The tension in the air was thick, and every word from Sebastian’s family felt like another dagger in my chest. Their words, laced with venom, seemed to confirm everything I had feared—that I was nothing more than a placeholder in Sebastian’s life, a tool he used when it suited him, and a liability when it didn’t.

Evvie’s mother’s laugh echoed in my ears, her voice dripping with a sense of superiority. “You really did make the right choice, Sebastian,” she said, her eyes never leaving me as she added, “I’m just glad you didn’t end up with that pathetic woman.”

I could feel my hands shaking. The words were sharp, the cuts deeper than they seemed. My vision blurred as I tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. I’m still his mate, I kept repeating in my mind. I shouldn’t be here, enduring this humiliation.

I stood up abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. I had to get out of there, away from them, away from all of it. “I need to go to the bathroom,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, but it was enough to make them stop talking.

The moment I stepped into the bathroom, the floodgates opened. I couldn’t stop the tears now. I stood in front of the mirror, my fingers tracing the curve of my belly. The life growing inside me was the only thing keeping me tethered to reality. I didn’t want my child to be part of this—part of the lies, part of the betrayal. I wanted something better for them.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and I heard his voice—Sebastian’s voice—filled with anger.

“You’re fucking disrespectful!” he spat, his words sharp and bitter.

I whipped around, my heart pounding in my chest. “They were the ones disrespecting me, Sebastian!” I shot back, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and hurt. “And I’m tired of pretending everything is fine when it’s not! I’m tired of pretending like I don’t know the truth. You’ve cheated on me!” My hands balled into fists, and I threw the necklace he had once given me to the floor, the sound of it hitting the tiles like the final nail in the coffin of everything we once were.

His eyes widened in fury, and for a moment, I thought he might strike me. “Shit, bitch!” he groaned, stepping toward me, his hands raised as if to hurt me. But I was faster, pushing him away with all the strength I could muster.

“You think I’ll let you hurt me?” I spat, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “You’re a cheater, Sebastian. You’ve lied to me, and you know what? You’re not going to be a good father! You don’t deserve a child!”

His face twisted in rage, and I saw the flash of a familiar, darker side of him—the side that I thought I had escaped. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” he hissed through clenched teeth. “You don’t get to tell me what I deserve. You think you’re so much better than me?”

I stood my ground, my heart racing, but my voice steady. “You’re not a good man, Sebastian. You never were. You think I’ll stay here, pretending this is all okay? That I’ll watch you drag me through the mud and then abandon me for her?” My finger jabbed in the direction of the door, where I knew Evvie was probably waiting. “You’ve already replaced me, but I won’t be your punching bag anymore. I won’t stay here, allowing you to destroy me.”

And I wanna say… “our child.” But I can’t.

“Well, you wanna leave!? Go ahead!” Sebastian’s voice boomed, his grip tightening on my wrist like a vice. “You really think our bond means nothing to you, huh? You think you can just walk away without consequences?”

I struggled against his hold, but he only yanked me closer, his breath hot on my face. “If you want to leave, I’ll drag your sorry ass out of this pack myself!” His voice was a low growl, almost savoring the thought of making me suffer. “And then I’ll sit back and laugh, watching you crawl back to me. You’re nothing without me, Saoirse! You think I’m afraid of losing you? You’re nothing but a stubborn woman who can’t follow orders!” He sneered, his eyes burning with anger.

I yanked my wrist free from his grasp, shoving him away with a force I didn’t know I had. “Sebastian, let go of me! You don’t get to control me!” My voice cracked, but I wasn’t going to let him see how much he was affecting me.

“You bitch,” he spat, stepping forward, his body language a storm of fury. “I’m so sick of you thinking you can do whatever you want. You can’t just walk away like this! Do you think you’re so damn important?”

Before I could retort, Evvie rushed in, her voice dripping with false concern as she laid a hand on his arm, trying to pull him off me. “Enough, Sebastian! Please!” Her voice was almost sweet, but I could see the manipulation behind her eyes.

Sebastian shook her off violently, growling under his breath. “Don’t try to play hero, Evvie. This doesn’t concern you. She disrespects you, my family, and yours.”

“It does now!” she snapped back, her eyes flashing as she took a step toward me, ignoring her fake concern for Sebastian. “You’re both out of your minds! This is ridiculous!”

“Don’t touch me, Evvie!” I screamed, pushing past her, but before I could regain control, Sebastian’s hand shot out, grabbing me again. I was done. I was done with this—this whole messed-up situation. I had to break free.

In the heat of the moment, I howled—loud, sharp, and unrestrained.

The sound echoed through the room, and Evvie froze in her tracks, her face turning pale. She took a stumbling step back, but I didn’t even realize what I had done until she hit the wall.

“AHH! What the hell did you—” Evvie screamed, her voice a pitch higher than I’d ever heard it.

I didn’t even touch her, didn’t lay a hand on her, but I knew what I’d done. The energy in the room had shifted. The air was thick with anger and confusion. My breath was ragged as I faced her, still trying to pull away from Sebastian’s suffocating grip.

