Scarlett POV

"Let me try," I said, my voice trembling but cutting through the heavy silence like a blade. "I can save her."

The words hung in the air, fragile and desperate. For a heartbeat, the only sound was the relentless, high-pitched drone of the heart monitor—a flatline that screamed death.

Chastity was the first to react. A sharp, incredulous laugh escaped her painted lips. "Did you hear that, Duncan? The Omega who killed our Luna now wants to play Healer? How utterly pathetic!" She stepped closer, her perfume cloying and sweet, masking the rot of her soul. "You think a few parlor tricks will save your skin, girl? You're delusional."

Duncan's face twisted into a mask of pure disgust. He didn't even look at me, addressing the room as if I were a stain on the carpet. "This is a desecration. Grandmother is gone, and this... creature is making a mockery of her passing." He gestured sharply to the two warriors standing by the door. "Get her out of my sight. Take her to the cells and end this farce."

The warriors moved instantly. Rough hands clamped onto my biceps, their grip bruising. I gasped, trying to dig my heels into the plush rug, but I was weak. My throat still throbbed where Kaelen had choked me earlier, and my energy was dangerously low.

"No! Please!" I cried out, looking frantically at Kaelen. He was still on his knees, his head bowed over Genevieve's hand, seemingly lost to the world. "Kaelen, I can bring her back! Just let me—"

One of the warriors yanked me backward, hard enough to make my neck snap.

Then, the air in the room changed.

It wasn't a sound. It was a pressure—a sudden, crushing weight that dropped the temperature by twenty degrees. The scent of ozone and dark chocolate, now burnt with fury, flooded the chamber.

Kaelen rose.

He didn't stand like a man; he uncoiled like a predator. A low, vibrating growl rumbled from his chest, deep enough to rattle the windows. The warriors holding me froze, their instincts screaming at them to submit.

"She is mine."

The Alpha Command slammed into us, a physical force that buckled the knees of everyone in the room. It wasn't a statement of affection; it was a declaration of possession, primal and terrifying. Kaelen turned, his eyes no longer human but pitch black, the beast fully in control.

"Touch her, and you die."

The warriors released me as if I were made of molten iron, scrambling back with heads lowered, baring their necks in submission. Even Duncan took a step back, his face paling as the sheer magnitude of his brother's power washed over him.

Kaelen stalked toward me. He stopped inches away, his chest heaving, his gaze burning into mine with a mixture of hatred and a confusing, desperate hunger. He looked like he wanted to tear my throat out, yet his hand hovered near my arm, trembling as if fighting the urge to pull me close.

"Save her," he snarled, the command vibrating in my bones. "Do it. Now."

I didn't waste a second. I rushed to the bedside, my hands shaking as I pulled the small velvet pouch from my pocket. I unrolled it on the nightstand, revealing a set of thin, black needles carved from obsidian.

A murmur of disbelief rippled through the room.

"Obsidian?" the Pack doctor scoffed, adjusting his glasses. "That's primitive witchcraft, not medicine. Alpha, you cannot let her—"

I ignored him. I had to. I placed my fingers on Genevieve's cold wrist, searching for the faint, dormant energy channels my grandmother had taught me to find. They were fading fast.

I took the first needle and drove it into the pressure point at the base of her throat.

Nothing happened. The monitor continued its flatline drone. Beeeeeeeeeeep.

My hands were shaking violently now. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving only exhaustion. I placed the second needle. The third. Sweat dripped down my forehead, stinging my eyes.

"Look at her hands," Duncan sneered, his confidence returning as the seconds ticked by. "She's trembling like a leaf. She has no idea what she's doing, Kaelen! She's just stalling for time!"

I gritted my teeth, sliding the seventh needle into Genevieve's chest. Still nothing.

"Brother, please," Ellison spoke up from the corner, his voice thick with grief. He leaned heavily on his cane, his eyes pleading. "Let Nana rest in peace. Don't let this girl torture her body any longer. It's cruel."

"It's over, Kaelen!" Duncan roared, stepping forward again. "She's a fraud! I will kill her myself!"

I held the final needle—the tenth one. It was the anchor. If this didn't work, I was dead. My vision blurred. The pressure in the room was suffocating.

"SILENCE!"

Kaelen's roar shattered the dissent. He didn't look at his family. His gaze was fixed on the flat green line, his jaw clenched so tight a muscle ticked in his cheek. He was betting everything on me—on the woman he hated.

