Alpha Roman’s POV
I slammed the door shut, hard enough to rattle the frame. “What the hell were you thinking?” I growled, my voice low but trembling with restrained rage.
Mother turned to face me, calm, unflinching, like she hadn’t just tried to blind Jacky with a needle. “I was thinking about protecting this pack, Roman. Something you seem to have forgotten.”
“Protecting the pack?” I stepped closer, my fists itching to smash something. “You pinned her down and shoved a needle into her eye. What part of that protects anyone?”
“She doesn’t belong here,” Mother snapped, her composure cracking for the first time. “She’s an outsider, a reminder of everything that was taken from us. And you’re letting her walk around like she hasn’t drenched this pack in blood before.”
“She doesn’t remember any of it!” My voice rose, echoing through the office. “You’re not helping anything by torturing her.”
“I wasn’t torturing her,” she said coldly, her lips curling. “I was *helping*. If she remembers, maybe she’ll understand why she deserves what’s coming. Maybe she’ll finally stop pretending to be innocent.”
I laughed bitterly, pacing the room to keep myself from breaking something. “You call that helping? She’s bleeding, crying, and you’re smiling like it’s a damn victory.”
“She’s alive, isn’t she?” Mother’s voice dropped, cold and cutting. “I could’ve done worse.”
I stopped pacing and turned to her, my jaw tightening. “You don’t touch her again. Do you hear me?”
Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, it was like staring into my own reflection-stubborn, proud, unyielding. “You’re defending her? After everything? She’s the reason your father lost his best warriors. She’s the reason I lost-”
“You’re not listening.” I stepped closer, lowering my voice to a growl. “If you lay another finger on her, I’ll stop you myself.”
Her laughter was sharp, mocking. “Oh, Roman, you’re not going soft, are you? That girl will ruin us if she survives Malia. You think she’ll just bow down and follow your rules? She’ll tear this pack apart piece by piece. That’s what she was made for.”
“Made for?” I echoed, my brow furrowing. “What are you talking about?”
Mother leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. “You don’t want to know. But your father does. He’s coming back, Roman. And when he does, he’ll see what you’ve been protecting. Do you think he’ll be as forgiving as I’ve been?”
Forgiving. The word tasted bitter on my tongue. “If you call stabbing her in the eye forgiving, then no, I don’t think he will.”
Mother’s eyes gleamed with cruel amusement. “Your father has his own methods, Roman. If you don’t want to see them in action, make sure that girl dies in the Ring of Blood. It’s the easiest death she’ll get.”
“And if she doesn’t?” I challenged, my chest tightening.
“Then I’ll handle it my way,” she said simply, turning to leave. “Or maybe I’ll start with her family. Her mother. Her niece. I hear the little one’s quite the delight.”
A wave of anger surged through me, hot and blinding. “You’ll do no such thing.”
She paused at the door, glancing over her shoulder. “Then do your job, Roman. Or I’ll finish it for you.”
The door clicked shut behind her, leaving the room too quiet. I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair.
“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath.
“Trouble in paradise?” Riley’s voice cut through the silence as she walked in, a sly smile tugging at her lips.
I glared at her. “Now’s not the time, Riley.”
She shrugged, plopping down into the chair across from me. “Look, I know Mother’s… intense. But she’s not wrong. Jacky’s a problem, Roman. If you don’t have a plan, you’re going to lose control of this whole situation.”
“I have a plan,” I snapped, though the words felt hollow even as I said them.
“Oh, really?” Riley raised an eyebrow. “Because it looks like Jacky’s winning. And don’t think I haven’t noticed how you look at her.”
I stiffened. “This isn’t about how I look at her. It’s about keeping this pack stable.”
“Right.” Her tone was dripping with sarcasm. “That’s why you’re suddenly so protective of the girl who’s supposed to die in a week.”
“She doesn’t need to die,” I said, my voice dropping. “She just needs to stay in line.”
Riley leaned back, crossing her arms. “And what’s your plan for that? Because if she finds out I’m only in the trials to spy on her, it’s game over.”
“She won’t find out,” I said firmly. “Do you have someone in place?”
“Of course I do,” Riley said, rolling her eyes. “But you need to make sure Malia understands her role in all this. She can’t afford to lose that fight.”
“I’ll talk to her,” I said, though the thought of it made my stomach churn.
“You’d better.” Riley stood, brushing off her hands. “Because I’ve seen Jacky fight. She’s better than any of us expected. Hell, she might even be better than Eloise. That girl wasn’t just trained-she was built for this.”
I didn’t reply, my mind racing. Riley paused at the door, glancing back at me. “You’d better figure out where you stand, Roman. Because if you don’t, someone else will.”
The door shut behind her, leaving me alone again. The knock that followed a few moments later was almost a relief.
“Come in,” I called.
An elderly woman stepped inside, her presence commanding despite her frail frame. Her dark eyes met mine, and she gave a small, knowing smile.
“Alpha Roman,” she said, her voice smooth and steady. “I believe you called for me.”
I nodded, gesturing for her to sit. “Thank you for coming. We need to invoke a spell. One that prevents wolves from shifting.”
Her eyebrows rose slightly. “A bold request. May I ask why?”
“It’s necessary,” I said simply, my tone leaving no room for argument. “Can you do it?”
She smiled again, this time with a hint of mischief. “Oh, I can. But you’ll owe me, Alpha. Magic like this doesn’t come cheap.”
“I’ll pay whatever it takes,” I said firmly.
The witch chuckled, pulling out a small, weathered book. “Be careful, Alpha. Once the spell is cast, there’s no undoing it. Are you prepared for that?”
I hesitated, just for a moment, then nodded. “Do it.”
She opened the book, her fingers tracing the ancient symbols. As she began to chant, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was sealing not just Jacky’s fate-but my own.