Carissa POV

"Are you ready?" My brother, Matthew, filled the silence as we entered the SUV. I knew he was addressing me and not our mother. They'd been to these functions before, whereas I was new. I knew I needed to attend, however. Our father was expecting us.

I turned my head to the right and smirked up at him. "I was born ready. I've been practicing my game face all week," I joked while showing everyone in the car my best game face. Not that either of the other occupants cared for my playful banter. I pushed those feelings deep down and focused on my father. I couldn't believe he was commemorated at such an event as Honourable Pack Beta. It was a prestigious event that didn't typically involve smaller packs like ours. It was a surprise, so it was hard not to mention anything in the week leading up to it.

But where are my manners? Allow me to introduce you all to a bit of backstory, something to help pass the time while we head to the ceremony.

My name is Carissa Carter, but most people call me CC. I tell myself that it is less about my not fitting in with the Carter family and more about it being a cool nickname.

I was born the second daughter of Beta Anthony and Kimberly Carter. They never mistreated me—physically, anyway.

Emotionally, my parents were void when it came to my needs. I quickly learned that my parents only wanted two children, one son and one daughter.

They never expected that one night, while my mother was out with friends, she'd meet her true mate and stray. They also never expected her to become pregnant a few weeks later. My mother came clean about the infidelity, and to save their reputation, they decided that it was best to continue to pretend I was Beta Anthony Carter's pup. That was also how quickly my name became known as CC. I was never referred to as a Carter by anyone in the family—a subtle jab within the family dynamic each time she was forced to respond to it.

You’re probably wondering why my father never felt the pain of my mother cheating; that is strictly a true mate benefit. When you take a chosen mate instead, you take the gamble on trust in all aspects. Marking your mate is a wolf's primal instinct, and when you accept a chosen over waiting for your wolf's true mate, they rarely wish to claim what's not truly their own. My father gave my mother the ring she wanted, but not the mate mark. However, because of this, he had no idea how often she might have strayed, and it constantly ate at him.

After I found out the truth, our dynamic changed. My father never mistreated me, never spoke down to me or anything; he didn't spend time around me. I looked nothing like my mother, which meant I looked like a walking reminder of the man my mother had strayed with. Honestly, I felt bad for my father. I knew he was a good man, but he was struggling to accept an affair and an affair baby.

Because of this, my mother all but abandoned me. She figured that if she disassociated from my existence, everything in her marriage would fall back into place. Delusions and denial are funny traits to pay into, but go for broke, I guess.

Unfortunately, neither parent wanted me, so I was left with a nanny or my own devices. This made me a bit of a natural survivalist.

The upside was that I loved Ginny. She was like the mother I never had. Ginny had been my nanny since I was three months old, and my father had realized my mother wouldn't accept me as an attempt to win back my husband.

Although he didn't want me, as I was the constant reminder of the reality that he was avoiding, he couldn't bring himself to accept a pup being neglected—not even a bastard born.

Over the years, my parents grew increasingly distant from each other. Beta Carter could never let his guard down, always demanding to know where Kim was. It was exhausting to keep up with the drama.

They hid this behind closed doors; no one knew what we pups knew. Imagine it: every time you were out in public, you had to pretend to love a woman who betrayed you and praise a pup who looked more like the unknown male who robbed your marriage of its sanctity. That would be hard for any male, much less a high-ranking one. I did feel bad for my father. His perception of marriage and his family was tainted now, through no fault of his own.

When the big blowout happened at home that night, no one could predict how far my father was pushed. I knew he wouldn't be the same, but my siblings and mother thought it would blow over with a few hollow apologies and soft attempts at making things right.

But something spoken can not be unsaid, and words hold power. Telling your husband that you wish you had left with the unknown male with whom you strayed, at least then you would be sexually satisfied, was probably the worst thing our mother could have shouted out in anger. Your emotions don't justify or excuse your poor behaviour. They amplify where your feelings are. They hold power—the power to build and the power to demolish.

My parents were the first-ranked couple in two generations to invoke the official mistress clause. Something that can only be permitted if chosen mates.

Alpha Kane approved the request, and there was nothing my mother could do to stop my father from taking a mistress. This completely tore the family apart. Although it was entirely Kim's fault, she refused to accept blame and take accountability for her past indiscretions.

Brittany and Matthew blamed me solely, and our mother shut herself away from the world, except for official, mandatory events. Perhaps she thought that, like in the past, my father would cave and come catering to her as he had to keep up appearances. That ship had long sailed, however.

Our pack eventually noticed that their Beta was now spending every evening at his new apartment, rather than at home. That was when our pack discovered the truth.

They also discovered, thanks to Brittany and her pursuit to salvage her own image, that I was a bastard affair offspring; my birth father was unknown. That information was something our mother wasn't telling anyone else, not even my father or Alpha Kane.

Our pack also discovered that their Beta had not only moved out months ago but was also actively living with his girlfriend, Lindy Monroe. She was a transfer. She came from the human city and had her own catering company.

To be honest, I liked Lindy. She was nicer than my mother, and I often wondered if my father and Lindy were actually true mates. I have never seen my father as happy as he was with Lindy. Lindy Monroe was the exact opposite of Kim Miller-Carter.

What surprised me most about Lindy and my father was that he accepted that Lindy was born wolfless. I wouldn't have thought the great Beta Anthony Carter would accept a defect. Runts and the wolf-less were considered defective by many packs. They tend to mate with humans or other shifters due to the judgmental nature of wolf packs. Most wolves will never claim the defects, and without a wolf, you’d never feel the intense mate bond, only a simple attraction pull.

Beta Anthony Carter, a man ruled by the book, suddenly seemed not to care. He was putting his happiness above the image he thought he had to maintain as Beta.

I respected him more for following his own desires and not what was acceptable to our pack.

It also made me realize that my parents hadn't been truly in love with each other. They used the fact that they had pups together as a reason to stay together. Keep the Beta image strong.

My mother's stepping out of their marriage gave my father the leverage he needed to finally follow his own desire and not the path laid out for him by someone else.

As for Lindy, I got along with her more than anyone else in my family.

When Ginny passed away, I was left all alone. Ginny always cared for me, so no one needed to remember to check on me. All seventeen of my birthdays were spent with just Ginny and a few of the kinder staff. The gifts weren't fancy ones like my siblings would get, but I appreciated everything gifted to me. It was done out of genuine care and love.

After she died, my heart was broken, and I thought I would have no more pleasant memories within the pack, but Lindy didn't hesitate to fill that role.

I imagined it was because Lindy understood what it was like to be unwanted or looked down on. Lindy quickly stepped into the maternal role, teaching me all the girly things, such as makeup, hair, and selecting the right dress for my figure and complexion.

Suddenly, my father invited me to dinner with him and Lindy. I knew Lindy had requested it, but it was still a bridge my father and I could use to get to know each other better.

I learned that my father was funny when he was not arguing with his mate.

