Mia's POV
I had imagined this moment a thousand times.
Them on their knees. Begging. Desperate. Helpless.
For years, I had wanted this-for them to feel even an ounce of what I had suffered. To watch them shatter the way they once shattered me.
And yet, as I stood there, looking down at them, something inside me twisted in ways I didn't understand.
They looked at me like I was their world, like I was the only thing keeping them from falling apart.
And that scared me.
Because I didn't know what to do with that.
I swallowed hard, my fingers curling into my dress, the air between us thick with something unbearable. "Get up," I muttered, voice tight.
None of them moved.
My chest tightened, my hands clenching at my sides. "I said, get up."
Still, nothing.
Xavier was the first to speak, his voice rough, pleading. "Tell us what to do, Mia." His head tilted back, his blue eyes piercing into mine. "Tell us how to make this right."
Nathan let out a shaky breath, his gaze dark with something raw, unfiltered. "If you want us to suffer, we will." His jaw clenched, his fingers digging into his knees. "If you want us to bleed, we'll give you our blood."
Rolex, usually the one who hid behind smirks, had nothing but torment on his face. "If you want us to leave," he murmured, "say the word, and we'll go." His lips pressed together, his throat working. "But don't ask us to stop loving you."
Sean, always the quietest, the most controlled, met my gaze last, his voice barely above a whisper. "We don't deserve you," he admitted. "But that doesn't mean we'll stop fighting for you."
I exhaled sharply, my hands trembling, my emotions twisting into a hurricane inside me.
I wanted to scream at them. I wanted to hate them.
But I also wanted to believe them.
I shook my head, stepping back, putting distance between us because I couldn't breathe. "I need time," I said, forcing the words out before I lost myself completely.
They didn't argue.
They simply watched me, their eyes filled with something I didn't want to name.
And then-one by one, they stood and walked away.
My breath left me in a sharp exhale, my knees threatening to give out.
I needed air. I needed space.
So I went to the one person who always gave me clarity.
Daisy.
She found me first, her arms crossed as she leaned against my bedroom door, waiting. "I saw them leaving," she murmured. "They looked like kicked puppies."
I let out a breathless, almost hysterical laugh. "Good."
Daisy stepped forward, grabbing my hands, her expression softer now. "And how do you feel?"
How did I feel?
I didn't know.
I ran a hand down my face, frustration burning through me. "I don't want to forgive them," I admitted. "I can't."
Daisy tilted her head, her gaze knowing. "But you don't want to lose them either."
I clenched my jaw, looking away, hating how easily she read me.
She sighed, squeezing my hands. "Mia, I'm not telling you to forget what they did. I'm not even telling you to forgive them." Her voice was gentle but firm. "But you need to ask yourself-if you truly didn't care, why are you still here?"
I inhaled sharply, her words hitting me deep.
Because she was right.
If I truly didn't care-I would have walked away.
But I hadn't.
And maybe that scared me more than anything. I paced the room, Daisy's words swirling in my head like a storm I couldn't escape.
I didn't want to admit it.
Didn't want to acknowledge the ache in my chest when I saw them on their knees, didn't want to accept that a part of me longed for them-despite everything.
It was foolish. It was dangerous.
But it was real.
I thought of the bond. Of what it meant. Of the power it held.
I had four mates. Four Alphas.
A force strong enough to bend the world to my will.
If I chose them, if I accepted them-I wouldn't just be a white wolf.
I would be unstoppable. The thought made something dark uncoil inside me.
A sharp knock snapped me from my thoughts.
I didn't hesitate.
I needed answers. I needed control.
I threw open the door and found them standing outside-waiting for me.
Their faces were tight, guarded, but their eyes held something else. Something raw. Exposed.
I crossed my arms, lifting my chin. "If you truly want my forgiveness, if you truly want me-then I want something in return."
They tensed, every one of them on edge.
Xavier's jaw locked, his fingers flexing at his sides. "Anything."
Nathan nodded, his throat working. "Whatever you want, it's yours."
Rolex let out a slow breath, his eyes shining with something unreadable. "Just say the words, Mia."
Sean met my gaze last, his expression unreadable, but his fists were clenched like he was holding himself back from reaching for me.
I inhaled slowly, steadying myself. "Pledge yourselves to me," I murmured, watching their reactions. "Swear your loyalty, your lives-everything. If you want me to break your curse, I want a vow. A blood vow."
Silence.
For a long moment, none of them spoke.
Then-
Xavier stepped forward first, his movements slow, deliberate.
He lowered himself onto one knee, his head tilted up, blue eyes piercing straight through me. "I pledge my life to you, Mia. Every breath, every drop of blood-I swear it's yours."
My chest tightened, my throat dry.
Nathan followed, dropping down beside him, his hands fisting on his thighs. "Even if you never forgive me, even if you never accept me-I will protect you until my dying breath."
Rolex knelt next, his usual smirk long gone, his eyes dark with something heavier. "If I could go back and change everything, I would." He exhaled sharply. "But I can't. So I'll give you what's left of me instead."
Sean didn't hesitate. Didn't falter.
He simply fell to his knees, his gaze never leaving mine. "If I am to die, let it be in your hands."
Something cold settled deep inside me. Something twisted and unfamiliar. Because they meant it.
Every word. They were mine. And I didn't know if that was a gift-Or a curse.