Chapter 9.

STACY.

“Oh goddess, why is Jason doing all this to me? What wrong have I done to deserve all this?” I murmur to myself while everything feels like a blur as I stumble into the guest house.

I can't imagine a life without my son... My breath is coming in as ragged gasps while my chest tightens from panic that is slowly consuming me.

Nicole tricked me into laying my hand on her which felt so good at the time but now I kinda regret…My body shakes uncontrollably, and I can’t stop the tears of regret from falling.

And the icing on the cake is Jason… he’s really done it. He’s taken my son, stripped me of every right to be a mother, as if I don’t even matter anymore. My hands tremble as I grip the edge of the small table, trying to keep myself upright.

This can't be real, right?

‘ It is real Stacy, that bastard has taken away our pup,’ my wolf, Piper chimes with more rage than I feel.

I can’t breathe and I feel the walls are closing in on me.

How could Jason believe that homewrecker to me?

The thought of never being able to hold my baby, to see him smile, to feel his tiny hands grasp mine—it’s unbearable. I collapse to the floor, my knees giving way under the weight of it all. My sobs are loud, and desperate, the kind that rip through me.

How could Jason make such a hasty decision without hearing me out?

I curse out the day I met him and agreed to be his mate going against my own parents...

I close my eyes, desperate for someone, anyone, to help me. My thoughts immediately go to Hannah. I force myself to focus, reaching out through our private mind link.

‘Hannah… please… I need you.’ My voice is shaky, barely a whisper in my mind, but I know she’ll hear me.

It’s not long before her steady, familiar presence responds, her concern clear. ‘Stacy, what’s wrong? What happened?’

My breath hitches as I try to explain, but the words come out broken. ‘I… I can’t see my son anymore, Hannah. Jason—he told me to stay away. He said I could only provide milk, but I can’t… I can’t hold him. I can’t—’ My voice cracks, and I feel like I’m drowning in the pain. ‘What am I going to do?’

'Calm down Stacy and explain everything to me clearly,' she responds and I tell her exactly what happened between Nicole and I for Jason to come up with his decision.

There’s a pause, and I can feel her anger simmering through our link. ‘He can’t keep you from your child, Stacy. This isn’t right. You can’t stay there anymore. You need to leave, for your safety and your son’s.’

'I… I can’t,’ I stammer. ‘Jason… he has warriors guarding the pack. If I even try, he’ll find me and kill me.’

Her voice turns fierce, filled with determination. ‘Then we’ll make sure he doesn’t find you. You can’t stay there and let him control you like this because of that woman. You have to leave tonight, Stacy.’

The enormity of what she’s suggesting makes my heart race even faster. ‘How? He’ll know, Hannah. He always knows.’

She pauses for a while before answering me, ‘Listen to me,’ she says firmly. ‘We’ll do it in secret. I’ll leave a car outside the territory, hidden in the woods. You’ll mask your scent and sneak into the mansion to get your son. Once you have him, you take that car and drive as far away as you can.’

I feel a wave of panic wash over me. ‘But… what if they catch me?’

‘They won’t,’ she promises. ‘I’ll make sure no one’s watching. You can do this, Stacy. You have to do this.’

I heave a sigh of dread, 'But he won't stop looking for his son, that I'm sure of,'

'Leave that to me and do as I tell you if you want to live with your son again. Jason is my Alpha and I respect him, but he has no right to keep you from your son.'

Her words sink deep into me, and despite the fear gnawing at my insides, I know she’s right. I can’t let Jason win. I have to protect my baby, even if it means risking everything.

‘Okay,’ I whisper, my voice barely audible but filled with a determination I haven’t felt in months. ‘I’ll do it.’

---

Hours go by and night creeps over the pack like a blanket of tension, thick and suffocating. My heart hammers in my chest as I slip out of the guest house, the cool air biting against my skin. Every sound around me feels amplified—the rustling of the leaves, the distant howl of a wolf. I keep my steps light, and my breath shallow. I’ve masked my scent with an ancient potion just like Hannah instructed, but the fear of being caught is still suffocating because the potion can only last for a few minutes.

I hastily make my way toward the mansion, each step heavier than the last. This is it. If I fail, I don’t know what will happen. But if I succeed… I could finally be free from Jason's choke hold and start a new life away from all this.

The mansion looms ahead, dark and silent, except for a few dim lights. I creep through the back entrance, the familiar creak of the door making my pulse quicken. I swallow hard and move through the halls with every muscle in my body tense as I approach my son’s room.

Lucky enough the door is slightly ajar, a soft glow spilling from inside. I push it open gently, and there he is—my beautiful baby boy, fast asleep in his crib. My heart clenches as I look at him, his little chest rising and falling with each breath. Tears blur my vision, but I don’t have time to break down. I have to get him out of here.

Carefully, I lift him into my arms, cradling him against my chest. His warmth floods through me, grounding me in the moment. This is my son, and I won’t let Jason or anyone else take him from me.

I move quickly, slipping out of the mansion and into the woods. Every shadow, and every whisper of wind feels like a threat, but I keep moving... After what feels like an eternity of running in the woods, the car Hannah promised me is hidden at the edge of the pack’s territory, just as she said... I thank the goddess even though my heart pounds in my ears as I reach the car and open the door.

I gently place my son in a car seat in the backseat. The tension in the air is palpable, but I can’t afford to slow down or stop. I jump into the driver’s seat, my hands trembling as I start the engine.

Just as the car roars to life, a sound pierces the night—a howl.

“No… no…no…” I whisper, glancing in the rearview mirror.

Pack warriors. They’ve found me.

Fear grips me like a vice as I slam my foot on the gas, the car lurching forward. The trees blur past me, but in the mirror, I see them—Jason’s warriors in wolf form, their eyes glowing in the darkness, their massive forms tearing through the woods in pursuit.

The growls grow louder, the pounding of paws on the ground filling my ears. My hands are shaking so badly I can barely grip the steering wheel, but I can’t stop. I won’t stop because I didn't want to find out what Jason would do to me after pulling such a stunt.

They close in around the car, the wolves’ snarls deafening as they lunge at the car. Suddenly, the road ahead narrows as the trees towering over me become silent watchers.

Oh no, this can't be happening, My heart races as my breath comes in short, panicked gasps.

And then… I see it.... A dead end.

“Oh no... please goddess save me…” I beg, tears streaming down my face as I slam on the brakes. The car screeches to a halt, the wolves almost upon me now.

Then, out of nowhere—an explosion.

The ground shakes beneath me, the sound so loud it makes my ears ring while flames erupt around the car, lighting up the night. The wolves are thrown back by the force, and in that moment, everything goes black.

The last thing I see before darkness consumes me is the peaceful face of my son in the backseat.

And then… nothing.