Chapter 1 1. Hannah's Blood

Chapter 1: Hannah's Blood Hannah My head slammed into the wall, the tray of glassware clattering to the floor and shattering. The ringing in my ears drowned out everything else as my vision blurred. Who? My mind struggled to focus, but nothing made sense. "Hello, mutt," he whispered into my ear as he grabbed me by the throat and smacked me against the wall. The air was knocked out of my lungs. I knew from the voices who my attackers were this time: Kyle and Kaleb, my stepbrothers—or what they wouldn’t like me to call them, as they never saw me as family, let alone a sister. I was losing air slowly before he finally let me go. I dropped to the floor, taking in a huge gulp of air, heaving breathlessly and not caring about my arms, pierced by the shattered glass earlier. I tried to crawl my way out of the scene, even though from past encounters, it only got me into more trouble. But I couldn't always just stand and wait for death. "Now, where do you think you are going, you little bitch?" Kaleb, who had been at the back for a while, came up this time. He grabbed a handful of my hair and pushed my head further into the ground, which was littered with broken glass. Tiny pieces of shards found their way into my skin. I couldn't help but scream out as they continued to embed in my skin while they both laughed in delight at my misery. I screamed, hoping the others would hear, but none of the pack seemed to care about me. I wondered why I bothered in the first place. Kaleb let go of my hair and took a step back. I groaned and tried to hoist myself up, wincing with every movement I made, as tears streamed down my face. I tried my best to prevent the muffled sounds from my throat from being heard but failed. "You know what?" Kyle asked mischievously as he turned to his brother. "How about we take her for a little training, hmm?" He turned towards me and asked, "How does that sound? Since you're so free to wander around?" Kaleb hummed in agreement. "You know, that's a great idea," he chuckled. I knew I couldn't avoid anything this time, just like all the other times. I was already shaken to my bones at what torture they had in store as Kyle grabbed my hair once more and began to pull me toward the training grounds. It felt as though my hairs were being pulled out of their scalp as I tried to soften it by trying to crawl and catch up with them. I tried to plead and beg, even though I had done nothing wrong, but it all fell on deaf ears. The more I begged, the more he tugged at my hair, and I reined in as quietly as I could and followed until we were at the grounds. He tossed me forward, and I fell to the ground. I scrambled to my knees, my head bent low, my body trembling with fear. "What training can we give you today?" Kyle thought out loud. I scanned around, observing the faces with their gazes filled with mockery and ridicule but none of the pity—nor did I expect any from them. They all witnessed something of the sort but never offered to help. At first, I asked why, but when I never got an answer and only got beaten up for asking, I resigned to my fate. "How about a race with the dogs again? That should be fun," Kaleb suggested, a grin spreading across their faces. "That's a wonderful idea, Kaleb," he praised his younger brother and ordered the dogs to be brought out and my heart stood still. They were sons of one of the pack's most formidable warriors, who commanded authority even when the alpha was absent. While one of the lesser warriors went over to bring out the dogs, I trembled in fear as I remembered what happened last time when they did something like this. I was only eight when I was on my way home from the pack house; all of a sudden, I heard dogs coming my way. I ran all night. I had no idea how I got home before the dogs could catch me, but I did. The next morning, I found out that they had released the dogs in the night. I had almost lost my life. When I saw the dogs approaching, I tried to beg once more as I crawled to their feet, my body still aching from the pain from earlier. Tears began to run down my face once more. Kaleb kicked at me with his legs. "Come on, Hannah, don't be like that. We are only trying to toughen you up," he said with a fake smile. "Now, before they reach here…" hee pointed towards the dogs already making their way over, "I'll give you a head start." With a cunning smile on both their faces. I didn’t wait for him to finish his sentence as I picked myself up from the grass and sprinted as fast as my fatigued, bleeding body could carry me, which was not very fast, as I fell a few times before reaching the forest line. Turning backward, I could see the chains holding the dogs down as they barked and jumped, itching for a chance to tear at me. I could also see the faces of others as they laughed at my predicament. I was already far away when I heard the barks from behind me, screaming at the top of my lungs for anyone to help me as the tears flowed down profusely, the salty taste lingering on my lips. Twists and turns through thick trees high above and bushes with thorns that raked through my skin as I pushed them aside. My head whipped back countless times to check the distance between me and the dogs. Their snarls and barks could still be heard, but they were not in sight yet. I made my way through the dense forest with no sense of direction until, finally, I stumbled upon a dead end. I was rattled as I held myself back from falling over the cliff that dropped sharply before me. Spinning on my heels to find a different route out, I saw that the dogs had finally caught up with me, their speed couldn't be compared with a weak human like me, they were much faster. I glanced back at the height of the cliff and knew jumping was not an option—I’d only be falling to my death. I looked back at the black dogs, which snarled as they slowly advanced toward me. It was stupid, but I tried begging the dogs when they attacked. I screamed as I covered my face, bent over, waiting for my death when a roar sounded out and then, nothing. I peeked through blurry eyes from behind my fingers after a few seconds and saw the dogs seated on their hind legs a few steps away, their ears flattened. Slowly, I rose, taking a quick scan around, and finally understood what had happened. "Alpha Bryan," I greeted and bowed, despite the pain and the shaky state of my body. Although he wasn't the alpha yet, I couldn’t offend him, or I’d only be courting death. He acknowledged my greeting with a nod, a look of disgust etched on his face as he scrutinized my appearance from head to toe. I was a mess; I knew it myself. From dried blood to torn clothes. My short hair, which only reached my neck, was probably scattered. I couldn't blame him for his expression. "C'mon," he whistled for the dogs, who quickly obeyed, rushing toward him as they began to walk back toward the pack house. "You too," he threw back, not even glancing in my direction. I quickly wiped my tear-stained face and tiptoed behind him, keeping a safe distance from the dogs but also close enough not to lose Bryan. My mind was foggy and fearful as we made our way back to the pack. "Why was he out in the woods all alone?" I thought to myself but then thanked the Moon Goddess that he was. If it weren’t for him, I would have died; this thought scared me. We reached the pack after a long while. The guys were still on the training grounds, but it looked like they were taking a break or something. When they sighted the Alpha, they all rushed to get back to training. "Bryan, welcome back! How was your run?" Kaleb asked as he and Kyle jogged over, sparing a glance at me as they waited for Bryan’s response. They could speak to him like this because they were all in a friend group. But that didn’t mean he had to respond politely. "Get these dogs back in their cage," he ordered, ignoring their question. "You— get inside!" Turning halfway towards