I wandered through the pack district in a daze, trying to block out the stares and whispers that followed me everywhere]
Blackvein businesses were on every corner–shopping centers, cafes, office buildings. Just like Soren promised, the entire northern territories had seen
that video by now.
I covered my ears and ran desperate to escape the voices. Then my fout caught on loose pavement and I went down hard, scraping my palms raw
A crowd gathered immediately.
“Isn’t that the she–wolf from the video?” A middle–aged woman’s voice cut through the murmurs. “Absolutely shameless, broadcasting something like that. No wonder her own pack disowned her.“]
“Probably looking for more clients,” added her companion with a nasty laugh. “Once a whore, always a whore.”
The words hit like physical blows. I tried to speak, to defend myself, but my throat felt crushed shut
I pushed through the crowd and flagged down a taxi, keeping my face hidden. But the driver recognized me anyway. His eyes found mine in the rearview mirror, and his smile made my skin crawl
“How much for the night, sweetheart? Car’s got plenty of room in the back”
My blood turned to ice. “Go to hell” I screamed, voice cracking. “I’m not what you think I am“]
His expression turned ugly fast. “Stuck up bitch. Get out of my car–I don’t transport damaged goods.”
He yanked me out onto the sidewalk and sped off, leaving me stranded on an empty stretch of road miles from pack territory. It took six hours to walk home on foot–I still hadn’t learned to shift properly, so running wasn’t an option. By the time I reached the gates, my heels were bleeding through my shoes and every step felt like walking on broken glass
That’s when I saw the smoke]
The Duskrend estate was on
fire. Flames licked through the upper windows while emergency vehicles surrounded the property. I stood frozen, watching my childhood home burn
Headlights swept across me from behind. Before I could turn around, strong fingers clamped around my wrist like a vise.[]
“You twisted fucking psychopath Soren’s voice was barely controlled rage. “Ophelin’s trapped in there, and you tried to burn her alive.“]]
His grip was crushing my bones. “I didn’t-
“Don’t you dare lie to me!” He hauled me toward his car like I weighed nothing. “You’re going to the medical center to apologize for what you’ve done.”]
The drive was suffocating. Soren’s fury filled every inch of space, making it hard to breathe. My mind raced, trying to figure out who would set the fire The estate was in the most secure district in the city–fires didn’t just happen
And why would my parents leave Ophelia alone during an evacuation?
Unless they hadn’t
Unless this was all part of some plan I didn’t understand yet []
Soren didn’t give me time to process. The second we reached the medical center, he dragged me out and toward the elevator. My injured feet left bloody footprints on the pristine white floors
We’d barely entered Ophelia’s room when my mother’s hand cracked across my face.
The slap sent me reeling. Hot tears spilled down my checks and dropped onto Soren’s hand where he still gripped my arm []
His fingers twitched, and something flickered in his eyes–gone too fast to identify
“Luna Duskrend,” he said quietly, stepping partially in front of me. His height and presence immediately made my mother back down.
She glared at me instead. “Don’t forget who put my daughter in that bed, Soren.”
At her words, Saren’s gaze shifted to Ophelia. As if on cue, a single tear rolled down her pale cheek
His expression darkened. He yanked me forward, voice dropping to that dangerous quiet that meant someone was about to get hurt.
“Kneel. Apologize. Now.”
I looked around the room at the faces staring back at me. My parents. The family doctor. Medical center staff. All watching me like I was something diseased
These people were supposed to love me. Instead, they were treating me like a convicted murderer.
My hands shook as I met Soren’s eyes. “And if I don’t? You going to kill me right here to avenge her?]
His boot slammed into the back of my knee with enough force to crack bone. I hit the floor with a scream, agony shooting up my leg as something definitely tore
“Pack enforcers,” Soren called without taking his eyes off me. Take her downstairs. She kneels in the lobby until she’s ready to show proper remorse.”
Two enforcers moved forward to grab me, but I barely registered them. I was still staring at Soren in shock when his next words hit me like a sledgehammer.
“Don’t worry, Luna Duskrend. One more month on the wolf bone bracelet and Ophelia will wake up. This will all be over soon.“||
The fight went out of me completely. I let them drag me through the halls like a broken doll, past staring patients and whispering staff]
They dumped me in the main lobby, where I knelt on the cold marble while pack members walked around me, pointing and taking pictures with their phones.
Then the storm hit
Rain pounded through the medical center’s skylights, and the temperature dropped twenty degrees in minutes. My dress was soaked through in seconds, and my injured knee screamed every time lightning lit up the sky.
But the physical pain was nothing compared to the hollow ache in my chest.
Thirty minutes later, Soren appeared at the top of the stairs. His eyes found the trail of blood I’d left on his way to drag me here, and his jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
“Has she apologized yet?” he asked one of the enforcers.
“No, sir. She hasn’t said a word.”
Suren stared down at me for a long moment. I couldn’t read his expression, but something in his posture seemed different
Like maybe, for the first time in three years, he was actually s
sering me