I took a deep breath, channeling the last reserves of my strength, calling upon the White Wolf dormant within me. I drove the final needle into the center of Genevieve's sternum.

For a second, there was absolute silence. Even the air seemed to hold its breath.

Then, the monitor hiccuped.

Beep.

The sound was faint, but in the quiet room, it sounded like a gunshot.

Duncan's mouth fell open. Chastity gasped.

Beep... Beep... Beep.

The flat green line spiked, finding a rhythm. Weak, erratic, but undeniably alive. Color began to creep back into Genevieve's translucent cheeks.

I slumped against the bedframe, my knees giving out as the room spun. I looked up through my lashes to see Kaelen staring at the monitor, then at me. The black in his eyes was receding, replaced by a storm of gray that held shock, confusion, and something that looked terrifyingly like awe.

I had bought my life back. But as I looked at the resurrected woman and the Alpha who had claimed me as his, I knew the real danger was only just beginning.

Scarlett POV

The steady, rhythmic beep of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room, a mechanical lullaby that defied the heavy silence of death that had choked us moments ago.

"Impossible," the Pack doctor muttered, his stethoscope pressed against Genevieve's chest. He looked at me with wide, bewildered eyes. "Her vitals... they're stabilizing. It's a miracle."

I leaned heavily against the nightstand, my legs trembling like jelly. The White Wolf's energy had receded, leaving me hollowed out and aching. I quickly swept the obsidian needles back into their velvet pouch, hiding the evidence of my power.

"It's not a miracle," Chastity hissed, stepping out from behind Duncan. Her face was twisted in a snarl, her perfectly manicured nails digging into her palms. "It's witchcraft! I told you, Duncan! That Omega is practicing dark arts! She's probably cursed Genevieve to make herself look like a savior!"

"She's right," Duncan growled, his eyes narrowing at me. "No trained Healer uses rocks and needles. This is sorcery, Kaelen. She needs to be executed before she infects the whole Pack."

"It's an old remedy," I lied, my voice raspy but firm. I forced myself to meet Kaelen's intense, burning gaze. "From the Monroe Pack. The Omegas... we keep the old ways. Herbs, pressure points, energy flow. It's not magic. It's just... forgotten science."

It was a flimsy lie, but it was all I had.

Kaelen stared at me. The pitch-black darkness in his eyes had faded to a stormy gray, swirling with conflict. He looked at his grandmother, whose chest was now rising and falling rhythmically, and then back at me. His jaw clenched, a muscle ticking in his cheek.

"Enough," Kaelen's voice was low, but it carried the weight of an Alpha's finality. He didn't look at his brother or sister-in-law. "She saved her. That is all that matters."

"But Kaelen—" Chastity started.

"I said enough!" Kaelen roared, his aura flaring out and forcing everyone in the room to bow their heads. "Get out. All of you. Let the doctors work."

Duncan shot me one last look of pure venom before dragging a protesting Chastity out of the room. Ellison gave me a thoughtful, lingering glance before following them.

Soon, the room was empty, save for the unconscious woman, the Alpha, and me.

The silence stretched, thick with tension. Kaelen took a step toward me. The air around him smelled of rain and ozone—a scent that, despite my fear, made my inner wolf perk up in interest. He reached out, his large hand hovering near my face as if to brush a stray lock of hair from my sweaty forehead.

I flinched, stumbling back until my hips hit the dresser. "Don't."

Kaelen's hand froze. A flash of hurt crossed his eyes, quickly masked by his usual cold indifference. He dropped his hand.

"You saved her," he said, his voice devoid of the hatred that had been there an hour ago. "Why? After everything I did to you today."

"I didn't do it for you," I said, straightening my spine. "I did it for her. She didn't deserve to die because of your family's incompetence." I took a breath, seizing the moment. "I need my phone back. And we need to talk."

Kaelen studied me for a long moment, his gaze piercing. It felt like he was trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces. Finally, he reached into his pocket and pulled out my cracked smartphone.

"You are to remain in the guest wing," he said, handing it to me. His fingers brushed mine, and a jolt of electricity—hot and undeniable—shot up my arm. We both jerked back as if burned.

He cleared his throat, stepping away. "Guards will escort you. Don't try to run, Fiona. The storm outside is nothing compared to what I will do if you leave these grounds."

