The screen on my phone had just gone dark when I heard the click of the lock turning, shattering the silence. Maddox stormed into the room, his broad frame filling the doorway, muscles taut with barely restrained fury. His scent—sharp and aggressive—filled the space, a reminder of his rank as Beta of the Silvermoon Pack.

"You've got time to make phone calls, even after what you did to Kinley?" he snarled, his voice laced with the alpha tone that sent a shiver down my spine. Before I could react, he grabbed my arm, his grip bruising, and shoved me against the doorframe. The impact forced a pained gasp from my lips.

Two Deltas—Everest and Desmond—stepped forward at his command, each seizing one of my arms. Their strength was overwhelming, and I was dragged into the bedroom, forced to kneel on the cold hardwood floor beside Kinley's bed. My knees ached, but I refused to cry out.

"Kinley was just frightened," Maddox said, his voice calm now, though the edge of his alpha tone lingered. "She nearly lost the baby. You'll stay here until she calms down."

I glanced at Kinley, who lay propped up on the bed, her golden hair fanned out like a halo. Out of Maddox's sight, she shot me a smug smile, her eyes gleaming with triumph. My stomach churned.

How could I ever have confused Maddox, with his cold ruthlessness, with Cristian, whose warmth and strength had once been my refuge?

Time dragged on, and the sharp pain in my knees grew unbearable. Just when I thought I couldn't endure it any longer, the sound of barking echoed from downstairs.

Kinley's eyes lit up. "My new dog is finally here!"

She whispered something to Maddox, her voice sweet and pleading. His expression softened, and he nodded before heading downstairs. When he returned, he was carrying the urns that held my parents' ashes.

I stared, my heart pounding, a terrible dread settling in my stomach. "What are you planning?"

Kinley feigned innocence, covering her mouth with a giggle. "You know what they say about dogs loving bones, right? I'm curious—if we grind them up, will they still eat them? Since we've got bones already, why not let the dog have a taste? Just a little, right? You wouldn’t mind, Violette?"

Her words struck me like a lightning bolt, freezing my blood. They were going to feed my parents' ashes to the dog!

Fury surged through me, and I shouted, “Kinley! If you touch my parents' ashes, I'll never let you get away with it!”

"She's so scary, Maddox," Kinley whimpered, huddling into his arms.

He held her close, his expression darkening as he turned to me. "Enough! It's just a little ash, and you're making a fuss?"

"That's your punishment for messing with Kinley."

I trembled with rage. "Maddox, if you have any decency left, give me back the urns! Or I'll hate you forever!"

"Hate me?" Maddox knelt down suddenly, his face inches from mine. His grip on my chin was ironclad. "You're just an Omega, Violette. What right do you have to talk about hate?"

With those words, he nodded to Kinley. She gleefully instructed Everest to bring over a bowl of dog food, emptying the entire contents of my father's urn into it right before my eyes.

When she moved to pour my mother's ashes, Maddox frowned. "Weren't we just using a little bit? Isn't this too much?"

"Maddox!" Kinley pouted, her voice dripping with false hurt. "Didn't you promise to help teach her a lesson? I nearly had a miscarriage because of her. If you don't put her in her place, she'll trample all over you."

His hesitation vanished, and he folded his arms, watching the scene with cold detachment. "You're right. It's time to teach her, so she remembers her place."

I stood frozen, staring in disbelief as Kinley mixed both urns of my parents’ ashes into a bowl of dog food. My fingernails dug deep into my palms, my body trembling uncontrollably, a cry of despair escaping my lips. The sleek Doberman wagged its tail, inching closer to the bowl. Its vibrant red tongue lapped over the food mingled with ashes, producing satisfied swallowing noises.

“No—!” I tried to lunge forward but was immediately pulled back by Desmond, the Delta of the Silvermoon Pack. His grip was ironclad, his expression unyielding. My knees hit the tile floor hard, yet the sharp physical pain was dwarfed by the agony churning within me. My parents had died in a tragic accident just last week, and now I couldn't even protect their final resting place. I bit down on my lower lip, the taste of blood filling my mouth.

“Violette, don't be so upset.” Kinley tilted her head, twirling a lock of hair around her finger, her voice saccharine but dripping with smugness. “I'll have someone package up the waste for you once the dog has digested it. I mean, whether it ends up in its stomach or in a cemetery, is there any difference?” She chuckled, her eyes glinting with challenge, a smirk tugging at her lips, sending a sharp throb through my temples.

Seizing the moment when Desmond's grip loosened, I broke free and lunged at Kinley on the bed. Grabbing her slender wrist, I yanked her toward the edge. “Even if it’s the last thing I do today, I’ll bring you down with me!” The words barely left my mouth before I used every ounce of strength to shove her down the stairs. Her shrill scream sliced through the air as she tumbled down, like a puppet with severed strings.

A shadow darted across, and Maddox, the Beta of the Silvermoon Pack, rushed forward, catching Kinley just in time. She curled up in his arms, her face pale, tears streaming down. “Maddox, I'm so scared... What about the baby...?” Her voice trembled, her words laced with manipulation.

Maddox's expression turned icy, and he slapped me hard across the face. The sting of his handprint burned against my cheek, but it was nothing compared to the pain in my chest. “Violette! Are you out of your mind? A fall like that could harm Kinley or the baby. How can you be so heartless?” His voice was cold, authoritative, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

The pack’s warriors crowded in, pinning me to the ground. Kinley gasped for breath between sobs before suddenly rolling her eyes and fainting. Maddox looked ominous as he carried her back to the bedroom, barking orders for the healer to be summoned immediately.

When he reappeared before me, he held one of the empty urns. A wave of dread surged through me as I struggled desperately, but the warriors kept me restrained. Maddox poured half a bottle of water into the urn, his movements deliberate and cruel. He gripped my jaw, forcing my mouth open, his gaze cold and unfeeling. “You brought this on yourself,” he said, his voice low and threatening.

The cold liquid forced its way down my throat, the revolting taste filling my mouth. I retched violently, my sanity unraveling. I screamed and cried, completely losing control, but Maddox only looked down at me with disdain. “This is the price for defying me,” he said, his voice devoid of any warmth. “I thought about leaving you some dignity, but now it seems pointless.”

His words cut deeper than any physical pain. I felt my wolf whimper in the back of my mind, her presence a faint comfort in the chaos. But even she couldn’t shield me from the humiliation and despair that consumed me. Maddox’s cruelty was a reminder of my place in the pack—an Omega, powerless and insignificant. And as I lay there, choking on the ashes of my parents, I knew I had to find a way out. I couldn’t stay in this hell any longer.