SONIA’S POV
"You shouldn’t have done that!" I said, as I caught up with Ivy who had run out after Alpha Ramon left.
My voice echoed slightly in the quiet night air, the words coming out sharper than I intended. The path felt uneven under my feet, small stones pressing through the thin soles of my shoes as I hurried after her.
"Why shouldn’t I have?" She asked, as she continued walking. Her steps were quick and determined on the dirt trail, kicking up faint puffs of dust that caught in the moonlight.
"I was the one that was supposed to be punished, not you. If you keep this up, you wouldn’t have any more friends in the pack. Do you want to be isolated?" The words tumbled out, heavy with worry.
"So what do you want to do?!" She ca to an abrupt stop and turned. Her eyes flashed with frustration under the pale light, her shoulders tense and squared.
"I—"
"Do you think I enjoy going against the pack? Because I assure you, I don’t. But in the sa breath, I absolutely refuse to watch you get tead up against. That girl started shit tonight. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t stand up for you?" Her voice rose, raw and protective, cutting through the quiet rustle of leaves in the wind.
"A sensible one, maybe? You once said I don’t practise self-preservation. Well what about you? Why can’t you choose yourself?" My throat felt tight as I spoke, the weight of everything pressing down on my chest.
"Choosing myself ans that I do whatever my mind tells to do. What my mind has told to do is to protect and defend you." Her words hung in the air, steady and unwavering, like a promise carved in stone.
"But why?!" I cried desperately, trying to see things from her perspective. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, hot and unwanted. The stream nearby trickled softly, its gentle flow a stark contrast to the storm inside .
"Because you’d do the sa for ? Because I can? Because you deserve to be defended? I have three answers, you can pick the one that suits you best." Her tone softened just a fraction, but the fire in her eyes remained.
She turned and continued walking. I let out a sigh of frustration and ran after her again. The ground felt cooler now, patches of grass brushing against my ankles as we moved deeper toward the water.
"We’re going to be whipped. Are you not scared?" I asked, stepping into the spot she had just entered. It turned out to be one of the channels of the stream.
I sat beside her and waited in silence, until she was ready to speak.
"He’s not going to go through with it," she said after a while. Her voice was calm, almost certain, as another stone skipped across the stream.
"Maybe he could relent on you. Find a way to get you out of the equation. I don’t think it’s possible for ." My hands twisted in my lap, the fabric of my gown bunching under my fingers.
"Hey, he’s not going to go through with it," she repeated, word for word. "I know you don’t believe now, but it’s a promise." She turned slightly, her profile sharp against the moonlight.
"And what if he does?" I asked, tears welling up in my eyes. "My skin is tired of getting hurt. I don’t know if my wolf can handle more pain." The words cracked as they left , raw and honest.
I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. I released my chest, and it poured out like heavy rain. Hot tears slid down my cheeks, mixing with the cool night breeze. My shoulders shook with each sob, the weight of everything crashing down—the slap, the stares, the fear of what tomorrow would bring.
She didn’t try to comfort , and I appreciated her for that. I just needed to cry it out. I had held on to these tears for a little too long.
When my tears began to subside, she turned to and smiled. The expression was soft, warm in the dim light. "Feel better?"
"Much better." I nodded, wiping my face with the back of my hand. My cheeks felt raw, but lighter sohow.
"You saved from a fire, Sonia. You ran in and saved my life. I could never repay that debt, no matter what I do." Her voice was quiet, filled with genuine gratitude.
"Don’t feel obligated to. You saved from isolation. You’d be surprised how more wicked ntal death is in comparison to physical death. That’s what you saved from." I managed a small smile, the mory of empty days in my old pack flashing through my mind.
She chuckled. "Look at us. A maid and a captured princess. What could go wrong with that kind of combination?" Her laughter was light, easing the heavy air between us.
"I don’t know, a lot?" I laughed, resting my head on her shoulders.
