Renzo's POV

"JADE!"

Her name ripped out of my throat before I even understood what was happening.

She toppled backward, her knees buckling, her eyes unfocused, her lips parting in a soft, strangled gasp. And before my mind could catch up, my body moved.

I lunged forward.

My chest collided with hers just as the side of her head nearly slammed into the hard floor. I caught her, barely. Her head dropped against my shoulder, her limbs limp, her skin cold.

"Fuck, Renzo, is she....?!" Ryder's voice cracked.

"I don't know," I snapped, lowering her carefully, "I have no idea what is wrong with her."

Ronan stood frozen for a split second, horror and guilt twisting his usually arrogant expression.

"Get the physician. NOW!" I barked at him.

Ronan jolted as if electrocuted and dashed out of the room.

My heart hammered violently, too violently. I laid Jade gently on the bed, pulling the blanket over her trembling body. Her breathing was shallow. Her lashes fluttered weakly, but she didn't wake.

Ryder hovered near the bedside, voice low and tight. "Brother.. what's wrong with her? Is she alright?"

I didn't answer.

Couldn't answer.

My wolf was pacing, no, growling, circling inside me like a caged animal ready to tear down walls. Every time Jade's chest rose too slowly, my wolf snapped. Every time her breath hitched, he snarled.

It made no sense.

I hate her. I despise everything about her.

She betrayed us. She ruined us. She broke us.

The sight of her disgusts me.

So why does my chest feel like someone is squeezing it?

Why does my throat feel tight?

Why am I terrified?

I leaned closer. Her face looked.. peaceful. Innocent. Too innocent. It pissed me off just looking at it.

"That's not real," I muttered under my breath. "Don't act like you're harmless. You're not."

My wolf disagreed by growling loudly in my chest.

Damn him.

The door burst open. Ronan rushed back in with the physician, a middle aged man with graying sideburns, a balding crown, and sharp worried eyes. He smelled of herbs, antiseptic, and old books. His hands trembled slightly as he took in the sight before him.

Ryder immediately stepped forward, sounding breathless. "She just collapsed, we don't know what's wrong with her. She won't wake up."

The physician's gaze flicked from Ryder to Jade. "How did she collapse?"

Ronan swallowed hard. His voice was stoic, but I heard the guilt under it. "I. I yanked her head up by her hair. She was being spanked. Then she just.. fell."

The physician shot him a look, part shock, part frustration, but I stepped forward, cutting off whatever judgment he was about to spit.

"Listen carefully," I said, my voice iced steel. "I don't know what's wrong with her, and I don't care. What I know is that if she dies right now.." I leaned closer, my eyes narrowing, ".you die with her. Immediately."

The man froze. He swallowed once. Twice.

Then he nodded briskly and rushed to her side.

He examined her, pulse, pupil reaction, her head, her breathing. His hands moved quickly, muttering small observations under his breath.

"Step out," he said firmly. "I need space."

At first, I wanted to refuse. My wolf growled again.

But I forced myself to move.

We stepped out of the room, and the door clicked shut.

Instantly, Ronan began pacing, long strides back and forth, running his hands through his hair until it stood on end. Ryder leaned against the wall, staring at the floor with unfocused eyes.

For three boys who supposedly hated Jade Knight.

we looked like we were waiting to hear if our hearts would restart.

Ryder finally muttered, "We look pathetic. She's just unconscious, it's not like...."

"She's not 'just anything,'" Ronan snapped. "She... she fucking collapsed, Ryder. What if..."

"Shut it," I said sharply. "Both of you."

They grew quiet, but the tension was suffocating.

Minutes passed. Or maybe it was hours. My wolf hadn't stopped pacing once.

Finally, the door opened. The doctor stepped out, wiping his hands on his coat.

"Well?" I demanded.

"She seemed to have had a recent trauma to her head," he said.

My jaw tightened.

When we went to inspect the hall we had told her to clean earlier in school, we met her on the floor, she claimed she slipped while cleaning the hall. But we didn't listen. We thought she was just being dramatic as usual. We ignored her.

