CHAPTER 3: Stranger.

Blossom.

*Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.*

The steady, mechanical sound pulled me out of the darkness, slow and disorienting, like I was being dragged back into a world I wasn’t ready to face. My eyelids felt unbearably heavy, but I forced them open, squinting as a harsh white light flooded my vision.

For a moment, everything was blurry, shapes, shadows, brightness.Then gradually, it began to settle.

The sterile scent hit me next, clean, sharp, unmistakable.

I was in the hospital.

The realization sank in slowly, and a faint breath escaped my lips. Somehow… they had brought me here. A small, fragile sense of relief flickered within me. If they hadn’t… if I had been left there…I wasn’t sure I would have survived those blows.

My body ached as I lay there, every inch of me heavy and sore, as though I had been shattered and carelessly pieced back together. Even the simple act of breathing felt like effort. Still, I tried to relax against the bed, letting the stiffness in my limbs ease just a little.

But peace didn’t last.

It never did.

This is what you get for doing that to me two years ago.

Millien’s voice echoed in my head, low and cold, sending a chill down my spine despite the warmth of the room. My fingers curled slightly against the sheets as confusion and unease twisted inside me.

Two years ago.

What exactly happened two years ago?

The question circled my mind endlessly, refusing to settle. Because no matter how hard I tried to think back, nothing came to me, nothing that could explain the hatred in his eyes, the cruelty in his actions.

It was two years ago that everything changed.

Back then, even though I was of Beta breed, I had suddenly been assigned to serve as Millien’s personal maid. It had come without warning, without explanation, just an order that couldn’t be refused and  trust me when I say it hadn’t been easy, not even for a single day.

That same year… that same moment in time… I had found out he was my mate.

I remembered it so clearly.

The way my heart had raced, the way hope had bloomed, fragile and uncertain, the way I had looked at him, waiting… expecting something.

But all I got in return…was disgust. His gaze had been cold, distant, as though the bond between us meant nothing. As though I meant nothing.

“I’m getting engaged to Vanessa.”

Those words had come without hesitation, sharp and final. No room for questions. No room for hope.

Just an end… before anything had even begun.

I inhaled slowly, the memory pressing heavily against my chest as I forced myself back to the present. My eyes drifted around the room, taking in the pale walls, the quiet hum of machines, the stillness that surrounded me.

And that was when I noticed it.

I wasn’t alone.

Across the room, there was another patient, lying just as still, their presence almost blending into the silence. But it wasn’t them that held my attention.

It was the man beside them.

He stood there, unmoving, his eyes fixed directly on me.

A strange tension filled the air the moment I met his gaze. Something about the way he looked at me made my chest tighten, my instincts urging me to look away.

So I tried.

I shifted my gaze, turning my head slightly, pretending not to notice but it was already too late.

Because the moment had passed and before I could avoid it any further…he moved.

“Too pitiful.” His voice was calm, almost casual, as he shook his head slightly, like he had just witnessed something disappointing…but expected. 

There was no mockery in his tone, yet it didn’t carry sympathy either. It was something else entirely… something that made my chest tighten without reason.

“Tell me,” he continued, raising a brow as his gaze lingered on me, steady and unreadable, “do you want a way out?”

For a moment, I couldn’t even process what he had said.

A way out?

The words echoed in my mind, foreign and unsettling. I stared at him, completely dumbfounded. Why would a stranger, someone I had never seen before, walk up to me and ask such a question? It didn’t make sense. 

My lips parted slightly, but no words came out and before I could gather myself, before I could even think of a response, he moved again.

His hand lifted, reaching toward me without hesitation, and before I could pull away, his fingers brushed against my hair. He tucked a loose strand behind my ear with an ease that felt far too familiar, far too intimate for someone I didn’t know.

My body went rigid instantly.

“Blossom Ashford,” he said, his voice lowering just a fraction, as though testing the weight of my name. “I just asked a question.”

My breath caught.

A sharp chill ran down my spine as my heart skipped a beat.

