CHAPTER 3 - The Past We Can’t Escape

Violet’s POV

The room was spinning.

Not from the lights. Not from the music. But from the sound of his voice.

“Sell her to me,” Merrin had said.

And just like that, my life was over.

I stared up at him from the floor, my palms sticky with spilled wine and blood. His shadow fell over me, tall, sharp, and cold.

The same shadow that haunted my nightmares for ten long years.

I thought losing his eye was the worst thing I could ever do to him. Turns out, the worst thing was meeting him again.

The manager’s greedy smile split his face. “Of course, Alpha Merrin. She’s yours.”

I looked up at Merrin pleadingly, hoping praying, he might change his mind and let me go. He’d already taken everything once; my father, our name, the life we built.

That should be enough.

He stood up and stepped closer, towering over me. “Welcome back,” he whispered. “We’re just getting started.”

I knew immediately I had to stand up for myself, I couldn’t let him buy me off like I was some cheap good.

I tried to stand, but pain shot through my ankle like lightning. I collapsed back down, gasping.

The heels… those damn, sky-high heels, had betrayed me; they’d broken my ankle.

“No…” I shouted at the manager. “You can’t just sell me! I came to work for Moonfall Palace, not to be sold to him!”

The manager ignored me. He ran inside and, a moment later, returned with a sheet of paper, shuffling nervously. “She did sign a form, Alpha. Full consent. See?”

My signature screamed up at me from the page. I remembered signing it.

My stomach dropped.

I hadn’t read the contract. I’d been too desperate for a job to ask questions.

And now it was my death warrant.

Merrin offered me a pen, his command quiet but absolute, ‘sign again.’

Sign away my freedom to him, as if I truly belonged to his cruelty, to his need to break me.

I let the pen slip from my fingers on purpose, watching it fall like the last shred of my defiance. Maybe if I begged, he’d find mercy buried somewhere beneath the years of his grudge.

Maybe he’d let me go.

My lips trembled. “Please… don’t…” I whispered, still on my knees.

Merrin bent low, so close I could feel his breath ghost along my ear. “You took everything from me, Violet,” he whispered. “Now I’ll take everything from you.”

My stomach twisted. His words were calm, but they burned hotter than any flame.

Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not in front of Merrin.

Merrin straightened, his face unreadable. “You remember your stepmother’s house?” he asked suddenly.

My body went cold. “How do you…”

“I know where they are,” he said softly. “But they’re not who I want. Unless you give me a reason to.”

My heart stopped. He smiled like a wolf. Of course, he was one.

“Get ready, Violet. Tomorrow, we start work. Try running again,” he murmured, brushing past me, “and I’ll enjoy chasing you one more time.”

Then he walked away, leaving me shattered on the floor.

The moment the door closed behind him, I exhaled shakily. The air tasted like metal and fear.

I was done crying.

If he wanted to destroy me, fine.

But I wasn’t going to let anyone else die for it, just like my father did ten years ago.

“You see…” the manager started nervously, “it’s not really my fault, you know no one can disobey the Alpha King… and I’m sorry, but your time here has expired. You work for him now.”

I glared at him for his lame excuses and his greed. He reached to help me up, but I slapped his hands away.

I got up and dragged myself toward the locker room, each step a white-hot stab in my ankle.

The other dancers watched as I packed my belongings, whispering. Their eyes cut sharper than glass.

“She really thinks she danced better than us to be chosen?”

“Didn’t know she was a snitch.”

“Poor thing. Hope she knows what she’s in for.”

I ignored them.

I’d learned long ago that people will always find a reason to hate you, it’s easier than facing their own fears.

I stuffed my few things into my worn bag and limped out.

The night air hit my skin like ice, thick with the scent of rain, whiskey, and something else… freedom slipping away.

But then I heard my name from in front of me.

“VIOLET!”

I froze.

No. It couldn’t be.

A figure sprinted down the street toward me, tall, skinny, wearing baggy jeans and a hoodie.

When she got close enough, I saw the familiar grin, and my heart stopped.

“Zoella?” I whispered.

She skidded to a halt, grinning wide. “Don’t call me that! It’s Zoey now. Zoella’s too girly.”

Her hair was short and dyed electric blue. Her bright eyes sparkled under the streetlight.

My wild little sister looked like trouble wrapped in denim and chaos.

“What are you doing here?” I hissed, turning away. “Go home!”

She jogged around to face me. “Relax! I just came to surprise you. You said you got a job here, so I came to say congrats!”

Panic spiked in my chest. “Zoella, you shouldn’t…”

Before I could finish, she threw her arms around me and jumped onto my back. “Too late to run now, sis!”

