The iron door groaned open after fifteen excruciating days, the silver collar around my neck still oozing blood where it had seared into my flesh.

In the dim light of the floor lamp, Arther's shadow loomed large over the bookshelves.

His hands were buried in Bellona's waist as he pinned her against the ancient tomes.

I watched in silence as his knot swelled.

When he finally pulled away, his elegant fingers twirled the obsidian ring on her finger.

"This moonstone engagement ring from the black market auction? It's one of a kind, just like you, my love."

Leaning against the doorframe, I let out a bitter laugh, my blood-crusted fingers absently tracing the still-raw wound on my lower back where a silver arrow had pierced me.

So this was why Arther had taken his sweet time gathering the ransom - he'd wanted those rogue werewolves to break me.

But it didn't matter.

I was about to slip away unnoticed when his cold voice froze me in my tracks.

"Stop."

Arther glanced over his shoulder.

"There's a new sex shop downtown. Bellona wants the latest lace stockings. You have ten minutes."

His fingers continued to play with Bellona's hair as he spoke.

I stared down at the smear of my own blood on his polished leather shoe, then nodded woodenly.

By the time I returned, sweat had soaked through my shirt.

The silver handcuffs had left angry purple welts on my wrists, and every step sent searing pain shooting up from the ragged gashes on my ankles where the iron chains had dragged.

In my trembling hands, I held a paper bag filled with twenty different pairs of lingerie - a small price to pay for the privilege of being Arther's punching bag.

The heavy oak door creaked open, revealing Bellona curled possessively in Arther's lap.

Her painted nails traced the outline of his alpha - marked collarbone.

"Why so many?" Arther's golden eyes glowed as they landed on my trembling hands

"Bellona only wanted the diamond - encrusted pair."

His voice dripped with disdain, as if I were nothing more than a mangy mutt failing at a simple task.

As I turned to leave, Bellona's saccharine voice slithered through the air.

"Wait, love. I want to try them on now."

She nuzzled Arther's neck, her pheromones thick with arousal.

"Make her help me, baby. "

"You heard her. Don't make me repeat myself."

My fingers tightened around the blood - stained bandages hidden in my pocket, my nails digging into my palms hard enough to draw blood.

Bellona sauntered over, her stiletto heels clicking menacingly on the marble floor.

With a flick of her wrist, she let her silk robe pool at her feet, revealing a fresh mating bite on her hip - Arther's mark, still raw and oozing with alpha saliva.

"These pearl - encrusted ones will do."

Bellona propped her dainty foot against my knee, her stiletto heel pressing into the tender flesh.

"Hurry up. Arther and I have better things to do."

I sank to one knee, the cold marble floor seeping through my thin pants.

As my fingers grazed the delicate lace of the stocking, a searing pain shot through my back - a reminder of the silver bullet wound I'd taken for Arther.

Now, that very scar throbbed as I served the she - wolf draped across his lap.

The silk slid up her calf, the string of pearls catching on the fresh scabs of my wounds inflicted by rogue werewolves' claws.

Without warning, Bellona's hand shot out, her fingers digging into the base of my neck.

"Pathetic. All those battles fought, and you're still nothing but a glorified servant. I could snap my fingers, and Arther would destroy you."

With a cruel laugh, she pressed down on the still - healing gash on my shoulder. The taste of blood flooding my mouth.

"What's taking so long?" Arther's growl rumbled through the room.

In a fit of rage, I tore the stocking's ribbon, the sharp sound echoing in the silence.

As I stood, I knocked over the paper bag, sending a cascade of silk and lace tumbling to the floor.

The stockings tangled around my ankles.

Bellona's mocking laughter and Arther's annoyed snarl faded into the background as I stared at the mess, my wolf howling in despair within me.

"Ava, you can't even handle the simplest tasks? This is your punishment!"

Arther's eyes glowed with alpha rage as he snatched the stockings.

His fingers moved with brutal efficiency, wrapping the silk around my wrists.

The fabric still carried Bellona's heat, now turned into a weapon that bit into my flesh, leaving angry red welts that quickly welled with blood.

Before I could even gasp, he twisted the remaining stockings into a tight rope.

With a vicious snarl, he brought it down across my back.

Old bullet wounds throbbed as if freshly reopened.

I stumbled and crashed to my knees, the taste of blood flooding my mouth.

Arther loomed over me, his shadow casting me in darkness.

His wolf's hackles were raised, the scent of his anger - a mix of burning cedar and ozone - filling the room.

"Remember your place. You're nothing but a useless mutt who can't even serve properly."

