Mia’s POV
I opened my eyes slowly, my body still weak, but my mind racing with the realization that they were here. My stepbrothers had come for me, and the thought of what they might do sent a wave of panic through me. I could hear the muffled sounds of their raised voices outside the room, growing louder with each passing moment.
My heart pounded as I swung my legs over the side of the bed, the sharp sting of the IV pulling at my arm. I winced but didn’t stop, gripping the tubing and yanking it free. Blood welled up at the small puncture site, but I ignored it, my only thought being to get out before this turned into something worse.
I knew Nathan. I knew how far he would go to prove a point, and with Tristan standing in their way, this could end in violence-maybe even a full-blown pack war. I couldn’t let that happen.
The door creaked open, and I froze, caught halfway between the bed and the door. Nathan leaned against the doorframe, his smirk as sharp as ever.
“Running away again?” he mocked. “Like a dog with its tail between its legs.”
Shame burned through me, but before I could respond, Tristan stepped in, his presence blocking Nathan from coming any closer.
I glanced at Tristan, my chest tightening as he looked between me and Nathan. I knew he was ready to protect me, to fight if it came to that, but the thought of him getting hurt-or worse-was unbearable.
I shook my head and stepped toward Tristan. “I need to leave,” I said softly, keeping my gaze low. “If I go with them, it’ll stop this before it gets worse.”
He turned to me, his hand resting lightly on my arm to stop me from moving further. “You don’t need to go anywhere,” he said firmly.
Nathan snorted behind him, crossing his arms. “Look at you, trying to be the hero. Too bad you can’t keep her.”
I tugged lightly at Tristan’s grip, trying to ease his hold on me. “I’ll be fine,” I said quietly. “They won’t hurt me. I just… I don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of me.”
Tristan didn’t let go, his attention now fixed on the brothers who were stepping further into the room. Xavier stood slightly ahead of the others, his expression unreadable, while Rolex and Sean flanked him. The tension in the room was thick, every muscle in my body coiled tightly.
Xavier stepped forward. “She’s coming with us.”
Tristan didn’t budge, his presence like a wall between me and my stepbrothers. “Not until I know she’ll be safe.”
“That’s not your call,” Xavier replied, his gaze hard.
I shrank back slightly, tears welling in my eyes as the argument continued. They were talking about me like I wasn’t even there, like I was a possession to be fought over.
“Stop,” I whispered, but my voice went unheard.
The tears spilled over, and I tried to pull away from Tristan again, my hands trembling.
“If you ever think me as your friend, you will let me go,” I murmured, as tears rolled down from my cheeks.
Tristen was caught up with my words. He seemed angry and helpless, just by my words.
Rolex moved closer to Tristan, leaning in to whisper something that I couldn’t hear. Whatever he said made Tristan’s jaw tighten, and after a long pause, he stepped back.
Tristan turned to me, his expression softer now. “I’ll check on you,” he said.
I nodded weakly, knowing there was nothing else he could do.
As soon as Tristan moved out of the way, Xavier grabbed my arm, his grip firm but not painful, and began leading me out of the room. My legs felt heavy, and every step felt like walking into an abyss.
We reached the car waiting outside, and Xavier shoved me inside without a word. I sat between Nathan and Rolex, with Sean in the front passenger seat. The tension was unbearable, and my chest felt tight as I struggled to keep my breathing steady.
“You’re pathetic,” Nathan sneered, his voice cutting through the silence.
I didn’t respond, keeping my gaze fixed on the floor.
Rolex and Sean were quiet, their expressions unreadable as they stared ahead. Xavier sat in the driver’s seat, his hands gripping the wheel tightly as the car started moving.
I wished I could disappear, wished the seat beneath me would swallow me whole. The thought of enduring more of their cruelty made my stomach churn.
As the car moved further from Tristan’s territory, I felt the last thread of hope unravel. I clenched my hands tightly in my lap, my nails digging into my palms as I fought to keep the tears at bay.
Nathan leaned closer, his breath hot against my ear. “You think running away will save you? You think Tristan can protect you?” He let out a cold laugh. “You’re nothing but a weak little omega, and no one is coming to save you now.”
I closed my eyes, wishing for the world to stop, for all of this to just end.
“Maybe if you hadn’t run, you wouldn’t have made things worse for yourself,” Xavier said from the front.
The weight of his words crushed me, and I felt the tears spill over again. I didn’t want to cry in front of them, didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me break, but I couldn’t stop.
I pressed my forehead against the window, the cool glass a small comfort as the car continued down the winding road.
Just as I thought all hope was lost, the car slowed down, and I looked up to see another vehicle blocking the road ahead.
The sight made my stomach twist. Alpha Diego stood beside the car, his arms crossed as he waited for us. His presence was imposing, his sharp eyes scanning the car as we came to a stop.
I glanced at my stepbrothers, but their expressions were unreadable.
For a moment, I thought Diego was here for me, that he’d come to bring me back to Tristan. But then doubt crept in, and my heart sank. What if he wasn’t here to help me at all?