That year, my hatred for Chloe Lynn burned hotter than ever.

Chloe, to shield her assistant Miles Benedict, had my dog-my companion for a decade-brutally killed.

To settle the score, I drove a blade into Miles five times, savoring his unhinged screams like they were a masterpiece.

Everyone thought Chloe would end me.

Instead, she just tossed me a paper to break our bond, her voice ice-cold. "You're nothing but the Lynn pack's mutt. If you're gonna lose it, then get lost."

That night, I vanished.

Five years later, I showed up at a gala in my father's place and ran into Miles.

Miles splashed his red wine across my shirt. "Well, look who it is-the Lynn pack's discarded mutt."

I snatched a champagne bottle and smashed it over his head. "Five years, and you still haven't learned to act wolf. Guess I'll teach you today."

Miles' screams echoed.

His posse jumped in front of him, barking at me. "Who the hell are you? Do you even know who you just hit?"

"Let me spell it out," the loudest one jabbed a finger at me. "He's the chosen mate of the Lynn Business she-wolf! You mess with him, Chloe's gonna tear you apart!"

Another blocked my path, smirking. "Let's see who this fool is, daring to cross Chloe's heart. Everyone knows she's crazy for her mate. If Miles so much as bruises a finger, Chloe'd burn the world down-let alone with his head bashed in!"

Miles clutched his bleeding forehead, glaring. "Listen up, Caleb Dawn. Five years ago, I was soft and let you slide. Don't think I'm scared of you now! You're just a dog Chloe kept in her den. I crushed you back then, and if you dare show your face now, I'll crush you again!"

I eyed the changes in Miles after five years. Gotta hand it to Chloe-she'd raised him well. The wolf who used to stammer "Mr. Dawn" in my presence now had the guts to threaten me with "crush you" in front of a crowd.

Too bad I'm no pushover.

Not five years ago.

Not now.

Surrounded by his crew, I stared at the shattered glass on the floor, bent down, and picked up a jagged shard, grinning under their stunned gazes. "Miles."

I stepped toward him. "Five years ago," I said, gripping the bloodied shard, "I gave you too much credit. What's that?" I eyed his gut, dragging the shard from his face downward. "Stabbing out one kidney back then didn't teach you a thing. If that's how it is."

My grin turned feral. Before anyone could react, I raised the shard to plunge it into Miles' stomach.

But my wrist was seized mid-strike, a scream piercing my ears, followed by Miles' tearful whimper, "Chloe, I'm scared."

Five years ago, when I pinned Miles to the ground and stabbed him over and over, he'd worn that same terrified look, crying, "Chloe, I'm scared."

Time folded over itself. A familiar, long-lost voice growled behind me.

"Caleb, five years. Still haven't learned your place?" Chloe's voice was venom.

My wrist was yanked back, pain shooting through me. But unlike five years ago, I didn't back down or submit. The fire in my blood roared. I gripped the shard tighter, feeling it bite into my palm. As Chloe reached to rip it away, I spun, flashing her a grin. "Long time no see, Chloe."

The shard sank into her arm. Blood sprayed, blurring my vision.

The scene erupted into chaos.

Screams filled my ears, someone shouting for enforcers, others whispering. "Who's this wolf? Is he out of his mind? He just stabbed Chloe!"

"I heard Miles say something about five years ago. Didn't Chloe kick out some orphaned pup she raised, her so-called mate? No way that's him, right?"

"Doesn't look like it."

"Word is, that pup had no one, just a dog. Got tortured to death for crossing Miles. The whole elite pack saw that video-skinned alive, man!"

"Look, Chloe's smiling!"

Blood dripped from Chloe's arm. Miles yelled, "Chloe!"

Ignoring his own bleeding head, Miles lunged to shield her, roaring at me. "Caleb! How dare you hurt Chloe! The Lynn pack raised you for twenty years, and this is what you are-a rabid wolf! Apologize to her now!"

I laughed at Miles acting like the Lynn pack's alpha, ordering me around. Meeting Chloe's gaze, I said, "Five years of training, and you've got yourself a loyal dog, Chloe. Feeling pretty proud, huh?"

Miles paled.

