Chapter 1

Clara’s POV

I stood, walked to the middle of my cell and knelt, my hands shaking as I started to unbutton my dress.

He was early.

The sun hadn’t reached the small window above my bed yet, and Warden Garrick never came before the light touched the opposite wall. Watching that light was how I kept track of time.

Unless he was angry.

My fingers slipped on the second button. When Garrick was angry, he liked to take his time.

Keys scraped against the lock. I pulled harder, but the thread caught. Panic rushed through me as his shadow covered the light beneath the door.

Making him wait would only make it worse.

The door groaned open.

Garrick stepped inside, his eyes moving over my body as a slow smile spread across his face.

“Stop, you wolfless mutt.”

I hated that word, but it was his favourite because he was the one who had silenced my wolf. Each time he said it, he reminded me she was never coming back. She had left me alone with monsters who knew there was nothing inside me strong enough to fight back.

“Look at me.” He didn’t wait; he grabbed my chin and ripped me to my feet. Pain tore through my body, but I bit my cheek and willed my body to go numb.

“It’s your lucky day.” His other hand moved up my side. “Your brother has finally come to get you.”

I felt nothing.

My brother was the reason I was here.

He had used that lie too many times.

The first time, I cried and begged him to take me to the gates. Garrick listened until I had nothing left to ask, then laughed.

No one had come.

After that, the details changed, but the ending never did.

Garrick threw me towards the door. My shoulder struck the frame before his hand closed around my arm.

“Walk.”

I stumbled into the corridor, my feet moving without me telling them to.

Five years ago, Jacob had begged me to take the blame for killing Peter’s sister because Rose, their true sister, was too weak to survive prison.

Two months, he had promised because I owed her.

For the first sixty days after Jacob left me here, I counted every morning. Then I counted another sixty because I thought I must have made a mistake.

I held on to hope until Garrick taught me it could hurt more than any beating.

After that, the days blurred together.

He shoved me through another doorway while I watched the cracks in the floor. Jacob wouldn’t be outside, but Garrick had never taken one of his games this far before.

I slipped as he shoved me through the final door. Light burned my eyes, turning everything white.

“Alpha,” Garrick said.

He pulled me to a stop. Black, polished shoes stood in front of me.

Slowly, I looked up.

Oh Goddess.

It was really him.

Jacob had grown into the Alpha he always said he would become. He was taller and broader, dressed in a dark coat with the River Moon crest pinned over his chest, holding a bunch of white moon lilies.

White moon lilies had been my favourite.

When we were children, Jacob and I sat in the garden he had made for me with white moon lilies growing around us.

“When I become Alpha, I’ll plant these everywhere.”

“You hate flowers,” I said.

“Yes.” He plucked one of the moon lilies from the ground. “But they’re your favourite.”

“The whole pack?”

“The whole pack.” He tucked the flower behind my ear. “You’ll look out any window and see them.”

Back then, Mother chose my dresses, Father kept my chair beside his, and Jacob carried me home when I pretended my feet hurt.

Then Rose returned.

Their real daughter.

My chair became hers. My dresses went into her room. Even my garden was given to her.

“You owe her this, Clara.”

Jacob pushed himself off the car, a nervous smile curling on his lips as he held his arms out towards me.

“Clara.”

Once, I would have dreamed about this moment.

Now the flowers only reminded me how easily Jacob made promises.

“Come here.”

I stayed where I was.

I didn’t want his arms around me. I didn’t want his flowers or his apologies. I wanted to leave the prison and then get as far away from him and the rest of the River family as I could.

Jacob waited, his arms still open.

“Clara?” His smile began to slip. “It’s me.”

I knew.

I lowered my head and bowed. “Greetings, Alpha Jacob.”

His arms slowly fell to his sides. The happiness on his face disappeared.

“What are you doing?”

“You’re the Alpha of River Moon.”

“I know.” He stepped closer, still holding the lilies. “But I’m your brother.”

My eyes stayed on the ground.

“Look at me, Clara.”

I obeyed.

Hurt filled his face as he searched mine for the sister he had left behind.

“I came to take you home,” he said. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”

“Of course, Alpha.”

His jaw tightened. “Stop calling me that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?” His voice got louder. “I brought your favourite flowers and came here myself, and you can’t even greet me properly?”

I didn’t know what greeting he expected.

He let out a hard breath. “I know I took longer than I promised.”

Longer.

Two months had become five years.

“Things changed,” he continued. “Father became ill, the council fought every decision, and then I had to take over the pack. I couldn’t abandon everyone whenever something became difficult.”

“You promised,” slipped from my lips before I could stop it.

Jacob froze. His shoulders dropped, and guilt flashed through his eyes.

“I know what I promised, Clara. You don’t think I’ve thought about that? I did what I could.”

He held the lilies towards me.