Imagine that. I had spent years hiding away, alone in my room, thinking my father was this big, angry guy, but it turned out that he wasn't. He was just hurt.

I wondered if we were more alike than we realized. We were both trapped in a life we didn't want or ask for.

It was like swimming against the current, but you didn't know how to swim.

That's what my life always felt like, and she now wondered if that was how the great Beta Carter always felt: bobbing in the water, hoping to swim.

None of that matters now, however.

We have grown closer and are repairing the fragmented bond we once had.

I continued to watch outside the window while my brother drove the SUV to the secret location of the event for their father. My mother, Kim, was in the front seat, and I sat alone in the back, watching the trees go by.

"Why isn't Brittany coming with us?" It was a little odd that our sister wasn't with us since it involved her biological father.

"She is coming with Ryan in a separate car."

Ryan Davis, future heir of our pack and top-tier douche-bag. He was your typical golden boy image bully with an even larger ego than his six-foot stature.

They had been dating for just over a year, and despite their heated arguments, which sometimes terrorized our pack, they stuck it out. They were toxic together; everyone saw it, but they always went back to each other, no matter what. It was a terrifying tale of what lay ahead for the pack's future if they became the power couple leading.

The Trinity Falls pack was considered on the smaller side for wolf packs in the country, with member counts of around three hundred, and roughly two hundred were warriors trained to protect those within the pack. Trinity Falls was once a proud and welcoming pack. Still, with Alpha Kane Davis stepping down soon, he has been giving more responsibility to his son, Ryan, who wasn't the most studious or kindest of people. This also meant that my equally douche-bag of a brother, Matthew, has been walking the line of tyranny alongside him as his Beta.

None of that matters, however. I will leave for school after the summer break, and then I could petition to join a new pack if things get bad or I go into lone wolf status. I have a good standing and a clean record, so I knew I wouldn't be turned into a rogue status.

I had been interning as a junior assistant with Alpha Kane for the past year after school; despite my limited status, I was in an excellent position for the future. I could adapt and handle most of the financial reports and the Luna workload that Alpha Kane took over after Luna's passing years ago. He still refused to take another Luna, but rumours were that he was a bit of a horn-dog with some married females—strictly rumours, as I hadn't seen anything around the office. I worked hard to apply that knowledge to my applications for joining a new pack later in life. Treasurers don't hold powerful titles but are invaluable to packs; that was the goal after graduating from University.

I felt the SUV begin to slow down and come to a stop.

"Okay, we're here. Let's get a move on." Matthew turned the engine off and jumped out of the vehicle before I could even grasp that we had arrived.

CARISSA POV

*Possible trigger: Violence towards the FL, Conspiracy to murder*

Matthew opened the door for me, and when I stepped out, I was somewhat confused by the surrounding scene. We weren't at some fancy building location. We were at what looked like an old warehouse in the middle of nowhere.

"I'm confused. What is this? Where are all the people?" I asked. I looked at my mother, and she shook her head in annoyance at the question.

"It's a surprise, remember. They parked behind the building." She began leaving Matthew and me behind and walking to the building—our invitation in her hands.

I looked at Matthew again. "This doesn't make sense."

Something about this wasn't settling right with me. Why would we all wear formal clothes to arrive at a dirty abandoned warehouse? If the cars were to be hidden, then why did they park out front alongside the tall grass and the ditch?

I had too many questions, and I knew Matthew was watching them flash across my face through my expressions.

"Let's just get inside; it'll all make sense once we do. Don't worry. It is a surprise you can not miss." He smirked his trademark smirk and closed my door, linking his arm with mine.

That in itself was also confusing.

My brother and I weren't the ones to have physical contact. That was a him and Britt thing only. No one ever touched me endearingly—unless it was Ginny, and now it was only Lindy. My father hugged me for the first time the other night. It was surprising but warm. I had planned to try for another after his award ceremony, but something wasn't right with this building. It felt like a trap.

I wish I had my wolf. She would help me figure out what I was missing, but I didn't. Females didn't get their wolves until they were eighteen. I was only seventeen, and without my wolf, I had no choice but to push down the unease in my gut and follow my brother's lead.

Looking down at the ground, I could see my mother's heel impressions in the dirt. I also noticed that they were the only ones.

If people were waiting inside for a grand celebration, would there not be people, or at least, leftover footprints?

"Matthew, I think I left my lip gloss in the SUV. I'll just run back and get it." I pulled my arm out of his before he could protest.

I made a quick sprint to the SUV. I popped open the door and pretended to look for the lip gloss. What she grabbed was the first aid emergency kit under the seat. I wasn't sure how to do this, but I knew the survival gear was inside. If I were overreacting, I would have to retrieve the kit before we left, but there was a gnawing feeling in my stomach. Something bad was about to happen.

"CC, let's go!" Matthew growled in annoyance. I quickly tossed the kit into the tall grass and treeline near the SUV and prayed he didn't see.

"Matthew, I just—" I started to panic.

I needed more time to understand what was happening. Next, I grabbed Matthew's forgotten cell phone from the console between the front seats.

Call for help! It seemed the most logical thing, so I started to search for our father's number to call him. I needed him to confirm what was happening. Something wasn't right here. There was no sound coming out of the warehouse. I didn't need to be a master warrior to know I was in danger.

I saw the top of Matthew's head through the window. I was out of time. Without thinking, I stuffed his iPhone into my bra while pretending I was adjusting my dress and just applying lip gloss.

"Enough, already! We don't have time for all of this. Let's go!"

Matthew grasped my elbow, pulled me to him, and slammed the car door again. He assertively walked me to the warehouse. I attempted to slow our steps, but my smaller stature was useless compared to his legs' strength, size, and length.

The moment the door was pushed open, I was roughly pushed inside.

Stumbling, I lost my footing. I fell to the dirty, dusty, hard ground inside.

I was right.

There was no celebration within this abandoned warehouse.

What was inside, however, was my mother, with a snide expression of annoyance, and my smirking sister, Brittany, and Ryan Davis, our future Alpha.

"What the hell took you so long, man?" Ryan hissed in a bored tone.

"Princess here wanted to freshen up with some fucking lip gloss." Matthew spat with an eye roll for punctuation.

"What?" Brittany laughed darkly. "Dear sis, you can't pretty up a pig for the slaughter." She crouched down and spat her words of hate. A gleam in her eyes sent a chill down my spine.

"Why are you all doing this? What is all of this?" I steadied my voice, attempting to push myself back up to my feet.

Matthew leaned forward, not to help me, but to push me back down. The group laughed as I cried out in surprise.

"You ruined everything." Our mother finally spoke. Her face twisted with disgust.

"You did, dear sis. A stain. A blemish on our family." Brittany added with a flip of her blonde hair. She was identical to our mother in every possible way. Inside and out. "With Matthew taking over as Beta soon and Ryan stepping up as Alpha, I can't be expected to be respected as Luna with a filthy bastard sister around. No one would respect me."

