79

79


Jane

My world was falling apart, piece by piece.

Vishal and I hadn’t completed the mating bond yet. We hadn’t marked each other. In werewolf law, that meant I was still considered unmated. The Alpha King knew this, and he was using it against us.

But just because the law said I was unmarked didn’t make his claim on me right. It didn’t erase what he had done to me.

I looked between them—the man who had shattered my soul and the man who had put me back together.

The King who threw me away like garbage now wanted me back. Meanwhile, the man who actually loved me was about to die protecting me.

My chest felt tight. Why hadn’t we done the marking ceremony yet?

Vishal had wanted to do everything properly. We’d been living in the human world, away from pack politics.

He said I needed to meet his Alpha first. Only then could we complete the bond. As a Beta, he had to follow the rules. I understood that.

But right now, I hated those stupid rules. I wished he had marked me the night we first made love. I wished he had claimed me completely when we were alone and safe. Then this monster wouldn’t be able to touch me.

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?!” The Alpha King mocked him.

Vishal stayed quiet. The King’s warriors had him in a death grip, but his eyes never left mine. Even now, even in danger, he was trying to protect me with his silence.

“Of course he’s quiet! He has no proof that my daughter belongs to him. How can he defend his lies?!” My father’s cruel laughter filled the air.

Heat rushed through my body. Pure rage. I wanted to wrap my hands around my father’s throat and squeeze until he stopped breathing.

He was supposed to protect me. Instead, he was feeding me to wolves. He was no better than the Alpha King. Maybe he was worse.

“She is my mate,” Vishal said, forcing the words out through gritted teeth.

The warrior holding him squeezed harder. Vishal gasped, his face going red.

“Please, please, don’t kill him.”

I felt sick having to beg this monster. But what choice did I have? I couldn’t lose Vishal. He was everything good in my world. Without him, I would die inside. I would become nothing.

“Give me one good reason why you are persistently claiming my mate!” The King snapped, completely ignoring my cries and pleas.

“I told you—this man is a fraud!” My father practically danced with excitement. “He has no proof because my daughter isn’t his mate. YOU are her true mate, Alpha King. You are meant to be together!”

My father bowed so low his nose almost touched the ground. His smile was disgusting.

Vishal’s eyes flashed gold—his wolf was fighting to get out. His whole body shook with fury and desperation. “I am no fraud,” he growled. “Jane is my mate. I would die before I lied about that.”

More tears fell down my face. My father was a monster wearing the skin of a man. In my next life, I prayed I would never have him as family again.

“Shut your mouth!” my father screamed at Vishal. “Stupid boy!”

“You know what? You’re right,” the King said, nodding slowly. “He is a fraud. No proof, just empty words.”

He made a gesture. One of his warriors kicked Vishal hard behind the knees. Vishal crashed to the ground with a terrible sound.

“Vi!” His name ripped from my chest. I ran toward him, but the King’s iron grip stopped me. “Let me go!” I fought against his hands, but I was threatened.

“Take one more step toward him, and I’ll have my men tear his throat out,” the King whispered in my ear. His breath was hot and disgusting. “He’ll die choking on his own blood. You’ll watch the life leave his eyes.”

“No, please don’t!” I fell to my knees, sobbing. “Don’t kill him, please!”

Behind me, I heard my mother crying too. She loved me so much that my pain became her pain. She was the only good parent I had.

“Woman, stop shedding those tears and go talk some sense into your daughter. Look at how she’s begging and crying over a nobody!” Father yelled. “A nobody!!!”

“You will be punished for touching my mate,” the King announced like a judge reading a sentence. “Claiming another man’s mate is the worst crime a werewolf can commit. The punishment is death.”

He looked at his warriors. “Rip his throat out. Now.”

“No!” I screamed. “Please don’t kill him. Please…”

“And why shouldn’t I?” The king tilted his head, pretending to think. “He committed the ultimate sin. I’m just following werewolf law.”

“Please have mercy!” Tears and snot ran down my face. I didn’t care how I looked. “I’ll do anything you want, but please don’t hurt Vishal!”

“Anything?” The king’s eyes lit up like he’d won a prize. “Even if that means coming back to my pack? Coming back to me?”

What? I swallowed hard. Go back with him? Return to that nightmare? Let him try to rape me again? Never. I would rather die first.

But then I looked at Vishal on the ground, blood trickling from his mouth.

“You don’t want to?” The king’s smile was evil. “I thought you desperately wanted to save your fake mate. But you won’t even come with me to do it?”

“Jane, no! Don’t listen to him!” Vishal tried to crawl toward me, but a warrior kicked him in the ribs. The sound of breaking bones made me sick. “You remember what he did to you! Don’t go back to that hell!”

“Make your choice, Jane.” The king’s voice was calm, but his eyes were crazy. “Come with me, or watch him die. Right here. Right now.”

The Alpha King gave me an ultimatum, and I was left to make the hardest choice of my life.

“Please don’t take my daughter!” My mother fell to her knees, reaching for the king. “I’m begging you!”

“Mind your own business, woman!” The king backhanded her across the face.

“Get inside right now!” Father barked and dragged her into the house, shutting the door firmly.

Now I was completely alone. No one could help me. No one could save us.

My heart felt like it was breaking into a thousand pieces. My hands shook and my vision blurred.

I closed my eyes tight and made the choice that would destroy me.

“I’ll come with you, Alpha King.”

I couldn’t look at Vishal. I couldn’t see the betrayal in his eyes, even though I was doing this to save him. I was choosing his life over my freedom.

I was choosing love over everything else.

Even if it killed me inside.