The night I was awarded Best Actress, the grand screen at the ceremony mercilessly displayed my private photos. In an instant, I went from a celebrated actress to a pariah, hounded by the media. Even my family, the Lynch Pack, was threatened. Those photos, however, were taken by my own mate, Osiris Johnson.

Determined to confront him, I headed to an exclusive club frequented by high-ranking werewolves. Before I could reach him, I overheard his conversation with his friends at the entrance.

"Hey, Osiris," one of them sneered, "your mate’s photos are driving us crazy. How about bringing her over for a good time tonight?"

Osiris chuckled, his voice dripping with disdain. "Sure, for five hundred bucks a night. That’s all she’s worth now."

"Five hundred?" another laughed. "That wouldn’t even buy Noelle a bouquet of wolfsbane."

"She dared to stand in Noelle’s way," Osiris said coldly. "Anyone who upsets Noelle has to pay the price. Do as you please with her; I’ve got plenty of ways to keep her under control."

His words sent a chill through me, freezing me in place. My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, a low growl of pain and betrayal.

“It’s all about her talent, right?” someone mocked, ogling the pictures. "Amiri winning Best Actress must’ve been the result of some backroom deal with Osiris. Who’d have thought she’s such a vixen in private?"

Osiris sneered, his voice sharp and cruel. "She’s just a shallow she-wolf who thought she could rise to fame by clinging to me. No wonder the internet is tearing her apart. She brought it on herself by being rude to Noelle."

My body shook with anger, but the threats to my family and the overwhelming hatred online forced me to stay silent. My wolf’s growl turned into a whimper, retreating into the depths of my mind.

Memories of my first meeting with Osiris flashed before me. It was backstage at a film award ceremony. He claimed to admire my acting and expressed his desire to sign me to his pack’s production company.

Soon after, he pursued me relentlessly, and I was swayed by his apparent sincerity, accepting his confession and signing with his company. I wanted to advance my career through hard work, so we agreed to keep our relationship private for now.

But rumors began to circulate, accusing me of getting close to him for fame. He reassured me, promising to handle everything and protect me from any harm.

Within days, he publicly announced our mate bond online, visiting me on set and lavishly expressing his affection, showcasing his admiration to the world. The gossip about me disappeared as our sweet romance dominated the headlines.

I was hopelessly captivated by his charms—until Noelle Bishop returned from abroad, and everything changed. Osiris withdrew his support, showering Noelle with all his attention, even allowing her to harass me.

It wasn’t until a drunken slip at a gathering that I learned Noelle was his elusive first love. I was just her lookalike, a mere substitute in his eyes.

A few days ago, at a party, I wore a necklace he had given me. Noelle posted on Instagram, lamenting how I flaunted it in her face, claiming I bullied her.

To teach me a lesson, Osiris chose to release my private photos at the peak of my success, letting me plummet from the heights into despair.

Listening to the degrading comments from the booth, I felt as if I had descended into an icy abyss.

Five years with Osiris, and I had shared everything with him, even letting him convince me to take those private photos, feeling embarrassed but ultimately agreeing.

I never imagined this mate bond would become a weapon he’d use to harm me.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Kyree’s number, my brother and the Gamma of the Lynch Pack. Tears streamed down my face as I spoke, "Kyree, I regret being with Osiris. Can you please come pick me up..."

Before I could say more, a malicious laugh interrupted me from behind.

"Well, look who’s here. Amiri Carter herself."

I turned in terror to see one of Osiris’s friends approaching me.

The phone was snatched from my hand, the call abruptly ended.

"We were about to invite you out, but here you are."

He grabbed my chin, forcing me to lift my head. "What? Not putting on a show anymore?"

Others gathered around.

“Amiri, Osiris sold you to us for five hundred bucks. You better serve us well, and maybe we’ll tip you something extra.”

Fear gripped me. I struggled with all my might.

"What you’re doing is illegal! You’ll face consequences!"

“Illegal?” he sneered as he dragged me into a room inside the booth.

The air was filled with the stench of smoke and whiskey, vile laughter, and obscene remarks...

My wolf growled, desperate to protect me, but I couldn’t shift here, not in front of them. I was trapped, my body trembling as they closed in.

"Osiris!" I screamed, hoping against hope that some part of him still cared. But no one came.

The door slammed shut, and I was alone with them.

