Chapter 3

When I next woke up, my eyes had been covered. I could not see even the smallest pinprick of light.

My hands and legs were bound with heavy, silver-threaded ropes. Burning pain radiated through my skin where the silver scorched my flesh.

A whip laced with wolfsbane lashed down mercilessly across my back, tearing through my skin and burning my wolf.

The stinging venom crept into my veins, making it impossible to breathe or even howl for help.

Every time I drifted into unconsciousness, the rogues poured salt and wolfsbane water onto my fresh wounds, forcing me back into agonizing awareness.

In sheer desperation, I used the last of my energy to force open the mind-link to Ethan.

“Ethan… save me… I’ve been captured by rogues near the border…”

A cold, impatient snort came through the mental connection. Ethan’s voice was filled with biting disgust.

“Willow, stop playing your pathetic games! Chloe was just attacked by rogues near the lake and almost lost her life, and now you’re conveniently in danger too? Do you really think I’m that easily fooled?”

“I’m telling the truth… Ethan, please—”

“Enough! Stop acting! I don’t have time for your childish tantrums!”

Before I could say another word, Ethan severed the mind-link completely. The icy silence hit me far harder than the burning silver.

The rogue holding the whip let out a harsh laugh. “Gave up on your Alpha lover, sweetheart? Someone paid us well to make sure you suffer tonight.”

The whip struck again and again, leaving deep silver burns across my back and legs.

When they finally grew tired and threw my bloodied body onto the cold ground, dawn was already breaking.

I dragged my numb, trembling body back to my private cabin near the pack border.

My head was throbbing with a burning fever. Because my legs had been bound and scorched by silver all night, I walked with a heavy limp in my right leg.

I collapsed onto the bed, shivering uncontrollably. I patted my cloak pocket—thankfully, the moonstone charm of my mother and myself was still there.

Suddenly, the wooden door was kicked open. Chloe stormed in, flanked by the usual spoiled pack socialites who followed her around.

Seeing how pale, bloodstained, and weak I looked, Chloe burst out laughing. “What happened to you, Sis?”

I did not reply. Just as I tried to pull myself up to leave, Chloe stepped in front of me and sneered.

“Are you still waiting for Ethan? How tragic! I hired those rogue mercenaries myself to torture you last night. All I did was shed a few tears and tell Ethan that you sent rogues to attack me, and he believed every word. When you begged him for help, he thought you were just playing victim!”

“Shut up,” I rasped, my voice weak and raspy. “Aren’t you worried Ethan will find out the truth? He hates liars.”

Chloe looked even more delighted. “And how would he know? You’ll be sent to the Bloodmoon Pack soon. Three Lunas of that brutal Alpha have already died. How long do you think you will survive?”

Chloe gave a signal, and several pack guards came up to pin me to the floor. Chloe snatched the moonstone charm from my hand.

“Didn’t you say that I got everything I have in this pack from you?” As she spoke, she raised her hand high. “In that case, I want you to watch as I destroy everything you hold dear.”

“No!” I screamed, struggling desperately against the guards.

But it was no use. The moonstone charm slammed onto the stone floor and shattered into unrecognizable, lifeless dust.

Before I could gather the pieces, Chloe ordered the pack guards to throw me into a carriage and send me straight to the border checkpoint.

By the time Ethan finished taking care of Chloe, feeling an unexplained restlessness in his wolf, he went to my cabin to find me. The place was blanketed in cold darkness and smelled faint of blood.

He felt a deep sense of unease rise within him, and he rushed back to the Pack House.

“Alpha Bennet, where is Willow?”

“Willow? She should have arrived in the Bloodmoon pack by now.”

Ethan’s heart kicked into overdrive, and his wolf howled in panic inside him. His voice trembled as he asked, “Why is she in the Bloodmoon pack?”