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.

The grand hall was alive with music, laughter, and the clinking of glasses, but I barely heard any of it. My heart pounded as I stood hidden in the shadows, my eyes locked on Mavin. He stood near the center of the room, dwarfed by the towering figures of Gavin and Avery, his small hands clenched into fists.

"Mommy?" His voice was soft at first, hesitant, as he scanned the crowd with wide, searching eyes.

My breath caught.

Zach’s grip on my arm tightened. "Not yet," he murmured, his tone sharp with warning. "Don't blow your cover."

But how could I just stand here?

Mavin was confused, afraid. I could see it in the way his body trembled, the way he shifted anxiously from foot to foot. My stomach twisted at the thought of how lost he must have felt these past days, wondering where I had gone. Wondering why I had left him behind.

"Mommy!" His voice rose in desperation, cracking slightly.

Every fiber of my being ached to run to him, to scoop him up in my arms and promise him I hadn’t abandoned him. That I would never leave him.

But before I could move, Gavin stepped forward, his golden eyes darkening as he placed a heavy hand on Mavin’s shoulder.

"Enough," he said, his tone quiet but firm.

Mavin jerked away, shaking his head wildly. "No! Let me go!" he cried. "I know she's here!"

A ripple of murmurs spread through the ballroom. I felt the shift in the atmosphere, the subtle change in the way people stood, their interest piqued by Mavin’s outburst.

Gavin crouched down; his grip still firm on Mavin’s wrist. His face remained unreadable, his voice unnervingly calm.

"She’s gone, Mavin," he said. "She abandoned you. She’s a bad person"

I stiffened.

Mavin’s lip trembled. His blue eyes glistened under the chandeliers, his small body vibrating with anger. "You're lying!" he shouted, his voice was raw. "She would never leave me!"

A cold chill crawled up my spine.

A man dressed in Beta robes stepped forward, unfurling a thick parchment. My stomach clenched as he cleared his throat, his voice echoing through the silent room.

"This is an official decree from Alpha Gavin regarding the betrayal of his former mate, Ofelia."

The word betrayal made my blood run cold.

"As of today, Ofelia is labeled a rogue. She conspired with enemies to attack our pack. She abandoned her son. And should she ever return…" The Beta paused, his next words hanging in the air like a death sentence. "She will be executed on sight."

A stunned silence filled the ballroom. My breath caught in my throat.

This wasn’t just a way to keep me away—this was a permanent erasure of my existence. Gavin had just marked me as a traitor. Even if I stepped forward now, I wouldn’t survive.

Mavin’s face paled. His small hands clenched at his sides. "No," he whispered.

Then, without warning, he turned and bolted for the exit.

The guards moved instantly, ready to grab him.

I couldn't stay still any longer.

"Move," I snarled at Zach, shoving his arm away. Before he could stop me, my feet carried me forward, out of the shadows and into the light.

Gasps filled the room.

I felt the weight of a hundred eyes snap to me, their shock and confusion thick in the air. My chest heaved as I took another step forward, my gaze locked on Mavin.

His frantic movements stilled. He froze mid-step, his breath hitching as his small frame trembled.

Then his eyes met mine.

"Mommy?" His voice was so small, so fragile.

Tears burned behind my eyes. "I’m here, sweetheart," I whispered.

But before I could reach him, Avery’s voice rang through the air.

"Guards! Seize her!"

A rush of bodies moved toward me, but I didn’t care. I had already stepped too far into the light, and I wouldn’t back down now.

"How dare you," I snarled, my eyes burning as I turned to Gavin. "How dare you tell him I abandoned him? How dare you tell the world I was a traitor?"

Gavin’s expression remained cold, unreadable. But I saw it. The flicker of hesitation in his golden eyes. The war raging inside of him.

"Tell him the truth," I challenged, my voice rising. "Tell him how I raised him. How I loved him. How I stayed when you—" my breath hitched, my fury swallowing my words. "How you chose to replace me before I was even gone."

The entire ballroom was silent.

Mavin’s small frame shook as he looked up at Gavin, confusion and hurt twisting his features.

"Is it true?" he whispered.

Gavin’s jaw tensed, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. But Avery stepped in before he could speak.

"Of course not," she said smoothly. "This woman is delusional. She’s manipulating you, Mavin—"

"You’re the liar!" I shot back. "You’ve poisoned him against me, against the truth. But you can’t erase me from his heart. No matter how hard you try."

Avery’s smile faltered.

Gavin took a slow step forward. His gaze locked onto mine, hard and unyielding. "Leave," he said, his voice eerily calm.

My breath hitched. He wasn’t yelling. He wasn’t lashing out. But something in his tone—something final—made my chest tighten with pain.

"Gavin," I whispered.

A flicker of something crossed his face, but then it was gone.

"You have five seconds before I make good on that decree," he said flatly.

And that was it.

Zach grabbed my arm before I could say anything else. "We need to go. Now."

"No!" Mavin screamed, his tiny hands reaching for me as a guard held him back. "Mommy, don’t go!"

My heart shattered. I fought against Zach’s grip, but it was too late. More guards rushed forward.

