Chapter 57
Rhianna’s hands were still trembling from the confrontation with Sebastian. Her wolf whimpered faintly, curled inside her, restless and wary. She didn’t know how she was supposed to feel—anger, fear, grief, betrayal. Maybe all of it at once.
Hardin watched her from the doorway, silent, his golden eyes sharp and worried. He could see the weight she carried, the exhaustion in her limbs, the way her chest rose unevenly with shallow breaths. Every time Sebastian’s smug face appeared in her mind, her body tensed, her hands shook.
“You don’t have to stay in here all day,” Hardin said finally, voice low and calm, yet firm. He stepped closer, closing the space between them. “I can make arrangements. You don’t have to sit and hide while the pack keeps moving around you. You could leave, if you want. Go somewhere, anywhere… be away from all of this.”
Rhianna looked up at him, her jaw tight. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she shook her head slowly. “Leave? Go where? The pack… this is my life. Or it used to be.” She swallowed hard. “And where would I go, Hardin? The world outside doesn’t care about me. The wolves outside… they wouldn’t. Even you… I don’t know what to do anymore.”
Hardin crouched slightly, reaching for her hands. His touch was grounding, firm, protective. “You don’t have to stay here trapped in fear, Rhianna. You’re allowed to live. To move, to breathe. I can arrange for a safe place outside the pack. No one would touch you, no one would even know. You could be free of all this.”
Her eyes widened. The idea should have been tempting. Freedom. But her chest ached. “Free? From what, Hardin? From my pack? From my life? From… from knowing they replaced me? I can’t leave. Not now. Not when… when he’s done this.” Her voice cracked on the last word. “Sebastian… he replaced me. I’m not even dead yet, and he already moved on.”
Hardin’s jaw tightened. He knew exactly what she meant, the humiliation and the sharp sting of betrayal. “I know,” he said quietly. “And I hate that he did this to you. I hate that he thinks he can make decisions like this while you’re still here, still alive, still part of this pack. That’s why I’m here, Rhianna. To make sure nothing else happens to you.”
Her lips pressed together, a mix of sorrow and frustration washing over her. “It doesn’t feel like home anymore, Hardin. I can’t walk in the pack without feeling… small, weak. People are gossiping, whispering about me, calling me fragile. They call me weak. And all because he’s the Alpha and I’m… I’m just… here.”
Hardin’s eyes softened, a rare flicker of something gentle breaking through his usual intensity. “Rhianna, you are not weak. You’ve survived more than anyone else could imagine. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. And I won’t let them make you feel small. I can’t.”
She shook her head, the knot in her chest tightening. “You can’t fix this, Hardin. He… Sebastian… he’s the Alpha. He’s got the council, the pack, everything on his side. I… I can’t fight this.”
He took a step closer, lowering his voice even further, almost a whisper meant only for her. “You don’t have to fight it alone. You’re not alone, Rhianna. I’m not leaving you. No matter what happens, I’m here. But… if you want, we can find another way. A place where you don’t have to feel replaced or ignored or small. You could… leave the pack, live for yourself for a while.”
Rhianna’s throat tightened, but she shook her head again. “No. I can’t. I… I’m not ready to hide. Not from myself. Not from the pack. Not from… him.”
Hardin’s eyes flickered with understanding and frustration. “You’re stubborn,” he said softly, though his jaw remained tight. “But I get it. You’re angry. You’re hurt. And you’re still standing, even if it feels like everything is falling apart around you.”
Her hands trembled slightly as she wiped at her eyes. “It’s not fair, Hardin. None of this… any of it… it’s not fair. He doesn’t even care about what I feel. He just… moves on, like I’m nothing.”
Hardin crouched lower, keeping his gaze locked on hers. “And that’s why you have me. I care. I see you, Rhianna. All of you. And I won’t let him—or anyone—erase what you are. Not while I’m here.”
A silence stretched between them, heavy but not uncomfortable. She finally let herself breathe, her chest rising and falling slowly. Her wolf whispered softly in her mind, curling closer, comforted by his presence.
“I… I don’t know what to do,” she admitted, voice trembling.
“You do what you want, Rhianna,” Hardin said firmly. “You don’t have to make a choice you’re not ready for. You can stay. You can fight. Or… if you ever want to leave, I’ll make sure you can do it safely. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She stared at him for a long moment, feeling the weight of his words. For the first time in days, maybe weeks, she felt a flicker of calm. Not hope—not yet—but a reminder that she wasn’t entirely powerless.
Hardin rose, offering his hand. “Come on. Let’s get you out of this room. Let’s move somewhere else, somewhere you feel… safe. Even if it’s just for a while.”
Rhianna hesitated, then finally took his hand. Her grip was weak, but steady enough. Tia fell in step beside her, offering silent support.
As they walked together, Rhianna’s legs shaking under her, she whispered softly, almost to herself, “I can’t believe he replaced me… already.”