and out of sight. I barely had time to process what was happening before Keith gently wrapped his arm around me, guiding me back to our table, his touch grounding me.“You can do as you wish with him,” he murmured, his voice low yet reassuring. “He’ll be locked up in the dungeon, waiting for whatever justice you decide. Let’s not let that bastard ruin our night.” I looked up at him, stunned by his loyalty.He was willing to imprison one of his own to honour what I’d been through, to make sure I felt seen and protected.In Redcape, Lucian and the others had always defended their pack above all else, turning a blind eye to crimes if it meant protecting their reputation or keeping the peace. No one had ever been held accountable, especiall
Scarlett’s POVI froze in Keith’s arms, my entire body going rigid as my eyes locked onto the man who had singlehandedly destroyed everything I once held dear. He stood across the room, laughing casually with his friends, oblivious to the way his mere presence churned up a storm inside me.Keith must have sensed my change in mood. He leaned down, his breath warm against my ear.“What is the matter, darling?” His voice was gentle, filled with concern, and the tenderness of it almost undid me. I blinked, fighting the sting of angry tears, my throat tightening as memories flooded back—memories of the life I had been forced to leave, the home I’d lost, and the mates who had once promised to protect me.Gregory Olsen had taken everything from me. Before he entered my life, things had been… bearable. I had a place, a sense of stability, even love. But that man had twisted everything, pulled the rug from under me, and left me with nothing but betrayal and pain. Yes, my mates had failed me in
Scarlett’s POVThe day of the event arrived quickly, and when Keith handed me the gown, I was speechless. It was a stunning, backless royal blue dress adorned with intricate pearls and tiny diamonds that sparkled as if holding stars within them. I had never worn anything so elegant, so luxurious, and I felt like someone new as I slipped into it. Standing in front of the mirror, I could hardly recognise myself. I looked… beautiful. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt like I belonged somewhere, like I deserved to be seen.As I stepped out of the closet, my breath caught. Keith stood waiting in a midnight blue tuxedo that complemented my dress perfectly. He looked like a dream, every bit the Alpha he was—a man whose presence commanded respect and admiration. His blue eyes were as deep and intense as ever, a gaze that seemed to look right into my soul.“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice soft yet filled with something that made my heart race. I couldn’t stop the smil