me, I could only view his side profile. He marched inside, ignoring everyone else. I followed immediately, not wanting to see my stepbrothers' faces, knowing they’d be angry to see I wasn’t dead yet. I stepped inside, and with all the pain in my body, hurried to clean the mess from earlier, knowing it would only cause more trouble if I left them undone. After I was done, slowly and painfully, I made my way home, avoiding everyone. I was pretty sure they wouldn’t seek me anytime soon, either. When I got home, distant chatter drifted from the kitchen. I knew Kyle and Kaleb weren’t home, so I presumed my mother was. I increased my pace, trying to rush past the kitchen toward my room, hoping not to catch her attention, but I failed as she called me back. "Hannah, sweetie? Is that you?" she asked as she came out to see who had entered. Sometimes I forget that I live with wolves, as I’m the only one my age who hasn't turned yet. Most wolves turn at fifteen; I was almost eighteen—four years late. There was nothing I could do about it. "Sweetie, what happened?" she asked, horrified as she looked over my appearance. I couldn’t stop the tears that began to fall as she pulled me in for a hug. She was one of the only people who actually cared about me—her and my father, who died a few years back. She pitied me and always took care of me, with food and clothing, although there was little she could do when the pack bullied me, as she was only a healer. After her husband died, no one took her seriously. She loved me. I wondered why her sons didn’t, though I had a lingering idea why. "Let's get you cleaned up," she suggested, leading me to her bathroom. She didn’t bother asking what happened, sparing me the ordeal of retelling it and I was grateful for that. Taking out a first-aid kit—which isn’t usually needed, as most werewolves are fast healers, she used the special one she got for me, as I always ended up injured. "Here, have a seat," she said, ushering me toward her bed. She took out cotton and some antiseptic, cleaning my wounds and removing the glass shards. It was a painful experience, one I’d been through countless times. "Are you going to tell me what happened this time?" she asked as she packed up the first-aid kit, signaling she was done. I stared straight ahead, not in the mood to talk about it, just like every other time. "It’s okay, then," she sighed. "There’s some food in the kitchen. Freshen up, change out of these clothes, and then come have some, okay?" I hummed in agreement, and then the doorbell rang. I sat for a while, as she looked at me with sad eyes. "I'll be back," she said, going to answer the door. I moved towards my room when I heard her greet the visitor. "Luna, what a surprise."

Chapter 2 2. Luna's Visit

Chapter 2: Luna's Visit Hannah "Quite a surprise, yes," the Luna laughed a bit. "May I come in?" She asked, even though she had the power to waltz into anywhere she wanted. "Sure, please come in," I heard my mother say as she closed the doors. I peeked my head from the floor of the stairs a bit to catch a glimpse of Luna Clara and to know why she was there. "How have you been lately?" She asked my mother as she stepped in fully. "I've been good, thank you for asking," my mother replied. "Would you like something to drink or anything?" She continued as a diligent host and a member of the pack. "Oh, no, no, that's alright, I was only passing by and thought to drop by." They continued their conversation in hushed voices as they stood. "Okay then," she hummed as she looked around awkwardly. This wasn't just a visit, I had surmised. It's not every day the Luna of Ravens Fall pack just so happens to drop by while she was on a walk. I didn't buy it, but then there was nothing that I could think about. "How are the kids?" Luna Clara continued when suddenly her piercing blue eyes met mine. I retracted my head immediately, feeling a bit scared from her gaze. "They are all good. How is Bryan?" My mother continued, oblivious to the brief exchange just now. "He's alright. Oh, speaking of him, I'm pretty sure you just hit the same memo I did," Luna. Clara said, although no cell phones rang out. Still, my mother replied. "Oh, I just did as well.""I was on my way to the Pack's house, maybe she could come with me. I could use an escort," Luna Clara's voice rang out. I knew they were talking about me at this point when my mother yelled for me. Stepping out with caution from the doors that led up to the stairs, as though I was being watched by a ferocious predator—Luna Clara's eyes gave off that feeling. I was conscious of the fact that I was still in my torn clothes from the earlier incident. "Greetings, Luna Clara," I greeted as I bowed my head in respect. "Hello, dear. What happened this time?" A horrified look replaced her easygoing one when she took in my bloody clothes and appearance. Although I had already started to heal, I had not gone to change out of these clothes yet. "It was an accident, I fell into a ditch earlier," I lied straight out, even though I knew she would know the truth already, or if she didn’t, then she would later. "Well, you need to be careful where you are going next time," she said, but I could feel her eyes saying something else, something of a deeper meaning. Putting it aside when I heard my mother speak; "You haven't gone up to change yet?" My mother asked with a disapproving look. "Well, go on quickly, Alpha Bryan has asked to see you. You can follow the Luna." I had no idea why the Alpha would want to see me this time around or, rather, what chore he would like to assign me. "Okay," I responded and quickly hurried up to change, not wanting to keep Luna Clara waiting. When I came back down, my mother and the Luna had just finished their discussion. "I'll see you around then, yes?" she asked my mother as we prepared to leave. "Sure, you will," she smiled back at the Luna. "Great!" Luna Clara exclaimed before turning to me and asking, "Shall we?" I only gave a slow nod—not that it mattered—then followed her out the doors. "Dinner will be ready when you get home, okay?" my mother whispered as I passed by her. I didn’t know if it was her choice not to be loud or if she just didn’t want the Luna eavesdropping; either way, I got the message. I waved her goodbye as I fell in step with the Luna, a few steps behind her with my head bowed. "Don't be so far," she said, and I took a few steps closer to her but still kept a safe distance. "So, how have you been?" she inquired as I tried to keep pace with her stride. My body was still in pain. "I'm good, ma'am," I answered, not so honestly, but it’s not like she’d care anyway. "That's good to hear." There was silence before her voice sounded again. "So, any changes lately?""Changes?" I was confused by the question. "It's been almost three years, and you've never for once shifted. Are there any changes now?" Her voice had a hint of irritation, showing her disappointment at my slowness. I had no idea she kept tabs on these things, especially when they didn’t concern me, being the runt of the pack and considered an omega. But then again, she was the Luna. "No, ma'am, no changes." I cast my gaze down towards the ground disappointed in myself as well while keeping pace with her, occasionally glancing up so as not to miss a step. "Don't worry, dear; I'm sure you're just a late bloomer, that's all," she reassured. Nothing was said after that until the pack house came into view. "Well, he's in his office," she said as we approached the building. "Go in now; he doesn't like to be kept waiting." With a smile on her face, she waltzed away, leaving me to my own thoughts. "That was weird," I thought as I began to make my way towards Bryan's office. The luna had never personally asked me questions before, although she had visited my mom several times; her dropping by today was just odd. I made my way through the pack house. It was mid-afternoon on a Saturday, so