I found Hattie in the garden, sitting on the stone bench beneath the old oak tree. Her thin fingers traced patterns in the dirt, her bandaged arm held protectively against her chest. The afternoon sun caught the gold flecks in her eyes—eyes that once sparkled with mischief but now seemed permanently clouded.

"Hattie." My voice came out harder than intended.

She startled, nearly falling off the bench. "Alpha Curtis."

I kept my distance, hands clasped behind my back. The scent of her fear tickled my nostrils—a scent that should have comforted my wolf but instead made it restless.

"The Annual Moon Ball is tomorrow night," I said, staring at a point just past her shoulder. I couldn't bring myself to look at the bandages. "You will attend."

Her head snapped up, eyes wide. "I... me?"

"Yes, you." I forced the words out. "The visiting Alphas expect to see all members of our pack. Even our... dependents."

The word hung between us like a blade. I watched her flinch, though she tried to hide it by looking down at her hands.

"I don't have anything to wear," she whispered.

"Annalise has taken care of it." I shifted uncomfortably. "A dress will be delivered to your room. Wear it."

Hattie nodded, her fingers worrying at the hem of her simple shirt. "Is that all, Alpha?"

I wanted to say more—to explain that this was for the pack's benefit, that her presence was necessary to maintain appearances. But the words wouldn't come.

"Stay in the shadows," I finally said. "Don't draw attention to yourself."

---

The dress Annalise selected arrived that evening—a pale blue thing with a childish cut that made Hattie look even more fragile than usual. The fabric hung from her too-thin shoulders, emphasizing how much weight she'd lost since returning to us.

"It's beautiful," Hattie said softly to herself as she smoothed the skirt. "Like water."

I watched through the security feed, my chest tight with an emotion I couldn't name. The dress was deliberately unflattering—a calculated move by Annalise to ensure Hattie would fade into the background.

A knock at Hattie's door pulled me from my thoughts. Annalise glided in, her crimson dress already half-on, her hair styled in elegant waves.

"Hattie, darling," she cooed, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Let me help you prepare."

Hattie turned, clutching the dress to her chest. "Thank you, Annalise."

I leaned closer to the monitor, my wolf suddenly alert. Something in Annalise's smile set my teeth on edge.

"Let's get these shoes on," Annalise said, gesturing to the simple white heels I'd ordered for Hattie. "Every lady needs proper shoes for a ball."

Hattie sat obediently as Annalise knelt before her. I watched Annalise's hands move with practiced precision as she fastened the straps.

"Oh!" Annalise exclaimed suddenly. "I'm so clumsy."

The heel of Hattie's left shoe snapped with a small crack. Annalise's eyes met the camera for just a moment—a flash of triumph quickly masked by concern.

"I'm so sorry," she said, not sounding sorry at all. "We'll have to make do with what we have."

---

The ballroom glittered with crystal chandeliers and polished marble. I stood at the entrance, Annalise's hand tucked into the crook of my arm. Her crimson gown—the color of a Luna—caught every eye in the room.

"Alpha Reed," Elder Patricia greeted us, her smile sharp as a blade. "Your pack looks stronger than ever."

I nodded, scanning the crowd for Hattie. She stood in the far corner, a glass of juice clutched in her hands like a shield. The broken heel made her stance uneven, forcing her to lean slightly to one side.

"Alpha Wilson," I called to the tall man across the room. "Come meet my Beta."

Annalise's grip tightened on my arm as we moved through the crowd. I felt Hattie's eyes following us, but I didn't look back.

"A toast," I announced, raising my glass. "To alliances and strength."

The room echoed with cheers. I caught Hattie's reflection in one of the mirrors—she stood alone, her bandaged arm hidden beneath a shawl, her eyes fixed on me with an expression I couldn't bear to decipher.

Annalise laughed at something I said—or something she thought I said—her hand warm against my chest. I found myself laughing too, the sound foreign to my ears.

Across the room, Hattie took a step forward, then stopped as her broken heel caught on the carpet. She steadied herself against the wall, her eyes never leaving mine.

For a moment, I saw her as others did—a broken thing to be pitied or scorned. But then her gaze shifted, and something flickered in those vacant eyes—something that made my wolf howl in recognition.

Too late, I wondered what I had done.