"And?" Ryder pressed.

"She's extremely stressed," the physician continued. "Overworked, sleep deprived, and severely hypoglycemic. Her body collapsed because it couldn't keep up. I've administered IV fluids. She should wake up soon, but we need to take her for an MRI scan to ensure the head trauma didn't cause lasting damage."

He bowed slightly and hurried off, as if afraid we'd ask more questions he didn't want to answer.

Silence filled the hallway we stood as he left.

Ronan finally whispered, "What if she dies?"

"She's not dying," I said flatly.

Ryder looked at me, eyebrows furrowed. "You sound. sure."

"I am."

"Why?" Ronan asked. "Why are you so certain?"

I stepped toward them, my voice low. "Because she owes us."

They both stared at me.

"She is indebted to us for what she did," I continued. "She cannot die until we say she can. She cannot leave this world without our permission."

Ryder exhaled slowly. "We shouldn't feel. this unsettled."

"No," I said firmly. "We shouldn't."

Ronan lowered his gaze briefly. "But. we do."

My teeth clenched. I hated hearing that out loud. Hated feeling it. Hated knowing my wolf reacted to her pain more violently than to any threat we've ever faced.

"She is nothing," I forced out. "She is a liar. A betrayer. A stain on this pack."

"Then why did we panic when she collapsed?" Ryder whispered.

No one answered.

Because none of us had an answer.

Because deep down, buried under everything we built up to hate her..

the old bond wasn't dead.

It was wounded, bleeding, but not gone.

Ronan let out a shaky breath. "Brother. what do we do when she wakes?"

My jaw flexed. I inhaled deeply once. Twice.

"When she wakes," I said in a cold, controlled voice, "we remind ourselves who she is. What she's done. The pain she caused us."

I met both their eyes, firm.

"There is no room for pity here."

Ryder nodded slowly. "Understood."

Ronan choked down whatever emotion lingered in his throat. "Right."

I turned back toward the closed door.

"She will wake," I murmured.

"And when she does, we will not falter again, cause she doesn't deserve to see us like this."

Jade's POV

When I think about the triplets and how close we used to be, I always return to that day in the Alpha's garden, when the world was nothing but sunlight, giggles, and the smell of lavender drifting in the breeze.

I must have been about eight. Small enough that my legs were too short to run as fast as the boys, but stubborn enough to try anyway.

"Jade! Ready or not, here we come!" Renzo shouted, his voice already deeper than any nine year old's had the right to be.

I clamped a hand over my mouth, trying not to laugh as I crouched behind the tall rose bushes. The flowers were taller than me back then, thick petals brushing my cheeks while I tried to be perfectly still. The sun filtered through the leaves, golden and warm, painting everything with what felt like magic.

I peeked through the branches.

Young Alpha Dante, Renzo, Ronan, and Ryder's father, stood near the stone pathway, talking quietly with my father. They looked serious, discussing territory lines or training schedules or whatever adults found more important than hide and seek.

But even from across the garden, my father kept glancing over with that soft smile he always wore when watching me play. I didn't know it then, but that would become one of my most cherished memories.

Footsteps pounded on the grass.

"I heard something this way!" Ryder yelled.

"No, you idiot, she's definitely over here!" Ronan countered.

I bit back a laugh. They were all terrible at hiding but excellent at arguing.

The footsteps grew louder, closer....

Then Renzo crashed through the bushes like a wild boar, triumphant.

"Aha! Found..."

I didn't let him finish. I bolted.

"Hey!!" all three of them shouted at once.

Their voices dissolved into laughter as they chased after me. I ran as fast as I could, my hair bouncing behind me, heart pounding with pure childish joy. My feet slapped against the soft grass until...

"Got you!" Ryder tackled me first, wrapping his arms around my waist. A second later Ronan flopped onto both of us, making me squeal, and Renzo dove in last, determined not to miss the dog pile.

We rolled across the lawn in a tangle of limbs and giggles, none of us caring whose elbow was in whose stomach.

When we finally stopped, all four of us lay sprawled on the warm grass, staring up at the sky, breathless and happy.