Chloe stepped in front of him, just like five years ago. "Caleb, we were done five years back. I told you, my heart's with Miles. I'll never love you, never want you." Her eyes were ice. "I don't care how you've survived out there or how you conned your way into this gala. But you're never crawling back into the Lynn pack to hurt Miles again."

"Caleb," she said, looming over me, "I could've ignored you today, pretended you didn't exist. But you hurt Miles, so you'll pay." She clapped, and enforcers surrounded me. "Your choice-come quietly, or I make you."

An enforcer handed her a blade. Chloe took it, waiting for my answer.

I laughed. "Chloe, you think the whole world revolves around you?"

I pointed at her knife. "If you've got the guts, you'd better finish me now." I stepped closer. "Because when it's my turn to come for you, don't." I leaned in, each word sharp, "beg for mercy, haha."

My laughter echoed through the silent hall. Chloe's face darkened, trembling with rage. It reminded me of five years ago when she used my pup Rusty to force me to my knees, groveling.

She'd locked Rusty in a cage, taped his muzzle shut. If I didn't beg, the blade would carve into him without mercy.

My pride was shattered, watching Rusty suffer. I knelt, pleading, "Chloe!"

Tears streamed as I begged, "Don't hurt Rusty. I'm sorry!"

I slammed my head against the floor. "I was wrong! I know I was wrong!"

Rusty was all I had, my only dream to take him and leave the Lynn pack.

I begged desperately, "Let Rusty go! Please!"

I'll never forget Rusty's heartbroken look or the bone-deep rage that still burns when I think of it. Facing Chloe now, all that remained was unquenched hate. "Chloe, you're just a mutt Miles plays like a toy," I said, each word deliberate. "Your father, Walter Lynn, handed you the Lynn pack, and he's probably clawing out of his grave to haunt you. The Lynn pack? It's done for!"

Chloe's grip clamped around my throat, stealing my breath, draining the air from my lungs.

Her crimson eyes bore into mine, her voice venomous and unhinged. "Caleb, don't think I won't end you! You're nothing but the Lynn pack's mutt." She slammed me to the ground, champagne glass shards slicing into my skin, carving countless tiny wounds. Pain jolted through me as she yanked my hair. "When I say kneel, you kneel! When I say die, you die!"

Chloe flashed a twisted smile. "But today," she said, patting my cheek, "I'm not quite ready to let you die." She leaned closer. "Such a fun toy-how could I let you go so easily, huh?"

Staring at her, inches away, I remembered that day. Miles had sent me a video, his tone smug.

"I just told Chloe that Rusty was scary, and she skinned him alive."

"What if I tell her you're scary too? Think she'll skin you next?"

"Hilarious, right?"

"You're the Lynn pack's so-called mate, but you're lower than the help."

Now, locking eyes with Chloe, a metallic taste rose in my throat. As she raised her hand to slap me again, I spat blood in her face.

Her expression flickered from shock to disgust. I grinned. "Yeah, Chloe. How could you die so soon?" I mimicked her tone, chuckling. "This game's too fun to end early."

I came back for a reason. I'd never let Lynn Business off the hook. Those who killed Rusty-they'd pay, one by one.

Rusty's death was brutal. How could I let them walk?

Seeing my defiance, Chloe suddenly released my hair, wiping the blood from her face. "You're right. Some things need slow torment." She met my gaze. "Since you're back, let's play."

She didn't look at me again, barking at the enforcers, "Keep an eye on him. Don't let him slip away."

Then, like flipping a switch, Chloe turned soft, tending to Miles. "Does it hurt?"

She gently wiped his tears. "Let's get you to a private room."

Miles leaned into her, eyes red. "With you here, it doesn't hurt. With you," he choked out, "I'm not afraid of anything."

I watched Chloe guide Miles out, collapsing to the floor, my wounds stinging. The crowd of opportunists started yapping.

"No clue where this trash came from, daring to hurt Chloe. You're lucky she didn't rip you apart-scram!"

"Yeah! I heard you were just some orphan Walter dragged in. He raised you, and you repay him by going after Miles? You deserved to be kicked out."

"Speaking of," one smirked, pulling out his phone, "I still got that video of your dog."

He opened his gallery, pulling up the torture video.

Others crowded around, eager. "Lemme see!"

"I wanna see too!"