Chapter 3

I followed silently behind my three alpha brothers, my soul weighed down with sorrow.

The three wolves raced toward the cellar's exit, their furious howls echoing through the night.

"Aria! Do you think you can pretend nothing happened just by staying silent?" Kane growled, his voice sharp with anger.

But there was no reply.

"Aria, stop playing games!" Kelvin snapped. "Open the door, kneel before Elsa, and apologize for what you did! Making her nearly lose her life because of that almond cake—you think silence will erase that? Cutting the mind-link won't save you from punishment."

Karl's chest rumbled with a deep growl as he bared his fangs, rage flashing in his eyes. "You think we can't see through you? You're jealous because we were nice to Elsa. Is that why you're hiding in there?"

"Do you really think ignoring us will make us give up on holding you accountable?"

Still, not a single sound came from within the cellar.

Seeing the guards trembling by the door, Kane snarled: "What are you all so scared of? Did Aria force you to let her out? Are you hiding something from us?"

Karl scoffed, "She probably ordered the guards to release her the moment we left. She's always been too pampered to endure the consequences."

Kelvin's voice dropped with bitter disappointment. "Is this who you are now, Aria?

The she-wolf I once protected with everything I had—hiding now like a coward, refusing to admit what she did? Do you think you're the only sister we have?"

One of the guards finally stammered, "A-Alpha Kane… none of us would dare release her without your command. Aria's been locked down here for three days…"

Kelvin stepped forward uneasily, eyes narrowing. He yanked at the broken chains. Though the silver bindings had melted through, the door remained stuck.

"Aria! Enough of this nonsense! I already broke the lock—what now, are you clinging to the door like a pup refusing to come out?"

Frustration laced his voice. Without realizing it, sharp claws unsheathed from his fingertips. He raked them across the door, leaving deep, angry gashes.

I smiled bitterly from behind them, my soul hovering near. The warped door still bore the marks—claw marks—deep and ragged. My wolf had thrown herself against it again and again that suffocating night, lungs burning, paws shredded to the bone. But no matter how we begged or howled, the silver-laced door never budged. Not even a sliver of light broke through.

Brothers… when you find my corpse, will you feel anything? Even a shred of guilt? Will you at least bury me beside our parents?

Kane's fury surged. With a snarl, he slammed his foot into the door.

A loud crack echoed through the air as the door split slightly. A wave of putrid rot and silver dust spilled out, gagging the wolves and guards alike. Several of the guards staggered back, hands over mouths.

"T-That... that smells like… a corpse…" one of them choked out.

Kelvin and Karl approached, their faces twisted in disbelief.

"A corpse? Don't be ridiculous. She probably ran off and left a dead rat in there just to spite us."

"Aria! You think we're fools?!" Karl snarled.

Driven by frustration and denial, the three brothers moved as one—three enraged wolves, blind to the truth they were about to face.

They lifted their feet and kicked.

With a thunderous crash, the cellar door shattered open.

And there it was.

The stench of death hit them like a blow to the chest. Silver dust swirled in the stale air. The dark, suffocating cellar was now wide open—and what lay inside would silence every denial they had clung to.