Selena’s POV
My hands shook as I held the broken music box in my palms.
Something inside me cracked.
“You bitch,” I snarled. My voice was a low growl, my wolf bleeding into my tone.
Lydia tilted her head with a sweet smile, the kind that had always fooled me before. “Selena, calm down. It was an accident—”
The word “accident” made me explode.
My hand flew before I could stop it, and I slapped her hard. The sound of the slap echoed through the room, and Lydia stumbled back, holding her cheek in shock. Her eyes widened in total disbelief. She hadn’t expected me to do that.
“You don’t get to touch her things,” I screamed, my throat raw. “You don’t get to destroy the one thing that I—”
“Selena!”
Cole’s voice thundered from the doorway, full of Alpha command, and I turned just as he stormed into the room. His face was filled with rage as he rushed to Lydia, pulling her into his arms protectively.
“She hit me,” Lydia whimpered. Tears welled in her eyes, and her voice trembled.
My chest heaved as I stared at them with the music box in my hands.
Cole’s face hardened. He turned to me, his eyes burning with fury, his Alpha aura pressing down on me. “What the hell is wrong with you, Selena?”
“She broke Nora’s music box!” I cried, lifting up the box in my hands. “She did it on purpose, Cole. She—”
“Stop it!” he barked, his voice was sharp and full of venom. “Do you even hear yourself? You’re pathetic! Bitter! Jealous of a pregnant woman, jealous of your pack sister who has what you don’t have!”
The words tore through me like silver claws, but he wasn’t done.
“It’s not her fault that you don’t have a pup, Selena. Nora is dead, and maybe if you had been a better mother, maybe if you had done more—”
A scream tore out of my throat before he could finish. “Don’t you dare blame me, you bastard!”
Cole growled, his wolf snarled, and before I could blink, his hand flew to my face.
The slap landed with such force that my head snapped to the side. My knees buckled, and I lost my balance, falling to the floor with my cheek burning and my ears ringing.
Tears stung my eyes, but it wasn’t from pain. It was from the humiliation.
Lydia gasped, her hands pressed against her mouth as if she were horrified. But I was the only one who could see the satisfaction in her eyes. She loved this.
My hands trembled as I touched my burning cheek.
Cole stood frozen, breathing heavily with his palm still half-raised. His eyes widened as if he had just now realized what he had done. For a split second, regret flickered across his face.
He took a hesitant step toward me. “Selena—”
But before he could finish, Lydia’s voice cut in.
She broke into sobs, her whole body shaking as she held her belly. “Oh, Cole,” she cried, collapsing against his chest. “This is all my fault. I never should’ve come here. I’ve caused nothing but trouble. Selena was right… I don’t deserve to live.”
Her sobs were dramatic and so fake, but Cole was so blind to her pretense. She buried her face into his chest, sobbing even harder. “I should just die and take this pup with me. Then you will both be free.”
Cole’s shock twisted into panic. He held her tightly, stroking her hair. “Don’t say that, Lydia. Don’t ever say that. You and the pup are everything. You hear me? Everything.”
I stared at them from the floor as my heart broke and my cheeks burned. Lydia’s tears weren’t real. I could see the triumph burning in her eyes, but Cole, the fool, believed her.
He glared down at me, his arms held Lydia tighter. “Look what you’ve done, Selena. Look at her. She’s terrified, she’s blaming herself, because of you.”
“Because of me?” My voice cracked, as it was hard to control the tears from spilling out. “But—”
“Enough!” Cole barked, his face hardened into stone, and his eyes blazed with fury. “I can’t even recognize you anymore. You’re getting out of control.”
I opened my mouth, but Lydia released another sob, clutching her stomach like she was in pain.
“Cole,” she whispered weakly, “the pup… it hurts.”
His panic deepened. He stared at Lydia pale and trembling in his arms, then he glared at me venomously.
“You’re staying in here until you think about your actions,” he snapped. His voice was final and cold. “You’re staying in here until you learn to control your wolf.”
I froze. “What?”
“You heard me.” He wrapped his arms around Lydia, guiding her toward the door. “You’re not coming out of this room until you learn how to control yourself. I won’t let you hurt Lydia—or this pup.”
The door slammed shut, and I heard the door being locked from outside.
“No!” I screamed, throwing myself at the door. My fists pounded against the door until my hands throbbed. “Cole! Don’t you dare leave me in here! Open this door!”
Silence answered me.
I pulled at the handle, but it didn’t budge. “Cole!” I shouted again, my voice cracked. “Please! You can’t do this!”
But he didn’t come back.
I was on the top floor. There was no way out.
Minutes became hours. I screamed until my voice was hoarse, and my throat felt like sandpaper. I called Cole’s phone again and again, until he blocked my line, cutting me off completely.
My body ached, and my stomach growled angrily. There was no food, and no water, like a prison.
I clawed at the door until my nails started to bleed. I screamed, begged, cursed, and prayed until my voice gave out.
My wolf howled in rage. I shifted and threw myself at the door again and again, but it didn’t move. It was reinforced. Every door in this house was.