The guest room was beautiful, a gilded cage of velvet and silk, but the windows were reinforced, and the door locked from the outside.

As soon as I was alone, I collapsed onto the bed and clutched the phone to my chest. I didn't dial. I didn't need to. I closed my eyes and reached out with my mind, pushing past the exhaustion, searching for the one tether I had left.

Burke?

The connection snapped into place instantly, frantic and overwhelming.

Scarlett! Oh, thank the Goddess! Burke's voice flooded my mind, thick with panic. Where are you? I've been trying to reach you for hours! I went to your apartment, but it was empty... I thought... I thought you were dead.

Tears pricked my eyes. I'm safe, Burke. Physically, at least.

I quickly explained everything—the kidnapping, the mistaken identity, the forced marriage to the Alpha of the Blackwood Pack. I left out the confusing sparks and the strange pull I felt toward Kaelen. That was just biology. It meant nothing.

Married? Burke's mental voice went cold with shock. He... did he touch you?

No, I reassured him quickly. It's just a piece of paper, Burke. A mistake. I'm going to fix it. I'm going to make him annul it.

Scarlett, listen to me, Burke urged. Meet me tomorrow. The cafe near the old train station. Noon. I'll get you out of there. We'll run away together, just like we planned.

I promise, I vowed, clutching the sheets. I'll get the annulment, and I'll come to you. I love you, Burke.

I love you too, Scarlett.

I severed the link, holding onto his promise like a lifeline. I would get my freedom back. I just had to survive Kaelen Blackwell for one more day.

Kaelen POV

The War Room was dark, lit only by the dying embers in the fireplace. I stood by the window, watching the storm rage outside, the rain lashing against the glass like bullets.

The door creaked open. Gideon, my Gamma, walked in. He looked like a man marching to his execution. He was soaked to the bone, mud splattered on his boots, and he held a thin file in his shaking hands.

"Report," I commanded, not turning around.

"Alpha..." Gideon's voice cracked. He swallowed hard and dropped to one knee. "We... we made a mistake."

I turned slowly. "What kind of mistake?"

"The woman," Gideon whispered, staring at the floor. "The one we took from the apartment. The one you... married."

"Speak, Gideon!"

"She is not Fiona Lawrence."

The world seemed to stop. The roar of the thunder faded into a dull buzz. I walked over to the desk and snatched the file from his hands. I flipped it open.

There was a photo clipped to the top. It was her. The same defiant green eyes, the same delicate features. But the name printed next to it wasn't Fiona Lawrence.

Name: Scarlett Monroe.

Rank: Omega.

Pack: Monroe Pack.

"She has a twin sister," Gideon explained hurriedly, his voice trembling. "Fiona Lawrence was adopted out at birth. Scarlett was kept by the Monroes. They look identical, but... we grabbed the wrong one."

I stared at the file, my blood running cold.

I had kidnapped an innocent woman. I had threatened her, choked her, and forced her into a marriage to pay for sins she didn't commit.

And yet... she had saved my grandmother. She had looked me in the eye and defied an Alpha Command. And when I touched her, my wolf had roared Mine.

I looked down at the marriage license sitting on my desk. The ink was still fresh.

"Leave me," I ordered, my voice dangerously quiet.

Gideon scrambled out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I traced the name on the file. Scarlett.

I had married the wrong woman. But as the memory of her scent—rain and wild lilies—filled my senses, I realized with a terrifying certainty that the Moon Goddess didn't make mistakes.

I had the wrong bride, but I might have just found my mate.

Scarlett POV

The storm had passed, leaving behind a silence so heavy it felt like a physical weight pressing against my chest. When the heavy oak door to my room finally clicked open, I didn't flinch. I was sitting on the edge of the velvet chaise, my back straight, clutching two sheets of Blackwood stationery as if they were a shield and a sword.

"The Alpha requests your presence for dinner," a guard grunted from the doorway. He wouldn't meet my eyes. Perhaps word of what I did in Genevieve's room had already spread.

I stood up, smoothing the wrinkles from the ruined wedding dress I was still forced to wear. "Lead the way."

The walk through Blackwood Manor was a tour of intimidation. Stone walls hung with ancient tapestries, floors of cold marble that echoed with every step, and shadows that seemed to stretch and claw at my ankles. We finally arrived at a set of double doors that looked heavy enough to withstand a siege. The guard pushed them open and stepped aside.

