Chapter 12

Emily’s POV

“ I’ve been looking for you everywhere. ” Stella walked into the kitchen, stepping over the broken glass. She looked at my bandaged hand, then at Nathan holding my wrist. Her face turned blank and cold.

“ Your father couldn’t reach you through the mind link. He wants to finalize the guest list for your Alpha King eremony. And he wants to know which Luna will be by your side when the title officially passes to you. ”

“ Is she seriously throwing herself at him right in front of us? ” Nyx growled fiercely in my mind.

Nathan stayed silent. He kept staring at the bandage on my hand, still holding it and tracing it gently with his

humb. I felt a mix of pain and pleasure where his skin touched mine. My heart pounded, and I pleaded silently in

ny mind. Stay. Please stay.

Suddenly, he let go of my wrist.

“ You need to go to Doctor Reed, ” he said. He was addressing me, yet he refused to look me in the eye. The Alpha tood up. “ Marcus, Liam. Let’s go. ”

Of course, Nathan wouldn’t stay with me. Not now, and not ever. The future Alpha King had a crown waiting for

im and a future Luna. I was just an Omega, bleeding on his kitchen floor.

Stella flashed me a small, satisfied smirk before turning on her heel to keep up with them.

“ What the Moon Goddess, Emily! Seriously, we leave you alone for one second, and this happens? ” Jessie and Poppy stood in the kitchen doorway, staring in shock.

“ Let me look at it. ” Poppy knelt beside me, inspecting the wound. “ The cut isn’t deep, but it needs to be cleaned.

We should head to the clinic. ”

“ And after that, you’re going straight home, ” Jessie added, eyeing my bleeding hand.

“ I have a second hand. I can still help, ” I protested.

They both laughed. Jessie and Poppy made some sandwiches while I sat and watched, When Dorothy walked in, he girls quickly pulled me outside before she could give us any chores.

At the clinic, Poppy washed out my wound, stitched it up, and wrapped it in a clean bandage.

“ So, where is the garden? ” I asked as we stepped back outside.

“ On the edge of the pack territory. ” Jessie pointed toward the tree line. “ There’s more space out there. Trees, ields, everything. ”

We walked through the center of the pack, and it was busy.

“ Jessie … where do you live? ” I turned to look at her. The morning air was crisp, carrying the sharp, comforting scent of pine and woodsmoke.

WTAT: AL.

TAT p>

And your parents? ” The question slipped out before I could stop myself, and I realized a second too late that it

might be a sensitive topic.

“ They had been killed by rogues, ” she said quietly.

“ I’m so sorry. ”

“ Me too, ” she replied softly.

Wanting to change the subject, I asked, “ Are there many houses like that? ”

“ It depends on your rank. Higher – ranking wolves usually get their own houses. Like my brother – he’s the Beta, so e needs privacy. The doctors and older pack members live nearby, too. ”

Jessie slowed down, and we did too.

“ But younger wolves mostly stay in the packhouse. Like me. ” Poppy grinned. “ It’s loud, messy, and there’s always

someone to talk to. There’s always something happening. Someone sneaking snacks from the kitchen. Someone is hrowing a party. Someone is getting into trouble. ”

“ And when wolves find their true mate … ” Jessie said with a dreamy look in her eyes. “ That’s when they start

vanting their own place. The Alpha orders a house to be built for them. A home to build a life together. ”

I nodded, a dull ache in my chest. A home felt like something unreal.

We kept walking, and I couldn’t stop looking around. This place was huge, much bigger than my old pack’s erritory. We passed houses with flowers, small cafés that smelled like coffee, and modern buildings. Everything felt live, like this pack was really thriving. People sat on benches, talking and laughing. It was peaceful.

Finally, we reached the garden.

As soon as we walked in, everything changed. The pack’s noise faded, replaced by the hum of bees and the sound

of leaves. Bright blue, red, and yellow flowers bloomed everywhere, moving in the breeze. Beyond them were neat ows of vegetables and berry bushes full of fruit. The air here was different. It smelled of damp earth, sweet nectar,

nd fresh plants.

୮

Then we spotted Tessa, kneeling in the dark soil. She waved us over, gesturing for us to join her. Tessa gave us our asks, and we got to work. I spent hours digging and planting seedlings. The work was quiet and calming. For a

vhile, I forgot my problems.

Suddenly, someone blocked the light. Beta Blake stepped forward, his expression grave and unreadable.

“ The Alpha wants to see you in his office, ” he said.