“Help!” Evvie’s voice cracked as she crumpled to the floor. Her hands clutched at her stomach, her legs shaking beneath her. “What’s happening to me? What’s going to happen to my baby?!” Her scream cut through the tension like a knife.

Sebastian’s face drained of color as he dropped everything and rushed to her. “Evvie!” His voice was frantic as he scooped her into his arms, lifting her like a fragile doll, his expression filled with terror. “Shit, you’re bleeding! Damn it! We need to get you out of here—NOW.”

But his eyes didn’t leave me. The venom he shot in my direction burned, and I knew then that I’d just crossed a line that couldn’t be undone. “You better get ready, Saoirse,” he spat, his voice low and full of rage. “You won’t get away with this. You will pay for what you’ve done.”

I stood there, my heart pounding, barely able to breathe. I wanted to scream, to cry, to collapse from the weight of everything crashing down around me. I didn’t care about Evvie, didn’t care about her fake innocent act. I’d just made sure that everything between Sebastian and me—everything I thought was real—was over.

And yet, as I stood in that bathroom, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was the one who had just sealed his fate. I had no idea how far he would go now. How far any of them would go.

I had no choice but to leave everything behind. Every single belonging, every shred of my past within that pack—it all had to stay. I couldn’t take it anymore. The weight of Sebastian’s cruelty pressed down on my chest like an iron cage, his every bitter word lodging itself in my throat, impossible to swallow.

And the worst part? I didn’t truly know him.

I was terrified of what he might do next.

My hands trembled as I made my way to the bedroom—our bedroom. I hesitated at the door, my pulse thudding in my ears. Then, voices. Muffled at first, then clear as day.

“I only need your touch to heal me…” Evvie’s voice sent ice through my veins.

“Are you sure?” Sebastian’s deep murmur followed.

“Yes… Don’t worry, please don’t do anything to Risey. She’s just stressed,” she whispered.

Then came the unmistakable sound of lips meeting. Slow. Intimate. The kind that made my stomach churn and my heart shatter all over again.

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. Stop it. My lips barely moved, but the plea escaped nonetheless, a broken whisper in the night.

“You’re so understanding, darling,” Sebastian drawled, his tone smooth, practiced—like a man who had done this too many times before.

“It’s not that big of a deal…” Evvie murmured.

That was it. That was all I needed to hear.

I didn’t bother packing anymore. There was no time. My vision blurred, my feet moving before my mind could catch up. I ran—bolted through the hall, past the entrance, into the cold embrace of the night. The wind whipped against my face as I sprinted toward the only place I could go: the woods.

And that’s when I collided with someone.

“Saoirse?” A familiar voice broke through my haze. “Moon above, you look pale.”

“I need help…” I gasped, clutching at her arms.

She steadied me instantly. “Breathe,” she ordered, her voice firm but laced with concern. “You’re on the verge of collapsing.”

I tried to respond, but the world tilted. My legs buckled. Darkness swallowed me whole.

When I woke up, I was in a bed that was not mine. The sheets smelled unfamiliar—earthy, musky, but oddly comforting. My limbs felt heavy, my head throbbing. I forced myself upright, my heart hammering.

Where was I?

The door creaked open.

“Sebastian—?” I started, my voice hoarse.

A sharp tsk cut through the air, and my vision cleared.

Not Sebastian.

The man standing before me was nothing like him. He was taller, his presence almost suffocating. His jet-black hair framed a face carved from steel—sharp jaw, piercing dark eyes that held nothing but cold calculation. Power radiated off of him in waves, and though he looked angry, there was something else beneath it. Something unreadable.

And that was far more terrifying.

“Are you a spy from that bastard’s pack?” His voice was low, edged with suspicion.

I sucked in a sharp breath. I crossed into rival territory.

“Oh, Goddess… No! I—” My pulse spiked. “Where’s my friend? What did you do to her?”

His gaze darkened. “I’m not like your Alpha. I don’t play with my prey before tearing them apart.”

The way he said your Alpha dripped with disdain.

“Then where is she?” I demanded, pushing myself up despite the dizziness.

“Don’t.” His command was absolute, the kind that rooted you to the spot whether you wanted to or not. “Your body is still recovering from the stress you’ve endured. Your friend is fine. She was the one who brought you here.”

I swallowed hard.

“So… I really crossed the border,” I murmured, realization sinking in. “It was a patrol time, wasn’t it?”

His silence was answer enough.

I exhaled sharply. “Then let me go back. I—I shouldn’t be here.”

His expression didn’t change, but something flickered in those dark eyes.

“Are you sure?” he asked, voice dropping to something almost…dangerous. “Are you so eager to return to the pack you ran away from?”

I stiffened.

Then he spoke again, and his next words sent my entire world crashing down.

“Are you sure you want to risk the lives of your triplets by going back?”

My breath caught. My entire body froze.

Triplets?

How…?

The room suddenly felt too small. Too suffocating.

How did he know?