Thalia's POVFive days had passed, and yet my heart still pounded like a drum inside my chest as I stood outside Garrett’s office.My palms were damp, my breath unsteady. The weight of what I was about to do settled heavily on my shoulders.I had needed this time to prepare, to steel myself for the inevitable. At some point, it looked like I was procrastinating the whole thing—until I decided to just fuck it and get it over with.Now that I was here, doubt gnawed at the edges of my resolve.I turned slightly, glancing over my shoulder.Luka stood at the corner of the hallway, arms crossed, red eyes locked on me with an intensity that sent a strange comfort through me. Concern was etched into his expression. He didn’t like this. Not one bit. But he was here. He would do his part.The plan was simple—at least, in theory.The moment I stepped inside, Luka would find a way to get to Ronan. I had to buy him time. I had to make Garrett drop his careful mask, make him reckless enough tha
Luka’s POVAs soon as Thalia disappeared into my father’s office, I took off, my legs pumping as I raced toward the palace.My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out every rational thought except one—I had to reach the Alpha.I didn’t know how the hell I was going to do it, didn’t know if he’d even listen to me, but I clenched my teeth and swore under my breath. I would get to him.Thalia had trusted me.She was putting herself in the hands of a monster for this plan to work, and if I failed… I shook my head, pushing the thought away. I couldn’t fail. Not now.A sharp, burning rage coiled in my gut, tightening with every step I took.My father. Garret.That bastard. That sick, perverted excuse for a man. He was a snake, a predator, a depraved, rotting stain on the world. I had spent my whole life under his thumb, forced to pretend, forced to endure. But this… this was different. This time, I had a chance to act.And I would.The memories threatened to surface, but I shoved them
Thalia's POVMy body locked up, every muscle tense as his words dripped into my ears. I had known what I was walking into. I had planned for it. But now, standing here, his breath warm against my skin, I felt like a rabbit caught in a snare.No. I couldn’t afford to freeze. I had to stay in control—what little of it I had left.Swallowing back the bile rising in my throat, I took a slow step forward, then another, my hands gripping the fabric of my dress like a lifeline as I turned to face him. “Garret,” I began, “I think maybe… we should slow down. You know, savor the moment?”I couldn't believe I had just said that.I nearly facepalmed as soon as the words left my mouth.Of all the things I could think of to stall for more time, why the hell did I have to say this?His eyes darkened, that twisted smirk still curving his lips“Slow down?” he repeated, as though the very concept was foreign to him. “Sweetheart, does this look like a joke to you?”I didn’t dare look down. I already k
Luka's POVMy head snapped toward the voice, heart pounding in my chest.Lady Hebathi.Hope flared inside me, desperate and wild.I hadn’t had many encounters with her, but the rumors were enough—she was said to be fair, a woman who didn’t discriminate. If there was anyone here who might listen, who might help me reach the Alpha, it was her.“Lady Hebathi!” I called out, “Please! There’s an emergency—”The older guard growled, shoving me back. “Shut the fuck up.”Pain shot through me as I stumbled, but I barely had time to react before his fist came crashing into my face again.My head snapped to the side, blood filling my mouth.The world blurred for a second, but through the ringing in my ears, I heard it—a sharp intake of breath, followed by a voice like steel wrapped in silk.“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”The guards froze.I blinked, shaking off the haze of pain, and saw her standing there, her violet eyes narrowed in fury.Her presence alone sent a wave of unease th
Thalia's POVGarret’s laughter filled the room—loud and manic. It made my skin crawl.I held the dagger straight toward him, ready to carry out my threat if he stepped out of line.I barely had a second to react before his hand shot out, striking the knife from my grasp. It clattered to the floor, the sound swallowed by the thick, suffocating tension between us.Shit! I gasped, but before I could think—before I could move—his hand wrapped around my throat.My feet left the ground.A strangled, broken sound escaped me as my fingers clawed at his grip, useless against the sheer strength in his arms.My vision blurred as he lifted me higher, my legs kicking weakly, desperate to find footing that wasn’t there.Air. I couldn’t breathe.My heart pounded against my ribs, every frantic beat hammering home the truth—this was real. I was going to die here.Tears stung my eyes as my hands scrabbled at his wrist, but my strength was nothing compared to his. I was nothing compared to him.His l
Ronan's POVLuka’s words barely registered before I moved. One second, I stood frozen, my mind catching up with the filth that had just left his mouth. The next, my hand was around his throat, lifting him clean off the ground.“What the fuck did you just say?” My voice was low, barely above a whisper, but it cut through the air like a blade.Luka choked, his fingers clawing at mine as his legs kicked in the empty space beneath him.“Ronan,” Hebathi’s voice came sharp and clear, but distant—irrelevant. “Put him down. Now.”I ignored her. My grip tightened. I wanted him to suffer for making me hear those words, for saying something so vile that it felt like a sickness rotting inside me.“Say it again,” I demanded, voice deadly calm. “I dare you.”Luka’s face was turning red, his mouth opening and closing as he fought for air.“Thalia,” he croaked. “My father—he’s—” He gasped, his body jerking. “He’s going to rape her.”A growl ripped from my chest—deep, guttural, and primal.It wasn't n