I bowed my head. "I'm sorry." But my apology only seemed to stoke the fire in his eyes, making his glare icier.

That night, Arther prepared for a high - stakes business meeting.

In the past, I'd been the only one at his side for such events, my presence a shield against rival packs' prying eyes. But this time, Bellona clung to his arm.

As they left, I caught a glimpse of the possessive look in Arther's eyes as he regarded Bellona.

His wolf had chosen her.

And I, the one who'd bled and fought for him, was now nothing more than yesterday's prey.

In the dressing room, I carefully selected a long - sleeved gown, its satin folds designed to conceal the scars crisscrossing my arms and back.

Arther's nostrils flared as he took in my choice.

"Why are you dressed like a nun?" Before I could explain, he waved a dismissive hand.

"No matter. Tonight, you're merely Bellona's shadow. You're no longer needed to impress the packs."

The ballroom glittered under a constellation of crystal chandeliers, their light reflecting off the champagne flutes held by the gathered alpha elites.

Bellona clung to Arther's arm, her pink gown hugging every curve.

"Alpha Arther, I can't drink..." she pouted, batting her eyelashes.

"Don't worry, love. There's someone to take your place."

I accepted glass after glass of liquor, the burn of alcohol mingling with the ache of old silver - bullet wounds.

Each swallow felt like swallowing fire, and my wolf whimpered in protest as my stomach cramped painfully.

Arther's golden eyes narrowed when I instinctively clutched my abdomen.

"Stop playing the victim. " His disdainful sneer sent a fresh wave of pain through my heart.

Alex, a lecherous alpha from a rival pack, leaned forward.

"I hear your little servant can hold her liquor, Arther. Ten shots of wolfsbane - infused whiskey, and I'll sign that merger."

Arther's gaze bored into me.

"This is your chance to prove your worth, Ava. Don't disappoint."

I downed the shots in quick succession, the toxic mixture searing my throat.

The room spun, and the scars on my back throbbed in time with my pounding heart.

Alex's greasy hand snaked around my waist.

"Since we have a deal, Arther, how about lending me your pet for the night?"

Arther's arm tightened around Bellona.

"Your choice, Ava. Spend the night with Alex, or pack your things."

"I'll go with Alex."

My voice was steady, but inside, my wolf howled in despair as memories of all the times I'd risked my life for Arther flashed before my eyes.

The moment the words left my lips, a wave of nausea overwhelmed me.

Arther's growl shook the room.

He hurled his champagne flute to the floor, shattering it into a thousand pieces, and stormed out, Bellona trailing behind him with a victorious smirk.

Alex's grip tightened on his soiled bespoke suit, his Adam's apple bobbing wildly.

"Ava, your eyes... they're glowing like dying embers."

His greasy palm suddenly groped for my breast, the scent of his arousal - laced pheromones choking the air.

A feral snarl ripped from my throat.

In a blur of shredded fabric and cracking bones, my wolf burst free.

My vision exploded into a haze of red as I lunged, fangs bared.

The taste of his flesh tore through my jaws as I sank my teeth into his shoulder.

"Filthy mutt!"

Alex howled, shifting mid - attack.

His fur - matted form slammed into me, but I was driven by a rage beyond reason.

The acrid stench of his fear - sweat mingled with the bile still coating my tongue as I pinned him to the ground, my jaws inches from his jugular.

With a final, cowardly whimper, he shifted back to human and fled, clutching his bleeding wounds.

His furious growls echoed through the parking lot as he disappeared into the night, leaving behind a trail of blood - splattered pavement.

I stood over the remnants of his shredded suit.

Rain lashed down, each drop a silver - tipped arrow piercing the open wounds on my neck.

The pain of my stomach spasms merged with the sting of the downpour as I dragged myself back to the mansion.

The wrought - iron gates loomed before me, their intricate designs mocking my shattered state.

Arther leaned against the doorway, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

His gold - rimmed glasses were fogged with rain, but his gaze remained ice - cold.

Behind him, Bellona preened, using his cashmere scarf to dry her hair.

"Alex didn't break you?" He flicked the cigarette, ash landing on the still - bleeding gash on my ankle.

"You reek of filth. Sleep in the garage."

As the gates slammed shut, the storm engulfed me.

I collapsed into the mud, clutching the fading mark on my wrist.

"Nelson... please..." My voice was a broken howl, lost in the tempest.

Dawn found me still huddled in the rain, my body racked with violent shivers.

Arther emerged from the mansion, a fresh cigarette between his lips.

