The window latch gave way under my trembling fingers. I'd forgotten how easily I could manipulate locks—a skill from my days as a boat captain when every mechanism needed to be understood. The metal pin bent just enough to create an opening.

"It's working," I whispered to Silver, my wolf stirring anxiously inside me.

*Be careful,* she warned. *If they catch us—*

"They won't," I promised, easing the window open.

Rain lashed my face as I squeezed through the narrow opening, my bare feet instantly soaked against the cold stone ledge. The storm had intensified, thunder cracking overhead as lightning illuminated the manicured grounds below. Three stories up, but there was a trellis...

I climbed carefully, my nightgown billowing in the wind as rain plastered my hair to my face. The ocean scent was stronger here, mixing with the storm's fury. Freedom was just beyond those gates.

*Elena,* I thought, her absence a hollow ache in my chest. *I'll find out what really happened to you.*

The ground was farther than it looked. I landed awkwardly, twisting my ankle on impact. Pain shot up my leg, but I forced myself forward, limping across the soggy grass toward the tree line.

"Stop her!"

The shout came from behind—deep, male voices cutting through the storm. I ran faster, my nightgown heavy with rainwater, branches whipping my face as I plunged into the woods.

They caught me at the estate gates. Rough hands seized my arms, yanking me backward.

"Look what we have here," sneered a guard with Sofia's insignia on his jacket. "The Alpha's little pet trying to run away."

"Let me go!" I struggled against his grip, but his fingers dug deeper.

"Boss says to bring her back," another guard said, grabbing a fistful of my hair. "Alive."

They dragged me through the mud, my bare feet scraping against rocks and roots. I bit the first guard's arm when he tightened his grip, earning a backhanded slap that split my lip.

---

"Disgraceful," Sofia declared, standing under the covered entrance as the guards shoved me forward. "Running away like a common rogue."

Lucien stood beside her, his face unreadable as rain dripped from his hair. "What were you thinking?" he demanded.

"I needed to see..." My voice broke as I swayed on my feet. "The warehouse. The bodies—"

"There are no bodies!" Sofia snapped. "They were cremated as traitors."

Lucien's jaw tightened. "Sofia's right. You endangered the pack by running."

"I want to see for myself," I insisted, meeting his gaze.

Sofia's laugh was like ice. "Senator Perez is on his way to discuss this... incident."

Lucien's eyes widened slightly. "Harper, you've gone too far."

"He needs to see you're in control," Sofia said, her voice honeyed with false concern. "A strong Alpha can't have his mate running wild."

---

The gravel cut into my knees as I knelt in the driveway. Each raindrop felt like another accusation pounding against my skin.

"Submit," Lucien commanded, his Alpha tone vibrating through my bones.

I fought against it, tears mixing with rain on my cheeks. "I just wanted the truth."

"Submit!" His voice cracked like thunder.

My body betrayed me, folding forward until my forehead pressed against the sharp stones. Pain lanced through my abdomen—different from the gravel's bite.

"Lucien," Sofia called from the covered walkway, "the Senator's car is approaching."

I felt his hand on my shoulder, heavy and insistent. "Stay there until I return."

Footsteps receded as he went to greet the Senator. Rain poured harder, soaking my hair and running down my neck in cold rivulets.

"Mama," I whispered to the storm, thinking of my mother who'd taught me to navigate by stars. "What would you do?"

A warm presence appeared beside me—Della, her healer's hands gentle as they touched my shoulder.

"Harper," she whispered urgently. "You're bleeding."

I looked down to see crimson mixing with rainwater on the gravel beneath me. Not just rain—blood.

"The pup," Della said, her voice tight with fear. "You're losing the pup."

---

I stared out the window at the endless ocean beyond the estate walls. My hand rested on my stomach, feeling the slight swell that had become my secret companion over the past weeks.

"Drink this," Della said softly, offering a cup of herbal tea. "It will strengthen the bond."

I took it without speaking. Lucien had visited twice since that night, but I'd turned away each time, watching the waves instead of his pleading eyes.

"He's worried about you," Della said, her voice carefully neutral.

I said nothing. What was there to say? The man who'd promised me the world had forced me to kneel in gravel while our child bled away.

"Harper," Della ventured, "you mustn't let Sofia near you. She knows about the pregnancy now."

Finally, I spoke, my voice barely above a whisper. "Will you protect us?"

Della's hand covered mine, warm and steady. "With my life."

Outside, a ship's horn sounded in the distance—a lonely call that echoed my own longing for freedom. I pressed my palm against the glass, imagining the open sea beyond these walls.

*Soon,* Silver promised inside me. *We will be free.*

Pain ripped through me in waves, each one stronger than the last. I gripped the edges of the hospital bed, my knuckles white as another contraction seized my body.

