The days following the ritual felt like a blur. I was still adjusting to the surge of strength within me, the renewed connection to my wolf. My senses were heightened—colors were brighter, sounds sharper, and the scent of everything around me was so much more intense. But more than anything, I felt her, my wolf, always at the edge of my consciousness. She was restless, eager to break free after years of captivity.
Alpha Dane had been patient with me, offering guidance but keeping his distance. He watched me closely, always with those intense crimson eyes. I couldn't help but wonder what he truly thought of me. Did he see me as a liability or a potential ally? Or perhaps something more?
I didn't have the luxury of dwelling on those thoughts for long. Trey had been quiet since Alpha Dane broke the agreement and left the Silver Fang pack territory. But I knew my brother better than anyone—his silence wasn't a sign of retreat. He was planning something, and whatever it was, it wouldn't be good for me.
One night, a week after the ritual, I found myself unable to sleep. The Black Shadow pack's mansion was eerily quiet, and the moonlight filtered in through the large windows, casting long shadows across the stone floor of the room I had been given. My wolf stirred within me, uneasy, and I felt her need to move, to explore the pack's territory.
With a sigh, I slipped out of bed, pulling on a loose shirt and a pair of jeans. I padded barefoot out of the room and down the hallway, the cool floor soothing against my skin. The mansion was a labyrinth of corridors, but I had memorized the path to the exit by now.
The night air was crisp, and I breathed it in deeply as I stepped outside. The woods surrounding the mansion were dense and dark, the trees towering high above like silent sentinels. I felt a pull toward them, an instinctual need to run.
Without a second thought, I shifted. The transformation was smoother than I remembered, my wolf taking control effortlessly. It felt good to be in this form again, my paws sinking into the soft earth as I darted through the trees. The wind whipped through my fur, and for the first time in years, I felt free.
I ran for what felt like hours, letting my wolf revel in the freedom she had been denied for so long. Eventually, I slowed, coming to a stop by a small clearing where the moonlight streamed down through the branches. I stood there, panting, feeling the peace of the moment wash over me.
But the tranquility didn't last long. A twig snapped behind me, and I whirled around, my senses on high alert. My wolf growled low in my throat as I caught the scent of someone nearby—someone familiar.
Stepping out from the shadows was none other than Beta Kyle.
For a moment, neither of us moved. His eyes were sharp, gleaming with malice as he took in my wolf form. "So, it's true," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "The Alpha broke the binding."
I shifted back, my human form reappearing before him, but I didn't feel vulnerable. Not anymore. "What are you doing here?" I demanded, my voice steady despite the anger building inside me.
Kyle's lips curled into a sneer. "Did you really think you could just leave? That Trey would let you run off and join Alpha Dane without consequence?"
I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to attack. "He has no say over what I do anymore."
"Oh, but he does," Kyle replied, stepping closer. "Trey has plans for you, Neah. And they don't involve you living happily ever after with your new Alpha."
I felt my wolf rise up inside me, her fury mirroring my own. "Trey has no power here. Not anymore."
Kyle laughed, a dark, bitter sound. "You're still so naïve. Do you really think Alpha Dane will protect you forever? Do you think he cares about what happens to you?"
I didn't answer. Kyle's words hit too close to home. A part of me had wondered the same thing. Alpha Dane had helped me, yes, but what was his true intention?
Kyle's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing as he took another step toward me. "You're nothing but a pawn, Neah. To Dane, to Trey—to all of us. And when you stop being useful, you'll be discarded."
I swallowed hard, trying to push down the fear rising in my chest. "You're wrong," I whispered, but even I wasn't sure if I believed it.
Kyle smirked, sensing my doubt. "Am I? You know, it's funny—Dane didn't even ask about what really happened to your parents, did he? He didn't care to find out the truth."
I froze, my blood running cold. "What are you talking about?"
Kyle's smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Oh, didn't Trey tell you? It wasn't wolfsbane that killed your parents, Neah. It was something much worse."
My heart pounded in my chest, and I took a step back, my mind racing. "What are you saying?"
"You think you were responsible, don't you?" Kyle's voice was soft now, almost taunting. "That's what they've been telling you all these years. That you, a six-year-old girl, poisoned your parents. But the truth is... it was Trey. He framed you to keep his position, to make sure no one would question him."
The world seemed to spin around me. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Everything Kyle was saying felt like a lie, a cruel, twisted lie—but deep down, something inside me knew he wasn't wrong.
Kyle's voice was low, almost a whisper now. "You've been living in a cage your whole life, Neah. And Trey's been holding the key."
Rage, hot and furious, surged through me, and I felt my wolf clawing to break free. I wouldn't be trapped anymore. I wouldn't be lied to, manipulated, or used.
Without warning, I lunged at Kyle, my wolf taking control in an instant. He barely had time to react before I was on him, pinning him to the ground, my claws at his throat.
"Tell me the truth," I snarled, my voice a growl. "Did Trey do it? Did he kill them?"
Kyle choked, his eyes wide with fear. "Yes!" he gasped. "It was Trey. He... he used Blood of Wolfsbane to frame you."
I tightened my grip, feeling the satisfaction of seeing fear in his eyes. But before I could do anything more, I heard footsteps approaching. Alpha Dane.
"Neah, stop."
I hesitated for a moment, then released Kyle, stepping back. Dane stood there, his crimson eyes locked onto mine, his expression unreadable.
"We need him alive," Dane said, his voice calm but firm. "For now."
Kyle scrambled to his feet, glaring at me with hatred before retreating into the shadows.
I turned to Alpha Dane, my mind still reeling from what I had just learned. "Is it true?" I asked, my voice shaking. "Did Trey kill my parents?"
Dane's expression softened, and he reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder. "We'll find the truth, Neah," he said softly. "But first, we need to be smart. Trey won't stop until he has you back under his control."
I looked up at him, my heart heavy with the weight of everything I had just learned. But one thing was clear: I would not be a pawn in this game any longer. I would find the truth, and when I did, Trey would pay for what he had done.
No matter the cost.