Chapter Thirty-two

 The Bait 

The courtyard of the Blood Moon Pack was bathed in cold moonlight, and the air crackled with tension. Warriors lined the edges of the training grounds, watching in uneasy silence as Derrick stood before them, every inch the Alpha king — broad, menacing, and radiating fury barely contained.

In the center of the yard, on his knees, was Louis.

His face was bruised, blood streaking down his temple, his wrists bound behind him with chains laced in wolfsbane. Each breath came ragged, every inhale a battle.

Mona stood beside Derrick, her expression calm, composed — almost serene. But inside, her thoughts were wildfire. This was the first move of their game, and she intended to savor every moment.

Derrick’s voice carried through the courtyard like a blade.

“This traitor aided the one who betrayed her Alpha. He carried words to the rejected one — Kimberly Moonstone — and in doing so, defied me.”

The wolves around them snarled and muttered, the pack feeding on Derrick’s fury. But not all of them looked convinced. Some had seen Kimberly’s defiance. Some whispered that she’d fought back against him and lived. And those whispers frightened Derrick more than he’d admit.

He paced slowly around Louis, his boots grinding against the dirt. “Tell me where she hides.”

Louis lifted his head, blood on his lips, eyes fierce even through the pain. “You’ll never find her.”

Derrick struck him across the face so hard the sound echoed through the yard. Louis fell, but he didn’t break.

Mona watched with cool detachment, though her pulse quickened with satisfaction. The boy’s loyalty to Kimberly was admirable — and useful. A live connection was always better than a dead one.

“Alpha,” she said softly, stepping forward. “Let me try.”

Derrick turned to her, eyes narrowing. “You?”

She smiled, soft and sweet, her tone a perfect imitation of innocence. “You’ve frightened him. Let me… persuade him.”

Derrick’s suspicion flickered, but his pride won. He stepped back, folding his arms. “You have five minutes. If he hasn’t spoken by then, I’ll tear his throat out myself.”

Mona approached Louis slowly, crouching before him. Her golden hair caught the moonlight, her eyes soft, almost pitying. “You poor thing,” she murmured. “You must love her very much, to bleed for her like this.”

Louis spat blood onto the ground. “You wouldn’t understand love if it bit you.”

Her smile didn’t falter, but her eyes turned cold. “Perhaps not. But I understand pain. And I can promise you this — if you don’t tell me where she is, you’ll feel it in ways you didn’t know existed.”

Louis met her gaze, defiant even in chains. “She’ll come for me. And when she does… she’ll burn this place to the ground.”

Mona leaned in closer, her breath brushing his ear. “Good,” she whispered. “That’s exactly what I want.”

He frowned, confusion flashing before pain consumed him — Derrick had grown impatient. The Alpha’s claws dug into Louis’s shoulder, dragging him upright.

“Enough,” Derrick growled. “You want her to come? Fine. Let her. We’ll send her an invitation.”

He threw Louis to the ground and signaled two guards. “Chain him at the edge of the northern woods. Leave him alive — just enough to scream.”

The guards hesitated. “Alpha—if she—”

“If she comes,” Derrick interrupted, his grin cruel, “then we’ll finally end this little rebellion.”

The guards dragged Louis away. His voice echoed once, raw and defiant. “You’ll regret this, Derrick! You’ll regret every breath you ever stole from her!”

Mona watched him go, her expression unreadable. When the courtyard emptied, Derrick turned to her, fire burning in his eyes. “This ends with her crawling back. On her knees. Begging.”

Mona smiled faintly. “Yes, Alpha. On her knees.”

But when Derrick turned away, she let the smile fade.

Because in her heart, she didn’t want Kimberly to crawl.

She wanted her to rise — furious, magnificent, unstoppable — just so she could watch her fall again.

And when that moment came, Mona intended to be the one standing over the ashes.

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