We toppled backward and hit the pavement hard. Pain exploded in my ankle again, and I bit back a scream.

Zoella’s laughter cut through the night. Then she noticed my leg. “Violet, what the hell happened? You’re hurt!”

“It’s nothing,” I said quickly, hiding my swollen leg with my hand. “Just twisted it.”

Her face scrunched in suspicion. “You’re lying.”

“Zoella, just go home. Please.”

She frowned. “Not until I thank your boss for hiring my lazy big sister.”

My throat tightened. “There’s no need,” I snapped. “Because the wicked manager sold me to the one-eyed, ruthless Alpha!”

The words flew out before I could stop them.

Zoey’s mouth fell open. “He what…?!”

I looked away, regret flooding through me. “Forget I said that.”

She didn’t. “Repeat what you said, Sis… repeat it and I promise to snap his head off with my bare hands.”

There she goes again, always behaving like a boy.

I rolled my eyes, got up, and started limping. “Don’t try anything stupid. Let’s go home.”

She ran after me and grabbed my bag. “Fine. But you’re not walking home on that leg. I’ll carry you.”

“Zoella… don’t you dare…”

Too late. She crouched down and threw me over her back like a sack of potatoes.

“Zoella!”

She just laughed, sprinting down the dark street. “Hang on, princess! Taxi Zoey is on duty!”

People stared as we passed, but she didn’t care.

And for the first time that night, I almost smiled.

Embarrassed, yes… but grateful too.

My ankle throbbed with every step, and I knew I couldn’t have walked home on my own.

By the time we reached home, my throat hurt from laughing and crying at the same time.

Our small house sat on the edge of the Luna-Light pack’s border, its paint peeling, its roof sagging.

But it was home.

Our mother was already outside, arms folded, her face tight with worry and anger.

“Violet, what are you doing back here? I told you…”

Zoella cut her off. “Mum, can you at least let me put her down before you scold her to death?”

She lowered me onto the porch. My ankle screamed again and I clenched my teeth.

“I’ll give you a massage, Sis,” Zoella said, running inside the kitchen.

Mother’s voice cracked. “You shouldn’t have come back, Violet. You know what this means.”

I looked up at her tired face. “I’m not running anymore,” I said quietly.

“Do you hate us that much?” she asked softly. “Don’t you understand? If he finds you here…”

“He already found me,” I whispered.

She froze. “What?”

“I’m working for him now,” I said. “That’s the deal. He won’t hurt you or Zoella if I do what he wants.”

Mum’s lips parted, but before she could speak, Zoey returned with a bowl of steaming water.

“Got it!” she said cheerfully. “Now stop fighting and let me fix your foot.”

Mother went silent.

I winced as Zoey knelt beside me, her hands surprisingly gentle as she wrapped the napkin around my ankle.

“You’re such an idiot,” she muttered softly. “Always trying to protect everyone else.”

“I learned it from you,” I said, smiling faintly.

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Save the hero talk.”

The warm water stung as it touched my skin. I hissed through my teeth. “Ow… careful!”

“Baby,” she teased, but her tone was gentle. “You should’ve told me earlier. I’d have come and punched that manager in the face.”

I laughed weakly. “You’re insane.”

“I’m brave,” she corrected.

The room was quiet for a while, except for the sound of the napkin dipping in water. My eyes grew heavy.

Maybe, for a second, I could believe I was safe.

Then my phone buzzed.

A strange number flashed on the screen.

I picked up the phone. “Who…?”

Zoey leaned over my shoulder. “Answer it! Maybe it’s your boss giving you a bonus for what he did.”

I hesitated. Then I pressed ‘accept.’

“Hello?” I answered, throat tight.

“You have fifteen minutes.” The voice was low, cold and unbearably familiar.

My stomach dropped. “Merrin?” The name scraped out of me.

“You’ll come to Wolves-Heaven Palace. Now.”

“Wolves-Heaven?!” I screamed before I knew I’d lost control of my voice.

Thunder cracked as if on cue. The clock on the wall clicked once. Then again.

Outside the window the night was a black, folding thing; the wind tore at the trees like a warning.

My hands trembled as I lowered the phone, trying to buy a second to think.

“Who was that?” Zoella asked, wide-eyed.

I couldn’t speak.

Mother whispered, “Violet… We aren’t allowed at Wolves-Heaven. What business do you have there?”

I forced a breath and brought the phone back to my ear.

“It’s late,” I said, voice small. “Wolves-Heaven is far. I can come in the morning…”

“You have fifteen minutes,” he cut in. “If you waste one of them…” A cold pause, “…consider your family dead.”

The line went dead.

But his words kept ringing in my head: 

Fifteen Minutes. Consider Your Family Dead.