You can't break someone that is already broken!

EMMA

"I don’t believe in this nonsense. She slept with five men, and the curse should be lifted—we don’t need a witch, Dad," Elijah said, his voice firm as he tried to convince Carlos that this was all absurd.

"You don’t understand, Elijah. I have carried the burden of this curse—I know how difficult it is to break," Carlos responded, his tone heavy with authority.

My stomach turned to ice at his words. What would happen when he discovered the truth?

"I never believed in this curse when you first told me about it," Elijah argued, his frustration growing. "But I still went along with your insanity just to satisfy your ego. Mom gave birth to me, didn’t she? So where was the curse then?"

Carlos let out a humorless chuckle. "To bring you into this world, your mother endured unimaginable torture. For an entire year, she was forced to sleep with different men. And even then, it was only with Hayley’s help that we were able to break the curse." He stepped closer, his voice darkening. "But you… you were lucky. Your mate carries the blood of the woman who cursed this pack, which means she doesn’t have to sleep with anyone for the curse to break."

The revelation hit me like a thunderbolt. My entire body felt numb.

Elijah’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening. "You’re lying. This… this can’t be true." His voice wavered, betraying the turmoil raging inside him.

Carlos narrowed his eyes. "How do you think your mother died?" His voice was laced with cruelty. "She died from shame and guilt."

Elijah squeezed his eyes shut, as if trying to block out the words, but the damage was already done.

"We should begin," Hayley interrupted, her  voice slicing through the tension. "The moon is at its full power—we must act now." She took a step toward me.

Before she could touch me, I steadied myself and looked Carlos directly in the eyes. "Before you do anything, I want to know—why did my mother curse your pack? She wasn’t a madwoman. She must have had a reason."

Carlos scoffed, shaking his head. "Sweetheart, I made a promise to your father to keep the dirty secrets of his whore wife," he sneered.

Fury surged through me. "Watch your mouth when you speak about my mother," I snapped.

Before I could react, Hayley grabbed my wrist and sliced it open without warning. A sharp, searing pain shot through my arm as blood dripped into the black bowl beneath me.

I screamed, the intensity of her grip sending shockwaves through my body. The air around us shifted, and a bone-chilling wind rushed through the dungeon.

Hayley began chanting in her ancient witch tongue, her voice an eerie melody that clawed at my mind. My head throbbed violently, my screams echoing through the chamber as her words burrowed deep into my skull.

"What the hell is going on? Let her go!" Elijah roared, his voice filled with rage.

Carlos grabbed him by the collar, his strength overpowering Elijah’s. "Stay out of this," he growled. "She’s not worthy of your sympathy."

"She’s everything to me," Elijah snapped, his eyes wild with fury. "And I won’t let you hurt her!"

Suddenly, the winds stopped. The eerie silence that followed sent a chill down my spine.

Hayley released my wrist, her piercing eyes locking onto mine with something unreadable—shock? Uncertainty?

"You’re still pure," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "And… you have Alpha blood running through your veins."

My heart pounded. She knew.

Carlos stiffened, his expression darkening. "What the fuck are you saying, Hayley?" His voice was laced with disbelief. "I personally sent five men into her room. There’s no way she’s still pure." His hands clenched into fists. "All my efforts… all my hard work—it can’t be for nothing!"

Then, realization dawned on him. His face twisted with rage as he turned to Elijah.

"You." His voice was venomous. "You’ve been sleeping with her?" His eyes blazed with fury. "What the hell is wrong with you, Elijah? Why are you so determined to destroy your own life?"

But Elijah wasn’t listening. He had already crossed the room, reaching for me. His hands found mine, his grip gentle despite the blood still dripping from my wrist.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, his voice filled with tenderness as he cupped my cheek.

I met his gaze, and in that moment, nothing else existed—not Carlos, not the curse, not the chaos unraveling around us. Just us

“Am I missing something here? Enlighten me, dear son,” Carlos said, locking eyes with Elijah, his gaze seething with murderous intent.

“I love her,” Elijah responded, his voice steady and resolute. “It’s only me who’s spent nights with her, and I won’t allow anyone else to touch the woman I love. I’m not like you, Dad—letting Mom sleep with multiple men just so your bloodline could continue. I can’t let that happen to her.” He wrapped his arms securely around me, his protectiveness palpable.

Carlos scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. “This girl is nothing but a walking disaster, just like her mother. You have Violet, your mate, the most beautiful girl in this world. Stop this madness. You’re an Alpha, and a weakness doesn’t suit you. I want my bloodline to continue, and this girl is meant for sacrifice.” His footsteps were heavy as he advanced toward me, but Elijah stepped in front of me, blocking his path.

“To cross her, you’ll have to go through me,” Elijah declared, his voice hard. “I’ll die before I let you harm her.”

Carlos stared at me with disgust. “How shameless, to have a sexual relationship with your sister’s mate. Like mother, like daughter,” he spat, moving toward me. But before he could act, Elijah grabbed his collar, the tension between father and son rising to an unbearable height.

“I’m warning you, Dad. Leave her alone, or I will destroy this whole pack,” Elijah’s voice was low and dangerous. “I don’t care who lives or dies. The woman I love deserves to live.”

And then the fight erupted. They punched each other relentlessly, both shifting into their wolf forms. I froze, wide-eyed, as I watched Elijah’s massive black wolf face off against Carlos’s brown wolf. They tore into each other with brutal force.