Just then, the door swung open, revealing Bellona.

"I'm starving," she cooed, sauntering towards us.

At the sight of me, her eyes lit up with cruel delight.

She crouched down, her hands grazing my matted hair.

"Did you douse yourself in heat - inducing herbs to please Alex?"

Her laughter was a mocking purr as she nuzzled into Arther's neck. "No wonder you can barely stand. "

Arther's hand twitched as he reached out to steady me, a rare flicker of emotion crossing his face.

Arther's lip curled in disgust as he flung my wrist away.

His polished leather shoe came down on my hand with a sickening crunch, the silver - tipped heel digging into the tender flesh.

I crumpled to the marble floor, the impact of my knees reopening old battle scars.

A white - hot flash of pain exploded behind my eyes, but I bit down on my tongue, tasting blood as I forced myself back up.

Stumbling towards the kitchen, I ignored the curious stares of the household staff.

I moved like an automaton, cracking eggs into a pan for Arther's beloved soft - boiled eggs.

Hot bacon grease spattered onto the still - healing burn on my palm, but I barely flinched.

When I presented the perfectly arranged breakfast, Bellona was feeding Arther a bite of waffle, the strawberry sauce smeared across her lips.

His golden eyes raked over me, the alpha's gaze as cold as winter frost.

I could almost hear his wolf sneering at the sight of my battered form.

Later, I huddled in the corner of my tiny room, the bitter taste of painkillers still lingering in my mouth.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Arther stormed in.

With a snarl, he ripped the curtains apart.

I instinctively shrank back, but he was on me in an instant.

His fingers tangled in my hair, yanking hard enough to make my eyes water.

The inhibitor collar around my neck dug painfully into my skin, suppressing my wolf's howl of protest.

"Bellona started bleeding after eating your food," he hissed, his breath hot against my face.

"You're going to the infirmary, and you're going to fix this. Now!"

The operating room on the top floor of the private hospital glowed with a harsh red light, a dozen white - coated specialists scurrying in and out, clutching test reports.

Arther leaned against the wall, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Ashes fell onto my bare foot, searing tiny blisters into the skin.

"Explain," he growled, suddenly stubbing out the cigarette.

"You thought you could mask the smell of rat poison with cheap spices?"

I stared at the smear of Bellona's lipstick on his collar. "It's my fault. Do what you will."

With a snarl, he slammed me against the wall.

"You saved me all those years ago just to become the alpha's mate. Now that Bellona has the engagement ring, you're eaten up with jealousy, aren't you?"

"No," I said, tilting my head back, baring my neck as his fangs hovered dangerously close to my carotid artery.

"I'm happier than anyone that you've found someone you truly love."

Suddenly, the mark on my wrist, the one left by Nelson, began to burn.

Arther's pupils dilated in surprise.

Just then, the door to the ward creaked open.

Bellona leaned weakly against the doorframe.

"Brother Arther, don't be too hard on Sister Ava..."

In an instant, Arther's expression turned cold and hard.

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me along.

" If there's a next time-" Before he could finish, my knees buckled, and I collapsed into his arms.

Bellona's smug expression froze, and Arther's hand, which had caught my waist, lingered for a moment before he seemed to remember himself.

But then, Bellona's eyes rolled back, and she crumpled to the ground.

Arther immediately released me and rushed to her side.

The news that I had spent the night with Alex had spread like wildfire through the hospital.

The nurses' station buzzed with whispers.

"Word is Arther only gives Ava defective inhibitors," hissed the nurse with the purple bandana, her pupils slitted with malice.

"Saw her in a full - blown heat last week. She was shaking so hard, I thought her bones would rattle out of her skin. "

"Hardly surprising," sneered the nurse with gold - rimmed glasses. "Bellona's pocket change could buy Ava's entire existence. Arther only keeps her around as a human shield-you should've seen her last rogue ambush. More bullet holes than fur."

I forced my steps to remain steady, but my wolf whimpered at the truth laced in their words.

"Have you heard? Alpha Arther and Bellona are getting married in Webber!" The young nurse with the pink hair tie practically vibrated with excitement.

"They've already sent out the blood - sealed invitations!"

Her colleague snorted, flipping through the shift schedule with disdain.

"Bellona's from the Crescent Moon pack. Of course, Arther would spare no expense. Though isn't Webber... Ava's hometown?"

The pink - haired nurse's grin turned sharp as a hunting knife.

"More than that. Rumor has it she had a thing with a mate there. Dead and buried now, but she still visits his grave like a lovesick pup. Can you imagine? Watching the man she pined over marry another in the very place she lost everything."