Ronan's POVI barely registered the moment Hebathi, Aedric, and Luka stormed into the room.Their reactions came in fragments—Hebathi’s sharp gasp, Luka’s fists trembling at his sides, Aedric’s cold, assessing gaze sweeping over the wreckage.“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Aedric barked.I turned my head sharply, just in time to see Garret scrambling over the window ledge in a pathetic attempt to escape.Aedric made a move to follow, but I cut him off with a sharp look. “Leave him.”He was mine, and nothing was going to come between me and destroying him.I turned to Hebathi, pressing Thalia into her arms. “Take her to the healers.”Hebathi hesitated for only a second before nodding, clutching Thalia close as she rushed off.I didn’t waste another moment.I turned, strode toward the window, and without hesitation, jumped.Everything else vanished—the room, the voices, the lingering scent of blood. My world had narrowed to one singular purpose: figuring out the most effici
Ronan's POVFor a heartbeat, no one moved. Then, as if snapping out of a trance, they seized Garret by what remained of his ruined flesh.He screamed—a raw, broken sound—as they dragged him away. Let him suffer. Let him remember.The crowd around us was a sea of wide eyes and hushed whispers.I didn’t care. My pulse still hammered, the rage a living thing beneath my skin, clawing for release. Not yet. I needed to see her. Needed to know she was whole."Leave," I snapped. The word cut through the murmurs like a blade.The crowd blurred into nothing as I forced air into my lungs, each breath sharp, deliberate.“Control. Stay in control.” But the thought of her—unconscious, bleeding—sent a fresh wave of fury boiling under my skin.I didn’t remember moving, but suddenly, I was there, shoving open the healer’s door.The scent of herbs and magic hit me, thick and cloying.My gaze locked onto Thalia—pale, still, her dark hair fanned out like spilled ink against the white sheets.Hebath moved
Ronan's POVThe dungeon was colder than I remembered. The guards ahead of me walked with caution, their backs straight, shoulders tense. They feared me. As they should.Torchlight flickered against the damp walls, casting jagged shadows that danced like specters. I rolled my shoulders, exhaling slowly, forcing myself to focus.Garret was waiting.The guards stopped at a thick iron door, rusted at the edges, the metal corroded from years of blood and moisture. One of them hesitated before pulling the key from his belt and sliding it into the lock with shaking hahandsThe sound of metal grinding against metal filled the corridor, followed by the dull creak of the door swinging open.I stepped inside.Garret was curled in the corner of the cell, his body a wretched thing, bruised, filth-covered, naked. The moment his sunken eyes met mine, he scrambled back, pressing himself against the wall as though he could somehow melt into the stone.“No—no, please.” His voice was barely above a
Ronan's POVThe office walls felt like they were closing in. I paced, each step a silent snarl, my boots striking the floor like a death knell.Too long. Every second Luka delayed was another second I had to choke back the urge to tear someone’s throat out.The door finally creaked open.Luka stepped inside, shoulders hunched, head bowed like a fucking coward.The scent of his shame soured the air—weak, pathetic. It made my teeth ache.I didn’t let him speak first."Start talking," I growled, the words dripping with venom. "What the fuck happened?"Luka’s fists clenched at his sides. His jaw worked like he was struggling to chew down the words before spitting them out. "I—I should have known," he muttered, voice thick with regret. "This was foolish. I was foolish."My patience was thinning. I leaned forward, my glare pinning him in place. "You’re right," I said flatly. "You should have known. But that doesn’t explain shit. So speak—before I decide you’re wasting my time."For a hea
Ronan's POVFor a heartbeat, no one moved. Then, as if snapping out of a trance, they seized Garret by what remained of his ruined flesh.He screamed—a raw, broken sound—as they dragged him away. Let him suffer. Let him remember.The crowd around us was a sea of wide eyes and hushed whispers.I didn’t care. My pulse still hammered, the rage a living thing beneath my skin, clawing for release. Not yet. I needed to see her. Needed to know she was whole."Leave," I snapped. The word cut through the murmurs like a blade.The crowd blurred into nothing as I forced air into my lungs, each breath sharp, deliberate.“Control. Stay in control.” But the thought of her—unconscious, bleeding—sent a fresh wave of fury boiling under my skin.I didn’t remember moving, but suddenly, I was there, shoving open the healer’s door.The scent of herbs and magic hit me, thick and cloying.My gaze locked onto Thalia—pale, still, her dark hair fanned out like spilled ink against the white sheets.Hebath moved