"And I need a fresh start to be a great Beta—a Beta like a dad used to be before your presence crawled out of our mother. You ruined our family, and with changes in the pack moving ahead, it is time to take out the trash." Matthew added. "I don't need a constant reminder. You need to leave the pack, CC. Your weak, watered-down, filthy rogue blood is a stain on our family name. Rogues like you are nothing more than lambs to the slaughter. Stay around, and find out what that means!" my brother hissed. He was trying to intimidate me, and it was working. I did want to leave our pack. I was scheduled to go in a few more months. I doubt they realized that, though. They never took any interest in my life, so how could they? They missed my graduation last week and probably thought I was starting high school. I was undersized, but my intelligence was one of the highest in the pack for a reason.

Brittany laughed whimsically, as though this were a performance on stage. "Yeah, dear sis. You need to go. Sorry, not sorry."

"I hate that saying," I mumbled. It was always the same line Brittany gave when she tormented me around the house. It was always sung in a smug tone that irked me.

"Your father was a filthy rogue, so you will die like the filthy rogue blood you are." Their mother spat. "Tony is willing to forgive you, but not me." She yelled angrily. Her fist came out of nowhere, crashing into my face with unrelenting wrath. "He actually wants to adopt you with that useless wolfless whore. He says he is concerned that you aren't being treated right and wants you to have the best chance at life. He wrote us out, and you now get everything." The point of her heel made puncturing contact with my ribs.

I couldn't help but cry out, but no one flinched. They watched, void of any concern or empathy.

"I don't care about the money, but if Father adopts a filthy creature like you while still under the title of Beta, then it becomes the stain we all carry into our futures. I can't have that following me, and I won't let Ryan take that one as the future of this pack." Matthew growled. His eyes flashed with his wolf.

Not concern, but anger. His wolf has long rejected us as family.

"Please. I didn't do anything wrong. I am leaving at the end of summer; I promise not to return here." I kept my hand wrapped around my rib. I was sure that our mother had broken one.

"That's not good enough, bitch!" Kim spat, taking another swipe at my face with her sharp claws. Skin broke on contact, and the streaks of blood dripped eagerly.

Ryan walked over to the nearby table and grabbed a baseball bat. There was only a split second of hesitation and something else when we locked eyes. Was it regret? No, it would never be. Quickly, his face was back to his typical dark and sinister smirk.

"Before we start having fun, I must say something to you. I, Ryan Davis, future Alpha of Trinity Falls Pack, reject you, Carissa Carter, as my mate and future Luna of the Pack." I watched as he pinched and gripped his chest with the discomfort of breaking the bond.

Was I his mate? I wouldn't know until I had my wolf, but this rejection was more for him than me. It would allow him to watch the abuse that was about to happen to me.

At that moment, I realized I wouldn't be able to leave the warehouse alive.

"Don't you see that upset you've caused, CC? It's time to fix the mistakes made seventeen years ago. As I always say, sis. Sorry, not sorry." Brittany smirked. She took the bat from Ryan's still trembling hand. His wolf was still fighting the rejection, and for what was about to happen. I could see the flashes in his hazel eyes.

His wolf didn't want this, but the rejection was said out loud. The fight was pointless. I had no wolf to reject the rejection for his fighting wolf.

The crunch to my face when my sister swung the bat stunned me. Everything was fuzzy but not yet black.

No, I had to suffer a few more hits for that.

I had no wolf, no friends, and no one to reach out to find me.

I was left in a battered state, lying on the floor, surrounded by my own blood.

The laughter and baiting still echoed around the warehouse despite me being left alone now. I felt the chill take over my body. It wrapped around me like a sheet in the cool night.

I welcomed it. I welcomed the darkness. I welcomed death. All I prayed for in the end was vengeance. I wanted them all to pay. At my words, the chill of darkness deepened within me. Weaving through my soul.

Goodbye, Father. That was my final thought before everything went still. Black.

BETA ANTHONY CARTER (CARTER) POV

I sat in my office at home while Lindy was downstairs doing her workout. I enjoyed watching her do her yoga the most.

A smile spread across my face at just the thought of going down and joining her with some downward dog stretches.

Felix, my wolf, agreed hungrily.

“Soon, buddy,” I said with a chuckle, trying to calm the horny wolf within.

We had to finish up the paperwork for the day before we allowed ourselves to become distracted by our lust-inducing girlfriend.

'She is not a girlfriend; she is our mate!' Felix growled in disagreement.

I couldn't agree more. Lindy was everything we had ever wanted in a mate, and if it wasn't for her lack of a wolf, I was certain we would have been true mates. The connection, the bond, was unbelievably strong. She made me want to be a better man—a better wolf.

She pushed me to recognize the errors in my misguided ways. I made many mistakes, but slowly, with Lindy's guidance, I made the necessary changes to correct them.

The most important one was with Carissa. Carissa may have been a bastard pup, born through my soon-to-be ex-wife's betrayal, but she was a good girl. I cared a lot for Carissa, but hurt forced those feelings aside, leaving us to grow distant. I didn't want that for her anymore. She needed a home where she felt safe and wanted, and that was precisely what I planned to do. I knew it was late in the game to start being a father now, but it was better late than never. I needed to give her a real home, even if she left the pack in a few more months. Lindy and I had been discussing the possibility of following. We could find a new pack for the three of us or live within the human city. Maybe we would buy a small acreage with forest access. Something where my wolf and Carissa's can bond and run together while Lindy watches over us from the porch or on Felix’s back. The thought of the prospective future brought a smile to my face. I was going to fix all of my mistakes with Carissa.

I signed the last of the adoption paperwork, making Carissa officially under my name. Our pack didn't realize this until only a few years ago that under the father's name at the birth registry, Carissa had none listed. For most of her life, I refused to be legally associated with her.

All that changed through Lindy's guidance. It took me all this time to realize that Carissa wasn’t my enemy and that she needed a father; I wanted to be that male for her. Lindy would make an incredible stepmother to her; she already filled the role without the ring and title.

All that would change as well.

I opened the drawer of my desk and pulled out the engagement ring.

The light sparkled over the diamonds, forcing a big smile on my typically serious face.

Once the adoption paperwork was processed, Alpha Kane, in his final act as Alpha, swore to help me obtain custody of Carissa and bless my marriage to Lindy. Lindy had already proclaimed that her future stepdaughter would be her maid of honour. The only witness that either of us cared to attend the happy union. Lindy didn’t know how soon that would become more than them talking about the future and become their reality.

It wasn't lost on me that there was a bit of harsh energy. Many of the pack members expected Lindy to be a fling and for me to return to my cheating, title-hungry, gold-digging wife. It wasn't going to happen, however. I had already written her out of my will. I left everything to Lindy and Carissa.

Finally, everything was coming together, and no one, not even my soon-to-be ex-wife, Kim, would get in the way.

I took out my cell phone and called my long-time friend and Alpha to confirm that the plan was still a go. I wanted to surprise Carissa as soon as possible.