He knew my name.

The realization hit me all at once, sending a wave of unease crashing through me. My fingers tightened slightly against the bedsheet, my instincts screaming at me to create distance, to push him away, to protect myself.

“Stay away from me,” I said quickly, my voice rising despite the weakness that still lingered in it. There was a tremor beneath the words, but I forced them out anyway. “I don’t need your help.”

For a brief second, silence stretched between us.

 “Easy,” he chuckled softly, as though my reaction amused him more than it offended him.

The sound unsettled me even more.

Without another word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. My eyes followed the movement instinctively, wary, uncertain. Before I could refuse,before I could even lift my hand to stop him, he gently took my hand and placed the card into it.

His touch was brief.

“When you change your mind,” he said smoothly, his voice carrying a quiet certainty that made my stomach twist, “you can reach out.”

Then, just like that, he stepped back, creating distance between us again. His gaze lingered on me for a second longer, unreadable as ever, before shifting toward the other patient in the room.

For a moment, his expression changed, subtly, almost imperceptibly, then he turned and walked away.

The door closed behind him with a soft click, leaving the room in silence once more.

I sat there, unmoving, staring down at the card now resting in my hand. Curiosity crept in despite myself, quiet but persistent. My fingers shifted slightly as I turned it over, about to read whatever was written on it…but before I could…

The door opened again and my entire body tensed.

“Blossom, dear.” Vanessa’s voice rang out, sweet yet dangerous.

The color drained from my face instantly as my grip on the card tightened.

What does she want this time?

CHAPTER 4: Him.

Blossom.

“What do you want, Vanessa?” The question slipped out the moment she stepped closer, my voice sharper than I intended, edged with exhaustion and something dangerously close to anger. 

My fingers moved instinctively, quickly sliding the card beneath the thin hospital blanket, hiding it from view before her eyes could catch even a glimpse of it.

Her presence alone made the air feel heavier.

“What I want…,” she began, her tone calm but firm, her face completely devoid of warmth, “....is for you to stay clear away from Millien, Blossom.”

I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself, the motion slow, tired, but filled with quiet defiance. Of course. Of course that was what she came for. Vanessa was nothing if not predictable.

A bitter scoff rose in my chest.

She knew.

She knew very well that Millien hadn’t rejected me…not officially. The bond still existed, no matter how much he despised me. I was still his mate, whether he liked it or not. And hearing her say those words so boldly, as if she had already claimed what wasn’t entirely hers…it stung more than I wanted to admit and it angered me.

“Vanessa,” I said, my voice lower now, steadier despite the storm brewing inside me, “why are you after my life?”

The question hung between us, heavy with something deeper than curiosity. Because I truly didn’t understand. I had never done anything to her, at least, nothing I could remember. Yet her hatred for me ran deep, far deeper than simple jealousy.

For a split second, she said nothing, then she chuckled. The sound was soft… almost musical but there was something twisted beneath it.

“I’m not, darling,” she replied smoothly, tilting her head slightly as her lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “It’s just that no one would notice me unless you are in pain.”

My breath hitched.

Her smile deepened, darker this time, more revealing.

“You are like a stepping stone to moonlight.”

The words settled over me slowly, chilling me from the inside out.

“Psycho,” I muttered under my breath, unable to hold it back.

But instead of being offended, she laughed. A light, amused laugh, like I had just told her something entertaining rather than insulting.

And then…the door opened. The sound was sudden, cutting through the tension like a knife.

Lurgard stepped inside.

What happened next unfolded so quickly, so unexpectedly, that I barely had time to process it.

One moment, Vanessa was standing in front of me.

The next…her hand grabbed mine, her grip was tight, deliberate, and before I could react, she pulled me forward slightly and then…she let go.

Her body dropped to the floor.

“Blossom, how could you?!” Lurgard’s voice thundered instantly, filled with outrage as he rushed toward her, panic and anger flashing across his face. He knelt beside her, helping her up carefully, his attention completely fixed on her.