I was thrown roughly onto the bed, the impact jarring my bones. The room reeked of sweat and malice, the air thick with the scent of dominance and cruelty. A man lunged at me, his massive frame towering over mine, his hands tearing at my clothes with an iron grip I couldn’t shake off. His wolfish strength was overwhelming, his aura suffocating.

"Get away from me! Please, let me go!" I screamed, my voice raw and desperate, but my cries only stirred more laughter from the men surrounding me. They were Deltas from Osiris’s pack, their loyalty to him absolute, their respect for me nonexistent.

One of them grabbed my ankle, forcing my legs apart. The cold air invaded through the ripped fabric, sending shivers down my spine. I could feel my wolf cowering in the back of my mind, her whimpers echoing my terror.

"Stop acting like some saintly virgin. We’ve all seen those scandalous photos," one of them sneered, his breath hot on my neck. His voice dripped with contempt, his words slicing through me like a blade.

I turned my head in a futile attempt to escape his touch, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. Someone captured the moment on their phone, the flash blinding. Their laughter was a cacophony of cruelty.

"Leaking the starlet’s private escapades online will definitely go viral, hahaha!" one of them jeered, his voice laced with malice.

My wrists were tightly bound with coarse rope, the rough fibers chafing my skin until blood trickled down my arms. I thrashed about, clawing at the sheets, but I couldn’t break free. My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, her fear mirroring my own.

"Help..." My voice grew weaker, the last shreds of hope slipping away, leaving me at the mercy of these predators.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Noelle strolled in, her presence commanding immediate silence. She surveyed the scene with disdain, her sharp eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of me. "This is what you call entertaining? How pathetic," she said, her voice cutting through the room like a whip.

She walked over to me, pulling a small bottle from her purse. Without hesitation, she forced my mouth open and shoved a pill down my throat. I struggled, but the pill still slid down my dry throat, the bitterness lingering on my tongue.

Then she pulled out a small knife and held it close to my neck, cutting off my necklace—a gift from Kyree, my brother. "Amiri, you always wear this around me, just to irritate me," she said, her voice dripping with venom.

Using the knife tip, she traced my neckline, dangerously close. "Don’t blame me for this," she whispered, her voice low and menacing.

The blade nicked my skin, and blood oozed out, the pain sharp and immediate.

"Oh dear, it’s bleeding!" she exclaimed mockingly, tossing the knife aside. The men around us laughed, their voices a chorus of cruelty.

Noelle lifted her chin, flaunting the marks on her neck, brushing her fingers over the mate mark left by Osiris, her voice sultry and teasing: "Your skin is so sensitive, it turns red with the slightest touch. Not like me, I spend the whole night with Osiris to get these marks."

Hot beads of blood trickled down my collarbone, the pain eliciting a sharp intake of breath. My wolf snarled in my mind, her anger flaring, but there was nothing she could do.

The men around us laughed raucously. "Noelle, you really know how to turn up the heat!" one of them shouted, his voice filled with glee.

Someone reached out and pulled off my last remaining strap, the fabric tearing with a sickening sound. I felt exposed, vulnerable, and utterly broken.

Osiris stepped into the room, and immediately, the others fell silent, their deference to their Alpha palpable. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. His dark eyes bore into mine, cold and unfeeling.

His thumb wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, his voice icy: "Amiri, did you really think you were some kind of angel? This is what you get for crossing Noelle and betraying me."

I was speechless; my blood ran cold as the voices around us barely registered. The men’s laughter was a distant echo, their cruelty a blur in my mind.

"Let’s see her play innocent now. Soon she’ll be begging us to stop," one of them said, his voice filled with dark anticipation.

The world began to blur as my consciousness slipped away, my body feeling aflame, as if tossed into a furnace. The drug coursed through my veins, my skin burning hotter by the second, yet all I could do was wriggle helplessly in a futile attempt to escape.

Osiris released me, his voice dripping with disdain: "Once you’re done, throw her out onto the street. Let everyone see the real diva."

With that, the men erupted in uproarious agreement. "The Alpha has spoken, don’t hold back, guys!" one of them shouted, his voice filled with glee.

The drug’s effects intensified, my skin flushed and burning. My wolf’s whimpers grew louder in my mind, her fear and anger intertwining with my own. I felt myself losing the battle, the darkness closing in around me.