Thalia's POVGarrett leaned back in his chair, smirking as if this was all just a game to him."You can go now," he said lazily, waving a dismissive hand. Then, his gaze flicked back to me, amusement flickering in his cold eyes. "But remember, pet—when you’re ready to bow to my wishes, come back to me. Maybe then, I’ll consider being merciful."My stomach twisted.Disgust mixed with burning fury coiled inside me, clawing at my insides.I would rather die than ever crawl to him.Arrogant, disgusting bastard.I swallowed back the bile rising in my throat, forcing myself to remain silent.He wanted a reaction but I wouldn’t give him that.Sienna clicked her tongue, stepping beside me."Oh, don’t just stand there looking stupid," she sneered. "Move it, pet. You’ve got work to do."Her voice dripped with mockery, and I could already hear the cruel amusement in her tone.She was going to enjoy this—making my life miserable, ensuring I suffered every second of every day.I bit the inside of
Thalia's POVLuka’s jaw tensed, his eyes darkening. "She’s not my girlfriend," he said, his voice clipped.Sienna froze mid-step.Then, she turned, her face contorting with fury. “What?”Luka didn’t even spare her a glance. “You heard me.”Her nostrils flared, her nails digging into her palms.But whatever she wanted to say, she swallowed it down with a bitter sneer before spinning on her heel and storming away, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.Good riddance.I exhaled quietly, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease—just a little. But the relief didn’t last long.Luka’s gaze flicked back to me, his brows furrowing.“Your face—” His fingers twitched at his sides like he wanted to reach out but held himself back. “She hit you?”I instinctively touched my cheek, wincing slightly at the sting.“It’s nothing.” I waved it off, trying to sound casual. “I’ve had worse.”His jaw clenched."What happened in there?”I sighed. “Garrett’s still pissed about what happened, so he dec
Thalia's POVI kept my head down as I approached the rogues feeding grounds. The rogues were waiting. Watching. Their eyes glowed like hungry embers in the dimming light.I gulped, trying not to focus on them as I buried my fear in the deepest parts of my soul. A repeat of last time was not on my to-do list for today, and I would appreciate it if I could survive without one of the rogues going feral on me.Luka wasn't here to help and i was pretty sure Sienna wouldn't mind watching the rogues rip me to pieces. I needed to be extra careful. Sienna stood right in front of the cart, arms crossed, lips curled in a scowl.“You’re late,” she said, her voice sharp, triumphant.I didn’t answer.Because I wasn’t.Maybe by a few minutes, but not enough for it to matter.I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.Instead, I walked past her, grabbed the wheelbarrow, and started loading the first stack of meat.Suddenly, the crack of the whip sliced through the air before I even saw it coming.Pain
Thalia's POVI reached the garden faster than I thought possible, my legs aching with every step, but my hunger pushed me onward. My stomach growled so loudly it was almost embarrassing, and the ache in my gut was becoming unbearable.The garden was tucked away behind the eastern wing of the castle, a quiet, forgotten corner that seemed untouched by time. Vines twisted around old stone statues, their moss-covered faces half-hidden in the shadows. The air was thick with the sweet scent of ripening fruit, mingling with the earthy smell of damp soil.I scanned the garden, my heart pounding.No guards. No one. It was just me and the lush, overgrown paradise in front of me.I stepped closer, my eyes darting between the trees laden with fruit.The sight of them made my mouth water—round, glistening apples hanging like jewels, their skins a deep shade of red, oranges so ripe they seemed to glow in the moonlight, and soft, sweet pears that looked like they were bursting with juice.My stomach
Ronan's POVThe scent hit me first—wildflowers and honey, laced with something softer, something uniquely hers. It was faint beneath the lingering sweetness of fruit, but I’d know it anywhere.Thalia.What the fuck was she doing here?I tightened my grip for just a second, feeling her small frame tremble against me. The soft rise and fall of her chest, the rapid beat of her heart hammering against my forearm—I felt it all. Every little shake, every nervous breath. She was terrified.I could hear her muffled whimpers against my palm, her body going tense beneath my hold. Her skin was warm, feverish almost, and gods help me, her scent was consuming. It seeped into my lungs, curling around my senses like a drug I never meant to inhale.A growl rumbled low in my throat, and I shook my head, disgusted with myself.No.Not her.I shoved her away, my fingers tingling from the loss of contact.Thalia stumbled back, gasping, her wide blue eyes darting up to meet mine.Her lips—still sticky wit
Thalia's POVI messed up.I was sweating buckets. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might leap out of my chest. Of all the people who could have caught me—why did it have to be Ronan?Why on earth did Luka not mention that this was Ronan's private garden. I wouldn't have come here if I knew. I was damn sure that his hatred for me hadn’t faded, not even a little.I knew that.I could feel it in the sharp way he spoke to me, in the cold intensity of his gaze.So what was he going to do now? Would he punish me? Make an example out of me?He would most certainly enjoy making an example out of me. Perhaps he would use this opportunity to truly show me my place.Gosh, I was so nervous.I swallowed hard, trying to force words out—some kind of excuse, some explanation that might save me—but my throat locked up.There was nothing I could say.My shoulders sagged, and I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for whatever was coming.Then—sound.A sharp sound sliced through the silence.