It was Ronan who spoke first.

"When we grow up." he declared, turning his head toward me, "I'm going to marry Jade."

"No way!" Ryder shoved him lightly. "I'm marrying Jade!"

Renzo sat up, chest puffed out with an Alpha in training's confidence. "You both are idiots. I sm the eldest here, Jade will marry me. Obviously."

They all started arguing, loudly, passionately, dramatically, each claiming they liked me more, that they could run fastest with me, that they shared their snacks more, that they were strongest.

I sat up between them, my tiny hands grabbing all three of theirs at once.

"Stop fighting," I said with the authority of someone who believed life was simple. "I'll just marry all three of you."

They froze.

The triplets blinked at me like I'd just solved world peace with a single sentence.

Ryder grinned first. "Yeah! That works!"

Ronan happily nodded. "I'll be the husband who takes you on adventures."

"I'll be the husband who protects you," Ryder added proudly.

Renzo crossed his arms, trying to act older and more important. "And I'll be the husband who leads the pack with you by my side."

They all spoke at once after that, excited, hopeful, promising me everything their little hearts could imagine. And I believed every word. We were four children in a sunlit garden, making promises we didn't know life would tear to shreds.

Back then..

Back then they loved me.

And I loved them.

Before everything changed.

Before everything broke.

The memory shimmered, then dissolved.

A sharp ache pulsed through my temples.

My chest tightened.

And suddenly....

I gasped.

My eyes jerked open.

The world tilted violently, spinning around me like I'd been dropped back into my body too fast.

The ceiling above me wasn't mine.

The scent, cedar, smoke, masculine, wasn't mine.

My head throbbed, and I groaned softly, lifting a hand to my forehead.

I was lying on a bed.

This is the triplets' room.

And then all the memories came flushing in.

The triplets having sex with Linda, Linda squirting all over me like it was a mistake, the triplets spanking me and then.... nothing.

I tried to sit up and I felt really dizzy. Then the door suddenly opened and Ronan stepped in first, followed by Ryder, then Renzo.

"As expected of a lazy ass like you, you sure took your time to wake up" Ronan stated

"I'm sure she was trying to fake being unconscious so she could get some special treatment from us" Ryder said as he walked over to the couch without sparing me a glance.

"Now that your little drama is over, get your old and tattered dress from the bathroom and get the fuck out of our faces." Renzo stated coldly, his face hardened like steel.

I stared at the three of them for a moment without saying a word.

The memories of our childhood flashed in my head again.

We used to be so close. Just how did we end up like this?

I dragged my feet from the bed and silently made my way to the bathroom.

To my surprise, I met my dress hanged in the bathroom, and someone had helped me dry it.

But who?

Cause I know it's definitely not any of these boys that will jump at any chance to ridicule me.

"Whoever helped me dry my dress, I am super grateful." I muttered as I slipped on the dress.

I took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom.

"I'll take my leave now" I said and none of them even spared me a glance.

Fine, suit yourselves.

I walked towards the door and just before I turned the handle, Renzo spoke.

"Go to the pack's hospital tomorrow and get an MRI scan" he said without even looking at me.

I scoffed silently but I nodded and walked out.

Finally!

I took a deep breath as I walked out of the mansion.

It was already getting dark and I needed to get home before mum returned.

I got home and luckily, I arrived before Mum. I changed my dress and laid on the bed as memories of the day flushed through my head yet again.

The triplets spanked me. I could still feel the pain from the spanks on my ass cheeks.

How cruel those boys were, I hate them, I fucking hate them!

But then again.... they spanked me, and I got wet right in front of them!

What the hell is wrong with you Jade, how could you embarrass yourself like that.

I heaved a sigh in an attempt to calm myself.

Let's forget everything that has happened today.

It's a new day tomorrow and it's my birthday.

But unfortunately, I had to share my special day with that cunning snake Linda.

And as the popular girl of the pack and daughter of the beta, a birthday celebration is being held for her and almost everyone is treating it like it's some kind of national pack celebration.