She was a newly graduated young lady starting her summer break from school. This would be her final summer of internship with Alpha Kane. I honestly didn’t know how Kane would handle it. It was a challenge to work under, and Carissa was the best admin he’d ever had.

Because of this, we planned a large celebration to let the world know that she would proudly bear the name Carter.

"Hey, man. You all set?" Kane asked right away. I smirked. He knew precisely why I was calling.

"You bet. I will grab Lindy; we'll head to the house and see Carissa before stopping there. Sound good?"

"I'll be here. See ya soon, buddy."

The call disconnects, and after a good stretch, I leave my office with the finished documents.

I will serve Kim with her divorce documents and give Kane the adoption and custody papers to push through. It was time for me to take control of my life and choose my own happiness.

"Hey, baby. It's time to get going." I called out as I walked down to the small home gym.

There, finishing her cool-down stretches, was the love of my life, Lindy.

"Looks like I missed all the naughty positions," I teased, pulling her into my arms. She was covered in sweat, which drove Felix and me into an even greater frenzy. Her scent was ripe, and we wanted to roll in it.

"You sure did, Beta sexy!" she cooed, stretching on her toes to plant a teasing kiss on my lips before ducking around me to run to the shower.

'Chase!' Felix sparked with excitement at the thrill of the hunt.

I did just that. I lunged after my little minx, close on her heels as she laughed once she reached our private en-suite washroom.

"Are you going to help me reach my back, Beta sexy?" she purred as she slowly peeled out of her workout gear. The scent from her workout was strong; her arousal was stronger.

"I'm going to help you reach more than that, baby." Followed her lead by stripping naked before her.

Snatching her naked body and pulling her flush to mine, I walked us to the shower, turning on the faucet but not focusing on the cleaning. No, my focus was on making her dirty.

After our frantic, intimate claiming and cleansing within the shower, we dressed and headed out to run the errands needed for the day.

I chuckled as I watched Lindy, rattled with nerves, the entire drive to the old Beta house. She wasn't worried about how Kim would receive the divorce paperwork. Kim was aware that these papers were coming; the farce of a marriage needed to come to an end, but Lindy was nervous about how Carissa would handle the idea of being adopted officially and her becoming a stepmother to her.

The thoughts ranged from tears of happiness to bitterness because she would be considered inadequate as a parent.

Lindy couldn't have her children, but she loved spending time with Carissa. They were like kindred spirits. Both were looked down upon through no fault of their own, and this understanding quickly bonded them.

She just hoped that Carissa saw it that way and that it wasn't just for the show to catch a Beta male. She adored Carissa and thought of her as a friend and family.

"It's going to be fine, baby. Carissa loves you. I promise everything is going to be fine." I raised her hand and gently kissed her knuckles, attempting to calm her as we pulled into the driveway of my old house. I call it a house, as it wasn’t until finding Lindy that I realized it was never a home.

I looked up at the big house. I remember when I first saw it, my mind filled with happiness and the dreams of the future that it would symbolize. It was once one of the most prestigious houses in the pack. It was a house of image and status.

Kim and I weren't true mates; we were high school sweethearts. We started dating in the tenth grade, and it was clear to everyone that we were the perfect match.

Our pack was confident that we would be discovered to be true mates, but when the time came and Kim got her wolf, we realized that we weren't. I was worried that that would happen. When I got my wolf, Felix, the year prior, he didn't feel any different towards Kim, but I kept it to myself in hopes that we both needed their wolves to know. But, ultimately, we weren't anything but place fillers for our true mates.

Kim's parents were elite warriors and still pushed the young pair together, but my parents, like Kane's Alpha parents, always believed in the balance of true mates. They wanted me to step back and wait for my true mate.

As much as it hurt, that was my plan. I ended it with Kim and told her that although I loved her, I would wait for my true mate, as it would strengthen the pack if ranked members accepted only our real mates.

Kim didn't take it very well. She made my life miserable for the following month. Nothing worked, however. It was not until that day that she showed up at my parents' house, with her irate parents demanding that we marry because she was carrying my pup.

Everything changed that afternoon.

I remembered dropping to one knee right there before them all and proposing. No pup of mine would suffer the absence of a father over a stupid tradition.

My parents were disappointed with me for not waiting to confirm that the pup was mine, but they stopped their pushback and fell in love with the idea of grand pups.

When my father stepped down and handed me the title, I used my tuition savings to make a down payment on a family home instead. I would be the pack's Beta; I would be a father. I didn't need to focus on things like a business degree. My pup needed a yard to play in, and my chosen mate required a home to call her own.

Looking at it now, I can't help but laugh at the naive young man I was. I was such a fool. If I had been smarter, I would have noticed that Kim's betrayal started much earlier and that Brittany, our first-born pup, was not mine either. But that was information I was storing away for ammunition if I needed to force her hand in this divorce later on.

Brittany was a tool to trap me. It worked. I married her the moment I found out and pushed aside my own happiness.

Then Matthew came, and although he was my biological pup, there was no paternal bond between us. The boy was as cowardly and rotten to the core as his mother. Kim’s influence was too strong on Matthew. It left me fearful of how he would lead as a Beta, but with Brittany gunning for Luna with Ryan and Carissa pack-wide known not to be mine, there was no one else to challenge him for the title.

"You okay?" Lindy walked around the truck and wrapped her arms around my waist to pull me from my nightmare of a past.

"Yeah. I'm just thinking about the years I spent naive and blindly following the current when it only led to a suckhole of misery," I chuckled, planting a gentle kiss on the crown of her head.

My eyes caught red dust on Matthew's SUV.

We didn't have red dirt in the pack lands. That was miles away in Rogue territory.

Lindy must have followed my gaze as I noticed she had furrowed her brows just the same.

I walked over, running my finger along the red dust in curious suspicion. I went around the SUV and laid my open palm on the hood. It was still warm.

I exchanged a curious glance with Lindy, gauging if she had picked up the same suspicious questioning. There was a flash of curiosity across her face. She was with me every step of the way. She would have made an incredible Beta female if this pack hadn’t thought so backward.

"That's odd. It's not something you see on a pack-registered vehicle," Lindy said, stating what we were both thinking.

"No. It's not. I don't know what he is into, but let's keep this to ourselves for now. If he gets himself in trouble, it's not our problem. Let's focus on Carissa and our happy ever after, baby."

Lindy smiled warmly at my words, and we headed to the front door after linking our hands.

BETA CARTER POV

"Hello?" I called out after Lindy, and I entered the Beta house.

"We're in here, Tony." Kim's voice called out, the sound coming from the family room.

We found a large group of curious smiles inside the room—almost unnerving, if I had to be honest. Lindy stayed slightly tucked behind me as we stepped into the room.

Kim's expression dropped instantly when her eyes landed on Lindy holding me.