And as she leaned into him…she looked at me. A smug smile spread across her lips, quick and triumphant, gone almost as soon as it appeared.

My stomach dropped.

Lurgard didn’t even hesitate, he didn’t question.

His hand shot toward me, grabbing a fistful of my hair and yanking hard. Pain exploded through my scalp, sharp and immediate, forcing a gasp out of me as my head was pulled back.

“Don’t be too hard on Blossom, Lurgard…” Vanessa’s voice came softly, fragile now, as if she was the one in pain.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, glistening under the light, her entire expression transformed into one of pure innocence.

“I had only come to apologize to her,” she continued, her voice trembling slightly, “that I really didn’t mean to scream then and cause her to be humiliated.”

Such an actress!

Every word, every tear, it was all perfectly crafted and it worked.

It always did.

For a moment, Lurgard’s grip tightened… then suddenly, he released my hair just like that, as if her words alone were enough to decide everything.

I winced, as the pain didn’t leave with his touch, it lingered, throbbing across my scalp, spreading downward in waves that made my vision blur for a second. My fingers twitched weakly at my sides, but I didn’t dare lift them. 

“Your heart is just so evil, Blossom. I really can’t stand you anymore.”

Lurgard’s words hit harder than his hand ever could. Each syllable was laced with disgust, heavy and suffocating, like he truly meant every bit of it. My chest tightened, but I kept my head lowered, forcing myself into stillness.

“Vanessa saw the need to apologize to you, even though you were wrong…but you still…” His voice trailed off, but the anger didn’t. I could hear it in the way he clenched his fists, the tension in his breathing, the restraint in his posture.

I didn’t need him to finish the sentence.

I already knew what he believed.

He turned toward Vanessa almost instantly, his tone shifting as if a switch had been flipped. “Princess,” he said, softer now, more careful, “I think we should get back home.”

“No, Lurgard,” Vanessa replied gently, her voice carrying that same false warmth that made my skin crawl. “You can go ahead. I need to look after Blossom. No one has looked after her since she was brought here by the guards.”

For a brief moment, just a fleeting second, a dull ache spread across my chest but I masked it, pushing it down before it could take root.

“No way!” Lurgard snapped immediately, his voice firm and unyielding. “Who knows what she would do to you next? She is an ungrateful bitch!”

The words stung, but I stayed silent.

“But…” Vanessa tried again, her tone hesitant, as though she truly wanted to argue.

“Vanessa… we are leaving.” His voice left no room for debate this time.

I could hear movement, fabric shifting, footsteps turning. He must have taken her hand, guiding her toward the door. And for a moment, I thought that was it, that they would just leave.

But then…he stopped right at the door.

The silence stretched for a brief second, thick and heavy, before his voice came again, lower this time, colder.

“Most times… I actually wish you were never my sister.”

Something inside me broke completely.

The words didn’t just hurt, they shattered something deep within me, something I didn’t even realize I was still holding onto. 

My breath caught in my throat as the sound of the door opening echoed faintly, followed by the soft click of it shutting behind them.

And just like that…they were gone.

The room fell into silence.

The tears I had been fighting so desperately to hold back slipped free instantly, trailing down my cheeks without restraint. My body trembled slightly as I lay there, staring blankly ahead, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me all at once.

I was tired…fed up with the pain, the accusations, the betrayal and for the first time, a thought crept into my mind, quiet but persistent.

Maybe…Maybe I should accept his help.

Because the people who were supposed to protect me… the ones who should have stood by me…were the very ones breaking me.

Slowly, I reached beneath the blanket and pulled out the card, my fingers trembling slightly as I brought it into view. My eyes fixed on the name written across it.

Ryder Stormborn.

My breath hitched.

A gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it as recognition struck instantly, sending a jolt through me.

Him.

He was our pack’s greatest rival.

Millien’s sworn enemy.

No wonder he knew my name.

But that only made things worse.

Why would he offer to help me?

