*JORDYN’S POV*I walked down the hallway toward the council meeting room, my boots echoing off the marble floor. Each step felt heavy with purpose, and I counted them in my head, trying to hold on to the last thread of my patience. I could feel the rage simmering just beneath my skin, but I needed to keep it in check. Not yet, I told myself. There was a time and place for everything, and today, I was about to show them exactly why people didn’t mess with me.The door to the council room stood ahead, tall and foreboding, but I pushed through without hesitation. As I entered, the dull murmur in the room fell silent, and a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward me. Good. Let them stare. I had no interest in pleasantries today.I scanned the room, noting the familiar faces. All of them sat in their designated spots, the council members in their long robes, pretending to be wise and impartial. My mother and Amelia were seated at the far left, side by side like conspirators. My mother had a comp
*JORDYN’S POV*“You don’t know what you’re saying!” Amelia protested, her voice rising in panic as she stood up, trying to maintain her composure. “This is ridiculous! You’re trying to ruin everything.”The council members erupted into a chorus of whispers and murmurs. But I didn’t care about their reaction. I only cared about the truth—the truth that had been hidden from me, manipulated to control my every decision. My eyes locked on Amelia’s she crumbled beneath the weight of her lies. I had waited long enough, and now, her world was about to collapse“Enough!” I shouted, my voice thundering through the room, causing everyone to go silent. The authority in my voice, one they hadn’t heard in a while, left no room for doubt. “I’ve been patient. You’ve fooled me for too long. How dare you?”Amelia’s lower lip trembled, her eyes wide with fear. Her carefully crafted façade was cracking, and she knew it.She looked like she was about to cry, but there was no sympathy left in me to give.
*JORDYN’S POV*“You don’t know what you’re saying.” Amelia tried again, her voice weak and trembling. “This is…this is all a misunderstanding.”“Misunderstanding?” I repeated, my voice sharp as a blade. “You mean you didn’t say those words? You weren’t planning to humiliate Brianne for your own twisted reasons?”Amelia flinched at Brianne’s name, but she quickly shook her head, her panic rising. “Jordyn, please. I was confused, I made a mistake, but that doesn’t mean that the baby isn’t yours. You know I…”“Enough,” I growled, cutting her off. “You’ve lied to me for the last time, Amelia. There’s nothing more to discuss.”I could see the council members exchanging glances, whispering among themselves. They were probably deliberating what this revelation meant for the future of the pack. I didn’t care. Right now, I only cared about ending this charade, about cutting the toxic threads that Amelia and my mother had woven around me.My mother who has remained silent through all this, final
*JORDYN’S POV*The room blurred around me. My chest tightened, and the only sound I could hear was the sudden pounding of my heart. For a split second, everything else—the council, the lies, the meeting—fell away.“Where?” I demanded, my voice low and dangerous, gripping his arm tightly.Josh leaned in close, his whisper barely audible but carrying the weight of the situation. “She’s been taken to a cottage deep in the woods, just outside our borders. I’ve already sent trackers, but we need to move fast.”I didn’t let him finish. The chair screeched behind me as I shot up, a cold fury boiling inside me. Brianne was in danger, and I wouldn’t waste another second here. The council members muttered amongst themselves, confused by the sudden interruption, but I couldn’t care less. Without thinking, I spun toward the door, my legs already moving to get me to Brianne. But my mother, seated at the far end of the room, stood abruptly, blocking my way with a mix of fear and defiance in her eye
*BRIANNE’S POV*My head was pounding as a sharp, stabbing pain shot through my skull. For a moment, I couldn’t think straight. I groaned softly, my eyes fluttering open, but the world around me was dim. The coldness of the air hit me first—a damp, musty chill that clung to my skin like an unwanted blanket. The scent of mildew and dust filled my nostrils, a contrast to the sterile, chemical smell of the handkerchief Marcus had used on me.I tried to move, but my wrists were bound tightly in front of me, a rope digging into my skin. Panic flared up again, and I tugged at the restraints, testing them, but they didn’t budge. My arms were sore, my muscles aching from the effort. I blinked, trying to piece together where I was, and how I got here.The room was small and windowless. The faint light that filtered through came from a single, naked bulb hanging from the ceiling, casting long shadows across the space. There were no sounds…no footsteps, no cars, nothing. It was eerily quiet.My m
*BRIANNE’S POV*The chair creaked under my weight as I struggled, pressing my feet against the floor to gain some leverage. My gaze fell to the narrow windows, high up on the wall, casting thin rays of moonlight that barely illuminated the room. If I could just loosen these ropes, maybe I’d have a chance. The thought of Jordyn walking into whatever trap they’d set fueled me, and I grit my teeth, tugging harder.Slowly, I felt a small tear in the rope where it had rubbed against my wrist. It was tiny, but it was a start. I focused on that spot, twisting my wrists again and again, ignoring the sting as the fibers began to tear. Every inch gained was an inch closer to freedom.With each movement, I whispered to myself, urging myself on. “Come on, Brianne. You can do this. For Jordyn.”My wrists throbbed, raw and bleeding, but I didn’t stop. I pushed past the pain, each thread that loosened brought a tiny rush of hope, a reminder that I wasn’t powerless here. I could fight. I would fight.
*JORDYN’S POV*I eyed the man in front of me with a simmering anger barely held in check. The moment I arrived and saw his face, I knew what this was—a ploy, a calculated move to lure me here. This man was the assistant to the Alpha of our rival pack, and from the smug look on his face, he was fully aware of the leverage he held with Brianne’s life in his hands.“Your arrogance won’t get you anywhere, Alpha,” he sneered, a thin smile twisting his lips. “You’re on foreign ground now. Maybe it’s time you remembered that. But maybe…” he paused, his voice dipping lower, “you’re willing to strike a deal?”I let a smirk tug at the corner of my mouth, masking the rage boiling under my skin. I knew the kidnapping of Brianne was only a means to bring me here, but I wasn’t about to let them hold that over me. Still, I needed to know she was safe.“You have no idea what you’re dealing with,” I said coldly, my voice echoing through the small clearing. “I’ll give you one last chance. Take me to he
*JORDYN’S POV*I leaned in close, my voice a low, dangerous whisper. “I don’t make threats. I make promises.”He blinked, taken aback, and I used the moment to scan my surroundings, calculating my next move. The conversation was going nowhere, and I knew that any more time wasted was a risk to Brianne. But just as I was about to push past him, he blocked my path, his expression darkening with renewed resolve.“Fine,” he spat, “have it your way. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’re risking everything for one wolf.”I held his gaze, unflinching. “One wolf? She’s more valuable than any land, and you’re out of your depth if you think otherwise.”As I spoke, the door to the far side of the room opened, creaking loudly. My chest tightened as two of their guards appeared, dragging a figure between them. Brianne. They shoved her forward, and she stumbled, collapsing to her knees on the rough floor.“Jordyn!” she gasped, lifting her head as her gaze found mine, her voice trembling with reli