It was in that position I drifted into a dreamless sleep. The exhaustion pulled under like a warm blanket, the sounds of water and night insects fading into quiet peace.
When I opened my eyes the next morning, I was laying on a bed. Soft morning light filtered through the window, warm and golden on my skin. The room slled faintly of clean linen and the faint herbs from the clinic.
"Ivy?" I jerked up, looking around for her. My heart picked up speed as I scanned the empty space.
I was in my room, but she was nowhere to be found. I paused my breath on my bed and opened my ears to listen for a sound, or even a heartbeat. I couldn’t hear any. The silence felt thick, almost too still.
No one was around. My heart skipped a beat when my eyes went to the window. It was morning already. The eve of the full moon. The light outside had that crisp, expectant quality, the air humming with the promise of what was to co.
A lot of things were going to happen in the span of the day. Including the whipping I wasn’t anticipating. The thought sent a cold shiver down my spine, but I pushed it aside for now.
Grudgingly, I rolled out of bed. There was nothing I could do to change the course of the day. My muscles ached from the night before, a dull reminder of everything that had happened.
However, my brother Seth did always have a saying. "It was good to look good even on one’s worst day." His voice echoed in my mory, warm and steady.
I never understood it until now. It was no wonder my other brothers considered him pretty. He should always tell how they used it to tease him. The mory brought a small smile to my lips, chasing away so of the morning’s heaviness.
My face widened into a smile. Even the thought of my huge, nacing brother Wolf didn’t send shivers of fear down my spine. Whatever happened today, I was going to hold on to the mory of all of us, seated at a table, eating together. The warmth of those monts felt real, a shield against the uncertainty ahead.
It was that mory that carried to the bathroom, as I began to shower. The water felt cool and refreshing against my skin, washing away the remnants of tears and fear. Steam rose gently around , carrying the faint scent of soap.
When I returned to the room, I searched for a dress in the closet. Ivy had helped with a few things. Amongst these dresses was a cute red dress. The fabric was soft and simple, falling just below my thighs. I’d usually wear long stockings with dresses like these, but I didn’t have the luxury of owning one as a prisoner. The material brushed lightly against my legs as I slipped it on.
Finding a brush on my dressing table, I brushed my hair. The strands felt smooth under the bristles, catching the morning light. I would always pack my hair into a bun but decided to do sothing different with it. I decided to do nothing and let it fly. Standing in front of the mirror, I stared at my reflection. My eyes looked tired but determined, my cheeks still faintly marked from the night before.
"Whatever happens, happens." I wasn’t going to hide today. I had fully accepted my punishnt. The words felt steady on my tongue, a quiet resolve settling in my chest.
The sound of the front door opening dragged my feet to the living room. Lorena had stepped in, with two guards behind her. Their boots sounded heavy on the floor, their presence filling the small space.
"I’m here to get you," she said. Her voice was sharp, laced with satisfaction as she looked up and down.
"I know." I nodded, keeping my expression calm.
"Aren’t you the least bit curious why the alpha sent to you? It’s kind of poetic justice if you ask ." She smirked, crossing her arms.
I didn’t respond, because whatever I said, she could very much use it against . The air between us felt thick, charged with old hatred.
"I’ll tell you anyway," she shrugged. "He owed one last night. I’m just collecting."
"I’m ready." My voice stayed even, though my heart raced beneath the red dress.
The smile on her face vanished, and in replacent was a sick frown. "Oh darling, even if you had an entire year, you wouldn’t still be ready for what’s about to happen to you."
I kept my composure and didn’t flinch as I was dragged out by the guards. Their grips were firm on my arms, the fabric of my dress bunching under their fingers. The morning light felt harsh outside, the cursed land passing by as we walked.
My eyes went to the cursed land as we walked past it. And as I blinked, I could swear I saw the conflicted woman, screaming out to . Her form flickered for a brief second, eyes wide with unspoken pain, before vanishing into the morning haze.
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