I stood frozen at the top of the stairs, staring at Talia’s lifeless body twisted unnaturally at the base. The sharp scent of blood hit my wolf senses before Marcus’s anguished cry broke through the silence.
“Mommy!” he wailed, clutching her limp hand as his small claws protruded in panic.
Alpha Kale’s amber eyes snapped to mine, blazing with fury. His voice was a low growl, filled with venom. “If anything happens to Talia or my pup, you’ll wish you’d never been born.”
With that, he scooped her into his arms, her head lolling against his chest. Marcus trailed behind them, sobbing, his small wolf whimpers echoing through the hall. Kale’s mother turned on me, her upper lip curling.
“I curse you, demon child! The Moon should’ve swallowed you in your mother’s womb.”
They vanished, leaving only the cold scent of betrayal behind.
I collapsed onto the steps, numb. No one asked if I had pushed her. No trial, no pack council, no justice. Just accusation, because that’s what Talia wanted.
I was still there when the guards came. They didn’t speak. Two massive wolves in human form grabbed me with claws out and zero regard for rank.
“Let me go! What are you doing?!” I cried, but their grip tightened. They shoved me into a black SUV and drove through the woods to the Hallowfang Pack’s private infirmary.
Inside, the antiseptic stung my nose as they dragged me into a sterile room. Alpha Kale was already there, his face a mask of barely contained rage.
“Kale, I swear I didn’t-”
A sudden slap knocked my head sideways. The taste of blood filled my mouth. My wolf growled beneath my skin, but I forced her down.
Not now…
“I’ve had it with your lies, Alina,” he snarled, his aura pressing down on me like a storm cloud. “You pushed Talia, and now you’ll give her your blood. She’s carrying my heir.”
His words struck like claws to my gut.
“I didn’t touch her, and she’s not getting my blood,” I hissed through clenched teeth, though my voice trembled.
Kale’s hands closed around my neck in a flash, fangs bared in a cruel snarl. “You’ll obey.”
I kicked and clawed at his wrists, gasping as my vision blurred.
“You’ll kill her!” The doctor shouted, rushing forward.
Kale released me, and I collapsed to the floor, coughing and choking as air rushed back into my lungs. My heart pounded wildly as I looked up at the man I once called mate.
“You’re not off the hook,” he growled. Then he turned to the doctor. “Drain her. Every last drop, leave just enough for her to crawl.”
The doctor hesitated. “She’s too weak, Alpha. She lost a lot of blood the other day during the-”
Kale seized the man by the collar, lifting him off the floor like he weighed nothing. “I said drain her!”
The doctor paled, then nodded quickly. Kale stormed out while his enforcers restrained me again. I thrashed, but the needles pierced my arms, and the blood began to flow.
Darkness swirled as I slipped under.
--
A bucket of icy water yanked me back to the waking world. Shivering, soaked, I blinked against the harsh light. My body screamed in pain.
Kale stood before me, rage still simmering beneath his cool tone.
“Done pretending now?” he asked, sneering.
“I’m cold,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “Please…”
He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked me to my feet. Pain tore through my scalp.
“Where’s Marcus?” he snapped. “You sent someone to take him, didn’t you?”
“What…? I don’t understand.”
“You had him kidnapped,” he snarled. “To punish me!”
I stared at him, my heart beating wildly. “You’re losing your mind.”
His claws dug into my arm as he shoved me back against the wall. “You’re a jealous, barren she-wolf who couldn’t stand the fact that Talia gave me what you couldn’t!”
“I gave you everything,” I whispered. “You took my child. You let them carve him out of me while I screamed. And now you accuse me of harming another pup?”
Kale’s face darkened. He motioned, and two guards dragged in a disheveled man. He fell to his knees and pointed at me.
“She paid me! I didn’t know the boy was yours, I swear!”
I stared in disbelief. “He’s lying! I don’t even know him!”
“You always lie!” Kale roared, grabbing my arm. “You’ll confess if it’s the last thing you do.”
He dragged me through the hallway and out onto the landing strip. A private jet waited, its engines humming.
“Kale! Wh-what are you doing?!” I shouted as he shoved me up the ramp.
The jet soared into the night sky. My wolf was pacing now, sensing danger. Kale stood in front of me as the wind roared. The cabin door unsealed with a hiss and swung open, revealing nothing but clouds and death beneath.
“Admit what you did or you’re going out that door,” he said, his voice void of mercy.
Terror struck me like lightning. “You know I’m afraid of heights, Kale, please! Have mercy!” I whispered, tears rolling down my cheeks.
“I warned you,” he said.
And then he shoved me.
The roar of the wind swallowed my scream as I plunged into the abyss.
