Chapter 4

Thalia Pov

My mind went blank as I stood frozen. I couldn’t take my eyes off the familiar face.

It’s really Peter.

My betrothed mate.

He looked almost the same, except that he was taller and his jaw was sharper than I remembered. Just four years… and the boy I knew had grown into a man. But… there was no trace of gentleness in those eyes anymore.

Peter used to be the gentlest person in my life. He would hold my hand under the dinner table, sneak out at night and sit with me by the lake, and whisper in my ear that I was the only person for him. I can still remember every promise he made to me.

“Thalia, no matter what happens, I’ll always stand by your side.”

I had believed every word he said.

But…

Peter had been the one who tied my hands that night and dragged me towards the car headed straight for the psychiatric home.

He didn’t even give me a chance to explain. He… he had looked at me with so much hatred. L-Like the sixteen years we had spent together meant nothing.

“Thalia?”

His cold voice snapped me back to my senses. I blinked, my lips trembling.

“Peter.”

I stepped back quickly, putting some distance between us.

“When did you come back?” he asked, his voice so cold.

I let out a breath. “Yesterday.”

Peter didn’t speak. His eyes raked over my worn dress, my face, and finally the towels in my arms. His face scrunched up in disgust.

“Doing laundry now?” he asked, his tone mocking.

My fingers tightened around the towels, but I remained quiet.

“This is exactly what suits a murderer like you!”

For a moment, I felt something punch my chest. My body tensed, but I didn’t respond.

“You should be rotting in a cell, not walking around this pack like you belong here,” he continued, his voice rising.

My heart clenched painfully.

This was the man I had spent my whole childhood believing I would grow old with. My mate.

But… just one night erased all of that.

My eyes stung, but I let out a slow breath and forced back the tears.

I won’t shed a tear again. Besides… Peter is angry, and if I say a word, it will only get worse.

My lips tightened, then I took a step to walk around him, but I felt a sudden pain in my arm.

Peter pulled me back, his fingers digging into my skin. I winced in pain.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. “Are you trying to act like a good person now? Still hoping people would fall for that?” He sneered. “It worked on everyone else once, but it doesn’t work on me anymore.”

My brows furrowed as I tried to wiggle my arm from his, but Peter tightened his hold.

“I’m not acting,” I said, my voice soft.

“Save it for someone you can fool!” he snapped.

My throat tightened, but I won’t let those tears fall. Especially not in front of Peter.

“Why… why are you doing this?”

The question slipped out before I could stop it. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I wanted to know why he was treating me this way.

But the question seemed to enrage Peter even more. He glared at me, his eyes red.

“Why am I doing this? You have the nerve to ask me that?!” He breathed heavily, his fingers digging deeper into my skin.

“I thought you were my mate. I fucking trusted and protected you my whole life! But— but you turned out to be a monster who pushed a three-year-old into a pool without blinking!” he roared, his voice echoing down the hallway.

I met his eyes, filled with so much hatred and anger that my breath caught.

I shook my head, my lips trembling, but no words escaped my throat.

“My niece is still in a coma, Thalia. My sister hasn’t slept properly in four years, and my whole family is falling apart because of what you did.” He heaved heavily, his eyes burning with tears. “You deserve to rot in hell. And… I’ll never forgive you. Never!” He yelled, his hand almost crushing the bones in my arm.

My whole body went numb, my mind blank.

W-What did Peter just say?

“She’s— How could she not be awake?” I stammered, my voice shaking.

I had always hoped the little girl had recovered long ago. No one had told me anything. For four years, I had clung to the thought that at least the child was safe.

And now… even that hope was gone.

My chest ached as if something were tearing it apart. I leaned forward, gasping.

“No… I… I didn’t push her… I…” I muttered, my voice cracking.

I looked at Peter, tears streaming down my cheeks. “I never touched her… but you didn’t believe me then, and you clearly still don’t now.”

Rose had been the one who pushed the little girl into the pool. I had rushed to save her, but she cried out and framed me.

“Evidence. Give me one piece of evidence, Thalia,” Peter snapped.

“There was a camera by the pool. It… it would have shown everything.” I pushed, my eyes desperate as I stared at him.

Peter’s lips twitched, his face twisted even more angrily. “The camera caught nothing! Even Alpha Jacob and your parents already told you that!”

Peter’s words rang repeatedly in my head. My whole body stiffened as I stared blankly at him.

Y-Yes. There was no evidence. Nothing to prove my innocence because it had been deleted by the people I trusted the most!

My own family!

My shoulders dropped. I couldn’t even defend myself anymore.

“Enough of all the lies!” Peter spat with disgust.

The memories of that night four years ago rushed back. I could hear Peter’s voice.

“She needs to be restrained. She is clearly out of her mind!”

Just then, a sharp pain in my shoulder forced me awake. I looked up and met Peter’s glare.

“Admit it… admit what you did!” he spat through clenched teeth.

My lips tightened, but I said nothing.

I didn’t do it, so why should I apologize?

My silence seemed to piss Peter off even more. His face twisted with fury.

“You’re still being stubborn even now?!”

His jaw clenched even harder. Then suddenly, his grip became more brutal as he pulled me forward.

My eyes widened as panic flashed through them.

W-What… What is he trying to do?

“You— What are you trying to do to me? Let go of me!” I cried out, then tried to free my hand from his grasp, but his grip was just too strong.

He dragged me across the yard towards the training grounds. We passed several warriors, but they didn’t help. They only looked away, as if what was happening had nothing to do with them.

Fear crept into my chest as I stumbled behind him.

“Peter, please, let me go… please…” I pleaded, my voice shaking.

His scoff rang out.

“You’re lucky I didn’t choose something harsher,” he muttered, not slowing down.

A moment later, we stopped in front of a large iron cage. Several war dogs paced inside, growling loudly. Their eyes glared at me, and saliva dripped from their bared teeth.

My blood ran cold.

I shook my head and struggled even harder.

“Peter, no… no… stop!”

But he didn’t stop. He dragged me closer to the cage, his flat, merciless voice ringing out.

“Maybe this will remind you what you really are. A cold-blooded animal like you deserves to be caged with animals!”

With this, he shoved the cage open.

My whole body trembled. Terror filled my eyes.

No… No. This can’t be happening… I can’t be thrown into the cage. I—

Before I could even plead one more time, I felt a hard push, and I was shoved into the cage.

“Urghh!”

I stumbled inside, falling hard onto the dirty floor. Pain shot through my palms. The dogs snarled, snapping towards me.

Chills ran through my spine.

“No! Please… don’t…”

I turned around, scrambling to run back outside. But—

Bang!

The cage door slammed shut, followed by the click of the lock.