The Alpha's private dining room was cavernous. A fire crackled in a hearth large enough to roast a whole stag, casting long, dancing shadows against the dark wood paneling. At the center of the room stood a polished mahogany table set for twenty, but only two places were laid.

Kaelen stood by the fireplace, his back to me. He had changed into a fresh black shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal forearms corded with muscle. Even from across the room, his scent—rain, ozone, and raw power—hit me like a physical blow. My inner wolf stirred, lifting her head with traitorous interest, but I shoved her down.

Focus, Scarlett. Do this for Burke.

"Sit," Kaelen commanded, his voice low and rough, like gravel grinding together. He didn't turn around.

I walked to the table but didn't sit. I placed my two handwritten papers on the polished wood, right next to his untouched wine glass.

"I'm not hungry," I said, my voice steady despite the way my heart hammered against my ribs. "I'm here to negotiate."

Kaelen turned slowly. The firelight caught the sharp angles of his face, illuminating eyes that were no longer the pitch-black of a feral beast, but a swirling, stormy gray. He looked at me—really looked at me—with an intensity that made my skin prickle. It wasn't hatred anymore. It was something heavier, something calculating.

He walked toward the table, his movements predatory and fluid. "Negotiate?" He arched a dark eyebrow. "You are in no position to make demands, wife."

"I am in the exact position to make demands," I countered, sliding the first paper toward him. "You kidnapped me. You assaulted me. And then, I saved your grandmother's life when your own doctors had given up. That service has a price."

Kaelen looked down at the paper. I had written it in my neatest script, itemizing every grievance.

1. Physical Assault (Choking, bruising): $5,000.

2. Unlawful Imprisonment & Emotional Trauma: $100,000.

3. Specialized Healer Services (Life-saving intervention for Luna Genevieve Blackwell): $10,000,000.

He read the list in silence. The only sound in the room was the popping of the firewood. I held my breath, waiting for him to explode, to tear the paper to shreds and throw me in the dungeon. Ten million dollars was an exorbitant sum, even for a Pack as wealthy as Blackwood. It was enough to disappear. Enough to start a new life with Burke anywhere in the world.

Kaelen's finger traced the final figure. Then, he looked up. His expression was unreadable.

"You value your skills highly," he murmured.

"I value my life," I replied sharply. "And hers. Without me, you would be planning a funeral right now. Is the life of a Luna not worth ten million?"

The air grew thick with tension. Kaelen stared at me for a heartbeat longer, then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a checkbook and a fountain pen.

"Fair enough," he said simply.

My jaw nearly dropped. He didn't argue. He didn't bargain. He simply uncapped the pen and wrote. The scratch of the nib against the paper was deafening in the quiet room. He tore the check out and slid it across the mahogany surface.

I looked at it. Pay to the order of Scarlett Monroe. The amount: $10,105,000.

He knew my name.

A chill went down my spine, but I ignored it. I snatched the check, folding it quickly and tucking it into my bodice. I had the money. Now I needed the freedom.

"There is one more thing," I said, my confidence bolstered by the victory. I pushed the second paper toward him. "The money is for the past. This is for the future."

Kaelen looked down at the document. It was titled Annulment Agreement.

"I want this marriage dissolved immediately," I stated, trying to keep the desperation out of my voice. "On the grounds of coercion and fraud. And, in accordance with human law, since we are legally married, I am entitled to a dissolution of assets."

I pointed to the clause I had underlined three times.

Division of Community Property.

"I want what is mine, Kaelen. I want the marriage over, and I want my share of the community property acquired during this... union."

I expected anger. I expected him to roar and flip the table.

Instead, Kaelen went perfectly still. He stared at the words Community Property, and slowly, a smile spread across his face.

It wasn't a kind smile. It was cold, sharp, and terrifyingly amused. It was the smile of a wolf who had just watched a rabbit run straight into a snare.

"Community property," he repeated, the words rolling off his tongue like a dark promise. He looked up at me, his gray eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "Are you sure that is a door you want to open, Scarlett?"

"I just want to leave," I whispered, suddenly feeling very small.

"Oh, no," Kaelen said softly, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. He didn't reach for the pen this time. "You wanted a negotiation. Let's negotiate."