Thinking about Linda always gets me furious, so furious that I didn't realize when I dozed off.

The next day, I woke up to the sound of a loud bang on the door.

Mum was beside me, asleep, she must have returned late last night, tired and exhausted.

The banging on the door repeated and before I could say anything, the door was broken down with brute force and several royal guards barged in.

Mum sprang up looking confused.

"What is going on?" She asked as the royal guards began to ransack our room throwing everything around.

I sprang up Immediately.

"What is the meaning of this, at least give us an explanation before disrespecting our privacy like this"

Mum immediately held me back from getting too close to them.

"Calm down Jade"

I saw one of the guards go for my school bag pack and he brought out three pieces of shiny rings I didn't even know existed.

"Found it" The guard stated.

Before I could gather my thoughts, one of the guards roughly grabbed my arm and yanked me away from Mum.

"You are under arrest for stealing the princes' diamond rings" he declared and I looked at him wide eyed.

"What?!!!"

Jade's POV

The words didn't make sense at first.

"You are under arrest for stealing the Princes' diamond rings."

For a second, my mind just.. blanked. Like the world stopped moving. Like the air froze in my chest.

"W... What?!" I finally choked out, staring at the guard like he'd grown two heads.

Before I could even reach for my school bag or grab the rings to inspect them, the guard's grip tightened brutally around my arm and yanked me forward. I stumbled, almost falling on my face, but he didn't care. His fingers dug painfully into my skin.

"I didn't steal anything!" I screamed, my voice cracking. "Those are not mine! I don't even know how those rings got there!"

They ignored me.

Of course they did.

Mum rushed forward, her face twisted with fear. "Please.... wait! There must be a mistake. My daughter would never...."

A guard shoved her so violently she flew backward and hit the ground with a harsh thud.

"Mum!" I screamed, trying to wrench myself free. "Leave her! Don't touch her! Mum!"

She groaned, trying to sit up, one hand pressed to her rib. She looked so small. So helpless. And the guards. they didn't even look at her. As if she were nothing.

As if we were nothing.

"Move!!!," the one holding me barked, dragging me toward the door.

"Please, listen!" I cried, kicking the ground, trying to dig my heels in. "I don't know anything about the rings, I didn't take them! I swear I didn't take anything! Let me go! Mum!"

My mother struggled to her feet and reached for me again.

"Jade...!"

"Mum!"

Another guard blocked her, pushing her away with his arm and pinning her back against the wall. She winced, pain shooting across her expression.

"You have no right..!" I screamed at him, but the guard holding me only tightened his grip.

"No right?" he sneered. "We have every right. Theft against the Alpha's family is punishable by imprisonment or death. You should be grateful we're even taking you alive."

My heart dropped.

Death?

My legs gave out for a moment, and I was dragged more than I was walking. "I didn't steal anything! Please! Please listen to me!"

No one answered.

No one cared.

They dragged me out of the small room, my home, my safe place, and down the corridor. The morning air outside slapped my face, cold and sharp. People in the pack compound turned to stare. Some whispered. Some laughed.

Traitor's daughter, their eyes seemed to say. Caught at last.

I wanted to scream at all of them. I wanted to tear their smirks off their faces. Instead, my throat tightened and burned.

"Please," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I didn't. I didn't take anything."

But even I knew it didn't matter.

To them, I was already guilty.

They dragged me to the holding cells behind the pack's judicial building. A cold metal door screeched open. The cell inside was small and dark, with nothing but a concrete floor and iron bars.

The guard shoved me inside.

I hit the ground hard, my knees scraping painfully against the rough concrete.

Before I could push myself up, the iron door clanged shut behind me. The sound echoed in my ears like a death sentence.

"Wait, no, please!" I rushed to the bars and grabbed them. "At least tell me what happens next! At least, listen to me! I didn't steal anything! You're making a mistake!"

"Await your judgment," the guard said coldly. "The Princes will decide your fate."

Then they walked away.

Just like that.

As if they had tossed trash into a bin.

Their footsteps faded, leaving the cell wrapped in silence.

