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’s words cut through the air like a blade.

Just like that, my life ended.

I was on the floor, palms sticky with spilled wine and blood, staring up at him. His shadow fell over me, tall, sharp, and cold.

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

I once thought taking his eye was the worst thing that ever happened to me.

Turns out, the worst thing was meeting him again.

The manager’s greedy smile stretched wide. “Of course, Alpha. She’s yours.”

My chest tightened. I looked at Merrin, silently begging. Praying.

He had already taken everything once… my father, our name, our life.

That should have been enough.

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

I had to stand. I couldn’t let him buy me like I was nothing.

I tried, but pain exploded through my ankle. I collapsed with a gasp.

The heels.

Those damn heels. They've broken my ankle.

“No!” I shouted. “You can’t sell me! I came to work here, not to be owned!”

The manager ignored me. He rushed inside and returned with a paper, hands shaking.

“She signed a contract, Alpha. Full consent.”

My signature screamed from the page.

I remembered signing it.

I hadn’t read it. I’d been desperate.

Now it was my death sentence.

Merrin held out a pen. His voice was calm, commanding.

“Sign again.”

Sign away my freedom.

Sign myself to his cruelty.

I let the pen slip from my fingers on purpose.

It hit the floor.

Maybe if I begged, he’d find mercy buried somewhere beneath the years of his grudge.

Maybe he’d let me go.

My voice trembled.

“Please Merrin… Don’t.” I whispered, still on my knees.

He bent down, lips brushing my ear.

“You took everything from me, Violet. Now I’ll take everything from you.”

I refused to cry.

Then he straightened.

“You remember your stepmother’s house?”

My blood turned cold.

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

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

“Tomorrow, we start work,” he said, walking away. “Run again, and I’ll enjoy chasing you.”

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

The moment the door closed behind him, I exhaled shakily. 

I was done crying.

If he wanted to destroy me, fine.

But no one else would die for it. Not 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. The other dancers watched as I packed my belongings, whispering:

“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 whiskey. But then…

I heard my name from front of me.

“VIOLET!”

I froze.

A girl sprinted toward me. Hoodie. Baggy jeans.

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 sister. Loud. Wild. Alive.

“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!”

“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.”

“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. Before I could stop myself, the truth burst out.

“There’s no need,” I snapped. “Because the manager sold me to a one-eyed Alpha monster.”

Zoey’s face darkened.

“Repeat that.”

I turned away.

“Forget it.”

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.

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’m not running anymore,” I told her.

“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!” Zoella 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 an idiot,” she muttered. “Always protecting everyone.”

“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!”

The room was quiet for a while, except for the sound of the napkin dipping in water. Maybe, for a second, I could believe I was safe.

Then my phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

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 answered.

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

My heart stopped. “Merrin?”

“Come to Wolves-Heaven Palace. Now.”

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

Outside the window the night was a thick black. The wind tore at the trees like a warning. Thunder cracked. The clock on the wall clicked once. Then again.

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

“Who was that?” Zoella ased, 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…”

“If you waste one more second…” he cut in. “Then consider your family dead.”

The line went dead.

But his words kept ringing in my head: 

Fifteen Minutes. Consider Your Family Dead.