I spin around, heart pounding, to find Alpha Arther looming behind me.

His gaze pierces through me like a silver - tipped arrow.

"Bellona says the Oceanic Auditorium in Webber is perfect for our wedding. Since you're familiar with the place, handle the arrangements."

My eyes lock onto the corner of a pale blue invitation peeking from his pocket.

The smell of antiseptic in the air mingles with the memory of Nelson's last moments, his blood - and - salt - tinged scent fading in a room much like this one.

"What's the hold - up?"

Arther bends to retrieve the invitation, his Alpha aura flaring instinctively. But as his eyes meet my red - rimmed ones, it vanishes as quickly as it came.

The shrill ring of the nurse's station breaks the tension.

Arther's Adam's apple bobs, and I crouch to pick up the invitation.

The edges of the paper cut into my palms, a welcome distraction from the ache in my chest.

I look up, forcing a smile as tears fall onto the "Wedding Invitation" printed in elegant script.

"Would you like the ceremony area decorated with fields of lily - of - the - valley, or a starry sky projection?"

His hands clench, veins bulging, as Bellona's coquettish call echoes from the nearby ward.

"Once the wedding's over, you're free to leave for good."

I nod. My mission is finally coming to an end.

Webber, with its beautiful scenery, is a lawless borderland.

Arther dispatches a horde of bodyguards to escort Bellona to the most luxurious hotel in the town.

Bellona feigns concern, pinching a scented handkerchief to her nose.

"Alpha Arther, Ava reeks of medicine. We can't have her stinking up our wedding."Her pink silk skirt brushes against my stained uniform.

"Why don't you find a proper place to clean up?"

Arther's fingers pause on the guest list.

His cold gaze sweeps over my pale face.

"You heard her. Sort yourself out and don't disgrace the venue."

He pointedly ignores my trembling hand clutching a blood - stained bandage.

I clench my skirt, nails digging into the old scars on my palms.

He doesn't remember how, ten years ago in the ruins of Webber Town, I'd grabbed his pant leg, sobbing that I had nowhere else to go.

Back then, he'd furrowed his brow and bandaged my wounds. Now, I'm nothing but a disposable tool.

That night, as rain pounds the window of my seedy motel, I'm jolted awake by a splitting headache.

In the darkness, my fingers find the hidden compartment of my suitcase. T

he moment I touch the wolf's tooth pendant, memories flood back.

I can almost feel Nelson's bloody hand pressing it into mine, his last words echoing in my mind: "Keep it. Survive."

My fingers trace the rusted lock of the diary, where every memory of Webber lies hidden.

Thunder cracks the sky open as I clutch the wolf's tooth pendant and the worn leather journal to my chest.

The wail of an ambulance in the distance blends with the storm, transporting me back to the night Nelson took a bullet meant for me.

The next evening, under the glittering crystal chandeliers of the grand ballroom, a sleek - suited alpha swirls his whiskey, ice cubes clinking like mocking laughter.

"Still attached to your shadow, Arther?" he jeers. "She's like a mangy mutt that won't let go."

My grip on the champagne flute tightens until my knuckles turn white.

Across the room, Arther leans against the ornate railing, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

"You heard him. Everyone knows how pathetically you cling."

"I remember you promised I could leave after the wedding."

The words drop like a lead weight, silencing the room.

Arther's cigarette flares, and his Alpha aura surges, pressing down on me like a vice.

"Playing hard - to - get?"

He strides forward, the scent of tobacco and cedar overpowering my senses.

"Shall we show our guests just how far you'll go?"

Laughter erupts as rough hands yank my hair back.

A chilled champagne glass is forced against my lips.

"Drink up, mutt. This 1982 Lafite is too good for your kind."

Amber liquid spills down my chin, soaking my dress.

Then the entire bottle is dumped over my head, drenching me in humiliation. "Heard you took a bullet for Arther? Should've aimed for your brain instead."

The acrid stench of alcohol stings my nostrils as I bite back a whimper.

A searing pain shoots through my lower back, where the old silver bullet wound throbs angrily.

When Arther's gaze lands on my soaked bodice, his eyes turn as cold as a winter storm.

"Filthy thing. Go change before you ruin the party."

Head bowed, I stumble towards the restroom.

In the mirror, I see a broken- hair dripping wet, scars on my collarbone glistening menacingly.

Memories flood back - of rogues' whips tearing into my flesh, of Arther's cold voice echoing: "Just make sure she come back alive."