"What the fu.ck is she doing in my home?" she hissed, springing to her feet. Jealousy was fueling her irrational advance on us with the vicious intent to confront my mate.

I felt Felix push through the bond, letting out a warning growl as we tucked Lindy closer behind us. "Think wisely, Kim. I'll rip you to shreds if you touch her." The threat was real. The room felt heavy.

"I told you I don't want her in my home. It's disrespectful to the family."

"You want to compare disrespect?" I challenged back.

"Mom! Dad! Enough. Mom, sit down." Matthew intervened, trying to calm both of us down.

I watched in predatory silence as Kim stepped back and reclaimed her seat on the plush leather recliner. I then entered the room to make a quick survey.

Everyone was freshly showered and in loungewear. I looked at the clock overhead, confirming that it was only after four p.m. It was a little too soon for loungewear and a fresh shower. This was odd to me. I knew everyone in this room; better yet, I knew how preemed they kept their image in the pack. This was out of character for all of them.

"Why aren't any of you dressed? Also, why is everyone freshly showered? What's going on?"

The room froze, and glances were exchanged. I silently took it all in. I could feel Lindy alongside me. She was often underestimated but tended to understand people and their intentions with extreme precision. Perhaps because she was frequently mistreated? That wouldn’t happen again, however. Not with me by her side.

"We went for a family run and got muddy. So, we decided to have a night in once we returned. We ordered pizza if you want to stay, Dad." Matthew responded to the group.

"You went for a family run? Through the woods behind the house?" I asked. I could feel that Felix was pacing. We already knew the SUV was still warm and covered in fresh red dust from miles away, out of the pack lands. They were lying, but about what?

"Are we not allowed anymore, Tony? Does Miss homewrecker wish to take that away from us now, too?" Kim spat in bitterness at the thought of Lindy being in the house.

"Watch how you speak about her. Final warning." Felix pushed his aura through with each word.

"Yes. Will everyone calm down?" Brittany sighed as she curled deeper into Ryan, who had remained stiff and quiet until then.

I squinted in suspicion. Ryan is the most arrogant charmer I’ve ever met. He was rarely silent. I sensed that his wolf was unhappy with him, but Felix was met with a wall of resistance from the other wolves. Another red flag!

"Where is CC?"

"How would we know? She doesn't involve herself with us. Your guess is as good as ours." Brittany shoots out quickly. Her eyes stayed trained on the movie playing.

"I think I remember her heading out before we all left. Why?" Matthew added nonchalantly.

"Because I want to take her to dinner. Lindy and I want to share our news with her. Any idea when she's coming back?" I observed Matthew—the warmth of the SUV still at the forefront of my mind.

"I have no idea. I'll tell her to call you if I see her again," Matthew shrugged.

"If you see her again? She still lives here, does she not?" I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

"He just means that she makes herself scarce around here. She's always out. Stop the inquisition, Tony." Kim clarified with a scoff of annoyance. "So, if we see her, we will tell her."

"Yeah. You do that." I turned to leave but stopped and re-entered the room. I tossed the signed divorce paperwork on the table in front of Kim. "These are signed on my end. Have them signed and delivered to Kane by tomorrow morning, or I will kick you the fu.ck out of this house and empty your bank accounts by noon. Clear? I'm done with your bullsh.it delay tactics."

I didn't bother to wait for a response. I reclaimed Lindy's trembling hand and led her out of the house.

Something wasn't sitting right with me. Carissa didn't have any friends; Brittany and Matthew made sure of it. She had few places to wander where she would feel welcomed, and Lindy was the main one.

"That was— weird." Lindy finally broke the silence when they got into their truck.

"It sure was. We need to head to Kanes and discuss all this. Something isn't lining up right."

As I reversed into the street to leave the driveway, I saw Matthew watching us go from the front window. This action only confirmed the gnawing in my belly. Something was wrong.

I needed to figure out where CC was. I needed Kane's help.

When Lindy and I arrived at the packhouse, we stayed inside the truck to collect ourselves before heading in. I knew that by then, the dinner hall would be cleared out, and most of the house would be moderately vacant.

"Have you had any luck yet?" I looked at the truck's passenger side, where Lindy was using her cell phone.

"No. It's not ringing anymore; it’s sending me straight to voicemail now."

"Someone turned her phone off. Fu.ck!"

"CC wouldn't ghost our calls," Lindy stated with concerned certainty.

"I know she wouldn't. Especially yours."

"What are we going to do? We should be out there searching for her." Lindy's panicked voice pinched higher.

"We need to start by staying calm. Wolves can detect our emotions, baby. We don't know who is involved and what is happening. We will relay everything we know to Kane, and he will send out a patrol group to search for her. Then I will drop you off at home in case she heads there. You'll keep trying her cell while you're there."

"Where are you going then?"

"I will search all of her favourite places. If I don't find her, I should detect her lingering scent if she's been there." I smiled as I spoke. I needed my love to stay in control of her emotions. Kane is a good Alpha, but he may not receive the information well, considering it may involve his own son. I knew that we needed to approach it calmly.

"Okay. Promise you'll find her, Tony. I know I'm not her mother, but—" Lindy started, but the tears began to well in her eyes.

I cupped her face gently. The padding of my thumb wiped away any wandering tears. "Hey, shh-shh. None of that. We'll find her. As for you being her mother, I assure you, Kim doesn't have a maternal bone in her plastic body. You and Ginny were the closest thing that CC has ever had to maternal love and care. I promise you, right now, I am bringing our girl back!"

My lips were gentle on her trembling lips after my promise. "I promise!" I whispered into the kiss again, only reaffirming to her that I will.

Tap. Tap

The knock on the driver's side window broke us apart.

"You old horn-dog! You can't even be apart from each other long enough to submit the dang paperwork." Kane smirked as he watched us quickly pull away from one another in the truck by his front door.

I turned to Lindy, giving her a nod. "Game face, baby!" I whispered as we stepped out.

"What the hell took ya so long? Kim is blowing up my damn phone." Kane chuckled as he gave us both a quick hug. "Man, she hates you both more than I ever thought she could." he laughs again, leading us inside.

I knew Kane sensed something was bothering us. We weren’t typically this silent, and we were often engaged in banter, so he led us to his office.

As soon as the door in the Alpha's office was closed, he turned to us sternly.

"Alright, spill. Why are you two acting like this? Did you bring the paperwork?" Kane walked around the desk and took his seat. His eyes stayed on me expectantly. After all, we didn't keep secrets from each other.

I felt Lindy nudge me, snapping me out of my trance.

I handed the paperwork over. Kane tilted his head in concern at me but turned his attention to the paperwork. He signed his portion and called in his assistant.

"Sir, you called?" The middle-aged woman, Gloria, entered the office.

"Indeed. Gloria, please see that these documents are submitted immediately. We want this process expedited with no further delays." Kane smiled as he handed the woman the documents, including CC's adoption paperwork and custody forms.

"Of course, Alpha."

