~ ROSELLE ~

I’m still shaken by the threat Warren made, my body trembling violently. This was another stupid mistake. I should have asked Ronan to evacuate him when he’d offered. But stupid me had thought I’d be able to stand my ground against him.

And what did that get me? A twisted finger, frayed nerves, and a stomach threatening to empty itself.

I make my way to the restroom, each step feeling heavier than the last. The moment I push through the door, my stomach convulses. I barely make it to a stall before vomiting into the toilet.

When it’s over, I remain crouched there for a moment, breathing hard.

Eventually, I force myself to stand and wash up. Cold water splashes against my face as I grip the edge of the sink, breathing in and out slowly, trying to steady myself.

The last thing I need is to walk back outside looking like a trembling mess.

After a few minutes, I walk out of the restroom, schooling my features into a calm, neutral expression. The moment I step outside, confusion settles in. Which way had I come from?

I stand there for a moment, contemplating my options before eventually turning to the right. As I walk, I make a mental note to properly learn my way around the pack later—maybe with Celeste’s help.

I’ve spent nearly every day moving between my room, the therapist’s office, and Dr. Elias’s clinic. It might be time to venture beyond those familiar walls and actually learn the whereabouts of the place I’ll be calling home.

I keep walking, and even without seeing the lights or hearing the distant music from the ceremony, I know I’ve taken the wrong route. The path ahead is far too quiet, and the farther I go, the more certain I become that I’m headed in the wrong direction. With a sigh, I turn around and begin retracing my steps.

Suddenly, the lights go out.

I freeze in place, my breath catching in my throat as darkness swallows everything around me. My heart immediately begins to race, panic creeping into my veins before I can stop it.

What exactly is going on? The thought hits me instantly, followed by another that makes my stomach drop.

My dream. No. No way.

A chill crawls down my spine as memories of my nightmare come rushing back. The darkness, the fear, and the overwhelming feeling of being hunted suddenly feel far too real. There is no way I’m about to be chased down by some monster, beast, or whatever horrifying thing my subconscious created.

My heartbeat pounds violently against my ribs as I force myself to move. I take one cautious step, then another, every muscle in my body tense and ready to run at the slightest sound. The darkness feels suffocating, wrapping around me like a living thing.

Then the lights flicker back on..I nearly jump out of my skin.

My eyes immediately dart around, and this time, I realize I’m not alone.

Two men stand directly in front of me.

"Oh, fuck."

My pulse spikes all over again as I instinctively take a step back. For one horrifying second, I think this is another situation where someone has mistaken me for an intruder.

Then recognition settles in. These aren’t strangers. They’re the guards who were once assigned outside my room. I’ve seen them enough times to recognize their faces instantly. Only now, they’re not standing at attention or watching over my door. They’re standing directly in my path.

"It’s you, isn’t it?" one of them says, narrowing his eyes at me. "The Alpha’s supposed bride."

Both men are dressed in casual T-shirts and trousers, a clear sign that they’re not on duty right now.

I nod cautiously. The other man lets out a bitter smirk.

"You cost us our fucking jobs," he says. "All because of your carelessness and your little stunt of running away."

My stomach drops. "We’ve got families to feed," the first man adds, his voice growing harsher. "But you made that impossible when Alpha Ronan fired us."

The second man takes a step closer. "And do you know what that means?" he asks. "Do you have any idea what it’s like to lose everything because of one stupid mistake? To go home and tell your family you can no longer provide for them?"

My body locks up. Every muscle goes rigid as a familiar sense of dread crawls over me.

Not again. Please, not again.

The anger in their eyes is unmistakable, and suddenly, I find myself trapped between two furious men with no one else around. The quiet path that had seemed harmless moments ago now feels suffocating.

My pulse thunders in my ears. This is another dangerous situation.

And judging by the way they’re looking at me, I have a terrible feeling they aren’t here for a friendly conversation.

I quickly sign, "Please... I can talk to him. I can try to convince him."

The two men stare at my hands before exchanging a look. A look that makes my stomach twist.

Then one of them chuckles. "So, the rumors are true," he says, amusement dancing in his eyes. "The Alpha’s new bride is actually mute."

The other man lets out a low laugh, dragging a hand across his jaw as he looks me over.

"Well, I’ll be damned."

My pulse quickens. Something about the way they’re looking at me makes every alarm bell in my head start ringing.

Neither of them seems interested in what I’d just offered.

Neither of them seems interested in reason. Instead, they look entertained. The first man takes a slow step forward.

"That’s going to make this much more fun."

"When we smelled you, we wanted to kill you, " one of them says coldly.

The words drain the color from my face.

"But no," the other replies, a twisted grin spreading across his lips. "That would’ve been too easy."

A shiver races down my spine. "We’re going to teach you a lesson instead," the first man says. "A lesson about ruining other people’s lives."

I instinctively take a step back. My heart is pounding so hard it hurts. The second man notices the movement and laughs.

"What’s wrong?" he mocks. "Scared now?"

My throat tightens.

"We both know you can’t tell Alpha Ronan anything anyway," he continues. "And even if you tried, I doubt he’d understand all that hand-waving rubbish you’re doing."

The two men laugh. The sound sends another wave of dread crashing through me. My hands tremble at my sides as I glance around, desperately searching for someone, anyone.