Mira sat huddled in her room, her back pressed against the cool wooden door. The echoes of Kaelan’s voice from the night before still haunted her. She could almost feel the weight of his pleas, the sorrow in his tone as he begged for forgiveness. It should have been simple to dismiss him, to shut him out, but the bond they shared tugged at her relentlessly.
Tears welled in her eyes, and she squeezed them shut, trying to block out the ache in her chest. She had thought that escaping to the StoneWare Pack would bring her peace, but instead, it only brought more questions. Her trust in anyone—Kaelan, Aiden, even herself—felt shattered.
A sudden knock on the door made her heart leap into her throat.
“Mira, it’s Alpha Aiden,” came the firm voice from the other side.
She froze. Aiden’s visits were rare, and his tone carried an urgency that unsettled her. Wiping her eyes quickly, she rose to her feet. With hesitant steps, she unlocked the door and cracked it open. Aiden’s piercing gaze met hers, and she bowed her head slightly in respect.
“Alpha,” she murmured softly, her voice heavy with apprehension.
“Open the door,” Aiden said calmly, though there was an edge to his words that set her on edge.
Swallowing hard, Mira obeyed, pulling the door open wider. She looked up, preparing to ask what had brought him here, but the words caught in her throat as two large men burst into the room. Before she could react, their rough hands grabbed her arms, pinning her in place.
“What’s going on?” she demanded, her voice rising in panic as she struggled against their iron grip.
Her gaze darted toward the doorway, and her blood ran cold at the sight of Gareth standing there, his smirk as smug as ever.
“Long time, Mira,” Gareth drawled, his tone mocking. “Time to head back home.”
“No!” she shouted, her struggles growing more frantic. “Let me go! Aiden, help me!”
Aiden stood motionless, his expression unreadable. “I’m sorry, Mira,” he said finally, his voice laced with regret. “This is out of my hands.”
Mira’s heart sank, disbelief washing over her. “You’re letting him take me?” she cried, her voice breaking. “After everything?”
But Aiden remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor as Gareth stepped further into the room.
“Don’t take it personally,” Gareth said with a chuckle. “Alpha Aiden knows a good deal when he sees one.”
As the men dragged Mira toward the door, her voice rang out in desperation. “You won’t get away with this, Gareth!” she shouted. “Kaelan will—”
“Kaelan?” Gareth interrupted, his smirk widening. “Oh, Mira, Kaelan has his own problems to deal with. You’re mine now.”