Chapter Six – Shadows of the Mansion

 

The ballroom was still thick with smoke and the stench of blood when Lucian summoned the Elders to a private chamber. His cold gaze swept to Jax.

“Get her home safely,” he commanded, his tone making it clear he would accept nothing less.

“Yes, sir,” Jax said, inclining his head.

Sophie stayed silent, her mask in place, though the weight of her grandfather’s words pressed against her ribs like an iron band.

As Jax led her away, she caught sight of Pandora. Golden dress untouched, tears streaking her painted face, she wept in her friends’ arms over Tom’s body. But when her gaze flicked to Sophie, Sophie read it for what it was—performance. Pandora’s grief was for the stage, not the boy.

---

“Welcome to the crew!” Johnny boomed once they were clear of the Council grounds. “Ice Queen or not, every Hunter needs a christening drink.”

Sophie blinked. “I don’t drink.”

Johnny laughed like she’d told the funniest joke. “Then tonight you start.”

Minutes later, she found herself in a dimly lit tavern frequented by off-duty Hunters. The scent of ale and smoke clung to the air, laughter rising above the low strum of a fiddle.

“Two beers,” Johnny told the barkeep, sliding one toward Sophie.

She hesitated, then lifted it to her lips. The first swallow burned, the second went down smoother. By the time she finished the second, her cheeks were warm and her head pleasantly light.

“Enough,” Jax said firmly, sliding the mug away before she could reach for another. “You’ve had one.”

“I’ve had two,” Sophie corrected, cheeks flushed.

“Exactly.” His piercing blue eyes softened, but his tone left no room for argument.

Johnny was already regaling a small crowd with tales of his daring hunts, each story more outrageous than the last. “Single-handedly took down three rogues in the Northern woods—”

Shiloh cut him off with a roll of her eyes. “He tripped over his own blade and nearly lost an arm. Don’t believe a word of it.”

Her voice shifted, cold and sharp. “The jokes won’t last. War is here now. This won’t be games and taverns for long.”

Sophie studied her carefully, and though Shiloh’s attention seemed fixed elsewhere, she noticed the tension between her and Jax. A glance that lingered too long. A silence too sharp.

When Sophie stood, Shiloh rose as well, gathering her crimson cloak. “I’m going home. These idiots better get our newest recruit back in one piece, or Lucian will have their heads before any wolf does.”

Johnny winked, already surrounded by a gaggle of admiring women. “Don’t wait up. I’ll be… occupied.”

Sophie shook her head, amused despite herself.

---

Outside, the cool night air sobered her a little. She walked beside Jax, their footsteps echoing along the cobbled path. Feeling tipsy, emboldened, she blurted, “You and Shiloh. Are you… together?”

Jax’s laugh was low, rough. “We were. Once. But Shiloh? She’s a bitch to everyone. Don’t take it personally. Still—someone you want at your side when the blades come out.”

Sophie nodded, absorbing his words. He studied her a moment longer, then said, “The team meets tomorrow. But you… I’ll give you a day. You’ve been thrust into this too fast.”

“I don’t need a day,” she said quickly. “I’m ready.”

The words came from deep inside her, from the girl who’d been shackled too long in a cold mansion. She wanted out. Needed out.

When they reached the gates of her grandfather’s estate, the windows were dark—except for one faint light, burning in the east wing. Sophie dismissed it with a shrug.

At the door, Jax turned to her. His hand brushed her cheek, then his lips found hers—gentle, lingering, a promise more than a kiss.

“I can’t wait to know you better,” he murmured. “I’ll send a car for you tomorrow.”

Dreamy, dizzy, Sophie slipped inside.

---

The shadows swallowed her.

“Sophie.”

The voice came from the darkness at the base of the stairs. Her heart dropped into her stomach.

Lucian stepped forward, pale eyes glinting.

“You filthy little slut,” he hissed, his hand snapping into her hair. He dragged her down the steps, the cold stone biting into her knees as he pulled her into the basement. “Parading around in rags, letting him touch you—do you want to ruin this family name? Just like your mother?”

She bit back a cry as he flung her against the wall. His words lashed harder than his hand.

“A man like Jax deserves a woman of class, not a trumped-up little bitch. You’ll not be wanton until you’re married. If you spread your legs, you’ll be nothing but a pregnant whore.”

The whip cracked through the air.

Once. Twice. Again.

Each strike tore fabric, skin, pride. Her dress hung in shreds, her back a map of fire. She forced herself to stay silent, but tears slipped free, hot trails down her cheeks.

Lucian’s voice droned above the lash. “You will be perfect. You will not shame me. Or I’ll break you down until there’s nothing left.”

The whip fell again.

Sophie’s body trembled, but her face—her face remained stone. The Ice Queen endured, even in hell.