Chapter 3

I didn't care what Callum thought of me. All I wanted was to make Hadley pay.

But before I could go after Hadley, he came after me first. With his Juno in tow.

Inside the cottage the Alpha King had given me.

Hadley sat in the main seat, holding Juno's hand, looking pleased with himself.

When he saw me, he didn't even stand. Just waved a lazy hand.

"You used to call yourself the Alpha King heir's mate. Everything in this place was furnished to that standard. You're not that anymore, so I'm taking it all back."

On Hadley's order, his stewards stormed into my courtyard. They tore the place apart like a raid.

The swing my father had built me with his own hands -- they ripped it out of the ground.

The frost-flowers my mother had brought back from the borderlands, the ones she'd named after me -- they uprooted every one and trampled them into the dirt.

My eyes went bloodshot. I lunged to stop them, but Hadley's enforcers grabbed me and forced me to my knees at his feet.

Hadley tipped my chin up with the toe of his boot. His eyes were soft -- but they were looking at Juno.

"Juno, take a look around. Whatever you like, it's yours. You're going to be the Alpha King heir's mate. No one in this whole territory will ever mistreat you again."

Juno looked shy, but what came out of her mouth made my blood run cold.

"I'd like the pendant around her neck. They say the Bloodline Pendant is a sacred heirloom of the Gifted line. Since I'm a Gifted She-Wolf, it should be mine."

Juno stared at my throat. She didn't care about the shock her words sent through everyone in the room. Including me.

I'd never considered the possibility that Juno was Gifted.

If she was, why hadn't Hadley said so in my past life? Why hadn't he brought it up in the Throne Room?

I wanted to demand answers, but I didn't even get the chance to open my mouth.

Hadley was afraid I'd struggle. He dislocated my jaw.

I collapsed to the ground. All I could do was curl around the pendant and protect it with my body.

It was the only thing my mother left me. I couldn't lose it.

I whimpered, fighting with everything I had.

But the gap between us was too wide. Hadley plucked the pendant off me like it was nothing.

He turned it over in his hand.

"Nothing special about it. Here, Juno. It's yours."

Juno snatched it with glee. She hung it around her own neck right in front of me, making sure I could see.

I spat blood. I forced myself to my feet, trying to grab it back.

But Juno just giggled and threw herself into Hadley's arms.

And Hadley clapped his hands. A swarm of Rogues flooded in.

Hadley raised an eyebrow.

"Zoe, with Callum you'll never know what it's like to be touched. Let me help you out. Give you a taste. On your wedding night, you can teach Callum a thing or two."

On Hadley's command.

The Rogues lunged at me like starving animals, eyes gleaming.

I shook my head wildly. I tried to scream at the servants to stop them. But they stood frozen, heads bowed.

My whole body trembled. I felt like I'd been plunged into ice water. The memory of Rogues tearing at me in my past life came flooding back.

If it happened again, I'd lose my mind.

Countless hands appeared in front of me, clawing at my clothes. I was about to --

Then a maidservant I didn't recognize spoke up.

"Alpha King heir, Zoe is a Gifted She-Wolf. What if she gets pregnant? The public won't know whose child it is. If someone tries to claim it, that's a problem for you."

Hadley paused. He looked me over, still pinned down by the Rogues.

"Good point. You're off the hook this time, Zoe."

Hadley sneered. He waved the reluctant Rogues away and looked down at me.

"I'll let you go for now. Once Juno gives me an heir, I'll come give you one too. Consider it a gift."

Hadley's hand touched my face. I couldn't stop myself from dry heaving.

That seemed to satisfy him. He left with Juno on his arm.

After Hadley was gone, the maidservant who'd spoken up rushed over and helped me to my feet.

"Zoe, I'm so sorry for what you went through. Please know that Alpha Callum has everything arranged. This debt will be repaid."

I looked at her. I nodded, hatred burning through every part of me.