The crystal chandeliers cast dancing shadows across the ballroom as I watched Annalise glide toward Hattie. My Beta's crimson dress flowed behind her like liquid fire, her smile perfectly practiced. Something in my chest tightened as I observed their interaction.

"Hattie, darling," Annalise's voice carried just enough for me to catch through the ambient noise. "You look so beautiful tonight."

Hattie's eyes widened in surprise. She tugged nervously at her ill-fitting blue dress, the broken heel making her stance uneven.

"I... thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Annalise leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Alpha Curtis wants to see you."

My brow furrowed. I hadn't requested Hattie's presence anywhere.

"Me?" Hattie's face lit with fragile hope. "He's not angry anymore?"

"He wants to give you a special gift," Annalise said, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "By the ceremonial fountain in the courtyard. Away from all these crowds."

I started forward, intending to intervene, when Elder Patricia appeared at my side, gripping my arm with surprising strength.

"Alpha Wilson is waiting for you," she hissed. "Now is not the time for... distractions."

I hesitated, watching as Hattie's face transformed with childish excitement. She believed Annalise. Of course she did.

"I'll be right back," Hattie said to no one in particular, limping eagerly toward the courtyard doors.

---

The courtyard fountain gleamed silver under the moonlight, its waters dancing in intricate patterns. I watched through the glass doors as Hattie emerged alone, her broken heel catching on the cobblestones.

"Alpha Curtis?" she called softly, her voice thin in the night air.

No answer came. Instead, a group of visiting dignitaries rounded the corner—Alpha Wilson of the Iron Claw Pack among them. They froze at the sight of Hattie standing by the fountain.

"Where is Alpha Reed?" Wilson asked, his deep voice carrying across the courtyard.

"I don't know," Hattie replied, taking a step back. "I was told he wanted to see me here."

Annalise appeared behind her, moving with predatory grace. "Oh dear," she said, her voice dripping with false concern. "I must have misunderstood."

I pressed against the glass, something primal rising in my chest as I watched Annalise's aura pulse—a subtle wave of energy that Hattie wouldn't be able to resist.

Hattie's legs buckled. She stumbled forward, arms flailing as she lost her balance.

Time slowed as I watched her pitch headfirst into the fountain.

The splash echoed like thunder across the suddenly silent courtyard. Water sprayed upward, drenching Alpha Wilson's expensive suit and sending ripples across the ceremonial pool.

The music from inside faltered, then stopped.

Laughter erupted from somewhere behind me—first one voice, then many.

"Did she just...?"

"Drunk? Or just stupid?"

"The broken one..."

Hattie sat in the shallow water, her dress billowing around her like a deflated balloon. The bandages on her arm had come loose, blood seeping through the wet fabric. Her eyes were wide with shock, lips trembling as she looked up at the circle of faces surrounding her.

"Get her out of there!" Elder Patricia's shrill voice cut through the laughter.

I pushed through the doors, my wolf snarling beneath my skin.

---

"Hattie!" My voice boomed across the courtyard as I strode toward the fountain.

She looked up at me, water streaming from her hair, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and terror.

"Alpha Curtis," she gasped. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean—"

I reached into the fountain and grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet. My fingers dug into her flesh, bruises forming beneath my grip.

"Enough!" I growled, my face inches from hers.

The visiting Alphas watched with thinly veiled amusement. Wilson dabbed at his soaked jacket with a handkerchief, his expression darkening.

"Alpha Reed," he said coldly. "Your pack's... entertainment... leaves much to be desired."

Heat flooded my face as I dragged Hattie away from the fountain. Her shoes squelched with each step, leaving wet footprints on the marble.

"I wish the Rogues had just taken me that day," I snarled, my voice low enough that only she could hear. "Anything would be better than being shackled to a broken burden like you."

The words tore from my throat before I could stop them. Hattie's body went rigid in my grip, her eyes widening to impossible depths.

Something flickered in those vacant eyes—not just fear or shame, but a spark of something I'd never seen before. Something that made my wolf howl in recognition.

For a moment, the world narrowed to just us two—me with my hand digging into her arm, her standing there dripping and broken.

Then her gaze dropped to the ground, and whatever I'd glimpsed vanished like morning mist.

"I'm sorry," she whispered for what felt like the thousandth time.

But this time, something in her voice had changed.