Thalia’s POVI was full.I should leave.But Ronan hadn’t moved, hadn’t spoken.He lay there, unmoving, his crimson eyes fixed on the moon like he was lost in a world I couldn’t reach. His expression was unreadable, but there was something about his stillness that unsettled me.It was like he was carved from stone—distant, untouchable.I should be relieved.But a part of me—some foolish, self-destructive part—felt uneasy seeing him like this. Even if he hated me, even if his words had cut me earlier, something about this silence made my chest tighten.I would have much preferred him to move about and just do something—anything—instead of staying perfectly still like a statue.I exhaled quietly.No. That wasn’t my place to think about. I was nothing to him. And staying here any longer was pointless.I moved to stand, but hesitation kept me rooted.Because the moment I stepped away from this quiet, I’d be returning to that.To the endless work. The punishments. The weight of Garrett’s c
Ronan's POVShe was gone before I could stop her.I hadn’t even realized I was reaching out until my fingers curled around empty air.Tch. Foolish.I pulled my hand back and clenched my jaw, forcing my attention elsewhere—anywhere. But my gaze landed on the pile of fruit she had been eating, the only trace of her presence left behind.My brows furrowed.That question… she hadn’t asked it out of idle curiosity.Someone had done something to her.I exhaled sharply, willing myself to push the thought away. It wasn’t my concern. I had spent weeks making sure nothing about her concerned me.And yet, my teeth ground together despite myself.If there was proof… if she had evidence…Would she use it?Would she dare?I scoffed under my breath, shaking my head. It wasn’t my problem. I wasn’t her savior. She had made her choices, just as I had made mine.So why the hell did this unease claw at my chest?With a low growl, I grabbed one of the remaining fruits and bit into it viciously. Then anoth
Ronan's POVHebathi's brows furrowed. Her voice was low, almost strained. “Why would you go to her?”I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I started pacing, the way I always did when I was trying to outrun my own thoughts. Shadows dragged along the walls with every step I took, and the fire crackled behind me like it had its own heartbeat.“I felt him,” I said finally, voice clipped. “Fenris.”She stiffened.“The moment I laid eyes on Thalia… that first day she was brought here like some offering—I felt him.” I stopped pacing, staring into nothing. “He surfaced.”Hebathi’s breath hitched, barely audible. When I turned to look at her, her eyes were wide. Hurt. Accusing. “You told me you didn’t know why. You said it didn’t mean anything.”“I know,” I muttered, jaw clenching. “I lied. Everything was—overwhelming. I was still trying to piece myself together, and then… she shows up and suddenly the thing I thought was gone—wasn’t.”I resumed pacing, needing to move, needing the motion to ke
Ronan's POVHebathi’s mouth tightened. Still silent. Still listening.I clenched my fists. My knuckles cracked, and I didn’t even feel it. The emotions I tried to keep buried came pouring out before I could stop them.“Then he leaned forward, like he was sharing some big secret. And he said, ‘She doesn’t want you anymore. She’s mine now.’”I felt my voice shake with burning fury. “‘Who would choose a mutt like you over me?’ he said. *‘You live under my rule, eat my scraps, sleep in the dirt. I'm the Alpha of this pack—*of course she chose me.’”My jaw locked. I remembered that moment like it had just happened. The way the room spun. The heat rising in my chest. My wolf, Fenris clawing at my insides, ready to tear something apart.“I told him to shut up. I told him to bring her to me. Let her say it to my face.”My breath came out harsh. Wild. “I begged. I roared. I didn’t care anymore—I just needed to see her. To hear her say it. Even if it destroyed me.”Hebathi flinched slightly.
Ronan's POV“…Everything I tried not to need. Everything I tried to forget.”Hebathi didn’t move.But her silence wasn’t empty. It was waiting.Her eyes narrowed just enough, just barely. “What the hell does that mean, Ronan?”I let out a breath—slow, rough. I couldn’t pace. Couldn’t hide behind anger or silence anymore. So I stood still. Right there in front of her, stripped down to the bone, because pretending I had control was a waste of both our time.“You don’t know everything about me,” I said, voice low. “That was never an accident. I kept my past sealed away—for good reason. But you deserve the truth.”I swallowed the knot in my throat.“Before I became this—Alpha, soldier, sovereign—I was just a man. A pack member. Bloodstone-born. Nothing special. I trained. I hunted. I fought. That was my whole world. And for a while… it was enough.”My chest tightened. The memory crept in without mercy.“Because I had her.”Hebathi’s lips parted slightly. Just a breath. Nothing more.I kep
Ronan's POVWhatever war she’d fought inside herself, she’d won.But me?I was still in the trenches.I yanked my shirt over my head and stalked toward the door. My boots felt like they were dragging the entire damned mountain with them.I can’t have you. Not anymore.Her voice rang in my head like a death knell. Over and over.I didn’t say goodbye. Didn’t promise I’d come back. What was there to say?I was Alpha, yeah. But right now? I didn’t feel like I had control over anything.Not her.Not Hebathi.Not even myself.As I walked through the corridors, my fists stayed clenched at my sides. My jaw locked so tight I thought it might crack. The walls felt too close, the air too still. Every step was heavier than the last, like the storm inside me was leaking into my body, dragging me down.She said no. She told you to leave.And yet… it wasn’t even the rejection that got me. It was how soft she said it. How final. Like she’d already let me go a long time ago and I was just catching up.
