4

AMIRA

A dull ache settled deep in my chest.

Gareth Holloway had driven me crazy more times than I could count. He had been stubborn, rude, and impossible to deal with when he was drunk.

But he had also been kind.

Kinder than anyone else in my life.

The thought of him being gone felt wrong.

Painful.

Unreal.

Maybe if Derrick Nightfang stopped speaking in riddles and finally told me why he was here, I could understand what was happening.

“Maybe it’s time you stop playing with me and tell me what you’re doing here.”

“The Silver Fang Tavern is mine. I can come here whenever I want.” Derrick took a slow drink from his beer. “Though lately, I’m thinking I should visit more often.”

Wonderful.

That was exactly what I needed.

More time with him.

Maybe it was time to stop talking altogether. If I became dull enough, maybe he would lose interest.

“You’re right, of course.” A bitter smile tugged at my lips. “Gareth was a bastard, but I’m sorry he's gone. Are you replacing my babysitter?”

A low grunt was the only answer Derrick gave.

Silence stretched between us.

While he drank, a knot tightened inside my stomach.

“Please,” I said quietly. “Nobody has told me how he died.”

“Suicide.”

The world seemed to stop.

My heart skipped.

For a second, I honestly thought I had heard him wrong.

“Suicide?” The word came out louder than I intended. “No. No way. You're wrong. You're completely wrong.”

Derrick froze with the bottle halfway to his lips.

His eyes narrowed.

“Shut up.”

“No.”

The answer left my mouth before I could stop it.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t.” My throat tightened painfully. “Gareth wouldn't do that. He wouldn't kill himself. He wouldn't…”

The words broke apart.

“He wouldn't leave me.”

Heat stung my eyes.

Tears threatened to spill over.

Every muscle in my body strained to keep them back.

Weakness had followed me my entire life.

There were very few things I was good at.

Very few things I could protect.

But I could not fall apart now.

Not while talking about him.

Not when he was the only person who had ever treated me with even a little dignity.

Gareth had been difficult.

He had been rude.

He had been drunk more often than sober.

Sometimes he said things that made me want to throw a chair at him.

But he respected me.

He never treated me like I was worthless.

That mattered.

More than anyone would ever understand.

His death could not be reduced to a simple word written on a report.

Suicide.

No.

Something about it felt wrong.

It felt impossible.

“And here I was thinking Gareth killed himself because of you.”

The coldness in Derrick’s voice cut through me.

A painful lump formed in my throat.

“I put him in charge of a woman I should have killed years ago.” His gaze hardened. “Because of that, he lost everything. His family. His friends.”

Every word landed harder than the last.

“He had nobody left except you.”

The accusation hit exactly where he intended.

It hurt.

It hurt enough to steal my breath.

Still, I forced myself to stand my ground.

“Gareth told me his son had been gone for years before I ever arrived here.” My voice shook, but I kept talking. “You can't blame that on me.”

My hands curled into fists.

“And we both know Gareth didn't have friends.”

The question slipped out before fear could stop it.

“What makes you think he killed himself?”

“Because he put a gun to his head and left a note.”

A chill spread through my body.

My hands began to tremble.

Quickly, they disappeared behind my back.

Derrick didn't need to see that.

“What did the note say?”

A slow smirk appeared on his face.

“Wondering whether he killed himself because of you, my dear?”

The bottle emptied.

He placed it down and stood.

The movement immediately put me on edge.

“I came to promote Victor.”

The moment Derrick said his name, dread settled heavily in my stomach.

No.

Anyone but Victor.

“He's your new manager,” Derrick continued. “And as you like to call it, your new babysitter.”

Nausea climbed into my throat.

Victor wasn't Gareth.

Victor wasn't kind.

Victor wasn't safe.

“I quit.”

The words came out instantly.

Derrick tilted his head.

“No.”

That single word terrified me more than if he had shouted.

“You can't keep me here against my will.”

“I can, Amira.”

His voice remained calm.

Steady.

Certain.

The certainty frightened me.

“Did you really think this was a job?”

A cold feeling spread through my chest.

“This is your prison, my dear.”

The room suddenly felt smaller.

Harder to breathe in.

“You leave when I decide you leave.”

My stomach twisted.

“Do what you're told, and maybe it'll be another three years before I need to see you again.”

Run.

The thought appeared immediately.

Strong.

Desperate.

Tempting.

It wasn't a new thought.

Many sleepless nights had been spent imagining it.

Knowledge of clan politics was limited, but enough was known.

The Frostpeak Mountains had been abandoned long ago.

No king ruled here.

No higher authority existed.

The alphas controlled their own Clan Territories and nothing beyond them.

Outside those borders were rogues.

Packless wolves.

Lost wolves.

Forgotten wolves.

Maybe disappearing among them was possible.

Every trail through these mountains was familiar.

Every hidden path.

Every cave.

Every shortcut.

Surviving wouldn't be easy.

Another wolf could kill me within a year.

Maybe two.

Maybe five.

But those years would belong to me.

They would be free.

Freedom was all I wanted.

Nothing more.

“If you run, Amira, I will find you.”

The calm warning froze my blood.

No anger.

No threat in his tone.

Just certainty.

“And when I find you, I'll put you somewhere that makes this place look like a castle.”

Fear crawled slowly down my spine.

He meant it.

Every single word.

Derrick turned away.

Thorne followed him.

Together they headed toward the door.

Panic tightened around my chest.

They couldn't leave.

Not like this.

Not without understanding.

“You don't understand!”

My voice cracked as I called after them.

“You don't know what Victor will do to me!”

Neither of them stopped.

Neither of them turned around.

My heart sank.

For one foolish second, I had hoped Derrick would care.

That he would listen.

That he would protect me.

Instead, my mate kept walking.

He didn't even glance back.

“I do.”