My stomach tightened with nerves.

“ What for? ” Jessie chimed in protectively.

“ Emily’s former mate is here, ” Blake answered. “ So hurry up. Everyone is already waiting for us. ”

12:20 pm

Ryan had found me. My worst nightmare had just caught up to me.

Half an hour later, I stood outside the Alpha’s office, my legs heavy. I couldn’t remember walking through the halls; everything had blurred together in my panic. Beta Blake paused, his hand hovering over the heavy oak door. He turned to face me, and for a split second, his stoic warrior mask slipped

“ Emily, I’m sorry, ” he whispered. There was a bitter edge to his voice and a look of genuine regret in his eyes.

Then, he pushed the door open.

I followed Blake into the room, and my heart skipped a beat. Ryan sat there, leaning back in a leather chair with

his legs crossed. He looked completely at ease, like he owned the place. His Beta stood behind him.

I started shaking. The room felt small. Tears ran down my face, but I couldn’t move. How did he find me?

“ Hello, Emily. ” Ryan stood up slowly, his eyes tracking me like a predator cornering a wounded rabbit. “ We were

so worried when you disappeared. ”

“ Emily told us you rejected and exiled her, ” Nathan’s voice cut through the room. It was deep, vibrating with a

controlled, dangerous edge.

“ Emily has always been dramatic, ” Ryan said, his tone smooth and slippery.

“ I’ll kill him! ” Nyx shrieked in the back of my mind.

“ I simply chose a stronger mate. You remember the ceremony, Alpha Nathan, ” Ryan said with a mocking, respectful smirk. “ But Emily couldn’t handle the fact that I picked her own sister. She couldn’t bear to see us in

love, so she made up a sob story and ran away. ”

The lie sounded flawless. But I remembered how he had looked at me during that ceremony. He had stared at me hrough the crowd, silently promising I wouldn’t live to see the next sunrise. That was why I ran.

I tried to speak, to scream the truth, but Ryan was suddenly right in front of me. He reached out and pressed a cold finger hard against my lips.

“ Shhh … quiet now, sweetheart. Everything is going to be fine. Your sister is heartbroken. She’ll be so happy when we bring you back home. ”

୮

I couldn’t believe they were listening to him. I pulled away, sickened by his touch and smell. Nathan watched, gripping his desk so hard his knuckles turned white.

“ Things seem pretty tense in here, ” Liam said as he walked into the room.

“ Well, Alpha Nathan, thank you for finding our ‘ lost ‘ Emily. We’ll take her home now. ” Ryan’s voice was smug.

I looked at Nathan, silently begging him with my eyes. Please.

“ Does Emily even want to go? ” Liam asked.

Everyone in the room looked at me. I shook my head so hard my neck hurt. No. Never.

“ In that case, maybe we should hear her side of the story. ” Liam popped a nut into his mouth and crunched it

12:20 pm

PPP

loudly, staring directly at Nathan.

Tim not going back, ” I whispered, my voice trembling. “ That place … it isn’t a home. ”

“ Have you been mistreated? ” Liam pressed.

I nodded, my throat tight as tried not to cry.

“ Lies! ” Ryan’s perfect mask finally cracked “ How can she be so ungrateful? After everything we gave her! ”

“ You had treated me like a slave! ” I shouted, my fear turning into anger. “ You have taken away my status! You lemoted me to an Omega, kicked me out of my room, and locked me in the dungeon! Thanks for the trash mattress

on the floor! ”

Ryan roared, raising his hand to strike me. I ducked and dropped to my knees, turning away to protect my face. As his hand swung past, his wristwatch caught the loose fabric of my collar. With a loud rip, the shirt tore down my

houlder, and the fabric gave way completely.

I cowered on the floor, but it was too late. My back was bare. Every single scar was exposed, revealing a massive

batch of ruined skin.

Suddenly, Nathan moved fast. He dropped to his knees behind me and ripped the rest of the shirt off my back. He lidn’t say a word. Instead, he gently traced the jagged scars with his fingertips, moving over each one as if he were

ounting them. Normally, I would have flinched and pulled away, but his touch was different. It was incredibly

gentle.

I tried to scramble to cover myself, but it was too late.

“ … Did he do this to you? ” Nathan asked. His voice was dangerously, deathly quiet.

I couldn’t force a single word out. My entire body shook, but I managed a small, terrified nod.

“ HOW DARE YOU TOUCH HER! ” Nathan roared.

Next Chapter

Chapter 13

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Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.