Ronan's POVI barely registered the moment Hebathi, Aedric, and Luka stormed into the room.Their reactions came in fragments—Hebathi’s sharp gasp, Luka’s fists trembling at his sides, Aedric’s cold, assessing gaze sweeping over the wreckage.“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Aedric barked.I turned my head sharply, just in time to see Garret scrambling over the window ledge in a pathetic attempt to escape.Aedric made a move to follow, but I cut him off with a sharp look. “Leave him.”He was mine, and nothing was going to come between me and destroying him.I turned to Hebathi, pressing Thalia into her arms. “Take her to the healers.”Hebathi hesitated for only a second before nodding, clutching Thalia close as she rushed off.I didn’t waste another moment.I turned, strode toward the window, and without hesitation, jumped.Everything else vanished—the room, the voices, the lingering scent of blood. My world had narrowed to one singular purpose: figuring out the most effici
Ronan's POVLuka’s words barely registered before I moved. One second, I stood frozen, my mind catching up with the filth that had just left his mouth. The next, my hand was around his throat, lifting him clean off the ground.“What the fuck did you just say?” My voice was low, barely above a whisper, but it cut through the air like a blade.Luka choked, his fingers clawing at mine as his legs kicked in the empty space beneath him.“Ronan,” Hebathi’s voice came sharp and clear, but distant—irrelevant. “Put him down. Now.”I ignored her. My grip tightened. I wanted him to suffer for making me hear those words, for saying something so vile that it felt like a sickness rotting inside me.“Say it again,” I demanded, voice deadly calm. “I dare you.”Luka’s face was turning red, his mouth opening and closing as he fought for air.“Thalia,” he croaked. “My father—he’s—” He gasped, his body jerking. “He’s going to rape her.”A growl ripped from my chest—deep, guttural, and primal.It wasn't n
Thalia's POVGarret’s laughter filled the room—loud and manic. It made my skin crawl.I held the dagger straight toward him, ready to carry out my threat if he stepped out of line.I barely had a second to react before his hand shot out, striking the knife from my grasp. It clattered to the floor, the sound swallowed by the thick, suffocating tension between us.Shit! I gasped, but before I could think—before I could move—his hand wrapped around my throat.My feet left the ground.A strangled, broken sound escaped me as my fingers clawed at his grip, useless against the sheer strength in his arms.My vision blurred as he lifted me higher, my legs kicking weakly, desperate to find footing that wasn’t there.Air. I couldn’t breathe.My heart pounded against my ribs, every frantic beat hammering home the truth—this was real. I was going to die here.Tears stung my eyes as my hands scrabbled at his wrist, but my strength was nothing compared to his. I was nothing compared to him.His l
Luka's POVMy head snapped toward the voice, heart pounding in my chest.Lady Hebathi.Hope flared inside me, desperate and wild.I hadn’t had many encounters with her, but the rumors were enough—she was said to be fair, a woman who didn’t discriminate. If there was anyone here who might listen, who might help me reach the Alpha, it was her.“Lady Hebathi!” I called out, “Please! There’s an emergency—”The older guard growled, shoving me back. “Shut the fuck up.”Pain shot through me as I stumbled, but I barely had time to react before his fist came crashing into my face again.My head snapped to the side, blood filling my mouth.The world blurred for a second, but through the ringing in my ears, I heard it—a sharp intake of breath, followed by a voice like steel wrapped in silk.“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”The guards froze.I blinked, shaking off the haze of pain, and saw her standing there, her violet eyes narrowed in fury.Her presence alone sent a wave of unease th
Thalia's POVMy body locked up, every muscle tense as his words dripped into my ears. I had known what I was walking into. I had planned for it. But now, standing here, his breath warm against my skin, I felt like a rabbit caught in a snare.No. I couldn’t afford to freeze. I had to stay in control—what little of it I had left.Swallowing back the bile rising in my throat, I took a slow step forward, then another, my hands gripping the fabric of my dress like a lifeline as I turned to face him. “Garret,” I began, “I think maybe… we should slow down. You know, savor the moment?”I couldn't believe I had just said that.I nearly facepalmed as soon as the words left my mouth.Of all the things I could think of to stall for more time, why the hell did I have to say this?His eyes darkened, that twisted smirk still curving his lips“Slow down?” he repeated, as though the very concept was foreign to him. “Sweetheart, does this look like a joke to you?”I didn’t dare look down. I already k
Luka’s POVAs soon as Thalia disappeared into my father’s office, I took off, my legs pumping as I raced toward the palace.My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out every rational thought except one—I had to reach the Alpha.I didn’t know how the hell I was going to do it, didn’t know if he’d even listen to me, but I clenched my teeth and swore under my breath. I would get to him.Thalia had trusted me.She was putting herself in the hands of a monster for this plan to work, and if I failed… I shook my head, pushing the thought away. I couldn’t fail. Not now.A sharp, burning rage coiled in my gut, tightening with every step I took.My father. Garret.That bastard. That sick, perverted excuse for a man. He was a snake, a predator, a depraved, rotting stain on the world. I had spent my whole life under his thumb, forced to pretend, forced to endure. But this… this was different. This time, I had a chance to act.And I would.The memories threatened to surface, but I shoved them