CHAPTER 4

I passed out shortly after Mom left, and when I woke up, I was morning.

Slowly, I made my way out of the basement, only to find Mom and Dad dressed up, having breakfast. Julietta was nowhere in sight.

They looked surprised when they saw me.

"You aren't dressed yet?" Mom shouted. "What is wrong with you?"

I stared at her in shock. What did she want now? Dressed for what?

I looked around. Everything looked pale and wan. My hearing was no longer acute, and so was my sense of smell. This was what life felt like without a wolf. Dull. Lifeless.

"Don't just stand there staring," she screamed at me. "Go upstairs, get dressed, and come back here. We're running late."

I didn't care about whatever they were running late for, but I forced myself to ask.

"Are you going somewhere?"

Dad glared at me. "Is this a joke to you? Today is the signing of the alliance. You know this. We're leaving for Silver Creek Pack in fifteen minutes whether you're ready or not. Prince Cassian isn't going to care if you're dressed or not."

I couldn't help it. I laughed. Really cackled like a maniac.

They both stared at me.

"What is wrong with you?" Mom whispered.

"You." I sniffed, fighting back tears. "You are what's wrong with me."

Without waiting for them to say anything else, I stormed out of the house.

I'd had enough. I was leaving this pack. It was one thing to be treated as useless by strangers, but it was another to be treated that was by your own family.

I didn't want them in my life anymore. I had no idea where I would go or what would happen to me without a wolf, but I was willing to risk it if it meant I could have a life away from them.

But first, Axel.

I stormed my way to his room, pushed the door open, and stepped in.

I blame the loss of my wolf for what happened next. If I still had her, I would have heard what was happening before I even opened the door.

As it was, I didn't realize what was happening until I was face to face with it.

Julietta. And Axel. In bed. Together.

She was screaming his name.

They both froze when they saw me, then scrambled to cover themselves up.

"What is wrong with you?" Julietta screamed, clutching the sheet to her chest. "Can't you knock? Why did you even come here anyways?"

It was like someone had clubbed  me with a stick on my head. I stood there, staring at them, my eyes glassy with unshed tears.

Julietta looked...healthier than I'd ever seen her. I felt a slight pull to her. My wolf trying to reach out to me.

And Axel. He was looking at me like he hated me.

I couldn't feel our mate bond.

Like my wolf, it was gone.

"Wha-what are you doing?" I asked.

"What does it look like we're doing?" Julietta snapped. "You know, Iris, you're being pathetic. Why the hell did you barge into Axel's room like that?"

I turned to Axel. He got out of bed, wrapping another sheet around his waist.

"Before you say anything, Iris," he said, "I didn't cheat on you."

"What?"

He nodded, then laughed. "I can't believe you really thought we would end up together. The Moon Goddess obviously knew you were a bad match for me, so she gave me the woman of my dreams."

"What are you saying? You're my mate! And you're in bed with my sister?!"

"We're not mates anymore," Axel told me. "Julietta is my mate now. I can feel the bond with her."

In response, Julietta smiled, then tugged Axel down so they could exchange a sloppy kiss.

"She stole my wolf!" I yelled at him. "Don't you care about that? You're just going to toss me aside now that she has my wolf?"

He pulled away from my sister, then scoffed.

"Stole your wolf? You're going to have to come up with something better if you want anyone to believe you. How could she have stolen your wolf?"

"You don't understand, she—"

"Just leave," Axel said.

"What?"

"You heard him, bitch," Julietta sneered. "He's mine now. Like he's always been. Now leave. We have something we want to get back to."

As I watched, she sneaked a hand under the sheet wrapped around Axel, and palmed him, giggling.

Axel groaned, then got back in bed with her.

A cold hand closed around my wrist and yanked me out of the room.

Mom.

"What the hell are you playing at?" She hissed, tugging me out of the pack house. "We're leaving for Silver Creek right this minute, and if you know what's good for you, you won't fight me on this."

As if I could fight. All my hope had bled out of me, as well as my desire to run.

What did it matter.

I wouldn't survive a day out in the wild.

And even if I did, what was life without Axel, my fated mate?

I might as well just let fate do whatever it wants with me.

Mom shoved me into the backseat of the car, and we began the drive to Silver Creek Pack.

Time passed quickly for me, and when we finally got there, Mom gave me a scathing look.

"Compose yourself!" She snapped, using a handkerchief to roughly wipe the tears and dirt from sleeping on the basement floor from my face. She gave one last look at my haphazard dressing, then got out of the car.

We were in front of a large house. The Alpha House.

Two men stood on the porch, waiting for us.

I recognized one as Alpha William of Silver Creek, Cassian's father. The other one had to be Cassian. He looked like a taller, broader, more beautiful version of his father.

He didn't look insane at all.

Mom tugged me after her as she and Dad walked up to the men.

They exchanged greetings and went inside, leaving me alone with the Bloody Prince.

I stared at him, and he stared back. Finally, he spoke.

"You've been crying," he said. His voice was deep and gruff. "Good. That means you know what to expect. Run away while you still can."