Less than two hours after Lucas informed the pack of my decision to return, I received confirmation. In three days, a helicopter would come to extract me. I wanted nothing more to do with Alpha Ryland Palmer. Gritting my teeth, I managed to pull on my jeans and stumbled out of the pack infirmary, searching for a place to hide out for the next few days.

But it felt like every pack member was dissecting me with their eyes. I kept my head down until a rogue blocked my path.

"Hey there, beautiful. Remember me? You were quite the party the other night. Ready for round two?"

He slung an arm around my shoulder and started making sleazy comments, his eyes shamelessly roving over me. Memories of two nights ago flooded my mind. I shoved him away as hard as I could, but he only became more aggressive. The pack members around us started whispering, alternating between watching me and glancing at their phones.

"Is she really pulling a stunt right here in the pack square? Quite the show," someone remarked.

Another even joked with the rogue, "When you’re done, maybe I could get a chance?"

Panicking, I pleaded for help from those around me, but no one stepped in. The rogue kicked me to the ground. Lying there in despair, I grabbed at the hem of the only other woman’s skirt, hoping for her help. She pushed me away with disdain, as if I were diseased.

Curled up on the cobblestones, I closed my eyes. Clutching a stone, I was ready to defend myself if necessary. Then I heard Lilly’s voice.

"Alpha Ryland, you're devious. With this ‘damsel in distress’ stunt, she'll be forced to go along with your plan."

"Don’t overdo it," Alpha Ryland’s voice replied, "She’s going to be your Luna eventually."

The voices faded as the rogue attacked again. At the last moment, Alpha Ryland kicked him away, scooping me up from the ground.

"Your injuries aren’t even healed. Why are you out here?" Alpha Ryland scolded, holding me close.

"The photos are already online. I’m doing my best to contain them. No matter what happens, I’ll have your back, okay?"

Alpha Ryland sighed as he looked at me. Seeing my reluctance to return to the infirmary, he brought me to his den.

The shrill ring of a phone shattered the silence between us. Alpha Ryland stepped away to answer in the living room. When he returned, he handed me a Victorian-style dress from the closet.

"Lilly means well. She found a top healer from another pack for you. Let’s go see him."

A chill ran down my spine. Calmly, I pushed Alpha Ryland back. "I’m fine. I don’t need healing."

He frowned, his alpha aura pressing down on me. "Penelope, be reasonable! We’re all trying to help."

Despite my protests, Alpha Ryland insisted on taking me to the car. His driving was reckless, and even lying flat in the passenger seat, every bump pulled painfully at my wounds, bringing back memories from two nights ago.

With a sudden stop, the car came to a halt, and Alpha Ryland opened my door, pulling me out. Pack members glared maliciously, whispering vile comments. I could only cover my ears in shame, feeling like I belonged in the shadows.

Head down, I let Alpha Ryland lead me. As soon as we entered the consultation room, Lilly rushed to greet us.

"Penelope, I’ve found a healer from another pack. He’ll help heal the damage caused by that rogue."

The healer’s gaze unsettled me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Alpha Ryland positioned me at the center of the room, the bright lights making me uncomfortable.

"Relax," the healer said soothingly. "I know sitting's uncomfortable right now, so I’ve arranged a bed for you. Lie down however you’re most comfortable."

I fixed my eyes on the clock, counting the seconds. One... two... three...

I was lost in a haze, guided by the pack healer to relive the horrors of the previous night again and again. Each time, I screamed, my voice raw, my body writhing as I tumbled from the bed, only for Alpha Ryland Palmer to place me back. His touch was cold, clinical, as if I were nothing more than an object to be manipulated.

The memories clawed at me—the thug’s rough hands, the taunts, the pain. My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, urging me to fight, to run, but I was paralyzed by fear. I clutched at Ryland’s pant leg, my fingers trembling. “Please, Alpha,” I begged, my voice barely a whisper. “Help me. I’m scared. Save me.”

But he pulled away, his expression unreadable. The healer, Shepard Bell, leaned over me, his voice low and insistent, forcing me deeper into the nightmare. I relived the branding iron’s searing heat, the knife carving abusive words into my skin, the relentless humiliation. I writhed on the floor, my body convulsing with pain, my pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears.

“Everything’s set,” a voice said, cutting through the fog in my mind. “Shall we proceed to the next stage?” I barely registered the words, my consciousness slipping away. “Alpha, the hypnosis is complete. She won’t remember a thing by tomorrow.”

“Don’t push it too far,” Ryland said, his tone detached. “She’s still a warrior. Her survival instinct is strong.”

Lilly’s voice chimed in, sweet and playful, but laced with malice. “Alpha Ryland, I want Milo to have his revenge. I’ve brought in some rogues—they’ll keep her company for a few hours. We’ll observe from the control room to ensure no lasting harm comes to her. After all, she won’t remember anything.”

A long pause followed, and I held my breath, praying for Ryland to refuse. But his voice, cold and indifferent, shattered that hope. “Do as you wish.”

Those words broke me. I tried to struggle to my feet, but my body felt like it was weighed down by stones. Tears streamed down my face, the humiliation of being utterly at their mercy leaving me gasping for air.

Soon, I felt the rogues surrounding me, their laughter cruel and mocking. My scalp ached as one yanked at my hair, and they began tearing at my clothes. “Alpha, perfect timing,” one of them sneered. “Your little mate’s clothes are in tatters.”

“The thug’s had his fun,” another added. “She’s hypnotized anyway. Let us have a go.”

I wanted to scream, to fight, but I was powerless. My tears soaked into the carpet beneath me, my body trembling with fear and despair. And then I heard Ryland’s voice, so cold, so detached, as he uttered the words that extinguished my last glimmer of hope.

“Go ahead. But be careful.”

My wolf howled in anguish, a sound that echoed only in my mind. I closed my eyes, letting the darkness swallow me whole.