the pack house wasn't quite as full as it should be. There were a few girls in the living room with some guys, some in the kitchen, and a few just hanging around. I made a beeline towards Bryan's office, avoiding gazes as I moved past a few other members. They paid me no attention whatsoever. Once I had reached the door to the Alpha's office, I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. I thought I heard an invitation from the other side of the doors. Taking that as my cue, I pushed the doors open—and instantly regretted it. I hurriedly pushed myself back as I closed the door, breathing heavily and frozen in fear as I thought, "He's going to kill me." What had I done to deserve such bad luck? Bryan and his girlfriend were in the middle of a makeout session, which seemed to be progressing even further, as they had both lost their shirts in the process. I waited patiently at the door for a while, cursing myself to death until finally, the door opened up. "I'm so sorry to intrude, sir; I thought I heard you say, 'Come in,'" I quickly started to apologize with my head bent down, fearing the wrath I'd seen in his eyes. I slightly peeked at him. He was still shirtless, which made me blush a bit. Heather was in his arms, her eyes stared daggers at me, probably for interrupting, and I lowered my head further to the ground. She was the daughter of one of the strongest warriors in our pack. Both her parents had made a name for themselves and their family, and they were also wealthy. I had no intention of offending her more than my existence already did daily. She and her group were at the top of my list of tormentors that made my life a living hell. I knew she wasn't going to let this one slide, so I mentally prepared myself for later. "I'll see you tonight?" she asked in a light, innocent voice. I could hear the smile in the way she spoke. "Of course," he replied as he kissed her rather roughly, grabbing a bit of her bum before finally letting her go. I resumed my position and saw she was now staring at me, the hate clearly visible, not hiding anything from Bryan. She walked up to me and slapped me hard on both sides of my face with as much force as you'd expect from a werewolf. I was still in pain from my earlier session with my brothers, and my face was only just recovering. I dared not to touch my now swollen face in front of her or groan in pain, only bending my head in shame. I did not expect the Alpha to do anything; that was his girlfriend, after all. "Stupid bitch," I heard her curse before she began to walk away. Once she was out of sight, Alpha Bryan invited me into his office. "Next time, wait until I say you should come in, then come in. Do you understand?" he ordered as he began to put his shirt back on. The office was quite a mess. When he had finally dressed more properly, he turned to me with his perfectly arched eyebrows raised. "I'm sorry, are you deaf?" he asked. "I asked you a question just now," he yelled. Cowering in fear, I stuttered as I answered, "I un-der…st..stand, sir," as I remembered the question he had asked me. Dismissing my behavior, he stated, "The reason you were called here is to inform you of the party I'll be having here in the pack house today." He looked at me to confirm if I was listening. The only time he was ever allowed to have a party in the pack house was when the current Alpha, his father, was not around. This would explain why there were so few people present in the pack house. Bryan continued, "I want this house to be tidied up before 8 p.m. when the party starts, so you have about…" He trailed off as he checked his watch to confirm the time. "Five hours or so. You can start with this office," he said, passing by me and walking out the doors. I knew it would be a lot of work, so I wasn't surprised. I looked around the office; it wasn't too dirty, just the table that was scattered probably from their activity earlier, I shivered in disgust. I sighed inwardly as I made my way downstairs to get a few cleaning supplies. I wasn’t ready for another round of beating, as I was only just recovering and they all still hurt. I started with the office he had left me in. After I had gotten what I needed downstairs, I began to pick up the scattered papers that littered the floor, a few pens, and a broken laptop. I wasn’t sure if I should throw it out, so I folded it and placed it by the side of the table. The broken teacup, I disposed of into the trash can I had brought earlier. I placed the books back on the shelf, running my hands over the bindings, wishing I could just sit and read a few. But I knew that was never possible. I picked up the last item on the ground. It was a brown file with the name "Griffin Hale Pack." That was the name of one of the most powerful packs, or so I’d heard from pack members here, though I had never witnessed why they were called so. This must probably be important, I thought as I moved towards the drawers. I opened one, placed the file inside, and then froze, noticing something odd. It was a small black box with golden rims, about the size of a book. Clicking open the locks, I gasped—it was a shiny black revolver. "Why would the Alpha need a gun? They were werewolves," I thought, frowning at the sight of the weapon when suddenly, I heard a voice that startled me. "What are you doing?"

Chapter 3 3. Mine

Chapter 3: Mine Hannah I almost lost my grip on the weapon, afraid someone might have caught me snooping around. "Nothing, uhmm..." I quickly responded, fumbling for words, and placed the revolver back in its original position, sliding the box back into the drawer. I tried to act like nothing had happened, even though I knew I had been caught. "If it's nothing, then what the hell are you doing in here?" The voice that startled me belonged to none other than Heather King. "Sir Bryan ordered me to start the cleanup for a party later this evening," I replied, my voice barely audible, but I knew my message had reached her sharp hearing. "Then why are you just standing there?" She asked, walking through the room with no concern for me, as if I didn’t even exist. It seemed like she was searching for something. I quickly resumed my work. I was almost finished with the office anyway, and I walked towards the doors with my cart. "Finally," Heather exclaimed, pulling out her phone from the sofa. She glanced at me, a wicked grin spreading across her face, smacking her phone lightly on her palms. "You know you can't have something like that," she said, advancing closer to me, the smile still present on her lips. "Oh, don’t act shy now," she continued, her grin widening. "I saw the way you looked at him earlier when… you know… he and I were getting it on." She wasn’t wrong. I had secretly crushed on Bryan for as long as I could remember. I’d always checked him out from afar, wishing I could talk to him. I even prayed to the moon goddess, hoping we'd be soulmates. "Oh, look at your little red face," Heather cooed mockingly, now standing right in front of me. The smile on her face disappeared as she tucked a strand of my silver locks behind my ear and grabbed my neck harshly. I let out a soft whimper. "You are so pitiful. Let me just break it down for you. Bryan would never, in his entire life, want someone as miserable and horrible-looking as you. It’s really disgusting to even think about it," she sneered, her hands moving from my neck to grasp my jaw. At least it was a little relief, since I thought she might try to hurt me further, but her grip tightened around my jaw. I yelped as I felt a sharp pain—she must have extended her claws and dug into my skin. "The only way you could ever have someone like Bryan is in your wildest dreams," she whispered, letting go of my chin. I dropped to the floor as my legs felt like jelly from fear, not able to hold me up. "You can get back to work, Hannah," she laughed cruelly as she exited the office. I wiped the few tears