My hands shook as I let go of the bars, and I slowly sank to the floor. My knees pulled to my chest, arms wrapped around them. The sting in my eyes increased until tears spilled over, dripping onto my pants.

It was my birthday.

I turned eighteen today.

And instead of celebrating my shift. instead of having a normal day. I was locked in a cell being accused of stealing from the very boys who made my life hell.

I wiped my face roughly with the back of my hand, angry that I was even crying.

This. this couldn't be real.

Who framed me?

Who put those rings in my bag?

I pressed my palm to my forehead, feeling lightheaded again.

Everything hurt, my body, my pride, my chest.

Was this really how my birthday was going to start? Sitting alone in a cold cell, waiting for a judgment that could easily end my life?

My tears fell again before I could stop them.

"I didn't steal anything," I whispered to myself, hugging my knees tighter. "I didn't do anything."

But nobody could hear me.

And even if they did.

Would anyone care enough to believe me?

A thought suddenly slammed into my mind so hard it made me gasp.

Linda.

Yesterday. in the triplets' room. right before she left...

She had bent over the sofa to get her purse and I saw her hand brush over the table.

I remembered something shiny in her palm, something small she quickly slipped into her bag before flashing that sugary smile.

My chest tightened.

Could it.. could it have been the rings?

Did she take them?

Was she the one who framed me?

But why?

Why would she go that far?

Did she hate me that much?

My stomach twisted painfully. Of course she did. She has proved that time and time again. But this? Stealing from the princes and planting it on me? That wasn't harmless bullying. That was a death sentence.

Before I could think anymore, the sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor.

I looked up, wiping my face with shaky hands.

Ronan.

Ryder.

Renzo.

They stood in front of the iron bars, their faces unreadable, their eyes on me like I was some creature trapped in a cage.

I shot to my feet instantly, stumbling to the door and gripping the bars tightly.

"Please, listen to me," I rushed out. My voice trembled, but I pushed the words out anyway. "I didn't take the rings. I swear I didn't. I think.... I think Linda took them. Yesterday, when she was leaving your room, I saw her grab something shiny...."

Ryder laughed sharply, a cruel snort.

The sound cut through me like a blade.

"Of course you'd blame Linda," he said, shaking his head as if I were stupid. "Typical."

Ronan's eyes narrowed with disgust.

"Keep Linda's name out of your filthy mouth," he spat.

Filthy mouth.

Of course.

As if I was something rotten.

My throat tightened, but I forced myself to meet his eyes.

Renzo.

"You also don't believe me?" I whispered. I hated how small my voice sounded. How desperate.

Renzo's expression didn't flicker. His face was carved from stone, cold, distant, merciless.

"The rings were found in your bag," he said. "That's all the evidence we need."

A tear escaped before I could stop it.

So that was it.

They wouldn't even consider the possibility that I was innocent.

Ryder stepped forward, his eyes burning with hatred.

"You're going to be punished for being too greedy, Jade," he said. "Those rings were an heirloom from our late mother, and you decided to steal them."

"No, no, I didn't...."

"I suggest she be stripped naked and flogged fifty times," Ronan said, his voice dripping with venom.

My blood ran cold.

"What?!" I gasped, my hands trembling on the bars. "Strip me....? Fifty...? You can't be serious..."

Renzo took a slow step closer, eyes locking onto mine with a glare that made my breath catch.

He looked at me like I was the worst thing he had ever seen.

"What?" he said softly. "Are you surprised? You think that's too much?"

My heart pounded so loudly it hurt.

"But that's nothing," he continued, voice dropping lower, harsher, "compared to everything you've done so far, Jade. You should be grateful we're not doing the usual and sending you to be killed for your crimes."

Killed.

Crimes???

The word made my knees weaken.

"That's right." Ryder leaned in, his voice dropping to a low growl. "Fifty lashes is already us going easy on you, Jade. You."

The word you hung unfinished in the air, and another, far more authoritative YOU crashed over it, sharp and final.

"YOU will not suffer this punishment."

Every head snapped around in unison, turning toward the source of the sound.