Adeline Cobb POV:

I was almost at the main gates of the palace when I heard the sound I least wanted to hear.

Running footsteps. Again.

I didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. The sickening scent of peach blossom reached me before she did.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," I muttered under my breath. "You again? Do you have nothing better to do than chase me around like a lost puppy?"

I turned slowly, my expression a mixture of annoyance and utter contempt.

Ainsley stood there, flanked by two tall guards, her hair still a mess, her silk robe hastily rearranged. The mask of gentleness was gone, replaced by a face twisted with venom and triumph.

"Sister," she said, her voice dripping with fake concern. "The Prince told you to stay. Where do you think you're going?"

"Out," I said flatly. "Somewhere you're not. Get out of my way."

"His Highness is furious right now. Running around like this will only make him angrier," Ainsley said, her false sincerity grating on my nerves. "As your sister, I can't watch you make such a mistake. Please, come back to the room and calm down."

I stared at her for a long moment. Then I let out a short, sharp laugh.

"You can't watch me make a mistake?" I repeated, my voice dripping with disbelief. "You spread your legs for my fiancé on my wedding night, and now you're pretending to care about my well-being? That's rich."

Color flooded her cheeks, but she recovered quickly. She gave a subtle nod to the guards. They stepped forward, flanking me, their sheer size a silent threat.

I glanced at them. They were the Prince's personal guards, Gamma-level warriors. A drugged Omega would normally be helpless against them.

But I wasn't a normal Omega.

Years of secret training from my mother had taught me one thing: size didn't matter. Angles, momentum, and precision did. These Gamma guards were used to overwhelming opponents with raw strength. They weren't used to someone who knew exactly where to strike.

Ainsley's smirk widened, mistaking my silence for fear. "Be a good girl, sister. Come back with me. Maybe His Highness will even find it in his heart to forgive you."

I laughed. A sharp, cold sound. "Ainsley, do you know what your biggest problem is?"

She blinked, caught off guard.

"You fail to recognize your own station," I said slowly. "You think you can speak for the Prince, but what are you? You're nothing."

I stepped closer, lowering my voice to a venomous whisper only she could hear. "You are a bastard, Ainsley Wallace. A whelp who was only granted a surname out of my mother's pity."

The blood drained from her face. It was her deepest, most shameful secret. While many knew, no one had ever dared to say it to her face.

"You!" she shrieked, her facade shattering completely. "Seize her! Drag her back to the room!"

The two guards reached for me.

I didn't wait for them to touch me. My hand slipped into the pocket of my riding coat and closed around a thin, cold object. A silver needle. Standard operative issue. I had palmed it the moment I changed out of the wedding gown.

The first guard lunged for my arm. I dropped low, pivoting on my heel, driving my elbow into his solar plexus with every ounce of force I had. He folded like a piece of paper, gasping for air.

The second guard barely had time to react. I stepped into his reach, grabbed the front of his tunic, and slammed my forehead into the bridge of his nose. Cartilage crunched under the impact. He staggered back, blood spurting down his face.

Ainsley's eyes went wide. Her jaw dropped. She had expected a helpless Omega, not a woman who moved like a predator.

I didn't give her time to scream. I closed the distance between us in two strides and slashed the silver needle across her cheek.

She never saw it coming. A short, sharp scream was all she could manage.

The needle carved a thin, red line across her skin. It wasn't deep, but it was enough. It would scar.

Pain and shock made her stagger back, her hand flying to her wounded face.

"One more word," I said, my voice quiet and lethal, "and the next one goes into your eye."

She clamped her mouth shut, trembling.

I turned and walked toward the gate, my back straight, my steps steady.

Behind me, I heard Ainsley's enraged, tear-filled scream. "Get her! Don't let her escape!"

The guards were in no shape to chase anyone. I didn't bother looking back.

But I could hear them stumbling to their feet, regaining their balance, and coming after me. Their footsteps pounded against the stone floor, and I knew I was running out of time.

I pushed through the palace gates and into the corridor beyond. The drug was still a weight in my veins, my legs threatening to buckle with every step. I couldn't outrun them in this state.

Then I saw it. A decorative suit of armor standing in an alcove, gleaming in the dim light.

I threw my shoulder against it with every last ounce of strength I had.

With a deafening crash, the heavy metal suit toppled over, blocking the narrow corridor. Plates of steel scattered across the floor, creating a wall of tangled metal that would take the guards precious seconds to climb over.

I glanced back. The guards stumbled into the debris, cursing as they fought through the mess. In the distance, Ainsley stood clutching her face, her eyes filled with pure hatred.

I mouthed two words at her.

"Idiot."

Then I turned and disappeared into the shadows of the garden. I had to get to a place Angelo would never think to look.

Before leaving the grounds of the Prince's palace completely, I cast one last look at the brightly lit building. A single thought burned in my mind: Angelo. Ainsley. We'll meet again soon. And next time, I'll take back everything that belongs to me.