that had formed and stood up, getting back to work. What was I thinking, anyway? He was the future alpha, and I was just the crappy, weak, lazy, ugly old Hannah. Everyone would laugh if they knew I had a crush on him. I would only be the humiliation of the century. At least I still had hope. My birthday was in a week’s time. Maybe the moon goddess could shine a little bit of light upon my dull life. Someone who could take me away from this hell of a pack. That person was my last hope. I would’ve left the pack already if I wasn’t so weak. The rogues would have killed me without breaking a sweat, and I had nowhere else to go. ~ It took me a while to clean up the pack house for the party, and by the time I was done, it was already time for the event. I knew Bryan wouldn't want me here, nor would anyone else. I returned my cart to the kitchen, where I stumbled upon Mia and Amy, Heather's two minions. They had pitiful smiles on their faces when they saw me enter the kitchen. Heather must have told them about my little encounter. Ignoring them was my plan, but it seemed they had other plans. They immediately turned me into their topic of discussion, not bothering to lower their voices, clearly wanting me to hear their taunts. "It’s quite pitiful, isn’t it, Amy? Bryan would probably throw up if he knew about this," Mia said as they both laughed, clearly making a joke at my expense. I was the joke. "I wonder how someone could ever want that," Amy said, stretching out her well-manicured fingers, referring to me. I knew I wasn’t perfect. They helped me with that knowledge every single day, so I didn’t let it bother me too much. I didn’t stick around to listen to more of their taunts. I quickly made my way out of the pack house and ended up bumping into someone. It was dark out, so I couldn’t see very well. "I’m sorry, sir, I wasn’t looking where I was going," I mumbled. Even if I had been looking, I probably still would’ve bumped into him, since my head was always bent low. Bryan was dressed casually for the party, wearing a button-up shirt with two buttons undone and jeans. He looked good, as usual. "Hope you're all done?" he asked, his eyes filled with disgust as he wiped himself off after our collision. "Yes, sir, I'm fine with everything." My answer was short, as I didn’t want to give a full account of what I had done, nor did I think he wanted to hear any of it. He sidestepped me toward the house, but not before saying, "Good job, now get lost." Without even glancing back at me, he made his way further into the house. That was just his way of telling me he didn’t want to see me around the party. Not that I would’ve wanted to be there if I had been invited. I’ve never liked their parties. The one time I attended, I became the center of attention as they mocked everything about me, with my brothers leading the charge. I managed to walk home in the dark, having left my phone behind. The streetlights offered a bit of illumination, though. When I entered my home, the scent of food hit me hard. My stomach grumbled as I realized I hadn’t eaten anything since morning. "Hannah, is that you? I’m in the kitchen!" My mother called out. "I was hoping you’d show up by this time," she added, knowing I wouldn’t be invited to the party, just like Kyle and Kaleb were. "Perfect timing," she beamed as she set the last dish on the table. It was dinner for two, since I knew my stepbrothers wouldn’t be coming back today. I was relieved about that—they were at the party, part of Bryan's circle of friends. My stomach growled louder as I peeked into the kitchen. My mother chuckled and ushered me in. "Come sit down, let’s eat." I walked in and took a seat, and she kept smiling at me as she started a conversation. "I know you’ve been working all morning, so I thought I’d make dinner when you got back—just the two of us.""Look, I know you’ve been having a rough time here in the pack," she continued. "As your mother, I should be there for you, and I’m sorry I’m not always." She started apologizing, which made me tear up. I quickly stopped her, using the excuse that the food would get cold. She chuckled before we began eating. My stomach finally got what it wanted, and I let out a soft noise of contentment. After I finished my plate, my mother commented, "You must have been really hungry. Here, have some more." She filled my plate, which I appreciated. Once we finished eating, I offered to do the dishes to show my appreciation, but she wouldn’t let me. "You’ve been working all morning; you need rest, okay?" she said, taking the plates from my hand. "Why don’t you go upstairs? I’ll handle these." I hugged her from behind. "Thanks, mom." She relaxed into me and sighed. I was grateful for all she had done for me but didn't know how to express it before heading to my room. I lay in bed for a while before grabbing my phone, which I rarely used since I never had the time. I had no friends, so there were no text messages or calls. My mind wandered to the life I was living. My mother was the only one I had, and I was thankful she was there. My father had died when I was little, but he had been good to me too. My brothers hadn’t always been this cruel—there was a time when they played pranks, but now it seemed like they were after my life. The only reason they hadn’t killed me yet was because the pack didn’t condone the killing of its own members. Perpetrators are bound to either be demoted or banished from the pack. I sat up and walked to the window, gazing at the sky. The stars taunted me, brightening the sky while I felt like I had none of my own. My birthday was something I both wanted and dreaded. At least I’d be able to find my soulmate—my other half, the one who would brighten my dull, black sky. Or at least that’s how my mother explained it. I was also scared that whoever it was would see me and want nothing to do with me, just like the rest of this pack. At that moment, I didn’t know if I wanted to keep living or not. There was a knock at my door, which interrupted my train of thought. "Hey, you okay?" My mother asked from the other side before pushing it open and peeking her head through the small crack. "I’m okay," I reassured her. "Okay, then. Goodnight, I’ll see you tomorrow." With that, she left to go to bed. I smiled at the fact that she still came to check on me. A sigh escaped my lips out of the window before later on moving to lay on my bed, but sleep evaded me. I felt restless, tossing and turning for a few hours, yet still couldn’t seem to fall asleep. I grabbed my phone and checked the time: 11:52, almost midnight. I made my way downstairs to grab a glass of milk, hoping it would help me get a little bit of shut eye, when all of a sudden, an amazing scent hit me. The glass in my hand slipped from my grasp and made a crash, but it didn’t matter. It smelled like the forest after a rainy day, with a hint of coffee. I stepped outside the house and sniffed the air again, taking in this wonderful fragrance. It seemed to pull me towards a particular location. A few minutes later, I found myself standing in front of the pack house. My mind was still clouded by the soft odor. The pack house was lit up, music blasting through the air. I wanted to return to the safety of my room, but then I’d miss an opportunity to find the source of this strong scent. I entered the pack house, which was now packed with teenagers holding red cups, flashing lights, and booming music. Even with the smell of sweat and alcohol in the air, it didn’t overpower the fragrance that had led me there. As I pushed my way towards the center of the house, something drew me closer. The crowd seemed to part for me until, finally, I came upon Bryan and Heather. They were tangled up, swaying with the music, their bodies pressed tightly against each other. Once I was at least ten feet away, the words left my mouth before I could stop myself. And for the first time, I growled. "Mine."

