Bella’s heart pounded in her chest as she stormed out of the room, the sharp echo of her footsteps against the cold stone floor marking her anger with every step. She didn’t know where she was going—only that she needed to escape, to get away from the people who had lied to her, who had abandoned her, who had torn her life apart.
The weight of her parents’ explanation still lingered in her mind, but it didn’t make her feel any better. How could they have done this to her? How could they have left her behind for so many years, knowing what would happen, knowing she’d be left to fend for herself?
Her breath came in ragged gasps as she moved through the Crimson Fang corridors, the cold air biting at her skin. She didn’t care. She didn’t care about the cold, or the walls, or the pack. All she cared about was the betrayal she felt deep in her bones.
She had trusted them. She had trusted Misery and Eryon—her parents—and they had left her. Left her to suffer. Left her to grow up without the love of a family, without the protection of those who should have cared for her above all else.
A hand gripped her arm, pulling her from her spiraling thoughts. Bella spun around, eyes blazing with fury, ready to lash out. But when she saw who had stopped her, the words died in her throat.
Lira stood before her, her expression calm yet determined. The aura of wisdom that always surrounded her was evident, but in this moment, Bella wasn’t in the mood for comfort or guidance. Not from anyone. Certainly not from Lira, who had always defended her parents’ choices.
“Bella, wait,” Lira said, her voice soft yet firm. “You need to understand. Your parents made those decisions because they believed it was the only way to protect you. I know it’s hard to accept, but it’s the truth.”
Bella shook her head, the frustration boiling over. “Protect me?” she spat, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and hurt. “They abandoned me! How is that protecting me? They didn’t care enough to fight for me, to keep me with them. They left me alone, and now you expect me to just forgive them? To just accept that they did what was best for me?”
Lira’s eyes softened with sympathy, but there was no denying the quiet strength in her voice. “Bella, I know it’s painful, but your parents did what they thought was right. They didn’t want to risk losing you to Shadowbound. They knew the prophecy would attract too much danger. They had no choice.”
“No choice?” Bella repeated, her voice rising. “They had plenty of choices. They could’ve fought! They could’ve raised me, kept me with them. But they didn’t. They left me to be hunted, to be treated like nothing.”
Lira’s gaze never wavered. “I understand your anger. I do. But you need to understand, too, that their love for you was real. They kept you hidden to protect you, and they thought that was the only way.”
Bella clenched her fists, fighting the tears that threatened to spill over. She didn’t want to listen to Lira. She didn’t want to hear any more excuses. All she felt was the ache of betrayal, the overwhelming sense of abandonment.
But before she could say anything more, a voice rang out from behind her, causing her to freeze.
“Bella.”
She turned sharply, meeting the gaze of Keryth, the Alpha of the Crimson Fang Pack. He stood at the end of the hallway, his expression unreadable. Bella’s heart raced as she tried to control her emotions, but the anger still boiled within her.
“What do you want, Keryth?” she asked, her voice laced with bitterness.
Keryth stepped forward, his stance strong and commanding, but his eyes were filled with concern. “I need to speak with you,” he said, his voice steady. “It’s about Shadowbound.”
Bella’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the name. Shadowbound—her enemies, the ones who had been hunting her. The ones who had caused all of this chaos, this pain.
“They’re closing in on Crimson Fang territory,” Keryth continued, his gaze piercing. “I’ve received reports from our scouts. They’re making their move sooner than we expected.”
The weight of his words hit Bella like a physical blow. Shadowbound’s forces were on the move. The pack was in danger—her family, the pack that had taken her in, the people who had welcomed her after everything she’d been through. They were all at risk because of her. Because of the prophecy that had been tied to her since birth.
“No,” Bella whispered, her voice shaking. “No, they can’t. Not now. Not when we just… I can’t let this happen.”
Keryth stepped closer, his presence imposing and steady. “Bella, you need to be ready. Shadowbound will come. And they won’t stop until they have you—or destroy anyone in their way.”
Bella’s heart was racing, the weight of the situation crashing down on her. But there was no time for fear. There was no time to doubt herself or her decisions. She had to act. She had to protect her family, protect the pack that had taken her in when she had nothing left.
Bella squared her shoulders, her fists tightening as the fire in her chest ignited once more. She wouldn’t let Shadowbound take anything from her again. She wouldn’t let them tear her family apart.
“They won’t take my family from me again,” Bella growled, her voice filled with determination. “I’ll fight them all.”
Keryth nodded, a grim approval in his eyes. “Then prepare yourself. We’ll need you more than ever.”