Chapter 3

Josephine froze for a few seconds, then burst out laughing.

"You? The Alpha's daughter?" She was clutching her stomach, tears streaming down her face, pure mockery dripping from every word. "If you're the Alpha's daughter, then I'm the Alpha Queen! Everyone in the pack knows the Alpha and Luna were cursed by a witch—they can't have children. Next time, do your research before you lie."

"I'm not lying—"

"Enough!" Josephine's smile vanished, replaced by cold cruelty. She took a step back and jerked her chin at the two Gammas. "Beat her. Beat her until she stops breathing."

The Gammas came at me like a storm. Fists rained down on my body. I curled up on the ground, pain exploding through every nerve. I heard bones crack. Blood poured from my mouth, thick and warm. But I gritted my teeth and refused to make a sound.

With the last shred of strength I had, I reached a trembling, blood-soaked hand into my pocket and pressed the circular communicator inside.

The Alpha had put it in my hand the day he adopted me. He said the moment I pressed it, he'd come for me—no matter where he was.

"Tough one, huh? Won't even scream? Let me see just how tough those bones really are."

Josephine crouched beside me, slow and deliberate, and drove her claws into my already shredded shoulder. She twisted them inside the wound like a dull knife scraping through bone.

"AAAAHHH—!"

My whole body convulsed. A raw, broken scream finally tore out of my throat.

She didn't stop. She pushed deeper, knuckle by knuckle, scraping against bone until she found the tendon and snapped it.

SNAP.

Everything went white, then black. I passed out cold.

Josephine pulled her claws out with a wet sound, bits of flesh and blood clinging to them. "Ugh. Human blood is disgusting." She flicked them, splattering droplets across my face.

When she finally got bored, she gave the order, casual as if she were ordering takeout. "I'm done. Drag her to the border. "

The Gammas grabbed my wrists and hauled me forward. Even unconscious, a whimper escaped my lips as my torn shoulder was wrenched.

The night was deep. We passed the last fence of the pack territory, and the air grew thick with the stench of rot and wild animals.

In the darkness, eight pairs of green eyes lit up.

Rogues.

The ones who'd been exiled for decades—they were lurking in the tall grass, low growls rumbling from their throats. One of them crept forward, its pupils fixed on me, drool dripping from its cracked muzzle.

"Here we are." Josephine stood at a distance, arms crossed, jerking her chin toward the border. "Throw her out."

The Gammas carried me a few steps forward. The green eyes flared with hunger. Excited howls rose from the dark.

Just as they were about to let go—

A wave of crushing power slammed down over the entire field.

The rogues yelped in terror. The green lights vanished—they scattered into the night, whimpering like scared pups.

The two Gammas collapsed to their knees, trembling violently.

Josephine staggered back, her face drained of all color, shaking like a leaf in a storm.

Then a roar cut through the night, shaking the very ground beneath us—

"Who dares to touch my daughter!"