"Thank you, Gloria. That will be all for the day." He dismissed her and returned his full attention to us.

Kane thinned his lips and sighed. "Alright, you two. Start talking."

Lindy looked to me to take the lead.

"It's an unusual one, Kane. I need you to keep an open mind when you hear it." I started.

"Alright, how about you two take a seat first? You're creeping me out." Kane joked, trying to loosen the tension.

After we were seated, I relayed the events of the day. I detailed my suspicions and what I suspected had happened, and although vague, it was clear that I felt something terrible had happened to CC at the hands of the four wolves sitting in the family room back at the house. Those four people included Kane's son, who was the future Alpha of our pack.

It was a big accusation. One that could unseat me as Beta and strip me of any rights and rank if I wasn't careful.

Kane listened to everything impartially, despite his upset when Ryan was dragged into the claim.

I knew that Kane was aware that his son was no saint. He got into minor trouble here and there, but everything was manageable. What I had suggested was criminal and, in Kane’s mind, would be impossible. He was often blinded to the true actions of Ryan, which is why I planned to leave this pack with both of my girls.

"Carter, we've been friends since diapers. I will let it slide that you made a baseless accusation against my son this time, but I must remind you to remember your place. Ryan isn't someone who assaults women. That is what you're suggesting, right? That my son worked with your rejected family and harmed your bastard pup?"

"Don't call her that!" I rose to my feet. Felix didn't like how our Alpha spoke disrespectfully about our pup. Blood or not, Carissa was a good person, and we felt that bond with her organically.

"Says the wolf who accused his future Alpha of a crime without evidence. Now sit down before I accept the challenge, Carter." Kane growled back.

Lindy tugged on my sleeve, pulling me back to my seat.

"We are just asking that you send a patrol out to search for her, Alpha Kane. We meant no disrespect. Everything is all over right now, and CC isn't someone who goes missing." Lindy spoke softly, defusing the tension between the two men.

"Of course," Kane smiled. "I will alert the patrol that Carissa is missing. They will search the entire pack land for her. When we find her unharmed, I expect an apology, however!" His eyes burned into mine.

I, however, didn't look away. Instead, I matched the intensity.

"And the rogue territory surrounding us!" I snarled. "They took her off land."

"Absolutely not! There is nothing to support this claim, Carter! We search our territory and then go from there. That is proper procedure protocol."

"Then I will, myself!" I shot back.

Kane sighed and shook his head. "You will not go out and wander the rogue lands, Carter. It's unsafe. You've been the Beta of this pack for over twenty years now, and you know how things are done for missing members. We search the pack lands first. Then, we section outside of the territory into grids. Do not jump to conclusions on baseless suspicions."

"Felix and I—" I stood and snarled. My wolf was fighting for control. We knew we were getting stonewalled.

"Are acting emotionally and not logically. I know. Stand down, Beta!" Kane stood and challenged back.

I opened his mouth to retort, but Lindy jumped to her feet suddenly. "We appreciate the patrol searching the lands. Thank you, Alpha." She interjected. The last thing we needed was for me to get in trouble before finding CC. That was what was necessary at the moment.

"Carter, you should listen to your female more. She is the only one acting logically between the two of you. Now leave. I will let you know what patrol finds." Kane scoffs. His dismissal was firm.

We were about to leave the office, Lindy practically dragging me out.

"Oh, and Carter," Kane calls out as the door opens for our retreat. "You are not to leave the pack lands. Don't go renegade over suspicions chasing ghosts. CC will turn up somewhere. Stay strong."

Although his words sounded encouraging, it was clear that Kane was warning me to watch my step. I was being ordered not to leave in search of the red dust. It would be against Alpha's orders and hold consequences if I did.

NARRATIVE POV

'Get up!' The voice nudged in her head, but the darkness and chill enveloping her were too welcoming.

A pack of domestic wolves surrounded the body of the deceased teen. Their fur was stained with her sticky, spilled body, which coated the cement floor where she lay cold and unmoving. Each wolf took turns nipping at her bloated, clammy flesh, some breaking skin.

The blood on their snouts added a touch of feral to their already intimidating appearance.

The smallest of the three wolves walked forward and licked the wounds on her lifeless face. Her head was cracked open; there was no healing to be seen taking place on the body they stumbled upon.

It was in their nature to devour the flesh of prey found. Dead or alive, they were hungry but were called to this area for a purpose.

The larger male wolf that flanked the body's left side took another bite into the arm of the deceased teen. The cold blood slowly drips out. There was no life in the body left. A simple reminder that the soul was gone. This body was free to be devoured by hungry predators. Hungry wolves.

The wolf at her head continued to lap up the sticky blood from the open head wound. Her hair was matted in knotted chunks of dirt, debris and dried blood.

'Get up!' The voice shouted louder.

Again, it was ignored. How can one respond when there is no life left to push?

The shards of glass and metal from the shattered cell phone stuffed in her bra coated inside the bullet wound through her heart—the finale of her attack.

The assault from the baseball bat that crushed her skull, broken ribs that punctured her organs and broken limbs weren't enough to ensure her demise. They finished the job with a bullet to her heart.

They wanted to ensure there was no chance of survival, and now, a small pack of three domestic wild wolves would devour her castaway body.

Only Seventeen. She had such a promising future. Academically, she was an honour roll student. Advanced in her studies. She was offered early acceptance into the university program before final exams last year, but was turned down. She wanted one more year to develop before heading out into the world alone, but now—a life snuffed too soon.

'GET UP!' The voice screamed. The wrath within the voice rattled the hollow walls of limbo.

That was where her soul was. Limbo. Neither living nor dead. Trapped and surrounded by a chilling darkness. She felt no pain, however. She wasn't in paradise with the great Wolf Mother—the Goddess. No, but no pain was all she could ask for now. She didn't need anything else.

'Get up! Do you not seek vengeance?' The voice hissed bitterly. The disappointment was evident. This wasn't her wolf. No. She felt no wolf within her.

I am no wolf spirit. I am vengeance! Get up! The voice snarled. Anger rattled the hollow space surrounding her.

Where was the Goddess? When a wolf dies, they go to the Goddess. Who was Vengeance?

'Duality is within everything! The Goddess has an unseen dark side, and I am she! Now, take my hand and claim what you seek! 'The voice hissed.

The voice conveyed a heaviness of emotion, a darkness that was darker than the darkness that surrounded her.

The wolves surrounding her body continued to bite into her cold, bloating flesh. Her stale blood is too lazy to drain now, with no life. Rigimortis is beginning to set in. She could feel it taking effect. The window of vengeance was closing.

'GET UP!' The voice roared with authority.

CC's body lunged up as she gasped back to life. She was cold. So cold. Her body shivered uncontrollably as she looked around, panicking. She was afraid that the danger was still present. She couldn't remember what she was scared of, however.

Her eyes. There was something wrong with her eyes. Everything she saw was in different lighting. It was dull and had low lighting.

