Rein's POV
The morning sun filtered in through the curtains of my room. I woke up in a cold sweat, the image and events that happened in the forest lingering in my head. I could not deny that what happened was real because of how vivid it felt—the forest, the wolf, Syria, and her last warning: "You must escape."
Which, obviously, I was going to follow.
I sat up, taking in the appearance of my surroundings. I had been so obsessed with getting information from that book that I did not have the opportunity to observe the room. I could not deny this room was better; it was equipped with a bed wrapped in satin sheets. The walls were painted navy blue—my favorite—and across from the bed was a big closet, which I had a feeling was not empty. A grand chandelier hung above.
But just because the room was beautiful did not mean I was going to be deceived. I was certain I would not end up like Syria—the woman whose body I now inhabited. I would do everything in my power to find my way out.
I had to find a way to contact Syria. She might be my only way out of this prison.
My thoughts were interrupted by a knock.
"Syria?" The voice was familiar—it was Jace, one of the twins. The two looked so alike it was hard to differentiate them, but I could recognize them through their voices and their subtle differences. John had black hair, a chubby face, and pale pink lips. I could not deny I had a fantasy to pinch his cheek; he was too cute. Jace, on the other hand, had brown-colored hair and a baby face, though not too obvious. I think he was more mature than John.
I stayed quiet, thinking he would leave if he heard no response—but I was wrong. He pushed the door open and stepped inside. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on me.
The audacity, I thought.
"I thought you would be asleep by now," he said, taking a step inside. His smirk was sly, and the way he looked at me was mischievous. "Are you not bored staying locked up? Or are you planning to escape?" he asked, his gaze narrowing on me like he could see right through me.
I thought he was the dumb one, I mused.
"Just kidding," he added with a slight chuckle, like he was joking.
I forced a smile, trying to cover my emotions. "I will get up soon. I just need some time to myself."
Jace raised an eyebrow but said nothing about it. "Well, you will have plenty of time. Rohan and Fred are out. It is only me and John. Do you want to join us in the training ground for practice?"
Training grounds.
I had no plan to go there. I had only been in this mansion for approximately three days, and I was already starting to form a plan—one that did not involve being friendly with the Alphas. I did not trust any of them. I felt they were just playing a game, and I refused to be a pawn in it.
But I had to pretend for now. I needed to be patient.
"Sounds… interesting," I said, my voice slow, as if I was considering it. "I will think about it."
Jace's grin widened. "Good. It is bad to stay cooped up in your room for too long."
He lingered for a moment longer, then left without another word, shutting the door behind him.
I let out the breath I had not realized I was holding.
I stayed seated for a while, dwelling in thought after Jace left.
I needed to learn everything about this place—even if that included the brothers and their routine. If I had any hope of pulling off a successful heist, I had to blend in first.
After a few minutes, I sighed and stood up. "Fine," I muttered. "A little pretending will not hurt."
I made my way toward the closet.
"Ahh," I gasped, surprised by the quantity of clothes. The brothers were not here to play. The closet was filled with luxury gowns, skirts, and pants. I picked a simple but clean outfit. I was not going to dress to impress anyone—I just did not want to look tattered. I had barely finished adjusting my blouse when I heard another soft knock on the door.
"Syria," a voice called. That name again—low and serious. I was somehow getting used to the new name: Syria.
Jake.
Before I could respond, the door was pushed open and he stepped inside. His gaze was cold and sharp. He scanned me from head to toe, like he was calculating something. I stood there frozen, unsure of why he was here.
"I saw you," he said bluntly.
"Saw what?" I stammered, not knowing what he meant.
"The transformation. In your room. When you turned into a wolf," he said, his voice sounding neutral.
My throat went dry. He saw me. After that dream. That night when I unknowingly turned into a wolf something I was shocked by and could not control. After a few hours, I had returned to my human form.
"Yes, I saw it," he continued, "and I think we can help each other."
He took a step closer.
I blinked, stunned. "Help each other?"
But Jake had already backed away, not answering my question. "Think about it," he said before stepping out of the room and shutting the door behind him.
And then he was gone.
I stood rooted to the floor. What did he mean? How much does he know? And most importantly, why did he offer help—then walk away without explaining?
I did not get the time to dwell on it when the door burst open.
What the fuck is going on in this house?
This time it was both John and Jace. Their twin energy filled the room instantly.
"Look who we have here—you are finally dressed," Jace grinned, moving toward me.
"You were taking forever," John whined playfully. "We were starting to think you climbed out of the window to escape."
I offered a weak smile, still mentally distracted by what Jake said.
Before I could protest or change my mind, the twins walked up to me, flanking me from both sides. Each grabbed one of my arms.
"Wait…" I began.
"Nope. No take-backs!" Jace laughed.
"Time for your first tour of the training ground," John added, already pulling me forward.
"Do I have a choice?"
"No!" they sang in unison, dragging me out of the room like overexcited puppies with a new toy.
But one thing was becoming clear—in this house of silk sheets and steel smiles, rebellion was not going to come from brute force. No. It was going to come from knowing when to act weak… and when to bite.