Logan stood frozen, his jaw tightening as he watched the fresh blood flowing from Rose’s leg.
“Help my baby, Aveline suddenly pushed me…” Rose’s voice trembled, weak yet full of conviction. Her acting was so perfect that it seemed as though the wound had truly come from Aveline.
Logan’s gaze shifted to Aveline. Cold, piercing, as if a sword were ready to slit her throat.
Rose quickly summoned her healer. Her body was lifted, her face contorted in pain. But Rose’s eyes briefly glanced at Aveline and painted a faint smile of victory that only Aveline saw.
“I hope nothing happens to you… and our child,” Logan grabbed Rose’s hand worriedly. “I’ll go with you—”
“No need.” Rose cut him off quickly, holding his hand against her chest. “You must watch over her. Because after doing this to me, she admitted she wants to harm all the Darkvenom wolves… even kill my parents. Aveline already knows everything.”
After that, Rose was taken away, feigning unconsciousness.
Aveline could only stand frozen. Her chest felt tight, her mouth wanting to scream that it was all a lie. But Logan’s gaze silenced all words.
She knew explaining everything wouldn’t change anything. Logan would never believe her.
“What’s wrong with you, Aveline?” Logan approached her. His large hand roughly gripped her neck, pushing her until her back collided with the wall.
“I told you not to cause trouble,” Logan’s voice was low, filled with anger. His eyes were ablaze. “But you secretly wanted to harm all the wolves!”
Aveline felt her neck throbbing with pain. She spoke with difficulty. “You could kill me, Logan!”
He snapped out of it and quickly released his grip.
Aveline coughed and gasped for air.
“You’re crazy, Aveline!” Logan roared, still furious. “Starting today, I’ll send you to a mental hospital.”
As her breathing steadied, Aveline stared at him coldly. “You don’t need to bother with that. Because I’m sane, you’re the one who’s crazy for believing Rose’s lies.”
A slap immediately struck her cheek. She didn’t have time to say more as two guards entered. They grabbed Aveline’s still-weak hands.
Logan raised his chin arrogantly. “Take her there now. Don’t let her leave until she apologizes to Rose and admits her actions.”
When they arrived at the mental hospital, Aveline glared as they led her through the ordinary rooms.
“Where are you taking me?” Aveline’s voice trembled slightly.
“Crownhard. Luna Rose ordered us to bring you here. Without Alpha Logan knowing.”
Aveline’s body tensed at the mention of it. Crownhard. It wasn’t an ordinary mental hospital. It was extreme. All the craziest wolf leaders were gathered there.
A hollow, cynical laugh escaped Aveline’s lips. “Crazy Rose, she can’t do this to me!”
But the two wolf guards didn’t listen. Her body was dragged until they reached a large room.
Aveline shook her head, her fists clenched tightly. “No. I don’t want to go in.”
They kicked her back until she was forced inside.
As soon as the iron door of Crownhard locked behind her, the stench of rot mixed with blood immediately assaulted Aveline’s senses.
The sounds of howls, screams, and the clanging of chains filled the dark room.
The guards pushed her until she fell to the damp floor. The cold iron pressed against her skin, making her stomach wound ache again.
“Welcome to hell,” one of the guards chuckled, then closed the door tightly.
Aveline hadn’t even had time to get up when two mad wolves dragged her body. Her hands were bound with rusty chains, her legs kicked until her knees bled. Another wolf poured boiling water onto the ground, causing the hot steam to burn her open wounds.
“This is the welcome for the new wolf!” they said cheerfully.
Aveline’s screams echoed. Her body trembled, but no one came to help. The more she struggled, the more the chains pressed into her wrists, peeling the skin off.
“Scream again! Everyone here will get used to your screams!” one of them scratched her cheek, leaving a painful red wound.
Hours felt like years. The wound on her stomach throbbed. Her head spun from the stress of everything happening. But her eyes refused to close. In her heart, there was only one word: escape.
That night, when the guard was distracted and the other wolves slept soundly, Aveline managed to break free from the chains. She destroyed the rusty iron nails binding her. With her body covered in wounds, she dragged herself through the damp corridor, piercing the darkness, until she managed to escape through a small gap behind the building.
The night air pierced her lungs. Her body trembled, but she laughed bitterly. She had succeeded.
Aveline was confused about how to escape from this mental hospital. Everything was tightly guarded. Then Aveline’s eyes accidentally caught sight of a familiar back. Someone was using a communication device with their back turned to her.
“Caleb…” she whispered, almost crying.
Like a ray of hope, she approached. Her first love. Even though he had betrayed her, at least Caleb didn’t want to see her die here. The last time, Caleb had said he wanted Aveline to come back.
But just three steps away, she heard another voice. Soft. Poisonous.
Rose.
Aveline held her breath.
“Caleb, thank you for helping me. You’ve brought Aveline to know everything from the start.”
Caleb spoke softly. “Yes, but why did you bring her to Crownhard? I think you’re overdoing it. You said keeping Logan by your side was enough.”
“Wow, I didn’t know you cared so much about her. Have you started falling in love?” Rose’s voice was full of mockery.
“Rose? Don’t joke around. You know I went out of my way to bring Aveline to your daughter’s birthday party back then, just to make you happy. Isn’t that enough?”
“It’s not enough. Because I can feel you’ve started to love her now. You even went to the mental hospital to pick up Aveline, didn’t you?”
Aveline froze. Her breath caught in her throat. It turned out that Caleb had come to see her after years of being gone just to expose Darkvenom’s betrayal, on Rose’s orders to make her suffer even more.
Without wanting to hear any more, she spoke painfully, “Caleb.”