My fingers tightened around the card as unease settled deep in my chest.

Was this… some kind of trap?

Or something far more dangerous?

CHAPTER 5: What you did!

Blossom.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment and drew in a slow, steady breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside me. The words they had thrown at me still echoed in my head, sharp and cruel, digging into wounds that had never truly healed.

But I refused to let them consume me.

I had already suffered enough.

I needed to focus on getting better. I needed to focus on my recovery and nothing else.

Slowly, I pushed those hurtful words to the back of my mind, forcing myself to let them go. Yet, as I sat there in silence, another thought surfaced.

The stranger.

The man who had spoken to me earlier.

A slight frown settled on my face.

Without wasting another second, I reached for the card he had given me. My fingers tightened around it as I turned it over and looked at the name printed boldly across its surface.

The moment my eyes landed on it, my entire body went rigid.

Ryder Stormborn.

For several seconds, I simply stared.

The name alone was enough to make my blood run cold.

My pack's greatest rival.

A bitter scoff escaped my lips.

Now it all made sense, it's no wonder he had known my name, no wonder he had approached me so confidently.

There was no way a man like Ryder Stormborn would seek me out without a reason.

Politics.

It had to be politics.

What other explanation could there possibly be?

My jaw clenched.

How dare he?

How dare he think he could simply walk into my life and offer me help?

Did he think I was desperate?

Did he think I would willingly accept assistance from someone connected to the very people my pack considered enemies?

Never.

"To hell with him," I muttered bitterly, as my grip on the card tightened. "To hell with everyone."

I would never ask him for help.

I was still drowning in my thoughts when the door suddenly swung open.

The sound snapped me out of my anger.

I lifted my head immediately and there he was.

Millien.

Standing right before me.

His eyes locked onto mine, and a cruel smile slowly spread across his face.

"This is just the beginning, Blossom," Millien said the moment he stepped inside.

I let out a light scoff and folded my arms across my chest.

"Millien," I said, raising an eyebrow at him, "why don't you just reject me and free me from all this?"

The smile on his face vanished instantly.

"No way, Blossom!" he yelled without hesitation, his voice echoing through the room. "You still haven't paid for what you did two years ago.”

I looked at him in complete confusion, my brows knitting together as I searched his face for answers.

What exactly was he talking about?

His words made no sense to me.

What had I supposedly done two years ago?

I racked my brain, trying to remember something—anything—that could explain the hatred burning in his eyes, but nothing came to mind.

Absolutely nothing.

My heart pounded uneasily against my chest.

"Oh! Don't give me that look, Blossom!" he suddenly yelled.

Before I could react, his hand shot forward and gripped my chin roughly.

I winced immediately.

His fingers dug painfully into my skin as he forced me to look directly at him.

"Don't act like you don't know!" he snapped.

Fear and confusion swirled inside me.

I truly didn't know.

I had no idea what he was accusing me of.

"Millien, what—"

I tried to speak, as I wanted answers.

But before I could finish, he released my chin only for his palm to come crashing across my face.

The force of the slap snapped my head to the side. A sharp sting exploded through my cheek.

For a moment, I could only sit there in stunned silence.

"Listen to me, Blossom," he said coldly.

Slowly, I turned my head back toward him.

His expression was hard and merciless. There wasn't even the slightest trace of kindness in his eyes.

"I will make you pay for what you did for the rest of your life," he continued firmly, every word falling like a sentence being passed. "I will make you suffer."

A chill ran through me.

I simply stared at the monster standing before me.

This wasn't the man I once thought I knew.

The person standing in front of me now was filled with nothing but anger, hatred, and the desire to hurt me.

Yet I still couldn't understand why.

What had I done?

What terrible crime was he punishing me for?

Without another word, Millien turned around and he walked toward the door. A second later, he stepped out and left the room.

The door closed behind him and silence immediately filled the space.

I remained frozen where I sat, staring blankly ahead.

What had I done?

And more importantly...

What was I supposed to do now?