I woke up to the harsh glow of overhead lights. My body ached, but I wasn’t in my bed. The scent of antiseptic filled the air, and I forced my eyes open, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The walls were white, sterile, and cold. Machines beeped softly around me.
Panic set in. Where was I?
A voice broke through my thoughts. "You’re awake."
I turned sharply, my heart racing. A man stood at the foot of my bed. The moment our eyes met; recognition slammed into me.
"Zach?" My voice was hoarse.
Beta Zachary Ryder. My childhood friend. The one I thought I lost forever.
He nodded, a ghost of a smirk on his face. "You’re safe now."
Safe. The word barely registered as memories of the attack came rushing back. Rogues. The packhouse. Running. The smoke. My chest tightened.
"How did you find me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Zach exhaled, crossing his arms. "I’ve been watching you."
A chill ran down my spine. "What? Why?"
He didn’t hesitate. "Because you were in danger the moment you forced yourself into Alpha Gavin’s pack."
Confusion clouded my mind. "What do you mean?"
Zach’s smirk faded. "Gavin isn’t who you think he is. He’s involved in an illegal scheme that has cost innocent packs their lives. Including mine."
I froze. "That’s impossible. Gavin would never—"
"He did." Zach’s voice was firm. "And now, you’re paying the price for being tied to him."
The room spun. I wanted to believe he was wrong, that this was some misunderstanding. But deep down, I knew Gavin had changed. I had ignored the warning signs, desperate to hold onto something that was never mine to begin with.
Before I could respond, the sound of a television caught my attention. I turned to see a news report flashing on the screen. My stomach dropped.
My face. My name. My disappearance. I had been missing for almost a week.
"That’s not possible," I breathed, shaking my head. "I—it was just a few hours ago."
"No, Ofelia. You were unconscious. Your body was weak." Zach leaned forward. "I brought you to a healer."
I frowned. Something felt different. I didn’t feel as sick, as drained. There was a strange energy running through my veins.
"What did they do to me?" I asked, my voice shaking.
Zach hesitated before answering. "They gave you an elixir. It won’t cure you, but it will prolong your life."
Shock rooted me in place. "That’s not possible."
"And yet, here you are, standing without feeling like you’re about to collapse." His voice was careful, watching my reaction.
I looked down at my hands. They weren’t trembling. My limbs weren’t weak. My head wasn’t pounding. It was the first time in months I felt...alive.
But before I could process it, Zach’s expression turned grave.
"There’s more," he said. "Your pack was attacked."
Ice filled my veins. "What?"
Zach clenched his jaw. "It wasn’t just any attack. It was brutal. And..."
His hesitation made my chest tighten. "Just say it."
"Your sister, Daniela... she didn’t make it."
The world shattered. My vision blurred. My breath caught in my throat as a pain unlike anything I’d ever felt crashed over me.
Daniela. My sister. My only family.
Gone.
A sob clawed its way out of my throat. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms as rage consumed me.
Someone had done this. Someone had taken her away from me. And I would find out who.
That night, I stood beside Zach, hidden beneath the golden glow of the masquerade ball. Packs from all over had gathered, their laughter and chatter filling the grand hall. My fingers tightened around the mask covering my face.
Then, I saw them.
Gavin and Avery.
They stood at the center of the room, basking in the attention. Gavin looked unbothered. As if nothing had changed. As if he hadn’t thrown me aside like I was nothing.
But my focus wasn’t on them. It was on the small boy standing beside them
Mavin.
He looked lost. His small hands clenched, his eyes darting around the room as if searching for something—someone. My heart clenched as I realized.
He was looking for me.
Then, his small voice cut through the crowd. "I want Mommy Ofelia."
Silence fell. My breath caught. Gavin stiffened beside Avery, but it was Avery’s reaction that made my blood boil. Her face twisted in irritation as she crouched down to Mavin’s level.
"Ofelia left you," she said sweetly, but her voice dripped with venom. "She didn’t love you enough to stay."
My body shook with rage. My nails dug into my palms so hard I almost broke skin. How dare she? How dare she lie to him?
Mavin’s lip trembled. "No!" he shouted, his small hands balling into fists. "Mommy wouldn’t leave me!"
Tears welled in my eyes. He was fighting for me. Even when the world told him I was gone, he still believed in me.
Zach’s hand landed on my arm, grounding me. "Not yet," he whispered. "We wait."
But my patience was gone. My pain, my grief, my rage—it was all boiling over.
They thought they had won. They thought I was gone.
But they were wrong. And tonight, they would know the truth.