Chapter 4 4. Left To Die

Chapter 4: Left to die Hannah I stared at the shock on Bryan's face, which gradually morphed into one of disgust and hate. The entire room was silent. The music had died down, and you could hear a pin drop as everyone anticipated what would happen next. No one would have believed it and neither did I; that I would finally find my mate. I didn’t even have to leave the borders of the Raven Falls pack. But I did not expect ‘him’ to be my mate. My expectations dwindled as the silence stretched on. Heather already had a smile on her face, looking at Bryan as if she knew what was coming next. The hand wrapped around her waist was released as Bryan took a step forward. Then another. And another, until he was only a foot away from me. He was so close I could feel his hot breath fanning across my face. I wanted to savor that moment, his scent intoxicating, but I knew it wouldn't last long no matter how much I wanted it to. Staring into his blue eyes, the disgust was evident, nothing seemed to mask the hatred that he felt for me, probably the shame he felt for having to be mated with me. "There’s no way a weak, pathetic, ugly slave of a mutt is my mate," he spat bitterly in my face, and I flinched at every word. Tears brimmed at the corners of my eyes as I knew what was coming next. "Wait, please, we’re meant to be together. Please!" I pleaded silently, reaching for his arm. He quickly drew back, as though I was dirt he didn’t want touching him. He walked back to Heather’s side, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her close. Both of them wore smirks on their faces. "I, Bryan Ducati—" he started. "No, wait… please don’t do this," my voice cracked as I stepped forward, trembling, desperate to stop him from declaring his next words. "Reject you, Hannah Anderson, from being my mate," he finished, pulling Heather closer to him. The pain I’d never felt before tore through me as I screamed and collapsed to the floor. My heart shattered as my last hope for life crashed—my last star in the sky, lost in the darkness that seemed to grow bigger now. I’d felt pain within this pack every day, but nothing compared to this. It was as though my soul was being ripped from me, but it still loomed there. "Get this piece of trash out of here!" Heather ordered as she cozied up to Bryan. I looked at Bryan once more, my vision blurry from the tears, hoping he wouldn’t do this to me. Pleading ever so desperately for him not to let this bond go. Bryan had already turned away, his attention now on Heather, they both chuckled and had their moment while she tried to calm him down. He didn’t spare me another glance after that. There was nothing left for me. No meaning to my life. I felt soulless, crumbling to the floor as my legs gave out, they weren't able to hold me back up. I didn’t notice the two pack members who had appeared by my side on Heather’s orders. They began dragging me, throwing me out of the pack house and slamming the door shut behind me. I sat there, staring at the closed door. The music was turned back on as everyone returned to partying, while I remained on the ground, consumed by grief. The tears continued to roll down my face as I sobbed bitterly. With a strength I didn’t know I had, I picked myself up and began to walk, not knowing where I was going. I kept walking until I bumped into someone. "What in the world is this?" A man’s angry voice rang out as I found myself on the floor again. I didn’t know who it was until I looked up and recognized who my audience was. "Alpha Jaxon?" The fear was evident in my voice. His eyes burned with anger and disgust— emotions I had seen too often. "I’m so… sorry, Alpha," I whispered, my voice barely audible as I bowed. "Alpha Jaxon, what is the meaning of this?" the man beside him demanded, wiping his expensive-looking clothes as if I had stained him. "Is this how you welcome guests now, letting peasants interrupt them? Unbelievable." The man spat with utter dissatisfaction. I remained bowed when a hand slapped me across the face, sending me back to the ground. The growing pain on my cheek wasn't numb but there was definitely swelling. The stranger had struck me. When I glanced at Alpha Jaxon, his eyes showed anger, though he seemed to contain it as he addressed the visitor. "My apologies, friend.""Hurry up and apologize!" The man yelled at me. I scrambled to my knees, barely able to speak as I apologized to the man. All I felt was an empty void in my heart. Pain didn’t register, and neither did the insults that were thrown my way. The man, no longer acknowledging me, turned to Alpha Jaxon and said, "Weak peasants like this shouldn’t be part of a pack, Alpha…" He trailed off, but Alpha Jaxon cut him off. "Watch yourself, Miguel. Don’t tell me how to run my pack," he said, his voice low and dangerous. Then he composed himself and added, "Why don’t you go on then? Our business is done, and I won’t be seeing you off." One could tell Alpha Jaxon was keeping his voice at bay, holding in his anger. Miguel, eager to escape as he realized this, bid Alpha Jaxon goodbye and quickly scurried away. I remained kneeling when Alpha Jaxon finally turned towards me. His heated gaze made me shrink into myself. "Useless," he sneered, slapping me across the face again. "Embarrassing me in front of a company, huh?" His voice was low but dangerous. The pain stung worse this time as he put more force behind the slap. I lay on the floor, my hands pressed to my cheeks, wondering why it was always like this— constantly being bullied, constantly hated. I never understood it. "You’re just a burden to this pack, of no value whatsoever. I can’t have you here again." He looked off into the distance, his expression distant. I realized he was mind-linking. This was confirmed when I saw two warriors walking toward us. "What a waste of my time," Alpha Jaxon muttered. "I should have killed you a long time ago if I knew how useless you were." I wondered what he meant by that, but only for a moment before the two warriors grabbed me. "She’s banished from the pack. Take her out!" he ordered. ~ "What are you doing with her?" She asked. Although the warriors weren't obliged to answer, they had to give a response because she was the daughter of the leader of the warriors. "Really?" The smirk on Heather's face grew wider as she stopped staring at the warriors and turned her gaze to me. "Well, it's about damn time," One of my brothers sighed in mock relief. Heather continued, "Well, in that case, why don't we offer assistance?" She suggested with a smile on her face. "The alpha ordered—" The warrior on my left was cut off by Heather. "See, you must have been mistaken, I wasn't asking." The smile that had once graced her face dropped. They knew she was powerful and not just because her father was one of authority. She had been trained by him, and he was considered strong and fierce. My brother walked up to the warriors, who handed me over to him with no more words spoken. "That will be all for now. You may return to your posts." Her smile had returned. Both warriors scurried away. "Well, well, well. Let's go for a walk, shall we?" Although she asked, I knew she wasn't expecting an answer from me. My brother snickered behind me before we started walking towards the forest. We had walked a considerable distance, probably far enough where my screams wouldn't be heard as they tortured me to death. "Now, I have to ask, what were you expecting when you found out Bryan was your mate? I could see the look in your eyes earlier," she laughed. I wasn't ready to answer. The first hit was across my face. "I asked you a question." She grabbed my short hair tightly. "You think you could replace me? Huh? Very funny." She chuckled. My silence apparently only made her angrier. Her face was so close, and all of a sudden, my emotions conflicted—anger, despair—and with a surge of adrenaline, I spat in her face. This shocked both of us, but I quickly recovered as I realized I had nothing to lose anymore. Heather was so angry. She wiped the spit off her face before starting to throw punches at me. My brothers just stood back and laughed. I crumpled to the floor, clutching my stomach, groaning in pain. My vision had become blurry, but I could still hear the anger in her voice. "Someone like you shouldn't even exist. Weak, pathetic, useless. Honestly, I wonder why you’ve lived this long. Your existence irritates me!" After she had ranted, she calmed herself down. "You both," she said, pointing at my brothers who had been enjoying the spectacle. "Finish this." She ordered them before turning to me again. "I would have wanted to watch you die, but I think it's best to spend my precious time with ‘MY’ mate, Bryan." She mocked me before walking away. Kyle grabbed my hair, lifting me off the ground. Kaleb delivered a blow to my stomach, making me double over. I fell to my knees as Kyle released his grip. "Finally, you'll be out of our lives for good," Kyle started. "We can live our lives without you bringing a stigma onto us.""You really are disgusting," Kaleb said as he kicked me again. "This is no fun," one of them said. "How about your favorite game—Chase?""That's a great idea," the other agreed, planning my death. I got up with the little strength I had left and started walking backward slowly. I knew I was falling into their trap, but if there was even the slightest chance that Bryan might come to my rescue again, then I was going to take it. "Oh, there she goes," I heard from behind me as I walked away. I wasn't moving fast, and I tripped several times. When I turned, they were nowhere to be seen. I continued limping, not knowing where I was going until I reached the same cliff from last time. This time, it appeared rather scary and deep as it was dark out, a drop from this height was sure to end me, “What to do? What to do?” I cried to the moon goddess but seconds later I yelped. I felt my hair being yanked again, turning me around. A storm of punches came down on me, landing on my face and every other part of me. I felt like a punching bag, being used to take out someone's anger and frustration. One of them held me by the arms while the other continued to strike. With every punch, he said, "You'll be out of our lives for good." The punches turned into scratches. His claws were drawn, and I couldn't stop it. I was open and vulnerable, and no part of me was spared. I stopped struggling at this point. Blood covered my body, and my vision was failing. I felt my hand release its grip as I fell to the floor. Pressure was placed on my leg, and a cracking sound followed before the person let go. "Is she dead?" One of them asked. "I doubt she'd live after your rampage," the other answered, shaking me slightly. "Let's go." They agreed after pushing me over the cliff, and then I lost consciousness before I hit the bottom.