"Get her out of here!" Avery’s voice rang through the hall.

A burst of energy surged through me as Zach yanked me backward, his strength overpowering my own. The air whooshed past me as we were thrown into the night, the ballroom doors slamming shut behind us.

I collapsed to my knees, gasping. The cold night air burned my lungs.

Behind those doors, Mavin was still screaming at me.

And there was nothing I could do.

The night was bitter, the cold slicing through my skin as Zach and I ran. The sounds of the party had long faded behind us, but Mavin’s screams still echoed in my ears.

"Mommy, don’t go!"

My legs ached, my breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps. Zach finally slowed as we reached the outskirts of town, his grip firm on my arm as if he expected me to collapse. Maybe he was right.

“This place is safe for now,” Zach muttered, leading me into an old safe house tucked between the trees. It was a small, abandoned cottage, its walls lined with dust and forgotten furniture. He pulled the curtains shut, locking the door behind us. “We can’t stay long. Gavin’s guards will be out looking for you.”

I barely heard him. My body moved on instinct, pacing the creaky wooden floor as I tried to make sense of what had just happened.

Gavin’s voice was still ringing in my head. The cold finality of his words.

"You have five seconds before I make good on that decree."

I shuddered, wrapping my arms around myself. I should’ve expected it but hearing him say it so easily—casting me aside like I was nothing—felt like a dagger to my chest.

“Ofelia,” Zach called again, sharper this time. “We need to plan our next move. I know you’re shaken up, but you can’t lose your head now.”

I turned to him, my voice barely above a whisper. “I have to go back.”

Zach’s expression hardened. “Don’t be reckless. You saw what happened back there. If you go back now, they’ll kill you.”

“I can’t just leave him,” I snapped. “Mavin—he saw me. He knows I didn’t abandon him. I have to reach him before Avery poisons him even more.”

Zach sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “And how do you plan to do that? March up to the estate and ask nicely?”

I ignored him, my eyes scanning the room. There had to be something—some way to contact Mavin without exposing myself. Then I spotted it.

An old, dusty drawer sat half-open in the corner. My hands trembled as I pulled it open, my heart pounding when I saw what lay inside. A burner phone.

I snatched it up, fingers shaking as I checked for a signal. Weak, but still working. I hesitated for only a moment before typing a short message to the only person I knew could still be trusted inside Gavin’s ranks.

"Is he safe?”

Minutes passed. I held my breath, my pulse hammering as the screen stayed dark. Then, finally, a reply came.

But it wasn’t from my contact.

My heart nearly stopped as I read the sender’s name.

Mavin.

I inhaled sharply, my fingers tightening around the phone as I opened the message.

[Mommy, I need you. They're lying to me. Please come back.]

A choked sob caught in my throat. He knew. He knew. Despite everything, despite Avery’s poison and Gavin’s coldness, Mavin still trusted me.

Zach looked over my shoulder, his jaw tightening. “This is dangerous, Ofelia. If he’s messaging you, someone could be watching him.”

“I don’t care,” I whispered. “He needs me.”

Inside the pack’s estate, Avery watched Mavin with an expression of forced patience. He stood stiffly in the center of his room, fists clenched, glaring up at her.

“She’s not a traitor,” he said, his voice thick with defiance.

Avery sighed, kneeling to meet his eye level. “Oh, sweetheart. I know this is hard to understand, but your mother—”

“She’s not my mother,” Mavin snapped. “You keep saying that, but she is. She raised me. She was there when no one else was.”

A flicker of irritation passed over Avery’s face, but she smoothed it over quickly. “That woman lied to you, Mavin. She manipulated you. She wanted to hurt us.”

Mavin’s hands trembled. “That’s not true.”

Gavin, who had been standing quietly by the door, finally spoke. “You need to let her go.”

Mavin turned, his blue eyes burning. “If she’s a traitor, why do I remember her being the only one who ever loved me?”

The room went still.

Avery’s lips pressed into a thin line, her fingers curling at her sides. She turned to Gavin, expecting him to say something—to tell Mavin he was wrong.

But Gavin said nothing. Instead, he turned and walked away.

Zach and I sat in silence, the burner phone still clutched in my hands. Every second felt like an eternity as I waited for another message, anything to tell me Mavin was still safe.

Then, the screen flickered.

A new message appeared—but this time, it wasn’t from Mavin.

A chill ran down my spine as I read the words.

[Come any closer, and you’ll regret it.]

The number was blocked.

I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. This wasn’t just a warning. Someone knew. Someone had been watching.

Zach peered over my shoulder, his expression darkening. “They’re onto us.”

“I’m going back,” I said. “Tonight.”

Zach exhaled sharply. “You’re insane.”

I met his gaze, my voice firm. “Mavin needs me. And I’m done letting them take everything from me.”

For a long moment, Zach didn’t speak. Then, finally, he let out a low curse. “Fine. But if we do this, we do it my way. There’s an old tunnel beneath the estate. It’s dangerous, but it might be our only shot.”

I nodded. “Then we take it.”

A final message flashed onto the screen.

[Mommy, they know.]