MIA’S POV
The door had slammed shut behind Sean, and I was leaning against it,
my chest heaving. My hands were trembling as I pressed them to the
wood, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions raging inside me. The
truth Sean had revealed about my mother had been hitting me like a
sledgehammer, and the pieces of my shattered reality were feeling too
sharp to handle.
My mother-framed. I had known her better than anyone. She wasn’t
perfect, but she wasn’t the manipulative monster they had painted her to
be. They had been blaming her for their pain, for their broken family,
and in doing so, they had been making me their scapegoat.
I was sinking to the floor, my heart pounding. Fear was wrapping around
me like a vice. The realization of just how dangerous my situation was
had been making my stomach churn. I wasn’t just dealing with
possessive mates; I had been trapped with people capable of ruining lives
to serve their purpose.
“They’ll never stop,” Ima had been growling in the back of my mind, her
voice filled with anger. “You have to leave. Now.”
“I know,” I had whispered, my voice barely audible.
My wolf was right. I couldn’t stay here any longer. The bond was a noose
around my neck, tightening with every second I spent in this house. If I
didn’t leave now, they might take everything from me-my freedom, my
choices, my life.
I pushed myself to my feet, determination taking root. Grabbing a duffel
bag from the closet, I began tossing in clothes and essentials. My hands
shook as I worked, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop.
“You think they’ll just let you go?” Ima asked, her tone skeptical.
“They won’t have a choice,” I replied. “I’ll figure it out. I’ll run if I have
to.”
As I zipped up the bag, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I picked it
up, frowning at the unknown number flashing on the screen. A single
message stared back at me:
Come outside. I’m waiting.
My heart skipped a beat. Who could it be? Tristan? No, his number was
saved. Someone from the pack?
Ima growled. “Don’t go.”
Ignoring her, I grabbed a jacket and slipped out of the room, leaving the
bag hidden under the bed. The house was quiet, the shadows stretching
long and dark in the hallways. My footsteps were soft, barely audible as I
made my way to the front door.
As I stepped outside, the faint glow of the moon casting eerie shadows
across the driveway. I scanned the area, my eyes darting to every corner.
“Hello?” I called out softly.
There was no answer. The driveway was empty, the silence pressing
against my ears.
A chill ran down my spine, and I turned to go back inside, but something
sharp pressed against my neck.
“Don’t scream,” a voice hissed.
Before I could react, a cloth was pressed over my face, and the world
went dark.
When I came to, my head throbbed, and the faint scent of roses and
something bitter filled my nose. I tried to move, but my hands were
bound, and I was seated in a cold, hard chair. My eyes adjusted to the dim
light of the room, and my heart sank as I realized where I was.
It was a small, windowless room at the far end of the mansion-a part of
the house I had never been to before. The walls were bare, the only
furniture a table and a few chairs.
Scarlet and Layla stood in front of me, their arms crossed and smug
smiles plastered on their faces.
“Well, well,” Scarlet drawled, her voice dripping with mockery. “Look
who decided to join us.”
“What… what is this?” I asked, my voice hoarse.
Layla smirked, leaning against the table. “Revenge. You didn’t think you
could humiliate us and get away with it, did you?”
I struggled against the ropes binding my wrists, anger bubbling up
alongside my fear. “Let me go, I said, just let me go.”
Scarlet’s laugh was sharp and cruel. “Oh, sweetheart, we can’t do this?
Your stepbrothers has instructed us to do this.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. “You’re lying.”
“Am I?” Scarlet tilted her head, her smile widening. “Why do you think
they’ve been so quiet? They don’t care what happens to you, Mia. You’re
just a pawn to them.”
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “You’re wrong. They wouldn’t…”
Layla rolled her eyes. “You’re so naive. They’ve hated you from the start.
You’re only here because they need you. And once they’ve gotten what
they want, you’ll be discarded like the trash you are.”
The words cut deep, but I refused to let them see how much they hurt.
“You’re wrong,” I said firmly, my voice shaking but determined.
Scarlet leaned in closer, her face inches from mine. “Am I? Then why
aren’t they here, Mia? Why haven’t they stopped us?”
I had no answer.
Ima growled in the back of my mind, her fury blazing. “Let me out, Mia.
I’ll rip them apart.”
“No,” I whispered internally. “Not yet. I need to think.”
“Think faster,” she snapped. “They’re going to kill you if you don’t act.”
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I couldn’t let them see my
fear. I needed to find a way out of this, and I needed to do it fast.
“What do you want from me?” I asked, stalling for time.
Scarlet smirked. “Oh, nothing much. Just a little payback. You made us
look weak, Mia. Now it’s your turn.”
Layla picked up a small knife from the table, twirling it between her
fingers. “Should we start with her pretty little face?”
Panic surged through me, but I forced myself to stay calm. “If you hurt
me, they’ll know,” I said, hoping to buy time.
Scarlet laughed. “We’ll make it look like an accident. Trust me, no one
will care.”
I clenched my fists, my mind racing. I needed a plan. I needed to get out
of here. And most importantly, I needed to prove them wrong.
“Ready, Mia?” Layla taunted, stepping closer.
I gritted my teeth, my resolve hardening. “You’ll regret this,” I muttered
under my breath, feeling the spark of Ima’s power stir within me.
They have no idea who they’re dealing with.