Chapter 5 5. The Brown eyed Beta

Chapter 5: Brown-eyed Beta Hannah "When do you think she’ll come through?" A female voice asked, sounding concerned. I wondered who it was; I’ve never been shown that kind of concern, with my mother being the only exception. "I don’t really know. It’s only been a few hours since the surgery. It all depends on her, though. She’s a werewolf, so we shouldn’t be too worried. I don’t know how long she was out there, however," a male voice answered, closer than the other. "Who would do something like this? They could have killed her," the first voice questioned, concern evident. "Maybe that was their intention in the first place," the closer voice replied softly, sounding sad. "It’s a miracle they found her in time. If they hadn’t, I don’t think we could have helped her.""I pray she pulls through. No one deserves to be treated this way, no matter the crime," the woman said. "Oh, she will. This one’s a fighter," the man assured her. They continued to talk about other things, but I didn’t pay attention until the first voice suggested leaving. "Okay, I’ll see you another time. I have a patient to attend to," she said, before leaving. Footsteps echoed until they slowly faded away. I cracked my eyes open slowly, wincing at the pain. I closed them again when I tried to lift my arms to block the sunlight, but to no avail—the pain was too much. The person in the room must have noticed my struggle. "Oh dear, hold on a second." As he said this, I felt the light dim a little behind my closed eyelids. Once my eyes were fully open, I noticed a man in white hovering over me, his expression frantic as he moved around. "Denise! Inform the Beta that she’s awake now—hurry!" he ordered. "You’re finally awake! Thank the goddess." I lay there as he worked on me, checking my vitals and ticking items off his clipboard before he began speaking to me. "Hello… hi, dear. My name is Doctor Riley," he introduced himself. I took a look at him, he seemed a bit old, maybe in his early fifties. He was bald and dressed in a white coat. Ignoring him, I took a subtle glance around me, taking in the room where I was being held. The walls were striped blue and white, with a few cabinets. Other than those and the bed I lay in, the room was simple. Finally, I looked down at my own body. The horror filled me and my breathing increased, my heart racing at what I had become as I panicked. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. All I felt was pain in my throat as I realized the state I was in. My right leg was bandaged and elevated slightly, as was the rest of my body. I felt the bandages on my head and couldn’t help the tears that began to roll down my cheeks. I started thrashing around. Why me? Why didn’t I just die? What have I done to deserve this? There was no one to blame other than the moon goddess for creating me into such life. Everyone else loved a full life, I on the other hand have never felt that before. The doctor tried to calm me down, but he couldn’t and this bothered him, the little crease on his forehead deepened. "I need help here!" He called out. Two nurses in blue scrubs rushed in. "Help pin her down before she hurts herself even more," he ordered. I continued to thrash and move until I had no strength left. The pain intensified, and all I could wish for was death. I couldn’t live like this; I didn’t want to. The two nurses finally let me go. They lingered for a few moments as if expecting me to start up again. When I didn’t, the doctor excused them, and they exited the room one after the other. "It’s okay. You’re going to be okay," the doctor tried to reassure me. "You’ll heal, and we’ll get rid of the bandages in no time, alright?" His voice was soft and calm but I couldn't believe him, they should have left me for dead. I could only stare at him, unable to speak. What’s the point of healing and living when there is nothing left to live for? Especially when I saw the cuffs chaining me to the bed. I must not have noticed them before, too preoccupied with my current state. I pulled at my hands and the cuffs rattled. "From one prison to another," I thought. The doctor followed my gaze and then spoke. "Beta’s orders. I’m sorry about them, but he doesn’t want to take any chances, apparently." There was no end to the constant torture, which made me feel less like a werewolf, though I hardly felt like one anyway. After a few moments of silence, the doctor began to speak again. "What’s your name?" he asked, but I didn’t respond. He continued. "Where are you from? Who did this to you?" He asked a barrage of questions that I ignored. The doctor sighed, realizing he wasn’t going to get any answers from me, either because I didn’t know how to respond or couldn’t. He resigned himself to sitting beside me on a stool, going over his clipboard. I took this moment of silence to recall what had happened. My brothers had beaten me mercilessly, then had my body thrown off the cliff. I should be dead, so why am I not? I continued to think to myself when suddenly, I heard the doctor exclaim. "Beta Tyrell! You’re finally here." The doctor walked up to the man at the door. The man, Tyrell, was tall and dark-skinned, with a low-cut hairstyle and a light stubble framing his face. His light brown eyes didn’t need the sun to shine. He was dressed in suit pants and a shirt. Both he and the doctor whispered in the corner, and I only picked up a few words from their conversation—crying, space, and speaking—which didn’t make sense to me. The Beta kept glancing at me occasionally as the doctor briefed him, until finally, their conversation ended. The doctor and the Beta walked further into the room, coming closer to me, scrutinizing me like I was some spectacle on display. "Who are you, and why are you here?" the Beta asked. His voice was low and threatening. I couldn’t help but shrink into myself, feeling a bit of fear. He reminded me of my time in the Raven's Fall pack. I was thrown off by this, but he didn’t seem to notice—or probably didn’t care. His eyes scanned me from head to toe. I tried to speak, but nothing came out, and this probably made him angry at being ignored. I couldn’t help it as I shook inside, chanting a mantra to myself that he was going to beat me to a pulp, kill me, and throw me out just like my previous pack did. "I don’t think it’s necessary to get angry, Beta Tyrell. As I said before, I don’t think she’s capable of speech—or maybe she’s just scared. We’ve done a general check-up, but I still don’t know why she can’t speak," the doctor intervened. Taking a whiff of the air, he remarked, "She’s a werewolf. How come she hasn’t healed yet? Maybe she’s just pretending." The Beta continued as he drew closer to me, his breath fanning across my face. I could smell the sweat on him; he must have rushed in when they informed him I was awake. "I don’t think someone who sustained such injuries would be pretending, sir," the doctor suggested. "Besides, she’s in unknown territory, she’s bound to be scared.""You never know the lengths people will go to get what they want," Tyrell muttered, his face close to mine before drawing back. He then asked, "Where are the ones who found her? Bring them to me." His voice was low but