"You're doing great, Harper," Della encouraged, her healer's hands cool against my forehead. "Just a little more."

I wanted to scream, but my voice caught in my throat. Silver thrashed inside me, sharing my pain as we brought our daughter into the world.

"I can see her head!" the pack doctor announced. "One more push, Harper."

With a final, tremendous effort, I felt something slip from my body. A tiny cry pierced the air—strong, defiant, alive.

"She's perfect," Della whispered, tears in her eyes as she helped clean the tiny bundle.

They placed her on my chest, this miracle with Lucien's dark hair and my silver-gray eyes. Her tiny hand curled around my finger with surprising strength.

"Hello, little one," I murmured, pressing my lips to her forehead. "Welcome to the world."

Silver howled inside me, her presence warm with maternal love. *Our pup. Our Violeta.*

---

Two months later, I sat in the rocking chair by the nursery window, Violeta cradled against my chest. She slept peacefully, her tiny features relaxed in the way only babies can achieve.

"Such a beautiful sight," came a voice from the doorway.

I looked up to see Sofia, elegant as always in a cream silk blouse and tailored pants. Her smile didn't reach her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, instinctively tightening my hold on Violeta.

"Lucien asked me to check on you," she replied smoothly, gliding into the room. "He's so busy with pack affairs."

I nodded stiffly. Lucien had been absent for days, leaving me alone with our daughter and Della.

"I brought you something," Sofia continued, producing a small porcelain cup. "A post-partum tonic. For your health."

Della wasn't here—she'd stepped out to prepare Violeta's formula. I should have waited for her return.

"Thank you," I said reluctantly, accepting the cup.

Sofia's smile widened as she watched me raise it to my lips. The liquid was bitter, with an underlying sweetness that couldn't quite mask its strange aroma.

"Drink up," she urged. "It's traditional for new mothers."

I took a small sip, then grimaced at the taste. "It's strange."

"Drink it all," Sofia insisted, her voice hardening slightly. "Or I'll tell Lucien you're being difficult again."

Something in her tone made Silver growl inside me. But before I could react, Sofia grabbed my chin, forcing my mouth open.

"Swallow," she hissed, tipping the cup against my lips.

The liquid burned like fire down my throat. I choked, struggling against her grip as it seared through me like acid. Violeta woke with a startled cry.

"What have you done?" I gasped, clutching my throat.

Sofia's laugh was cold as she stepped back. "Just ensuring you can't howl for help anymore."

The pain intensified, spreading through my chest. I tried to call for Silver, but our connection felt muted, distant. I opened my mouth to scream, but only a raspy whisper emerged.

"Concentrated wolfsbane," Sofia explained casually, picking up Violeta from my arms. "Enough to damage your vocal cords and sever your connection to your wolf."

I lunged for my daughter, but my body felt weak, unresponsive. "Give her back!"

"Oh, I will," Sofia said, placing Violeta in her crib. "But remember this moment. Remember that I can take everything from you."

---

Two years passed in a blur of silent desperation. Violeta grew into a curly-haired toddler with her father's confidence and my love for the ocean. She was my entire world, the only light in my gilded cage.

"Higher, Mama!" she squealed as I pushed her on the swing in our small garden—the only outdoor space we were permitted to use.

Her laughter was like music to my damaged ears. I smiled, my fingers gently guiding the swing.

"Careful, she's getting too excited," warned the guard stationed nearby.

I ignored him, focusing on Violeta's joy. These supervised outings were rare treasures.

"Mama, look!" Violeta called, pointing to something shiny on the ground.

As she ran toward it, Sofia appeared from the path, her eyes narrowing at the sight of us.

"Playing with the child again?" she asked the guard. "Has Lucien approved this?"

Before he could answer, Sofia knelt beside Violeta. "What's this you've found, sweetie?"

I watched in horror as she slipped something into my daughter's pocket—something small and gleaming.

Later that afternoon, chaos erupted when the sacred Lycan moonstone was reported missing. Guards stormed the West Wing, searching everywhere.

"Check the child," Sofia commanded, her voice dripping with false concern.

They found it in Violeta's pocket.

"I didn't!" Violeta cried, her small face crumpling in confusion.

"She's a thief, just like her mother," Sofia declared, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Lucien appeared, his face drawn with exhaustion. "What's happening?"

"The moonstone was missing," Sofia explained smoothly. "We found it on Violeta."

I tried to protest, my raspy voice barely audible. "She didn't—"

"Enough," Lucien silenced me with a look. "Violeta will remain in the West Wing until she learns discipline."

"But she's just a child!" My damaged voice cracked with desperation.

Lucien's eyes met mine, something like regret flashing briefly before hardening again. "It's for her own good."

As he turned away, Violeta's small hand slipped into mine, her eyes wide with fear. In that moment, I knew we had to escape—or we would lose everything.

