Chapter 404
Four hundred and six
Emma POV
I sat in the passenger seat of my father’s armored jeep. The engine rumbled as we drove down the paved highway, leaving the dusty border road far behind.
My father slammed his palm against the wheel and swore.
“Fucking animals. I should’ve shot every single one of them right there p>
“I’m fine, Dad,” I said, my voice barely carrying over the tires.
My father glanced at me, his brows drawn together. “You’re obviously not fine, Emma. Look at you. You haven’ said three words since you got in this car, and you’re pale p>
I closed my eyes and rested my head against the cool window. I couldn’t answer him or explain the truth.
We were getting farther from the rogue territory, but my body refused to accept it. My chest ached, and every few seconds I felt traces of Alexander: his grip on my waist, his scent, and the memory of his lips on mine.
About two hours later, we arrived in Wild Fangs. The jeep turned onto the gated driveway of Uncle Cameron’s
house.
The moment the tires stopped, the front doors burst open.
My mother ran down the marble steps, tears running down her cheeks. Before my father could open my door, she pulled it open and dragged me into a hug.
“My baby! My sweet child!” she cried, kissing my cheeks, forehead, and hair. “Thank the Goddess you’re alive! Look at you p>
A few feet away, another jeep pulled up. Luna Lisa stepped out and threw her arms around Anita. Uncle Cameron wrapped his arms around both of them.
Over my mother’s shoulder, I caught Anita’s eye. She pulled back and gave me a questioning look.
Did you say anything? Are you okay?
I shook my head.
We stepped into the foyer. Everything was familiar: the rooms, the servants, my family’s place in the Alpha hierarchy. I knew this world and what was expected of me, yet I felt detached from it, like a stranger in my own life.
My mother led me into the dining room, where the staff had set out food on the long mahogany table.
Platters of garlic butter roasted ribeye sat beside lobster tails in lemon cream. Bowls of sweet potato mash, grilled asparagus, fried chicken, and biscuits filled the table.
The smell of meat and butter hit me, and my stomach turned. The absence of my mate, and the mere thought of severance, sent nausea rising into my throat. I sat in my usual chair, picked up a fork, and forced down a bite of steak to appease my mother.
Anita sat across from me and did the opposite. She piled her plate with steak, lobster, and biscuits, eating as if she hadn’t seen real food in weeks.
“Eat more, darling,” my mother pleaded, sitting beside me and rubbing my back. “You look so thin. They must
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have starved you in that horrible place p>
They didn’t starve us,” Anita said around a mouthful of ribeye.
“Then the food must have been terrible. At least your guards recovered some of our luggage from the island resort.
11
Anita paused and scowled.
“I’m sure those rogue thieves took all my gold watches and earrings p>
My mother turned back to me. “Your father and I spoke on the way here. We want you to move back with us for a few weeks. Maybe a month. You need your family around you until you recover p>
I stared at my plate, moving a piece of asparagus with my fork. Moving back under my parents’ watch was the last thing I needed while my mind and body fought the mate bond.
“We’ll talk about it later, Mom,” I muttered.
The room went quiet. My father set his knife down with a clatter. Uncle Cameron stopped eating and looked at us.
“We need to talk about what happened in that house,” my father said. “We need details. Did those men hurt you p>
“Did they lay their hands on you?” Uncle Cameron asked. “Did any of them force themselves on you? Tell us the truth p>
I frowned and set down my fork. “No. I told you on the road. They kept us in a locked room. Nobody laid a hand on us p>
“Why do you keep asking us that?” Anita asked, looking at her father.
Uncle Cameron breathed out, his jaw tight. “Because before you walked out on that road, that dyed-haired rogue dropped hints in front of all the Alphas. He said their men were using you. He implied Alexander and his guards were taking turns with you p>
Anger shot through my chest. That fucker Lucas. He’d done it on purpose, knowing it would torment my family and push my father into a rage.
Anita slammed her glass on the table, splashing water across the tablecloth. “Lucas is a crackhead piece of shit! He’s insane, and he made that up to get under your skin! Nobody touched us p>
“He’s lying, Dad,” I said quickly, forcing my voice to stay steady as my pulse hammered in my ears. “It was just a cheap tactic to insult our pack p>
My father and Uncle Cameron exchanged a long look. My father’s anger eased, but Uncle Cameron stayed tense.
“I want to believe you,” Uncle Cameron said. “I pray to the Goddess you’re telling the truth. But I can’t rely on words alone after you spent days in a rogue stronghold p>
“I already called the pack medical team,” Luna Lisa said. “They’re arriving in twenty minutes. They’ll examine both of you and check for silver poisoning, internal injuries, sexual assault, and related issues p>
The air left my lungs. My stomach dropped as I realized what the doctors might find.
“There’s no need for a physical exam,” I said, my voice rising. “Nobody touched us. They moved us to a safer room away from the main camp p>
Anita backed me up. “She’s right. There was no violence p>
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Panic tightened my throat. If a doctor checked my pulse, blood, or wolf’s energy, they could sense the fresh mate pond. They’d know another male had touched me.
My mother patted my hand. “It’s just a standard check, darling. We want to make sure you’re healthy p>
I could only nod.
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Lucia Morh
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.