There was no movement within the warehouse except the three wild wolves sitting next to her body. They made no other movement; they watched her curiously as she took in everything around her.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words were found. The hole in her chest expelled the air, and she gasped. She wanted to inspect it, but couldn't.

Her arms were stuck in unmovable positions, forcing her to roll her shoulders circularly back. They snapped into their sockets with hollowed pops. Swinging her bent arm out, her elbow jerked into alignment.

With a shaky hand, she removed the shattered cell phone from her blood-soaked bra. She looked at the phone with heightened curiosity. Her memory was scattered. Flashes came— a swing baseball bat, closed fists. Nothing more. Faceless attackers. The echoes of her screams and cries for help haunted her mind.

She dropped the phone and clenched her head, filled with screams. The pain was returning. No. Phantom pains.

She felt no pain.

It was a memory. Memories of an event she couldn't recall.

The cold stickiness of the blood from her head drew her focus now. She ran her slender finger along the crack in her skull. There should have been pain, but there wasn't.

The smaller wolf stepped forward and licked the stickiness from her fingertip, startling her. The wolf leaned in and continued to lick the residue on her temple, cleaning her wounds.

She sat still. Unsure if she should enjoy the sensation it was stirring or be frightened.

Her eyes drifted to her twisted leg.

A memory flashed again—a man. A large man pointed down at a crying and pleading teenage girl; he was stomping on the now twisted leg.

Her leg.

She was the pleading teenage girl. She remembered now.

She leaned forward, feeling a pinch in her side. She ignored the annoyance and captured the twisted leg between both hands. Snapping it straight and setting it properly.

The wolf to her right whimpered at the gesture. Her eyes snapped to the whimpering wolf. It inched closer, offering comfort.

When she ran her fingers through its thick, coarse coat, the feel of the fur sparked something in her. What, she wasn't sure.

Another wolf nudged forward, asking for attention like the others. Her trembling, clammy fingers stretched out, reaching for the third wolf before her.

Where are they hers? She tilted her head to the side in confusion.

Again, she took in the surroundings. There was nothing else. No one else was around. Just her and these three wolves.

'Get up!' The voice hissed again, pushing her to her feet.

As she struggled to her feet, everything dislocated or separated snapped back into its proper place within her body. A sharp electricity coursed through her, like a battery charging her.

The hole in her chest that she wanted to explore had healed. The skin had closed the hole. The crimson stain and stiffness of the material were the only reminders of what once was there.

The wolves stood with her. They flanked her side protectively.

She stiffly stepped towards the doorway of the abandoned warehouse, the wolves matching her staggered pace. She stared down at the door handle in confusion for a while before reaching to pull it open, releasing them into the wilderness.

The brightness of the daylight stung her eyes, causing her to take a retreating step back with a vicious hiss. Her hand went up to shield her sensitive eyes.

A wolf's growl drew her attention.

The growl wasn't for her. No. The wolf charged forward with a growl to find what had assaulted her, causing her to hiss in pain and discomfort. The wolf did not realize it was the sun itself.

Ignoring her dry, sensitive eyes, she reached out, snapping her fingers, commanding the wolf to fall back into line. The growling stopped, and the tips of her fingers were met with the warm sensation of the wolf's lapping tongue.

She sighed and pushed herself to step outside the dark shelter into the bright, unforgiving light of the high overhead sunshine.

The dirt gravel below was scattered with rushed footsteps, both male and female. Deep, turned-up tire treads indicated a quick departure, perhaps.

Where did those observations come from? She wasn't sure. Her head buzzed.

A black SUV flashed in her mind.

She was inside it with two people—an older woman and a young man driving. They were chatting in hushed whispers in the front, while she saw herself sitting in the back, lost in the details of the passing scenery.

Her body swayed with the jerked stop of the SUV in her memory.

"We're here," a man's voice echoed in her head.

She looked around the empty space, looking for the voice, forgetting it was a flash of memory. She was alone. Her wolves sat patiently beside her as she worked through her memories and reconciled them with reality.

Her head tilted, she watched the SUV from her memory park along the side of the dirt space. Her legs stiffly carried her to where she remembered exiting the SUV. Old tire tracks remained.

She stood there frozen. I waited for more memories, but none came.

A growl came behind her, and she found one of her wolves had come out of the long grass with a bag in its mouth.

She crouched down, claiming the bag from the wolf. She couldn't figure out its importance or the mechanics of opening it with her staggering motor skills, but the wolf gave her a sense of necessity. She put her slender arms through the holes of the straps and wore it on her back.

Another wolf yipped in front of her—a sign to follow.

Her body jerked with a phantom tremor. Her feet dug into the loose gravel, and she stepped forward to follow the wolf's lead away from the abandoned building that was once her resting place.

NARRATIVE POV

The scent of rot and death clung to her, turning her stomach.

She didn't know how long she had been following these three wolves, but with each passing day, her memories began to return, along with the renewal of her senses.

Her sense of smell was now the strongest.

She could smell a rabbit miles away. Even without her wolf spirit, she adapted to her wild surroundings like the apex predator she was born to be. She didn't need to shift to connect to those senses. They were now in her usual state of awareness.

She watched her wolves yip and prance around playfully as they splashed into the open body of water before her. It was time to clean herself. She could no longer tolerate the scent on her. She didn't understand how it didn't keep her companions away, but she had had enough.

She had no commercial cleaners for her hair and skin, but she was smart enough with her herbs and understood that nature provided readily available options. She just needed to wait until her brain functions returned fully to remember them.

She gathered some soapwort leaves and roots, drying them out overnight. After starting a small fire with the flint from the emergency pack she had retrieved, she brought some water to a boil. After washing the dried blood and grime off her body in the open water first, she returned to the shore and washed down with the soapwort-infused water. She would have to rinse with a cup of fresh water at a time, as it is poisonous to the fish in the open water. She was now one with nature and wouldn't be responsible for any upset to the balance. That wasn't her purpose on Earth now.

Her purpose was to reset the balance. Vengeance.

After washing and removing the scent of death from her presence, she chewed on some licorice root for her breath. Feeding on the rabbits and another carcass that her wolves retrieved left a bitter bite on her breath.

"Well, what do we have here?" A man's voice snickered behind her naked form while she dried off after her washing.

She turned around, tilting her head. She held no fear, but the malicious gleam in his eyes told her to remain cautious.

Behind the unknown rogue male came two more rogues: one male and a smaller female. They were roughly the same build, but the female was slightly smaller, but close enough.

"I think we found a new little lost birdie to play with, Regan." The male in the background chuckled. The female wrapped her arm around his waist with a smirk.

The male in front of her nodded and licked his lips while he took in her naked details.

"I can definitely work with this new plaything," he chuckled. "Would you like some company, sweet thing? I promise to be gentle."

The other two laughed. "You don't know the meaning of gentle, Regan." The woman rolled her eyes and smirked.

She didn't speak. She watched the three rogues discuss her as though she were not there. They advanced on her with calculated division. They were a small rogue pack of three. They had practiced this form of attack.

