Chapter 4

The agony of silver piercing my kneecaps made my entire body spasm. A werewolf's healing ability was useless against silver. The wounds burned, refusing to close, as blood poured down my legs.

The pain came in waves, making me shake uncontrollably.

All I could hear was Jasmine and Leo cheering.

"This is so much fun!"

"Wait, is she dead? Why isn't she moving?"

"Dead? She survived a hundred lashes. If she dies from just this, it’s her own weak fault."

My blood stained the dirt floor. My consciousness began to slip away.

The pain was so intense I could barely breathe. I clawed at the dirt.

"Michael... Michael..." I muttered his name over and over.

"Stop!" Ethan suddenly shouted.

Everyone froze. I felt like I was breaking apart.

"We only did one leg! Why stop?" Jasmine complained.

"Are you seriously worried about her dying?"

Ethan frowned, staring at my bloody knee. His expression was incredibly complex. He reached out and touched my forehead.

"She’s burning up."

Without another word, he scooped me up in his arms. His movements were gentler than I remembered, his brow furrowed as if he didn't even understand his own actions.

My head spun, and I curled closer to him for warmth, which only irritated the wound on my knee.

"Michael... it hurts," I whimpered.

Hearing that name, Ethan’s face turned incredibly dark.

"Michael? Is that her little lover? And here you are, worrying about her!" Jasmine sneered.

"Shut up," Ethan snapped at her.

Jasmine’s eyes widened in disbelief. "How dare you speak to me like that?"

"Jasmine, you are nothing without the Clark family. Don't interfere in my business."

Ethan carried me back to a bedroom and summoned a Healer.

"Who is Michael?" Ethan demanded, staring at my pale face.

"Sophie, do you really have a new mate?"

Downstairs, Jasmine was crying and calling for Margaret.

After taking some medicine, the Healer applied a soothing herbal paste to my knee.

The noise from downstairs kept me from sleeping.

"Ethan! I am your chosen Luna! How could you yell at me for her? Who is more important to you?"

"Tell me the truth! Do you still love her?" Jasmine’s hysterical screams echoed through the house.

Michael would arrive tonight. If he couldn't find me, he would lose his mind.

But my phone was destroyed. Just as panic began to set in, I noticed Ethan had left his phone on the nightstand.

I hesitated, then grabbed it.

I tried several passcodes, but they all failed. Sweat dripped down my forehead. Finally, I thought of one last combination.

I typed in: *0621*.

The phone unlocked.

My heart skipped a beat.

It was my birthday. And his lock screen was an old photo of the two of us.

A wave of nausea washed over me.

Shaking it off, I dialed Michael’s number. He picked up almost instantly, and hearing his voice made my eyes tear up.

"Michael, can you come earlier? Something went wrong..."

Before I could finish, the door was kicked open.

Margaret stood at the entrance. It had been five years, but we both remained strangely calm.

"I knew you'd come back eventually," Margaret said coldly.

"I didn't want to. Your son tricked me. I should have never let my guard down."

Ethan walked in behind her, his face turning pale when he heard my words.

Jasmine rushed in, screaming, "You b*tch! Ethan is kicking me out because of you! What kind of cheap tricks did you use this time?"

She tried to lung at me, but Ethan held her back.

"Stop it, Jasmine!"

"Ethan! You brought her back telling me it was for punishment! But you're just trying to get back with her!" Jasmine wailed.

"Margaret! You have to do something!"

"Quiet! You're giving me a headache," Margaret said with deep annoyance.

She turned to me. "Sophie, do you want to be the Luna again?"

The three of us froze.

"Margaret, what are you saying?" Jasmine shrieked. "I am the Luna here!"

"Who cares about the title? What matters is who my son wants," Margaret said coldly.

"Sophie, what do you say?"

"I refuse. I already have a new mate, Elder Luna."

I was completely baffled by this family’s twisted logic.

Returning to Ethan? I’d rather die.

Ethan’s face darkened instantly.

"Take her to the assembly hall. Let her stand there all night. Just like before. Let’s see how long her attitude lasts."

I was dragged to the assembly hall. The familiar, cold environment brought back horrible memories. As I tried to stand, Jasmine kicked me hard.

"You b*tch!"

I collapsed to the floor, my knee wound reopening and bleeding through the bandages.

Ethan looked down at me.

"Sophie, agree to be my Luna again, or stand here until you die."

"That is no longer your decision to make, Ethan," I looked up at him, smiling weakly.

"You are just as selfish and arrogant as you were five years ago. You don't even compare to my fated mate."

Ethan’s face turned white with rage. He grabbed a whip, ready to strike me just like the old days.

But before the whip could land, the doors of the Crimson Pack's assembly hall were kicked open.

Dozens of elite warriors from the Iron Crest Pack flooded the hall. Following them, Michael walked in.

Outside, a guard screamed in panic, "Alpha! The Crimson Pack manor is on fire!"