Chapter 4

When Vera woke again, she found herself lying on a cold floor, surrounded by darkness and freezing air.

She instinctively tried to sit up. The sound of chains clanking came from her ankles.

Before Vera could figure out what was happening, the door swung open. Kieran walked in with a middle-aged man.

"Elder, Vera didn't do it on purpose. Besides, Wendy's pup is fine now..."

The elder, Roland Thorne, clasped his hands behind his back and sneered. "That's only because Wendy is your fated mate!”

"Alpha, Vera Nightingale is human. The years of protection you've given her were already a gift. You must not let your personal desires affect the pack's future!"

Vera had always known the pack elders did not like her. They had even tried to kill her when Kieran was away, just to eliminate the problem.

Kieran closed his eyes, his expression weary. "I understand."

Roland frowned, his tone severe. "If you understand, then you should make a decision. You're the pack's Alpha. You should set an example.”

"Vera tried to harm your pup. Do you intend to let this go unpunished?"

Kieran took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, all hesitation and reluctance had vanished.

"According to pack law, harming a pup means being branded and permanently exiled from the pack.”

"But considering our years together, I'll waive the exile this time."

Vera's head snapped up, her face full of disbelief. In the pack, only werewolves who committed heinous crimes were branded with the totem on their faces.

They became objects of contempt and abuse for the entire pack.

"I didn't... Kieran, I didn't push her! You can't do this to me!"

Vera's desperate screams made Kieran's lips tremble. He could only dig his nails into his palm to keep himself from rushing forward and pulling her into his arms.

Of course, Kieran knew Vera would never do such a thing. But he had no proof.

Wendy carried his pup. All the elders stood behind her.

He had to appease Wendy. Otherwise, what awaited Vera would be even worse torture.

Roland nodded with satisfaction, then signaled two Omegas to step forward with red-hot branding irons.

Vera struggled to grab the hem of Kieran's clothes, her face filled with despair.

"Kieran, I didn't do it. Why won't you believe me?"

Kieran bent down, wanting to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes, but in the end, his hand remained suspended in midair.

"Don't worry, Vera. With me here, they won't dare say anything about you.”

"As for the pup... my pup with Wendy will be your pup too."

With that, he turned around and closed his eyes. "Do it."

"Yes, sir."

The two Omegas walked up to Vera and grabbed her from both sides.

In this pack, even the lowest-ranking werewolf could easily kill Vera. All she could do was watch helplessly as the red-hot iron drew closer and closer.

"Ahh!" Vera's scream echoed through the entire dungeon, heart-wrenching and raw.

She writhed on the ground in agony.

At the same time, a wrenching pain tore through her lower abdomen.

Kieran's brow furrowed deeply. His sharp werewolf senses caught the smell of burning flesh in the air.

He wanted to turn around and look at Vera, but he did not have the courage. He could only flee in shame.

After what felt like an eternity, the tearing pain gradually subsided. A deep cold seeped into her bones.

She curled up on the straw-covered ground, looking at the blood slowly trickling between her legs. She pulled her lips into a smile.

Even though the movement tugged at the wound on her face, she smiled even brighter.

She had carried a pup. Kieran's pup. A pup all the werewolves thought could never exist. And then his own father killed him.

Vera laughed. Tears mixed with blood from her wound poured down her face.

"Kieran, if I could go back, I wish the person who saved me back then wasn't you..."