chapter 2

Thane’s Point of View

I stepped forward, my gaze fixed on the omega slumped unconscious against the rough stone wall. Her body looked small and fragile, her bruised limbs curled in on themselves like she was trying to disappear from the world. Her breathing was shallow, uneven.

“Let her go,” I said again, my voice calm, but there was steel in it.

The girl pinning her young, sharp-eyed, and practically dripping entitlement,turned to face me with a growl low in her throat. Her dominance hung heavy in the air, but I didn’t flinch.

“Who are you to interfere?” she barked, stepping protectively in front of the omega like I was the threat here.

I raised an eyebrow, keeping my expression unreadable. “Thane,” I said coolly. “Beta of the Blood Moon Clan. And you are?”

The girl blinked. For a second, uncertainty flickered behind her bravado. Then she drew herself up straighter. “Akela. The Alpha’s daughter.”

Of course. That explained the arrogance in her tone.

“Well, Akela,” I said with a dry smile, “I suggest you walk away.”

She scoffed. “She deserves it. You don’t know what she is.”

“No,” I replied smoothly. “But I know what you just did. And I’m not impressed.”

Her jaw clenched. She looked like she wanted to argue but thought better of it. After a moment, she turned sharply on her heel and stormed off without another word.

The second she was gone, I turned my full attention to the girl still lying motionless on the ground. Her breathing remained shallow, but I could see her chest rise and fall. She was alive.

Bruises bloomed across her skin like ink stains,on her shoulders, her arms, her cheek. Scratches lined her forearms like she had tried to shield herself. My jaw tightened at the sight. No one should be treated this way.

I knelt beside her and gently lifted her into my arms. She felt weightless,like something the wind could carry away. Her scent drifted up to meet me. Wildflowers and crushed leaves. There was something strangely grounding about it, like summer rain after a fire. Something inside me stirred. I wasn’t sure what it was… so I ignored it.

Who was she?

Why would Akela attack her like that?

And why did the sight of her like this make something in me ache?

I carried her through the dim halls to the guest room I’d been given. The bed looked too clean for someone in her condition, but I laid her down gently. She didn’t stir.

I hesitated, watching her face,still twisted with tension even in sleep,then left quietly to get water and whatever food I could find. When I returned, a few minutes later, she was sitting up, her eyes wild and filled with fear.

“Where am I?” she panted, clutching the edge of the blanket like it was her last protection.

“Hey,” I said softly, stepping inside. “You’re safe now.”

She stared at me, her entire body tense. “Who are you?”

“Thane,” I said. “From the Blood Moon Clan. You passed out. I brought you here to rest.”

Her shoulders relaxed slightly, but she still looked like she was one wrong word away from bolting. “I need to go,” she said quickly, her voice shaking.

Before I could stop her, a voice boomed from outside.

“Lila! Lila!!”

She flinched hard. Her whole body recoiled like she’d been slapped.

“Is that you?” I asked gently.

She gave a single nod, barely more than a breath. “Yes,” she whispered. “You shouldn’t have helped me. They’ll blame me for this.”

Tears welled in her eyes, and for a moment, all I could do was stare at her. This wasn’t fear. It was terror. The kind that came from experience, not imagination.

“I’ll handle it,” I promised.

Outside, a middle-aged woman approached, dressed immaculately in robes that screamed status. Her eyes were cold and calculating, but her smile was polite.

“Good afternoon, Beta Thane,” she said, voice smooth as glass.

“Afternoon,” I returned, keeping my own tone measured.

“Have you seen Lila?” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

I blinked, feigning ignorance. “Lila? Who’s that?”

Her expression flickered. “Akela said you took her.”

“Oh,” I said lightly, “you mean the omega? I saw Akela pushing her around. I stepped in. But she left once she woke up.”

“She wasn’t being pushed around,” she snapped before catching herself. “They were having a… disagreement. Lila has never been mistreated in this pack.”

Liar.

I nodded slowly. “If I see her again, I’ll let her know you’re looking for her.”

Back inside, I found Lila curled in on herself on the bed, her body trembling with silent sobs.

“They know I’m here,” she choked out. “I’m done for.”

“No,” I said, kneeling beside her. “I told them nothing.”

She looked at me like she wanted to believe me but had learned not to trust anyone.

“Why haven’t you run?” I asked softly.

She gave a bitter laugh. “You think I haven’t tried?” Her voice cracked. “Every time, they drag me back. Every time, they punish me worse than the last.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to—”

“I’m exhausted,” she snapped. “I’m tired of trying.”

I felt something inside me unravel. Without thinking, I reached for her and pulled her into my arms. She didn’t fight. Her body shook violently against mine.

“What if I helped you?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

She stilled. “Help me?”

“Yes,” I said, holding her tighter. “Get you out of here. For good.”

Her tear-filled eyes searched mine, like she couldn’t quite believe I meant it. “How?”

“Leave that to me.”

She didn’t respond right away. But slowly, like a tightly wound string finally loosening, she leaned against me. Minutes later, she was asleep.

I stayed like that, watching her chest rise and fall. Her face, finally at peace, looked younger. Softer. As the moon rose high and the night grew quiet, I knew what I had to do.

When chaos erupted in the pack that evening, I knew they’d realized she was missing. Shouts echoed. Guards rushed through the compound. This wasn’t the first time she’d vanished but this time, she wouldn’t be coming back.

When the frenzy quieted and only a few guards lingered, I gently woke her.

“It’s time.”

She nodded, slipping her trembling fingers into mine.

We crept into the shadows. The first gate,unguarded. Luck was on our side. The second… not so much.

Two guards stood chatting, their backs turned.

“Stay here,” I whispered.

I stepped forward, crafting a plan in my head. But I didn’t get the chance.

“Help!” Lila’s scream pierced the silence.

My blood ran cold.

I turned to find a guard dragging her by the arm, snarling.

“Stay out of this, Beta,” he growled.

“You don’t give me orders,” I spat, stepping forward.

Another guard lunged at me. Instinct took over. I dodged, grabbed his dagger, and sliced across his stomach. He crumpled.

The second guard flinched. I hurled the blade, barely missing Lila as it slashed his arm.

He yelped, releasing her.

I grabbed her hand. “Run!”

The alarm blared behind us.

“Invader! Invader!”

We tore through the final gate.

But we weren’t safe yet. The forest loomed ahead, dark and endless. Lila stumbled beside me, panting hard.

“Are you okay?”

“I… I’m fine,” she whispered, but her body shook with exhaustion.

I stopped. Looked at her. She couldn’t go on like this.

There’s no other way.

I stepped back and let it happen—the shift. My bones snapped and reformed, fur erupted from my skin, and in seconds, I stood on four paws.

Lila gasped.

I nudged her gently with my snout. Her hand hovered in the air, trembling, before touching my fur.

Then, without hesitation, I lowered my head and lifted her gently by the back of her clothes. She didn’t resist.

I ran.

The woods flew past us. The wind howled in my ears, the scent of moss and pine filled my nose. Only when we reached the forest’s edge did I stop.

I set her down in the grass, then shifted back, breathless.

She stared at me. Her eyes wide. But calm.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You’re safe now, Lila,” I said softly. “I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”