Rhea’s eyes darkened. "Now," she said slowly, lifting her gaze back to Adam, "I destroy everything I helped them build."

The room fell quiet after that. Only the crackling fire in the corner and the distant howl of wolves outside filled the silence.

Then her expression shifted, just slightly. The anger remained, but grief slipped beneath it, rawer, deeper. "But first," she continued, her voice roughening, "I need the truth."

Adam didn’t interrupt her, he just stood there watching, listening.

"I need to know what really happened to me," she said. "And I need to know what happened to my son."

Silence followed.

Rhea hated the way her voice had nearly broken. Even now, saying the words aloud felt like tearing open something that had never healed properly.

River went quiet inside her mind, grieving with her.

Adam’s gaze drifted slowly over her fragile frame, lingering on the bruises still fading beneath her skin, the exhaustion she was trying so hard to hide. His wolf stirred visibly beneath the surface, restless and watchful.

But he said nothing. And somehow, that silence felt heavier than words, because something in his expression shifted for the briefest second, dark and unreadable enough to make unease crawl beneath her skin.

"I need to go back," Rhea said at last, lifting her eyes to his. Earnest. Steady. "I need to know exactly what happened at Blackridge."

The fire crackled softly behind them, shadows shifting across Adam’s face as he watched her in silence.

"Will you help me?" she asked.

Adam’s eyes narrowed slightly, his wolf sharpening beneath the surface at the question. "And why should I help you?"

Rhea held his gaze for a moment before exhaling softly through her nose. "Because I’m in your pack house," she replied. "And my side never loses."

A low scoff left him. "Yet Blackridge happened."

"We didn’t lose," Rhea shot back immediately, pride flashing through her exhaustion.

Adam’s gaze drifted deliberately over her weakened frame, taking in the slight tremble she was trying so hard to hide. "Maybe not the pack," he murmured. "But I think we can both agree the same can’t be said for you."

The words struck deep enough to sting.

Rhea’s eyes narrowed instantly. "You know something."

Adam said nothing, and somehow that silence confirmed more than words could have.

Rhea pushed herself off the bed despite the protest in her muscles. "Then I can’t trust you," she said, her voice hardening as she slung the strap across her shoulder.

Before she could take a proper step, Adam moved closer, cutting off the distance between them with predatory ease. His presence wrapped around her immediately, heavy with wolf dominance and dangerous calm.

"You are proud," he said, but she could not tell if it was admiration or annoyance. "You know you need me," he said quietly.

Rhea hated the way her pulse reacted to his voice when he lowered it like that. "I will not beg," she replied.

Adam’s eyes locked onto hers, and then he smiled, turning away. "I want you to fortify my pack," he continued. "And in exchange," a darker look crossed his face, "I’ll ruin every person who dared betray a woman like you."

The words came out lower this time, rougher, as if his control slipped for half a second before he caught it again.

Something inside Rhea’s chest tightened unexpectedly, not because of the offer, but because of the way he said it. Like vengeance for her was already personal.

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. "I’ll do more than fortify BloodVeil," she said, forcing steel back into her tone. "I’ll secure your position in the council. You won’t just remain the Alpha everyone fears." Her eyes sharpened. "You’ll become one they respect."

Adam went still for the briefest second. Something unreadable flickered across his face before disappearing just as quickly. Then slowly, the corner of his mouth lifted. "Now that," he murmured, "sounds like a dangerous bargain."

Rhea crossed her arms despite the lingering weakness in her body. "It’s my offer."

For a second, silence stretched between them again, thick, heavy, and charged with something neither of them seemed willing to acknowledge aloud.

Then Adam stepped even closer. Close enough for her to catch the warmth rolling from his skin. Close enough that her wolf stirred uneasily beneath her ribs.

"You have my protection," he said at last, his deep voice steady. "Everything in this pack is yours to command as you wish."

Rhea searched his face carefully, trying to decide if she was looking at an ally or another Alpha preparing to use her. "But if you betray me—" she began.

Adam’s low chuckle brushed over her skin like heat. "Little wolf," he murmured, "would you rather spend your energy threatening me, or come see how you survived?" He leaned closer, his eyes glinting with unmistakable mischief.

"Don’t call me that," Rhea’s breath caught for half a second before she forced herself steady again.

She would not trust another Alpha, she refused to. But she would survive. And if Adam Thorne held answers, then she would use him exactly the same way he intended to use her.

"After you," she said coolly.

Adam’s gaze lingered on her face before he shook his head once. "You walk beside me."

Rhea frowned. "Why?"

"I can’t have you collapsing behind me."

Her jaw tightened instantly, irritation flaring again, but she swallowed the argument before it could form. Mostly because some embarrassing part of her knew he was probably right.

"Where are we going?" she asked instead.

Adam glanced at her once before turning toward the door. "To the one place I know you are dying to see," he said.

Rhea frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Adam looked over his shoulder. "Your grave," he said casually, already walking.

Rhea froze for the briefest second, her pulse stumbling painfully in her chest. Then her brows drew together tightly, and she followed after him anyway.

Because some part of her still could not fully accept that a grave with her name on it existed somewhere in this world. But Adam was already leading her toward it.