Their mistake was to think she was weak. Her nudity didn't define her strength. Her lack of visible support in numbers didn't mean she was alone, either.

"Look at her, not even flinching, Regan. She wants you, man." The second man chuckled.

"I might just keep this one." He joked back. He took another step closer. His fingers itched to touch her creamy skin. She looked pure, and that thought drove him crazed with lust.

She stood firm in her spot. Her body was calm and relaxed.

Her relaxed state put them all at ease. She didn't show signs of wanting to flee, which they'd never experienced.

"Hey, little birdie. You want this, don't cha? You want me to taste you." Regan spoke softly as though approaching a gentle rabbit in the wild. She was so calm, her big eyes curiously taking in his gestures. She watched them all, not that they would know that. Her range of vision was expanded far more than any human should. She was more wolf than human now.

She returned— altered. Heightened.

Regan stood before her. His rough hands finally rubbed across her smooth, pure skin. He couldn't stop himself from rubbing her palms all over her exposed skin. She didn't flinch as he did. She continued to stare at him with a growing curiosity.

"Sh.it, that bit.ch wants you, man. Take her. We'll go for a walk while you have your fun." Regan didn't take his hungry eyes off the teen before him; he nodded for his friends to leave them be for the time being. He was excited. It's been a while since he found a willing participant for his rough fun.

This female before him was clearly made for him, and he planned to keep her by his side. She didn't seem to mind the idea. Regan dipped his face into the hollow of her sweet-scented neck and ran his tongue along the length of her collarbone. A shiver shook her body.

"Mmm, you liked that, didn't you, little birdie?" Regan chuckled as he pulled his face from her neck and looked into her eyes.

Her eyes were wholly blackened.

"What the—" Regan went to take a step back, but her hand snapped up, fisting her wildly shaggy hair painfully.

Her strength took him by surprise as she yanked his head back viciously.

He watched in horror as her mouth opened, revealing her elongated canines.

"N-no, please—" Regan stuttered in terror.

It was too late. With her mouth open and her jaws stretched unnaturally wide, her head snapped forward, sinking her teeth into his jugular, tearing through the protective flesh.

His cries were quickly silenced with the gurgling of his final attempts to call for help. It was too late for Regan. The light in his eyes dimmed in pursuit of her feral hunger as she continued to tear into her prey.

He would never harm another female again. She used that thought to lessen the reality that she was hungrily eating the organs of a human being. Her appetite was too much to control then, so she stopped trying to figure it out and focused on the power she felt.

Vengeance.

That was her only thought. Her only emotion. She was seeking vengeance for those who had not been able to before her.

Satisfied that she had snuffed out his darkness upon the world, she tossed his lifeless body to the shoreline before her. His body hit the ground with a hard thud. She found herself in a trance because of the noise.

A flash of memory worked through her. Her brother had thrown her onto the hard cement ground. The sound was similar, but in her memory, she cried out. Regan did not. The cruel smiles of her family circled her and filled her. It fueled her.

Regan's friends smiled the same cruel smile at the idea of harming her. The same smirk her sister wore when she murdered her, the rogue female with these vile men wore.

Her head snapped up at the sound of her wolves yipping. They caught their own prey.

She located her pack with ease. They always knew where the others were. It was an unusual connection for her, as she never had that connection even within her birth pack, but she didn't question it. She relished the connection. She was no longer CC, the bastard outcast. She finally had a pack dynamic.

Two of her wolves tore into the other male rogue in the open field. He was long gone, but she could already detect the slow pace of his lingering heartbeat. Her wolves always hunted with precision. She crouched down closely and watched with a tilted head and pleasing expression. They always hunted the prey together.

Her blackened eyes watched as her wolf's teeth tore through the male. Cast aside were his denim jacket and T-shirt. She smiled. Finally, she had something else to wear other than her stained and battered formal gown from the day she was killed in the warehouse. It was too restrictive to her movements, but her body was too bare to be without clothes.

"Help, please," a female cries out, attracting her attention.

There was her little wolf, sitting patiently under a tall tree, watching his prey with amusement as she clung to the thick branch high up in the tree. Her body was trembling.

CC stood from her crouched position, leaving her wolves to finish their feast. She then walked over to her youngest and smallest wolf, who was standing guard.

She pats his head with affection. This gesture earned her fingers a playful nibble and a lap of his tongue.

"P-please. I'm sorry. Call them off. I didn't want to hurt you. I promise. Please," the trembling rogue female stuttered. Her eyes were glossy from tears of absolute terror as she looked at her dead lover and the young woman awaiting her at the bottom of the tree.

"Strip!" CC called up. She didn't use her voice, and it was evident how rough it sounded with her weighted command—the command of an Alpha female. This was the first word she had spoken since coming back from limbo.

This command took the rogue female by surprise. "W-what?" Her eyes drifted down the length of the Alpha female's naked body. It clicked. "You want my clothes? Yeah? Okay. We can make a deal. I will give you my clothes, but you let me go."

CC tilted her head. She didn't speak another word. She didn't need to. The command was still lingering in the air. A rogue female could not deny it; she held no rank, and none of the three rogues did.

The clothes were quickly thrown from the tree. CC crouched down and retrieved the black stretch denim jeans, tank top, and leather coat. The leather calf-length boots fell to the ground with a hard thunk.

Looking up at the tree, she smirked, seeing the rogue female in nothing but her panties. She didn't need those.

"Can I come down now?" the shivering female asked. CC simply nodded, stepping away from the tree, her wolf following her. The other two larger wolves of her pack were done playing with their prey and awaiting their Alpha females' return.

CC gathered the discarded denim jacket and oversized tee. She now had plenty of clothes to wear. First, she needed to wash away the scent of their filth, a simple task with more boiling soapwort leaves.

She heard the feet of the rogue female touch the ground behind her.

"They ate him." She stuttered, her arms wrapped around her shivering body. She looked helplessly at CC, seeking instructions on what to do next. "What do I do now?" She finally whimpered. Her tone was filled with defeat.

"Run!" CC whispered with a smirk.

The rogue female's eyes widened at the word. "B-but you said—"

CC's hollowed face filled with a smile. "Sorry, not sorry." She turned to her wolves, finding them staring at the rogue female with a calculating glow in their eyes. "Hunt!" she ordered, and the wolves took off running.

The rogue female screamed as she sprinted into the woods. CC knew she wouldn't get far. No one ever did when the pack hunted them. Vengeance must always be paid. A balance must be maintained. Take or give. Those were the rules. It was time for the rogue female to return what she had taken. Life.

A flicker of scent carried on the wind.

Home.

Her lips curved, a razor’s edge of a smile.

“Hunt.”

The wolves answered in unison with low, guttural howls that split the forest wide, then surged toward the path that led back to Trinity Falls.

They would pay.

Every last one of them.

Blood for blood. Betrayal for betrayal.