Chapter 3

Days passed before I knew it. Since I hadn't eaten or drunk anything, the wolfsbane spread even faster.

Just when I thought I was finished, the punishment chamber door was kicked open, and a burst of blinding light flooded in.

Cyrus stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable as he stared at me. I couldn't tell if it was shock or something else.

"You're still alive?"

His voice was devoid of warmth, as though he were talking about something utterly trivial.

I laughed, blood trickling down the corner of my mouth and dripping onto the chains. "Thanks to you, I'm hard to kill. I'm not someone who dies that easily."

He approached me and unfastened the chains. Without them, I collapsed into his arms, my body ice-cold.

"Why didn't you tell me Sophia locked you in here?" Cyrus asked, his tone carrying a faint edge of anger.

"Tell you?" I let out a weak laugh and coughed up more blood. "Would you have saved me? You'd only take her side and watch me die.

"At the Moon Ceremony, you stood there while they humiliated me. When I was poisoned, you handed the only antidote to Sophia. And now you're pretending to care?

"What, are you afraid I'll die and the alliance will crumble? You're worried you won't know how to face the Lunar pack, huh?"

Cyrus froze. Without another word, he bent down, lifted me into his arms, and carried me out.

…

When we reached his cabin, the pack witch arrived quickly with the antidote. The deep green liquid burned going down, but it snapped my mind into clarity at once.

Nina slowly stirred inside me. She let out a faint whimper, as if she were grieving all the pain we had endured.

Cyrus, on the other hand, sat in a chair beside the bed. He watched me in silence for a long time before finally saying, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" I chuckled bitterly, blood and tears mixing as they ran down my face. "Are you sorry I got in Sophia's way? Or are you sorry your alliance is about to fall apart?"

Out of nowhere, he uttered, "Don't sever the mate bond."

There was a hint of pleading in his voice as he added, "I'll protect you. I won't let Sophia hurt you again."

My eyes were filled with scorn as I stared at him. "Protect me? So, your idea of protection was leaving me locked in that chamber, nearly dying from wolfsbane?"

"I know I was wrong. I can make it up to you."

Cyrus leaned closer. "Whatever you want, I'll give it to you—supplies, power, anything. As long as you don't sever the mate bond."

"You can't give me what I want," I replied.

Unable to look at him anymore, I closed my eyes. "I want you and Sophia to pay. Blood for blood."

At that moment, the cabin door flew open, and Sophia stormed in. Her hair was a mess, and her eyes glinted with madness.

"Cyrus, why would you bring her here?" she demanded, jabbing a finger at me like I was something filthy. "She's nothing but a lowlife! An outsider mutt like her has no right to be in your cabin!"

"Shut up, Sophia!" Cyrus' voice dropped, edged with dominance. "She's my appointed mate. She has every right to be here."

"Mate?" Sophia shrieked, the sound piercing my ears. "I'm the one who deserves you! We grew up together, and I've done everything for this pack! What makes her worthy?"

I had barely regained any strength, but I threw the covers off and lunged at her. My claws raked across her cheek, leaving three bloody lines.

"You're the real mutt! You're just a shameless mate-stealing bitch! Everything you've achieved came from your elder father!" I yelled.

Sophia charged at me, and we tumbled to the floor. We clawed at each other until our hair and clothes were in complete disarray.

A beat later, Cyrus dragged us apart and pulled me behind him. His icy gaze locked on Sophia. "This is your last warning, Sophia. Lay a hand on Chloe again, and I won't go easy on you."

His aura surged, pressing down on her until she could hardly breathe.

Disbelief was etched across her face as she stared at him. "You're actually protecting her?"

Sophia stumbled back, tears streaking through the blood on her face. "I won't let either of you get away with this. I'll kill her!"

With that, she bolted out.

At last, the cabin fell silent.

Cyrus studied the scratches on my face and reached out to touch me, but I pulled away.

"I won't let her hurt you again," he muttered.

I looked at him, but there wasn't a flicker of emotion in me. I knew he didn't love me. He was only afraid that if I died, the alliance between our packs would fall apart.

Still, that was fine. I could use that fear to stay alive and wait for my chance to strike back.