Thalia's POVI stood there, frozen, clutching my chest like I could keep my heart from splitting apart. Ronan’s back was the last thing I saw before the door closed behind him. No goodbye. No look back. Just silence.And then—nothing.Except the sound of my own breathing, jagged and uneven.Why did it hurt this much?I slid my fingers over the spot just above my heart, pressing hard. As if pressure could smother the ache. It didn’t. It only made it worse.He left.Of course he did.I told him to. I meant to. I thought I could handle it.But gods, it felt like I’d just ripped out my own ribs and handed them over.I didn’t want him to go. Not really.I wanted him to fight for me. Just once. To look back. To stay.But he didn’t. He never does.I dropped my hand, trembling, and wrapped my arms around myself. The room was too quiet. Too still. It made the screaming in my chest louder.Why was I jealous? Why should I be?Hebathi was strong. Beautiful. Everything I wasn’t.And she loved him,
Ronan's POV“That’s enough,” I said, my voice low, cold, final.The growl hadn’t stopped—if anything, it rumbled deeper in my chest now, vibrating through my bones. I stared Hebathi down, jaw tight, breathing steady, even though every part of me was screaming inside.She didn't flinch. Of course she didn’t.“You don’t get to shut me down, Ronan,” she snapped, stepping forward. “I have every right to ask what the hell is going on!”“You will respect my authority as Alpha.” The words thundered out of me, sharp and absolute. “Or walk away.”Her eyes widened for a heartbeat—hurt, betrayal, something else I didn’t want to name—but then fire took its place.“The least I deserve is an explanation to this whole crap!” she barked back, voice rising to match mine. “You think you can play god with everyone’s lives and toss us aside like we’re nothing?! You owe me, Ronan!”The guilt was there. Twisting like a knife in my chest. I didn’t want to look at her—not when she was standing there with bro
Ronan's POVI stood there like a damn fool, half-dressed and breathless, watching Hebathi stare at me like I’d grown two heads.She was holding a bowl—soup, maybe. I didn’t care. What I cared about was the way her expression shifted: shock, disappointment, anger... then full-blown rage.I could feel the heat from her glare like a slap to the face.The primal, guttural pull that had been twisting in my gut moments ago—my wolf, Fenris no doubt—went deathly silent. As if even he knew we were screwed.I clenched my jaw, every muscle in my body tensing.I wanted to speak. To say something, anything.But what the hell could I say?“Sorry you had to see me groping the girl I swore to stay away from?”Yeah. That would go over real well.I didn’t move. Neither did she.Thalia stood behind me, quiet and small, like she was trying to shrink into the shadows. My body still hummed from touching her, tasting her. Her skin was warm where my hands had just been, and the memory of her soft moan still
Thalia's POVHis lips crashed into mine—hard, unrelenting, unapologetic.There was nothing gentle about it. Nothing like Luka’s soft, hesitant kiss. No slow build, no careful caress. This was fire. This was chaos. This was Ronan.His hands moved with a kind of hunger I wasn’t prepared for.One cupped the side of my neck, tilting my face up as his mouth devoured mine, while the other slid around my waist, dragging me flush against his body. My breath caught—his body was so warm, so solid, so painfully familiar.I should’ve pushed him away. I should’ve asked why. But I didn’t.I didn’t move.Of course I didn’t.Because no matter the hatred and anger he showed towards me, deep down, I missed this. I missed him.His body against mine, his scent, the way he kissed like he was claiming something that had always been his.He kissed me like a man starved—possessive, untamed. Like he was angry at himself for wanting me, and even angrier that I’d let someone else touch me.And goddess… I melted
Thalia's POVI blinked, feeling the blood drain from my face.My breath hitched in my chest, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze.The shock was overwhelming, and I couldn’t make sense of what was happening.Did he see? Did he see everything?My heart pounded in my ears as different thoughts tumbled over each other, threatening to swallow me whole.I had thought we were quick enough, that the kiss had been broken off before anything could escalate.But the way Ronan was looking at me—those eyes, dark and predatory—left me with no doubt.He'd seen everything.“I believe you aren't tongue-tied, Thalia, so answer me.” His voice was low, almost a growl, and I could hear the sharpness in it.He knows. He knows.What do I do?I felt the sweat bead on my skin, a thin sheen of panic slipping down my back.My chest felt tight, the words trapped in my throat.What could I say? What should I say?My mind raced, trying to form something that would explain this, but nothing came. Nothing made s