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."

The crystal dome fractured the light into a kaleidoscope of colors, casting prismatic patterns across the room.

At the center, the infinity pool mirrored the gilded chandeliers, rose petals swirling on its surface like drops of blood. Bellona teetered on twelve - centimeter crystal stilettos, her pearl - encrusted veil framing a saccharine smile as she clung to Arther's arm, gliding towards the velvet - draped stage.

I lingered at the back of the guest - filled hall, my right hand clenched around the wolf's tooth pendant.

Images of Nelson's blood - stained hand pressing the pendant into mine flashed before my eyes, overlapping with Arther's immaculate suit - clad form.

As I lifted my gaze to the stage, our eyes met.

Arther's pupils constricted, and his steps faltered ever so slightly.

Suddenly, Bellona's shrill scream pierced the air.

"What is that?!"

Her French - manicured finger, pointed accusingly at my chest. "Ava! Why are you wearing a pendant that matches Arther's?!"

The ballroom erupted into a frenzy of whispers.

Before I could utter a word in defense, Arther's alpha growl shook the air.

His eyes glowed with a feral light as he stalked down the steps.

"Restrain her!" he barked at the guards.

In one swift motion, his hand closed around my necklace, yanking it so hard that the chain snapped.

"Nothing but a worthless trinket I picked up a decade ago."

The wolf's tooth pendant spun through the air, shining moment before plummeting into the depths of the pool.

A primal howl ripped from my throat, and without a second thought, I vaulted over the ornate railing.

The icy water enveloped me like a shroud, but I barely felt the cold.

All I could think of was retrieving the last piece of Nelson.

Arther's enraged roar echoed above the surface, mingling with the shocked cries of the guests. "Leave her! Let the mutt drown!"

I thrashed through the water, my hands scraping against the pool tiles, leaving behind trails of blood.

Saltwater stung my eyes and filled my lungs, but I refused to give up.

Five excruciating hours passed before I finally dragged myself out of the pool.

Soaked to the bone, I staggered towards the cemetery, leaving a trail of water in my wake.

The moonlight cast an otherworldly glow on Nelson's tombstone.

I sank to my knees, trembling fingers tracing the contours of his photograph. "I'm sorry... I failed you."

Suddenly, the sound of pounding footsteps shattered the silence.

Arther loomed over me, his tie askew and wedding cake smeared across his jacket.

His grip on my wrist was vice - like. "Who is this man?!"