Chapter 2

ARIA.

“Your mate will be here at 9:00 A.M. sharp. You should go pack.”

He smirked, scooping up the contract as though it were a trophy, and strolled away whistling a jolly fucking tune. The sound made my skin crawl—mockery in every cheerful note.

Tears blurred my vision as I climbed the stairs, each creak of the old wood echoing the weight of my choice. With every step, I felt myself breaking apart.

I pushed open Piper’s door.

She was curled in the middle of her princess bed, hands tucked beneath her cheek, lips parted in soft sleep. Her small chest rose and fell in a rhythm untouched by the ugliness of the world. She looked happy. Untouched. Perfect. Something I prayed she would remain.

My sister deserved a life filled with laughter and dreams – not chains and sacrifices.

I hoped that she would forgive me for leaving. This situation wasn’t like Mom walking out. How did I explain things to someone this young so that she could understand that I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to leave her but was left without a choice.

My lips pressed a reverent kiss to her forehead.

I left her to her peace and retreated to my own room, the place that had been my fragile sanctuary. The faint lavender still clung to the air from incense I used to burn, an attempt to drown out the chaos of our reality.

My gaze landed on the bookshelf Jory had built one summer when he flirted with the idea of being a carpenter. The shelves bowed slightly under the weight of my books, my small escapes. Family photos smiled down from the wall, frozen in a time before everything went to hell – when the Morgans were whole.

I wept until there was nothing left in me, then shoved the grief down, locking it behind walls where it couldn’t crush me further.

I looked through my clothes, unsure about what all I should bring with me. I opted to grab a variety. I had money saved up, which could be used to get anything that I might need once I made it to Shadow Vale.

It took a couple of hours for me to sort through everything. Packing felt like ripping pieces of myself apart. Keepsakes that I wanted to bring with me. Books that held importance. Things that Piper had made me. Essentials. The rest I left behind, knowing it might all be torched once I was gone.

When I finished, I sat at my desk and wrote Piper a letter. My hand shook the entire time. Every word bled with love, apology, and the desperate wish that she would understand someday. That she would know that I didn’t choose this.

Morning came like a thief, stealing away what little comfort the night had given. I’d tossed and turned, nightmares dragging me through every possible horror that awaited in Shadow Vale. Were the tales surrounding the pack mere rumors or was there truth mixed there as well?

The question still gnawed at me: Why me? Alpha Dane had she-wolves lining up for him –beautiful, ambitious, eager. Why was I the one chosen?

When the alarm clock blared at seven, I forced myself out of bed. The shower did little to wash away the dread. I dressed simply – jeans, a plain black blouse. Nothing fancy. Nothing for him.

Breakfast felt like a last supper – pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, fresh bread. My hands moved out of habit, but my stomach rebelled. The bitter scent of coffee filled the kitchen just as I felt eyes drilling into my back.

I turned and found him standing there. My father, dressed immaculately as though appearances mattered more than the blood he spilled behind closed doors. Not a single hair out of place, his expensive watch glinting under the kitchen lights. He looked every bit the successful businessman. A lie dressed in silk.

Without commenting on his obvious attempt at being a kiss-ass, I brought the coffee over to him. The silence between us heavy, charged. Like the air just before lightning split the sky. There were many things that I wished I could say to him. All of the things that I kept inside, never to see the light of day.

The padding of feet caught my attention.

Piper.

She came in, rubbing sleep from her eyes. When she spotted me, her whole face lit up, and she launched herself into my arms. I folded her against me, breathing her in, grounding myself in the warmth that she provided. This was precisely what I needed right now. I soaked in all of the positivity and calmness that it provided.

“Morning, Sissy,” she murmured with a sleepy grin. Her blue eyes sparkled with innocence that made my heart ache.

“Morning, Little One. Did you sleep well?”

She nodded vigorously. “I dreamed I was flying through the sky. Like a dragon – or maybe Supergirl!”

Piper struck a pose, tiny fists on her hips. I couldn’t help but laugh softly.

“Definitely Supergirl.”

I booped the end of her nose and stood back up to get plates ready. It gave me a moment to attempt to find the right words. 

The sound of my father clearing his throat shattered the moment. His pointed look told me it was time.

My throat tightened as I turned back to Piper, dreading what this was going to do to her.

“Piper, I have something that I need to tell you,” I began, attempting to swallow past a lump in my throat. “Do you remember what I taught you about how sometimes one mate had to move if they’re from a different pack?”

Her eyebrows furrowed some, her little nose scrunching up in concentration. She nodded her head.

“Alpha Dane is coming to pick me up so that he can take me back to his pack. I don’t want to leave you, but I have to because he has an entire pack to run and can’t abandon it to move here. I’m sorry, my love.”

Her face crumpled, and she burst into tears, climbing onto my lap. My arms wrapped around her automatically. Her sobs soaked into my blouse, and I fought to hold back my own. Both of our hearts were breaking.

Reality crashed back in when the doorbell rang. 9:00 A.M. sharp.

“I love you, Little One,” I whispered, clutching her close, taking another moment to soak up her presence

“I love you too, Sissy. So, so, so much. To the moon and back again.”

She ran out of the room and returned holding her favorite teddy bear, Sir Fluffy. I had made it for her when she was a toddler. It was not my best work, but it was her most prized possession.

“Here,” she said, holding him out to me.

I was absolutely touched by the fact that she wanted me to have him.

“I can’t take him, Little One. He’s your favorite.”

She leveled me with a look that dared me to argue with her.

“He’s not my favorite. YOU’RE my favorite. Please, take him. Love him. And think about me.”

I took Sir Fluffy and held him to my chest just like she did. The soft, worn fabric felt familiar and comforting against my skin, a tangible connection to my sister’s love. He was faded from years of cuddling, but in my hands, he felt like armor. Like hope. Like the only piece of home that I could carry with me.

The happy smile on her face warmed my heart.

I highly doubted that she could ever understand what she just did for me. This was more than a teddy bear. More than a beloved toy. It was a token of love, of hope. It was a memory of a little sister who saved me in more ways than one. The one who gave me the strength to keep going and the hope that life would one day change.

Voices echoed down the hall. My father entered first, his smug grin twisting my stomach.

And then he appeared.

Alpha Dane.

He was massive – easily 6’5” with broad shoulders and muscles carved from power itself. Tattoos sprawled across his arms and neck, intricate patterns that spoke of dominance and danger. His presence filled the room like a storm front rolling in.

The air shifted. Heavy. Suffocating. His energy – pure Alpha – pressed against my skin, demanding submission.

Alpha Dane didn’t just walk into a room. He claimed it.

His eyes flicked to the teddy bear clutched against my chest. His lips curved into a cruel smirk.

“Aren’t you a little too old for toys?”