I shuddered, witnessing their violent clash. Elijah’s wolf was strong, but Carlos was relentless. I couldn’t tear my eyes away as they fought, their bodies battered and bloodied, neither willing to yield. One wanted to protect me, the other to sacrifice me like a pawn in his twisted game. I was terrified.

Carlos lunged, his claws sinking into Elijah’s neck, drawing blood. I gasped, my heart racing. I couldn’t let anything happen to him. I loved him too much, and I had to protect him.

“Stop!” I cried, my voice shaking. “I’ll sacrifice myself.”

Both of them halted mid-fight, their eyes locked on me.

“I won’t betray you again,” I said to Carlos, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at me. “But please, don’t do anything to Elijah.”

Elijah’s blood-red eyes stared at me with a mix of hurt and anger. Carlos, now back in his human form, stood tall, naked, his body muscular and intimidating. I turned away, my heart hammering as I thought about what might happen to Elijah if things went wrong.

“You can turn around now, slut,” Carlos sneered, but I only glanced back once he was clothed, as was Elijah. His body was still dripping blood, but his wounds were healing.

I rushed to Elijah’s side, gently taking his head in my lap. “Elijah, are you okay? I love you,” I whispered, brushing a strand of hair from his face.

He looked up at me, disappointment clouding his eyes. He closed them, and within moments, the blood vanished, and his body seemed as fresh as ever. But the disappointment in his eyes remained.

Carlos stood behind us, not a trace of injury on him. “Don’t look so surprised, slut. One of the perks of being a wolf—we can heal ourselves whenever we need to,” he said mockingly.

Elijah stood up, his gaze seething with fury. “Call her that one more time, and I swear I’ll kill you with my bare hands, without a shred of remorse,” he warned his father.

Carlos smirked. “I’m sorry, Alpha Elijah. But your girl is ready to sacrifice herself.”

Elijah laughed bitterly. “I won’t let her sacrifice herself,” he said, his voice firm.

Carlos tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “Hey, sweet pea, come here,” he called to me.

I took a hesitant step toward him when Elijah yanked my hand back, his grip tight and possessive. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he demanded, his voice harsh.

“I love you,” I whispered, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. “I can’t let anything happen to you. I’m the problem in everyone’s life, and I deserve to die.”

Elijah’s face twisted in anger. “I’m not letting you die. Can’t you see he’s bluffing? He can’t kill his own son.” He yanked me close, pulling me into him.

Carlos’s voice was cold, his eyes dark with malice. “Don’t get your hopes up, son. I’ll do whatever it takes to continue my bloodline. I won’t kill you—because I need you alive. But I can make your life a living hell. I was Alpha when you weren’t even born, so don’t forget your place.”

Elijah’s jaw tightened, his resolve unshaken. “But I’ll protect my love, no matter what happens to me,” he said, his voice filled with unwavering determination.

Without thinking, I kissed him fiercely, pouring all my love into the kiss. His shock quickly turned into response, his hands pulling me closer as the kiss deepened. This was my way of saying goodbye, and I knew this was his weakness.

Before Elijah could fully understand what was happening, I broke away and ran toward Carlos. He grabbed me immediately, his grip like iron. Elijah lunged forward, but he was stopped mid-step—Hayley, the witch, had cast a spell on him.

“What are you doing, witch?” Elijah shouted, unable to move. “Unbind the spell!”

Hayley stood there, unfazed, her eyes cold. “This has to be done, Alpha. My duty is to serve this pack, and I’ll do whatever it takes.”

I shuddered, realizing just how deep the madness in this pack ran.

“Emma, baby, come to me. Carlos will destroy your innocence. I can’t bear knowing that you’re suffering,” he pleaded, his voice filled with vulnerability. He reached out desperately, but the spell kept him from getting any closer.

Carlos sneered. “An Alpha should only love his mate, not some random wolf. This is a lesson—for you and for all the wolves who think they can find love outside their bond.”

His grip tightened around my hand, his fingers threatening to snap it.

“Emma, please come back to me. I’ll protect you,” Elijah called out, his voice raw with emotion.

“I love you,” I whispered, turning my face away to hide my tears. “And I’m willing to be sacrificed for you. You taught me what true love is. Even if I die, I’ll die in peace.”

Tears streamed down my face, unrelenting. Elijah had been right when he said I was his weakness. He had also become mine. But weakness only brings pain and heartache—and that’s not what I want for him.

He deserves happiness—with Violet and their child, who would be born once I make my sacrifice. But I find comfort knowing that, in some way, I’ve completed the family of the man I love most.

“Take me wherever you need to,” I said to Carlos, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.

We walked out of the dungeon, and I could still hear Elijah screaming my name, but I shut my eyes, forcing myself to close off the emotions that threatened to overwhelm me.

Carlos led me somewhere within the packhouse—a place I had never seen before. The air was foul, and the atmosphere was thick with something sinister. He shoved me to the ground with little effort.

“This is where you’ll spend your nights—with strangers. This will continue until Violet is pregnant,” Carlos sneered. “I was generous enough to let you ruin yourself for only five nights, but you little girl enraged me by sleeping with my son. Sluts like you deserve to be ruined.”

He grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to look into his eyes. I laughed, the sound bitter and hollow.

“I’m already ruined,” I said, my voice steady. “Because Elijah isn’t with me. Every moment spent without him is meaningless. You can’t break someone who’s already broken.”

I was ready to accept my fate. To be sacrificed. To die for the person I loved.

My love for you, Elijah, is stronger than anyone can imagine. It surpasses every obstacle, every torment. It is greater than anything this world could throw at me.