Chapter 4: Traded A Cage For Another

Scarlett’s POV

Alpha Jackson’s offer echoed in my mind like a lifeline I had been too afraid to grasp. 

If I stayed here, I would remain nothing more than prey for Alpha Enzo and Luna Ember’s cruelty. I may even never get the chance to escape.

At least Jackson had shown me something they never showed me. Compassion. 

Harsh as his words were, I’d rather belong to him than rot as a slave to the man who betrayed me and to his Luna.

His voice haunted me still, low and cutting: “Have it your way, little wolf.”

Now he stood at the door, his back rigid with finality. 

“I’m done here. I only returned for a file I left behind. The deal is cancelled, Enzo. And as for your slave…” His gaze flicked to me, lingering just long enough to burn. “I don’t care how you treat her. Just remember, even Alphas have hearts.”

With that, he turned and began walking away.

Panic seized me. I knew what Enzo and Ember would do to me once he left. Their vengeance would be worse than death.

“Alpha Jackson,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

He stilled. Slowly, he turned, his dark eyes locking onto mine. “What?”

Desperation clawed at my throat. 

“Take me with you,” my words cackled. “I’ll do anything you ask. Just please don’t leave me here.”

“You’re not going anywhere, Scarlett,” Alpha Enzo snarled, stepping toward me, his presence suffocating. 

His amber eyes gleamed with rage, his hand already twitching like he wanted to strike me. “How dare you ask him to take you—“

My breath hitched. 

“She wants to leave,” Jackson cut him off, his voice deceptively calm.

“Scarlett is mine,” Enzo spat. “She swore loyalty to this Pack—”

“She swore nothing but desperation,” Jackson interrupted coldly. “Your Luna parades her around like a toy, and you treat her like filth. Don’t pretend like she has a choice.”

Ember, who had been silently watching with her usual venomous smirk, finally stepped forward. 

Her lips curled. 

“She’s pathetic,” Ember sneered, her gaze raking over me like I was trash. “A weakling Omega. Why would the mighty Alpha Jackson want damaged goods?”

Something dangerous flickered across Jackson’s face. His jaw tightened, his fists flexed, and for the first time since I’d met him, I realized Ember’s words had struck something buried deep in him. 

“Because even damaged goods,” Jackson said slowly, each word like a dagger, “can have value in the right hands.”

Enzo growled, Ember’s smirk faltered, and my heart pounded in my chest so loudly it nearly drowned everything else out.

Jackson turned fully toward Enzo, his expression now unreadable. “I’ll propose a deal. You’ve been pestering me about land rights and trade routes for months. You want access to the Silver Creek borders? I’ll grant it.”

Enzo blinked. “In exchange for what?”

Jackson’s eyes slid back to me. “Her. Scarlett comes with me.”

My lips parted, but no sound came out. 

Was this real? A trade? My freedom for land? The thought stung, but the glimmer of hope shone brighter.

“You can’t be serious.” Enzo scoffed, looking between us. “You want her? For what? A servant? A bedwarmer? She’s not worth it.”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.” Jackson’s tone dropped, lethal. “Silver Creek borders for Scarlett. That’s the deal.”

Enzo faltered, clearly tempted. 

Ember clutched his arm, whispering sharply in his ear, though her voice was still audible. “Don’t do this! She’ll crawl back to us eventually. Let her rot here.”

Jackson’s lips curved in the faintest smirk, but there was no warmth. “You overestimate your importance in her life. She’d rather rot in the ground than crawl back to you.”

The words hit Ember hard, her face darkening with fury.

Enzo raised his hand, silencing her. His eyes gleamed. 

“The borders of Silver Creek,” he muttered, calculating. His gaze cut to me, cold and cruel. “Fine. Take her. But remember, Jackson, she’s worthless. Don’t come crawling back when you regret this.”

Jackson stepped forward with dominance. “I don’t crawl.”

His eyes landed on me. “Come.”

I hesitated only a heartbeat before moving toward him. My legs trembled, but I forced them forward, every step away from Enzo’s shadow and toward Jackson’s.

A liberation I hadn’t dared dream of.

Jackson didn’t touch me, didn’t offer a hand, but his presence beside me was shield enough. With a curt nod to Enzo, he turned and led me out.

The ride to his Pack was silent, tense. 

He didn’t speak, and I didn’t dare to, though I stole glances at him. 

His profile was sharp, unyielding. He looked like a man carved from stone, immovable, untouchable.

But when we crossed the threshold into the Black Howl Pack, I knew instantly this was no sanctuary. This was not a place of warmth. This was a place of power and fear.

Inside, the air was cold, not from temperature but from atmosphere. 

People moved with military precision, their eyes flicking curiously to me before bowing hastily to Jackson. No one spoke unless spoken to. No laughter echoed through these halls.

I clutched my hands together, nerves gnawing at me.

A woman approached me, a maid, judging by her simple attire. She bowed slightly, her kind eyes softening when they landed on me. 

“This is Scarlett. Treat her injuries and have her cleaned up. You know what to do with her,” Jackson said, huskily. 

“Yes, Alpha,” she nodded. “Hello, Scarlett,” she said gently. “My name is Miriam. I’ll show you to your room.”

I nodded, glancing once at Jackson, but he was already striding toward a corridor without sparing me another glance.

Miriam led me through winding halls until we reached a modest but comfortable chamber. Once the door shut behind us, she turned to me, lowering her voice.

“You must be frightened,” she said softly.

I swallowed hard, nodding. “I don’t know what to expect here.”

Her expression grew sad, her gaze drifting briefly toward the door before back to me. “I’ll tell you what no one else will. About Alpha Jackson.”

I leaned closer despite myself, my chest tight with anticipation.

“He wasn’t always this way,” Miriam began, wringing her hands. “There was a time he laughed, smiled, loved freely. He had a mate. A beautiful woman he cherished above all. But she betrayed him.”

My breath hitched. “Betrayed him? How?”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “She didn’t just leave him. She ran off with his Beta, the man he trusted most. They disappeared together, abandoning him and this Pack.”

A lump formed in my throat. 

“Since then, Alpha Jackson has vowed never to love another woman. He closed his heart, hardened his rule. Some say he grew ruthless to ensure no one would dare betray him again,” she said, lowering her gaze. “He can be cruel, Scarlett. Very cruel. Many here fear him more than they respect him.”

I froze, the air rushing out of me. The image of his cold, unreadable eyes burned in my mind.

Miriam’s hand brushed my arm, hesitant. “I don’t mean to frighten you, child. But you must know the truth. If you’ve come here hoping for kindness, I fear you’ve made a mistake.”

Her words sliced deeper than I wanted to admit. 

A mistake.

Had I just traded one cage for another?

I sank onto the edge of the bed, trembling as reality settled over me. 

I had begged him to save me but from what? Enzo’s cruelty. Only to step into the hands of a man who had vowed never to love, never to trust, never to be anything but ruthless?

Miriam gave my shoulder a squeeze, her voice gentle but grave. “Be careful with him, Scarlett. He’s a man with a shattered heart. And shattered hearts can cut the deepest.”

I watched her leave the room.

Alone, I curled into myself. My freedom had come at a cost. And as much as I wanted to believe Jackson had saved me, I couldn’t shake the fear that he might destroy me instead.