Chapter 18

Lucy.

Pain.

It struck me first in the head, a dull, throbbing ache that pulsed with every heartbeat. My eyes fluttered open, vision blurring around the edges as I blinked at the upside-down world in front of me. It took a second for my brain to register what had happened. My legs were awkwardly twisted against the dashboard, and my seatbelt bit into my ribs like a steel trap.

I wasn’t dreaming.

The car had crashed.

Smoke filled the air, thick and suffocating, and the acrid sting of gasoline and burning rubber clawed at my lungs. I tried to move, wincing as pain screamed through my body, but the fear I felt overpowered everything.

“Alpha?” My voice cracked, hoarse and shaky. “Alpha Ellison?”

I twisted my head around as best I could, and there he was. Slumped over the steering wheel, motionless. Blood trickled down the side of his temple, staining his collar. For a horrible second, I thought he was dead.

“No, no, no—Ellison!” My panic rose, claws raking at my throat. I reached over with trembling fingers, trying to shake him, then finally started slapping his chest and cheek. “Don’t you dare die on me, you arrogant bastard!”

He jerked with a strangled groan, coughing as his eyes fluttered open. Relief hit me like a tidal wave, and I sagged back against the seat, ignoring the pain lancing through my body.

“What... the hell?” he muttered, dazed.

“We crashed, genius,” I snapped, the adrenaline turning my fear into fury. “Or did you think we just flipped the car for fun? Maybe it was a nice little dream, huh?”

He blinked a few times, disoriented, then cursed under his breath as he realized we were upside down.

“You okay?” he asked, voice rough.

“Do I look okay?” I huffed. “We need to get out before this thing blows.”

He nodded and started fumbling with his seatbelt, and together we crawled out through a shattered side window, collapsing onto the grass in a heap. The cold night air hit me like a slap, and I sucked in a deep breath, trying to steady my shaking hands.

Ellison stood and pulled out his phone, barking orders like nothing had just happened. “Get me a car. Now. And send a unit to assess the wreck. I want to know exactly what went wrong with the vehicle. No excuses.”

He ended the call and turned to me, brushing glass off his shirt. “This was no coincidence.”

“Gee,” I said dryly, “you think? Maybe next time you’ll take the scenic route without trying to murder me.”

He gave me a side-eye glare but didn’t respond. The silence was enough.

The palace gates loomed before us less than an hour later. Towering, cold, and sharp like the heart of its ruler.

I walked a few steps behind him as we entered, each step heavier than the last. My clothes were rumpled, streaked with dirt and blood, but no one dared say a word. Eyes followed us. Whispers circled. I felt them clinging to me like a second skin.

Once inside, I finally stopped him in the hallway. “Ellison,” I said, forcing him to turn.

“What?”

“I won’t let you keep my mother like a prisoner.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You're in no position to dictate terms.”

“She’s not a bargaining chip,” I said, stepping closer. “She’s sick.”

He crossed his arms. “And you expect me to just trust you? A rogue’s daughter? You already breached our agreement once. Why would I believe you’ll honor it now?”

His words stung more than I cared to admit.

“I didn’t break it out of malice,” I said quietly. “You know that.”

He didn’t respond, but the hardness in his expression didn’t fade either.

“That’s my final decision,” he said eventually. “You want her safe, you do as you’re told.”

My hands clenched into fists. Rage boiled in my chest, but I forced it down. Screaming wouldn’t change anything. 

Later that day, I was walking toward the training grounds when I heard that very annoying voice.

That smug, nasally, too-sweet voice that made my blood curdle.

“Well, well. Look who the storm dragged back in.”

I turned slowly.

Aurora stood leaning against the pillar like a cat who just devoured a canary. Her hair was perfect. Her clothes pristine. Her smirk wide and mocking.

“You know,” she drawled, “I was almost worried you'd died in that little accident. But I suppose the rats do have nine lives.”

Something inside me snapped.

Before I realized what I was doing, my feet were moving, fast. I closed the distance between us in a heartbeat and slammed her back against the pillar.

“You want to talk about rats?” I hissed. “You're the one who leaked those pictures, aren’t you?”

She laughed. Laughed.

“Guilty,” she said, brushing imaginary lint from my shoulder. “But really, darling, you’re just mad because you thought a bastard like you could ever fit into a crown.”

I saw red.

The first punch landed square across her jaw, wiping that smirk clean off her face. She screamed and clawed at me, but I didn’t stop. All the pain, all the shame, all the anger—I poured it into my fists.

“You poorly raised bastard!” I yelled as she kicked and struggled beneath me. “You think I am someone you should be messing with?!”

The sound of rushing boots filled the corridor, and suddenly strong arms pulled me back. I kicked and thrashed, snarling like a cornered wolf, but it was no use. I was overpowered.

“Let me go!” I shouted.

“Enough!” A deep, commanding voice cut through the chaos like a blade.

Alpha Ellison.

His presence stopped everything.

“Everyone, out,” he growled. “Now.”

The guards released me, and I staggered back, chest heaving, hands bruised and trembling.

He turned to Aurora, who was dabbing blood from her lip, shooting me daggers with her eyes. “You,” he said to her, “leave.”

“But she—”

“I said, leave.”

She obeyed with a dramatic toss of her hair and one last hateful glare at me.

Ellison looked at me, expression unreadable. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“She provoked me.”

“She always provokes you. That doesn’t mean you get to turn her into a punching bag.”

I looked away, shame battling stubborn satisfaction in my gut.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re a disaster.”

“Then kick me out.”

“No,” he said, after a pause. “You want to be useful? Fine. You’re going to be a training instructor for the pack warriors. You’ll work for free. Your salary—had you earned one—will go straight to your mother’s medical care.”

I blinked. “What?”

“Channel that temper of yours into something useful. Consider it... therapy.”

I stared at him, stunned. “So that’s your solution? Turn me into a glorified punching dummy?”

He met my gaze. “You want your mother safe? Earn it. Do this, and I’ll ensure she gets the best care. She won’t be a prisoner. But she stays under palace protection until you fulfill your part of the deal.”

It wasn’t perfect. Hell, it was barely fair.

But it was the closest thing to mercy I was going to get from Alpha Ellison.

“…Fine,” I said, voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll do it.”

That evening, a knock echoed on my chamber door. One of the palace aides stood there, stiff and pale.

“The Alpha requests your presence,” she said. “To complete the joining ceremony.”

I followed her through the maze of stone corridors, heart pounding. The Alpha’s chamber was large, more a war room than a bedroom—stacks of ancient scrolls and weapons lining the walls. He stood waiting beside a stone pedestal, a silver dagger in his hand.

“Ready?” he asked.

I nodded.

He cut a shallow line across his palm, and I did the same. We pressed our hands together over a crystal bowl, letting our blood mix. The room shimmered faintly with the echo of old incantations.

A strange, sharp warmth spread through me like lightning, embedding me into the very fabric of his pack. I could feel it now—minds brushing up against mine like the whispers of ghosts.

Then a voice came clearly.

“Welcome to the pack.”

It was the Beta.

“Your mother is stable. She’s awake again.”

“And Lucy… don’t forget my offer, you don't have that much time.”

My heart skipped.