Music floated up from the grand ballroom below, a melodic backdrop to the Alpha's Summer Gala. I pressed my palm against the cold window glass of my room, watching guests in elegant gowns and suits mingle on the terrace. Violeta would have loved the twinkling lights strung across the garden.

"She's with her nanny," I whispered to myself, my raspy voice barely audible even in the empty room. "She's safe."

Silver stirred weakly inside me, her presence a faint comfort after years of wolfsbane poisoning. *Something's wrong*, she whispered.

I shook my head, dismissing the thought. Violeta was just a toddler—she couldn't wander far. The nanny would keep her inside, away from the pool area where the gala guests were gathered.

---

The pool gate should have been locked.

Later, I would learn that Sofia had personally checked it that morning, ensuring the safety latch was broken. She'd placed Violeta's favorite floating toy—a little rubber dolphin that squeaked—in the center of the deepest part of the pool.

"Look what I found!" Violeta's excited voice echoed in my memory. She'd loved that toy, carrying it everywhere after Lucien brought it back from a pack meeting.

I paced my room, trapped by the guards stationed outside my door. The gala was in full swing, champagne flowing freely as Lucien networked with allied pack leaders.

*Harper.* Silver's voice was suddenly urgent. *Something's wrong.*

I stopped mid-step, a chill racing down my spine.

*Violeta.*

The bond between mother and child—that precious, sacred connection—felt like a violin string pulled taut and then...

Snap.

The severing was so violent I doubled over, clutching my chest. A cold emptiness spread through me, replacing warmth with icy dread.

"No," I gasped, falling to my knees. "No, no, no!"

I lunged for the door, pounding my fists against the wood. "Let me out! Please, let me out!"

Blood smeared across the polished surface as my hands split open. I didn't feel the pain—only the horrifying void where Violeta's presence had been.

"Help me!" I screamed, my damaged voice breaking. "My daughter is dying!"

---

When they finally opened the door, I pushed past the startled guards and ran barefoot across the marble floors. Party guests stared as I raced through the crowd, my nightgown billowing behind me.

"Violeta!" I screamed, the sound more animal than human.

I reached the pool area just as Lucien emerged from the water, my daughter's small body cradled in his arms. Water dripped from his formal suit as he laid her on the concrete.

"Come on, baby," he sobbed, starting CPR. "Breathe for me!"

But Violeta was still, her lips blue, her eyes closed. Too still.

"Where were you?" Sofia's voice cut through the chaos. "Your daughter needed supervision!"

I fell to my knees beside Violeta, touching her cold face. "She was with her nanny," I whispered.

"The nanny tried to stop her," Sofia said loudly to the gathering crowd. "But Violeta was always so wild, so disobedient."

Lucien's hands shook as he continued compressions. "Harper, I'm sorry. I couldn't save her."

---

They sedated me for the funeral. I remember little except the small white coffin and the scent of lilies—flowers I'd never allowed in our room because Violeta was allergic.

Lucien stood beside me, his arm around my shoulders as pack members offered condolences. I heard words like "tragic accident" and "poor supervision."

Sofia wore black, her face a perfect mask of sympathy. "She was such a beautiful child," she murmured, squeezing my hand.

I pulled away, unable to bear her touch.

---

Days later, I wandered the estate grounds in a daze. The pool area was closed off with yellow tape—a crime scene, though no one spoke of it that way.

Something drew me to the filtration system at the far end of the pool. Silver stirred within me, suddenly alert.

*There*, she urged. *Look there.*

I knelt beside the filter, my fingers finding the small compartment where debris collected. Inside, among leaves and dirt, was Violeta's dolphin toy.

The one that should have been in our room.

The one that floated in the center of the pool.

Silver surged through me with unexpected clarity, burning away years of wolfsbane fog. *She was lured*, my wolf growled. *Our pup was murdered.*

---

That night, I slipped into Della's infirmary. She was alone, sorting herbs by the dim light of a single lamp.

"Della," I said, my voice rough from disuse but suddenly serviceable.

She dropped the mortar she was holding. "Harper? You spoke!"

I held out my hand, the toy dolphin resting in my palm. "It wasn't an accident."

Understanding dawned in her eyes as she took the toy. "Where did you find this?"

"In the pool filter," I whispered. "She was lured there."

Della's hands trembled as she examined the toy. "I've been documenting everything," she said quietly. "Sofia's visits, the wolfsbane in your tea..."

"Why?"

"Because I serve the true Luna," she replied, her voice steady. "Not the Alpha's chosen mate."

She knelt before me, taking my injured hands in hers. "Tell me what you need."

"Help me escape," I said, feeling Silver's strength building inside me. "Help me take back what's left of my pack."

Della nodded, her eyes shining with determination. "We start tonight."