Chapter 26
I couldn’t stop pacing in my room. Every time I thought about Alpha Jeremiah’s words—his threat about finding out everything about my family—it sent a chill down my spine. He was going to figure it out, and that terrified me. I had to stop him. I had to find a way to ruin whatever plan he was working on.
And then there was what I’d overheard when Selene walked in earlier. She mentioned something about the East border. My heart sank because I knew that border led straight to my father’s territory. They were planning something, and I had to find out what it was before it was too late.
My mind raced with thoughts of my father, my pack, my family. I couldn’t let them down. I had to be brave for them, even if it meant risking everything. I took a deep breath and steadied myself. I wasn’t going to sit around and wait for Jeremiah to make his move. I was going to find out what he was up to.
With that thought, I walked out of my room. My heart was pounding, but I kept my steps steady. It wasn’t hard to figure out where he was. All I had to do was ask the workers where my mate was, and they were quick to point me in the right direction. He was in the room I’d been locked in before—the room that held nothing but painful memories for me. I could feel my heartbeat quicken, my pulse racing as I approached the door.
I stopped outside, careful not to make a sound. The door wasn’t completely closed, and I could see enough inside to make my stomach turn. There was a man tied to a chair, blood dripping down his face, and Alpha Jeremiah and his men were surrounding him, interrogating him. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay calm. I couldn’t let them sense I was nearby.
Using my werewolf hearing, I focused on their conversation. My heart dropped when I realized the man they were torturing was from my home, from my father’s territory. He was one of my father’s warriors. They were trying to get information out of him—the same questions Jeremiah had asked me.
I gritted my teeth, thankful to the Moon Goddess that the man was strong. Even after the torture, he wasn’t betraying his Alpha. He was holding on, despite everything they were doing to him.
It felt like hours passed, my body tense and aching with anxiety. Finally, I saw Alpha Jeremiah, Selene, and the rest of the men, including his uncle, leave the room. I quickly moved back, hiding in the shadows as they passed by. My heart raced as I watched them walk away, and I knew I had to act fast.
Once I was sure they were gone, I darted to the door. My fingers fumbled with the hairpin I had in my pocket, but I managed to unlock the door—a skill I had picked up from sneaking out of my house far too many times back home.
I rushed to the man’s side, his eyes widening when he saw me. “Princess Astrid?” he whispered, his voice weak and filled with disbelief. “Are you okay?”
I felt a lump in my throat, seeing him so bruised and battered. But I didn’t have time for emotions. "We don’t have time to talk," I said, grabbing a knife from the table—probably the same one they’d used to torture him. "What’s your name?"
“Darian,” he whispered, wincing as I cut the ropes binding him to the chair.
“Darian, listen to me,” I said quickly, my heart racing as I worked. “You need to get out of here. Run. Tell my father what Jeremiah is planning. Warn him.”
Darian nodded, his eyes sharp despite the pain he was in. He was a warrior, and even in this state, he wasn’t giving up. “I will,” he promised.
With the ropes cut, Darian stood on shaky legs. But in a flash, he was gone, moving with the speed of a trained werewolf. I could only hope he would make it back to my father safely.
I wasted no time and rushed back to my room, locking the door behind me. My heart was pounding in my chest as I pressed my back against the door, praying Darian would get to my father. I had done what I could. Now, all I could do was wait.
But the relief didn’t last long. It wasn’t even a few minutes later when the door burst open with such force that it flew off its hinges. Alpha Jeremiah stormed in, his eyes as black as night, his face twisted with rage.
In his hand, he held the hairpin I had used to unlock the door.
My stomach dropped.
“Jeremiah…” I whispered, stepping back in fear.
But he didn’t give me a chance to speak. In a flash, he was in front of me, grabbing me roughly by the arm. I tried to pull away, but his grip was iron-tight. Without a word, he dragged me out of my room and down the hall.
He didn’t take me far—just to his room. He shoved me inside and slammed the door behind us. I stumbled and fell onto his bed, my heart racing with fear. I knew I was in trouble. I knew I was about to pay for what I’d done.
Jeremiah was in front of me in an instant, grabbing my legs and pulling me toward him. Before I could even process what was happening, he flipped me over, pressing me face-down into the bed. I tried to wriggle away, but I was no match for him. He was far too strong.
“You’re going to regret this,” he growled in my ear, his voice sending shivers down my spine. “You’ll beg for my mercy before I’m done with you.”
Tears pricked my eyes as I felt his nails dig into my waist, pulling me closer. My dress tore apart, the fabric ripping beneath his strength. I screamed, feeling the sharp pain as his teeth sank into my neck, again and again. He wasn’t marking me—not in the way mates were supposed to. This was punishment. And it hurt more than I ever could have imagined.
His bites were savage, tearing into my flesh with brutal force. Blood soaked the sheets beneath me, and I could feel my body trembling in pain. I wanted to beg him to stop but I could not even open my mouth. All I could feel was the pain.
He finally let me go after what felt like an eternity, leaving me naked, bleeding, and shaking on the bed. I curled into a ball, my body wracked with sobs, my white hair now stained with my own blood.
Jeremiah walked out without a word, leaving me broken and shattered in his room.
But I had saved my family—for now.
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