“Anyway, the Lycan King is coming to River Moon to choose a mate for the prince. Every unmated woman has to attend. It gave me what I needed to have you released.”

So that was why he had come, because he had to.

I took the flowers because that was what he wanted me to do.

“Thank you, Alpha.”

His face hardened.

“Are you doing this to punish me?”

“No.”

“Then why are you behaving like this?”

I stayed quiet.

“I came here expecting my sister, Clara. I thought you would be happy. I thought we could go home and put all of this behind us.”

Put the last five years behind us, he meant.

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s all you keep saying.” His voice rose. “Why can’t you be more understanding? I’ve been responsible for an entire pack. Mother has been struggling, Father has been ill, and Rose’s health has only gotten worse.”

“I understand.”

“No, you don’t. You’re standing there throwing a tantrum because things didn’t happen when you wanted them to.”

Garrick’s fingers tightened around my arm.

Jacob didn’t notice.

“I’m not throwing a tantrum.”

“Then stop acting like a child.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You’ve always been more mature than this.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

His face darkened.

“Whatever, Clara. Get in the car. I’m not arguing with you outside a prison.”

Garrick finally released my arm, pulling me against him first.

“I’ll miss you, my little toy,” he whispered beside my ear.

Jacob was already walking back towards the car.

Garrick shoved me forward. My hip struck the edge of the open door, and a whimper escaped before I could stop it.

“Come on, Clara,” Jacob called. “Mother is waiting.”

I climbed inside, closing the door behind me.

The car was warm.

The flowers rested across my lap, but I didn’t touch them.

Jacob started the engine.

“Rose has been making herself sick worrying about you coming home,” he said as we pulled out of the prison. “She thinks you blame her for what happened.”

I kept my eyes on my lap.

“I don’t blame her.”

He smiled. “I knew you wouldn’t. I told her you understood why we made that decision. She’s been under a lot of stress,” he continued. “You need to be kind to her. Don’t bring up what happened or say anything that could upset her.”

Five years in Hellwolf Prison I had done for Rose, because he had asked me to, and Jacob was still worried about her.

“Yes, Alpha.”

His hands tightened around the steering wheel.

“There you go again.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You keep saying that like you want me to feel guilty.”

I said nothing.

“Why can’t you just behave normally, Clara? I’m trying to make this easy for everyone.”

“Yes, Jacob.”

His shoulders relaxed.

“That’s better.”

The car slowed as the packhouse came into view.

I lifted my head and looked out the window. Everything still looked the same.

Jacob stopped the car and turned towards me.

“Mother has been waiting all morning. She wants this to go well.”

“I understand.”

“Be on your best behaviour, and don’t shut everyone out before they’ve had a chance.”

“I won’t.”

He studied my face, still searching for the sister he remembered.

“Welcome home, Clara.”

I followed him inside.

“Clara!”

Mother hurried out of the sitting room with her arms open, but her eyes landed on my dress, making her stop. She looked over the torn fabric, my bruises and the mud dried around my feet.

“Oh, Clara.” Her arms fell to her sides. “You’re filthy.”

“I’m sorry.”

Her eyes widened with regret. “No, sweetheart, I didn’t mean—” She looked towards Father, who stood beside the fireplace. “You’ve had a long journey. We’ll get you cleaned up.”

Her hand reached for me, but I flinched, making her step away.

Jacob sighed behind me.

“She’s just trying to welcome you home, Clara.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It's okay, sweety; you must be tired.” Mother pulled her hand back and forced a smile. “Come sit down. I made your favourite drink.”

I followed her into the sitting room. The house looked the same. Father’s chair still faced the fire. The family painting still hung above it, but Rose now stood where I used to be.

Mother lifted a glass of redberry juice from the tray.

“I remembered how much you loved this.”

I stared at it.

When I was seven, one mouthful had swollen my face until I could barely breathe. Mother had sat beside me all night while the healer fought to keep me breathing.

Rose loved redberry juice.

“No, thank you.”

The glass shook in her hand. “You don’t want it?”

“She made it especially for you,” Jacob said.

“I know.”

“Then take it.”

“I’m not thirsty.”

His face hardened.

“Enough, Clara. You’ve been home for less than five minutes, and you’re already making everyone uncomfortable.”

“I didn’t mean to.”

“You’re not a child anymore. Stop throwing a tantrum and show Mother some respect.”

Mother held the glass closer. “I thought it might make you feel at home.”

Jacob looked at me.

“Drink it.”

I took the glass.

The first mouthful burned my tongue and scorched its way down my throat, but I kept drinking until nothing was left.

Mother’s smile grew wider as I handed the glass back to her.

“Thank you, Mum. But you don’t need to make it for me again.”

Her smile vanished.

“Rose is the one who likes redberry juice. I’m allergic to it.”