Chapter 3

"Dad, please don’t do this to me.” My voice cracked as I dropped to my knees before him.

I had already lost everything that mattered. My mate had rejected me, my sister had betrayed me, and now the man standing in front of me the man who was supposed to be my father was throwing me away as if I meant nothing. His expression remained cold and unmoved.

“You have two options,” he said firmly.

“Leave willingly, or let the guards drag you out themselves.” The finality in his voice made my stomach drop.

“Please…” I whispered.

The word barely left my lips before I realized it was useless.

My father had already made his decision. Without another glance in my direction, he turned around and walked out of the room. The door closed behind him. I sat there for several moments, staring at the empty doorway. The silence felt suffocating. Less than twenty-four hours ago, I had been preparing for the happiest day of my life. I had dreamed of becoming Damien’s Luna. I had imagined building a future with him. Now I had nothing. Slowly, I pushed myself to my feet and looked at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were swollen from crying, my hair was a mess, and there was no trace of the hopeful girl who had stood in front of that same mirror earlier that day. The girl staring back at me looked broken. But beneath the heartbreak, something else was beginning to grow. Anger. Determination. I wiped my tears away and stared at my reflection. I was leaving tonight. I sniffed and walked toward my closet. Opening the doors, I looked at the rows of dresses, shoes, and belongings I had collected over the years. For a moment, memories flooded my mind. Birthdays. Family gatherings. Moments that now felt meaningless. I shook my head. I wasn’t taking any of it. If I was going to rebuild myself, I needed a clean start. I didn’t want anything that reminded me of this place or the people who had broken me.

I grabbed only a small bag and packed the bare essentials. A knock sounded on the door. Before I could answer, Marie stepped inside.

“Nina…” she began. The moment our eyes met, tears filled hers.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t help you.” Before I could respond, she pulled me into a tight hug. I immediately wrapped my arms around her.

“It’s not your fault, Marie,” I said softly. And it wasn’t.

Out of everyone in this pack, Marie was the only person who had truly cared about me. When my mother died, she had comforted me. When my father ignored me, she had encouraged me. When everyone else looked down on me, she had treated me like I mattered. She had been more of a mother to me than anyone else. I held her tightly for a few more seconds before pulling away. Looking out, I noticed someone standing outside the room. My father. His angry gaze remained fixed on me. Even now, there was no sadness in his eyes. I straightened my shoulders.

“Mark my words,” I said quietly.

“I’ll be back.” Marie smiled through her tears.

“I know you will.” She placed a hand against my cheek.

“Make me proud, Storm.” My throat tightened. I nodded. Then I hugged her one last time.

When I finally let go, I turned around and walked away. This time, I didn’t look back.

Outside, the night air felt colder than ever. The streets were nearly empty as I dragged my small bag behind me. Eventually, I waved down a taxi and climbed inside. As the taxi pulled away, I looked out the window at the familiar streets disappearing behind me. My own father hated me. My mate had cheated on me. My sister, the person I had spent years protecting, had betrayed me. The tears returned despite my efforts to stop them. I pressed my forehead against the cold window and watched the city lights blur together. Everything I had ever known was behind me now. And although I didn’t know where I was going, one thing was certain. The girl leaving tonight would not be the same girl who returned. After stepping out of the taxi at the bus terminal, I was leaving the city for good. I bought a ticket without really knowing where I was headed. I sat down as an announcement echoed that the next bus would arrive in minutes. My foot tapped against the floor, restless. I stood to use the restroom before departure, but before I could take another step, a woman in a black hoodie bumped into me.

“I’m sorry,” I said automatically.

“Help me,” she whispered, lifting her head. Fear was written all over her face.

“I think she went that way,” a man said nearby.

He stood with two others, all in black suits. The next bus pulled in. I didn’t think. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her along just as people began boarding, not giving anyone a chance to stop us. We found seats near the middle. As the bus pulled away from the terminal, she finally exhaled.

“Finally,” she murmured, pulling off her hoodie. Then she looked at me. And I froze. I recognized her immediately.

“Thank you for helping me. I’m Liana…”

“Liana r,” I finished in shock.

Her eyes held mine for a brief second before she leaned back, as if already calculating the distance between safety and danger. Liana... A name that carried weight in every pack and every powerful circle I’d ever heard of, especially in my father’s world. So why was someone like her running?