I don’t understand.

Back then, those rogues threatened Gideon, promising to use me as their pawn for revenge. Yet, he walked away without a second thought. Why is he bringing this up now? Does he seriously think I could have escaped unscathed from their claws?

In some way, I kind of did. Eventually, I was so battered and bruised from the alley that even the rogues didn’t want to touch me, and instead, I became their punching bag. Remembering that all this was because of Gideon makes my stomach churn with disgust. My wolf whined softly in the back of my mind, a faint echo of the pain I’d buried deep.

I didn’t linger in the living room. The air felt heavy, suffocating, like the weight of the pack’s hierarchy pressing down on me. Instead, I retreated to the study, a small sanctuary away from the suffocating dominance of the Alpha’s presence. I called my mother, the Luna of our pack. The call connected quickly.

“Mom, it’s me,” I said, my voice trembling.

“Ellie? What’s got you calling today, run out of money?” she asked, her tone light but laced with the usual distance. Still, it was comforting to hear her voice.

“No, I just wanted to talk to you,” I replied, biting my lip hard. “Mom, I don’t want to love Gideon anymore.”

There was a pause on the other end, and I could almost feel her stiffen, her Luna instincts kicking in. “What happened?” she asked, her voice softer now, the maternal warmth breaking through her usual aloofness.

“I’ve loved him for a full decade, clung to him for ten years,” I confessed, my voice cracking. “But in all those years, all I’ve received is pain, only humiliation. And in the end, he shoved me into hell with his own hands. The cost of loving him was too high.”

My mother’s sigh was heavy, carrying the weight of years of unspoken words. “Ellie, you’ve always been strong, even when you didn’t feel it. If Gideon can’t see your worth, then he doesn’t deserve you. You’re my daughter, the daughter of an Alpha. Don’t let anyone make you feel less than you are.”

Her words, though rare, were a balm to my wounded soul. For a moment, I felt the faintest flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I could let go of the boy who had once been my everything and find my own strength again. My wolf stirred within me, a quiet but resolute presence, urging me forward.

"Is there something wrong?" my mother, the Luna, asked, her voice soft but laced with concern.

"No, it’s just... I don’t want to be interested in him anymore," I replied, though my wolf stirred uneasily in the back of my mind, a quiet reminder of the fear I still carried for Gideon.

"Then don’t be," she said firmly, her tone carrying the authority of her rank. "My little Elliana can be interested in whoever she chooses. As long as you’re safe and happy, that’s all that matters."

"Yeah, thanks, Mom," I murmured, my voice trembling slightly.

Her words were simple, yet they carried the weight of unconditional love. I fought to hold back my tears, grateful for her unwavering support.

After a long chat with her, I finally hung up and stepped out of the dim storage room, my heart still heavy.

Gideon Shaw, the Beta of his pack and my former childhood friend, looked up at me, his expression unreadable. "You’ll be sleeping on the couch for now. Salem wants to stay in your bedroom."

"I’ll just move out," I said, my voice steady despite the knot forming in my stomach.

His eyes narrowed, and he grabbed my arm, his grip firm but not yet painful. "Stop being difficult. Can’t you see reason? Salem’s a guest; what’s the harm in her using your room?"

He was much stronger than I was, his Alpha aura pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe.

"Don’t touch me! Please, don’t hurt me!" I screamed frantically, desperately trying to free myself from his grip.

Panic overtook me, and I stumbled to the ground, my wolf whimpering in fear.

"Don’t touch me, stay away!" I yelled, kicking my legs as I scrambled backward, trying to find a way to escape.

Gideon tried to approach me, his voice tinged with frustration. "Elliana, what is wrong with you? If this is some attempt to get my attention, you’re misguided. This has got to stop!"

"No, stay back," I said, shaking my head wildly, retreating as quickly as I could.

But Gideon caught hold of my ankle, his grip tightening just like those rogues had once done.

"Please, let me go," I pleaded, my voice breaking.

The more I struggled, the tighter his grip became.

"I’m begging you, Gideon, no—Mr. Shaw, I won’t trouble you anymore."

He crouched down, a flicker of emotion crossing his usually impassive features. "I don’t mean anything by it. You’re just too..."

Gideon gently touched my head, his touch eerily reminiscent of the way he had comforted me when I’d fallen out of a tree as a child in the pack’s territory.

At that moment, Salem Carter, the Delta of his pack and the one who had orchestrated so much of my torment, appeared from the bedroom, her presence like a dark cloud.