filled with authority. "Yes, Beta," the doctor replied, excusing himself to pass on the order. I was left alone with the mysterious Beta. Silence stretched between us as he continued to observe me, his expression blank but watchful. The silence lasted until the doctor returned, bringing two individuals I didn’t recognize. One was a boy, the other a girl; both looked to be around my age. The boy was lean, with hair that brushed just above his eyes. He was tall, especially compared to the girl beside him. The girl looked fit, her black hair braided into two sections that fell over her shoulders. She was relatively short, though maybe that was only in comparison to the boy. The Beta, who hadn’t taken his eyes off me, finally turned to the newcomers and asked, "What happened?" Both of them snapped to attention when the Beta faced them, and the boy began to speak. "Sir, we were patrolling the border near the river when Dora wanted to take a... short break," he admitted, blushing a little. "I heard her call out for me to come quickly. I went over, and she was pulling someone out of the water." He glanced towards me as he spoke. "She was badly injured and looked like she’d been in the water for a while. I helped pull her out and checked her pulse; she was still alive, so we decided to bring her in. That was when Shane mind-linked you." The girl, named Cleo, finished. "What direction was she floating from?" Tyrell asked, his tone still hard. "From the north, sir," Shane answered. This response seemed to anger Tyrell, which made both Shane and me nervous. "And what pack lies in the direction of the north?" he asked, his voice dipping lower. "Uh... that would be the... Raven... Falls... pack," Shane answered nervously, his voice fading as he acknowledged the significance of the direction. "And what did you do after you brought a stranger onto our pack lands?" Tyrell continued his interrogation. "We... waited... outside in case we were needed," Cleo murmured, her voice so low I could barely catch it. Both of them looked dejected, as though they had done something wrong. "Oh, so you left your post at the border open and vulnerable without requesting a shift change? You brought an unknown stranger onto pack lands who just happened to come from the direction of one of the most ruthless Alphas and our rival pack, and you’re telling me you thought nothing of it?" The Beta listed their mistakes, and I understood now why they looked so ashamed. "This might have been a plot—a distraction to lure you from your post to enable an invasion of our pack. Do I have to explain this to you?" He was furious. It was all my fault they were being scolded. "Get out. Return to your post and stay there until your shift is over. Perhaps you’ll also receive a punishment. Pray there isn’t already an invasion, or I’ll have both of your heads on a spike." He concluded. The two of them quickly scurried away. After they were gone, Tyrell turned back to me, his eyes now full of suspicion and anger. "Who exactly are you, and what is your plan here? What are you aiming at by coming like this?" He looked pointedly at my wounded body. I tried to speak, wanting to assure him that this wasn’t a plot or some scheme to invade his pack but rather my own misfortune and fate. Yet, no words came out. Or perhaps it was a plot, but I wouldn’t know. I’d always been a pawn in other people’s games, and I wouldn’t be surprised if my pack had thought up something like this. "You’re not going to answer? Well, I suppose a few doses of wolfsbane might do the trick.""But sir, that could kill her," the doctor interjected. "Well, that wouldn’t be too bad now, would it?"

Chapter 6 6. Fear Of Wolfsbane

Chapter 6: Fear of Wolfsbane Hannah: I hadn’t seen Tyrell for almost a week since he last threatened me with one of the deadliest poisons to wolves: wolfsbane. I was so scared that he might have actually used it. I had to constantly look out for him, just in case. Even though the doctor assured me that he had convinced the alpha to avoid violent means, I still found myself looking over my shoulder every now and then. This was an unknown territory, after all, and I was new here. It was quiet, save for the beeping sound on the monitor. Doctor Riley had shown me where the bathroom was, which contained basic necessities I could use, like a toothbrush, toothpaste, scrubs, and the rest. Every time I freshened up, I was always in a hospital robe. The nurses were a lot of help since I was still wrapped in bandages. Although I had tried to get them to leave it up to me, they insisted and I didn't know how to feel about that. It was a new feeling having to be served by others. Today was no different than other days. This has become my routine for the past week. I’d been cooped up here day and night. The nurse, whose name was Kiera, came in today, dressed in her light blue scrubs and a warm smile on her face. She was the only one who attended to me more frequently. She always struck up a conversation to check if I was doing any better, if I was in pain, and so on, as part of her routine in changing my bandages. Since I couldn’t speak, I only nodded and used head gestures. Today, the doctor accompanied her with a positive attitude and a broad smile. “How are you feeling today, Hannah?” he asked as he took a seat on the other side of the bed, not obstructing Kiera as she removed the bandages. I had written my name down the second time the doctor visited. He had brought along a small sheet of paper with a pen; that was the only thing I was willing to write at the moment. “Oh, right, you don’t speak,” he berated himself, as though he’d forgotten that I hadn’t said a word since they found me. “Anyway, good news!” Doctor Riley exclaimed. “You’ve been doing pretty well this week, so we’re going to remove the bandages.”“You’ve healed really fast, which is a good thing, but I still can’t understand why you can’t speak.” He sighed before continuing, “Once I’m done with the final check-ups, you’ll be out of here in no time.” Kiera had removed the bandages from around my legs and arms, and now she moved on to the one wrapped around my head. These bandages were a nuisance to me, and I didn’t like them. I was quite happy to hear that I was fully healed, though I still wondered why I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t come up with an answer. I even asked the doctor on the notepad he’d given me, and he mentioned something about hysterical trauma. He said that I might still feel pain within me and in my mind, which prevented me from speaking. I didn’t doubt him much because, deep down, I was still scared—scared that my voice had actually been ripped out by my brothers, scared that if I spoke, I’d be punished or, worse, killed. Kiera had finished removing all the bandages, which she disposed of in a trash can before excusing herself. “You’ll be fine, dear,” Doctor Riley assured me as he noticed my distant stare. I cast my gaze toward my hands, which lay on my thighs. Everything wasn’t going to be fine—maybe for them, but not for me. I felt I would only become a nuisance, someone everyone despised. I was being held because I was from another pack, locked up, unable to do more than bathe, eat, and sleep, it was only a matter of time before they realized just how useless I had always been. On the plus side, I’d soon be able to leave this dreaded room. I was tired of the colors and everything, the routine as well, it only made me further sick. “Mark’s going to bring in your meal,” he said. He waited for some sort of response from me, but I had nothing to say. He realized that as he continued. “I have a few questions I’d like to ask you before I discharge you, alright?” He handed me his booklet and a pen. “Who did this to you?” His voice had softened. As he asked, I remembered Heather and my brothers, and I couldn’t help but fidget in fear, cowering backwards and inching into myself. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, or if it’s too much for you,” he reassured me. He placed a comforting hand on mine, which was still trembling, but I shrank away. He withdrew, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. “How about easier questions, then? Ones that won’t trigger any...” he trailed off and I couldn't have been more grateful for his understanding. “What about your parents?” he asked. I slowly scribbled the word dead on the paper and turned it to him. He hummed before apologizing. “I’m sorry to hear that.” I didn’t mention my adopted mother, but who would care about that anyway? “Is there anything you can tell me about your former pack, Hannah?” he asked, his eyes full of concern. I wondered what the Ravens Fall pack had done to him. I shook my head. I knew nothing about my former pack other than cleaning, being beaten, and running errands. I was pretty sure that wasn’t what he was asking. “I need you to think again, Hannah. It’s important that you tell me the truth now. Anything at all that you can remember, maybe something Alpha Jax—” He hadn’t finished his sentence before I began to shake again. That name alone terrified me. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” he said, grabbing my hands to try and calm my panic attack, which didn’t help. It took a few minutes before I finally calmed down. “I’m sorry. It looks like you’ve gone through a lot to react like this,” he said gently, releasing my hands, casting a sad depressed look with his brows knitted closer to each other. "But I must warn you, though, these questions must be answered—maybe not now, but if you want to assure me that you are not a threat, then…" he trailed off. As we sat in silence, there was a knock at the door. "Ah! Must be Mark with your meal," he exclaimed, his smile returning. He walked over to the door and opened it. On the other side of the door was not Mark, but rather the beta of the pack, Beta Tyrell. "Oh! Beta Tyrell," he exclaimed before continuing, "I wasn’t expecting you this early," he whispered, though I caught it anyway. The Beta ignored the doctor's surprise at his arrival as he entered the room, and that was when Mark arrived as well. "Why didn’t you tell me the Beta was here?" Doctor Riley asked Mark, who carried a tray of food into the room. He set it down on the nightstand beside me, then bowed to the Beta before stepping over to Doctor Riley. "I only just got here. How was I supposed to know?" he countered before exiting the room. Doctor Riley sighed and looked upon Tyrell with a pleading expression, then looked at me with pity. It was as if he knew what was about to happen. Tyrell stood in front of me with a paper and a pen in hand, his face devoid of emotion as he stretched out his hand to pass me the items. I took the items from his steady hands with my own shaky ones. Doctor Riley stepped forward and tried to reason with Tyrell once more. "Sir, I don’t think she’s ready yet. I’ve already asked all the questions; there’s no need for this," he said in a hushed, hurried voice. "Doctor Riley, stand aside. Who knows if you asked the right questions?" Tyrell replied, his brows drawing closer in annoyance. "I have asked all the questions, and as a medical professional, I say she is not fit to answer these questions. She has gone through trauma that triggers panic attacks at certain words, phrases, or even names. Don’t do this yet," Doctor Riley insisted, still speaking hurriedly. An argument was struck between the both of them. "You are so gullible, Doctor Riley. And what makes you think she’s telling the truth? You take pity on her, which might be exactly what she wants," Tyrell finished coldly, now turning to face the doctor fully. A chill ran down my spine at such an intense and heated gaze. They didn’t seem to care that I was right there, hearing every word they exchanged. I was grateful that the doctor believed me, but he was not the one who ran the pack or held the second-highest authority. The doctor glanced at me with pity, but also with caution. "Sir, now you’re questioning my profession," he retorted, turning to face the Beta again. Tension began to rise in the air. I was surprised that the doctor would stand up for me like this. Why would he do something like this for someone he barely knew? Maybe it wasn’t just about me; maybe it was his sense of ethics. Nevertheless, I was grateful. "Doctor Riley, you are excused. I don’t know what she’s been feeding you all this while, but I’ll be sure to get it out of her," Tyrell said as he turned away from the doctor and walked over to my bedside, where I still lay. "Leave," Tyrell ordered. The doctor had no choice but to obey, as Tyrell had issued a command order. I could feel the power in his voice, which made me whimper as well. Doctor Riley bowed his head before opening the door and leaving. Once the door closed, silence filled the room. I could only look at my disheveled fingers as I bowed my head. "I’m not going to ask you anything, but you need to write down everything you know about your pack," he said, gesturing to the notepad he’d given me earlier. His command voice weighed heavily on me, and I quickly took the pen and started to write everything I knew. And honestly, what I knew wasn’t much. I wrote about the alpha, how he treated his pack members—basically anything I remembered. When I gave him back the pad, he looked it over and asked, "Is this a joke? What am I supposed to do with this?" His expression soured by the second. He tossed the paper back at me, and I quickly reached for it, scribbling down, That’s all I know. I wasn’t really a core member of the pack. He picked up the pad, read it once more, and then chuckled before tossing it back onto the bed. After a short chuckle, his face returned to its usual stoic expression. "And you expect me to believe you?" he asked. I didn’t know what else to say at that point. I hadn’t expected him to believe me, anyway. "Guess what? I don’t," he answered himself. "Since you’ve decided not to confess, I guess I’ll have to resort to more violent means," he said, taking something out of his pocket. The bright purple liquid in the vial was unmistakable—I knew exactly what it was. I tried to scream, but nothing came out. I began to thrash and struggle, tears welling up in my eyes as I tried to plead. It was wolfsbane, one of the deadliest poisons to werewolves. It wouldn’t kill, but it would put one through unimaginable pain, depending on the exposure level. "Are you willing to tell me the truth now?" he asked.