Rosalie:
My heart felt dangerously close to bursting out of my chest.
That was the only thought repeating inside my head as the black car moved through the familiar streets of Blackthorn Pack town. Every turn, every building, every shop I passed clawed mories back to the surface no matter how hard I tried suppressing them. The café near the town square where Kaiser once dragged at midnight because I ntioned craving cake. The bookstore Darien secretly bought novels from whenever he noticed rereading the sa ones. The flower shop Alastor used to stop by every winter because he knew I loved white callias.
The mories ca one after another like cruel little knives. And the worst part was that a piece of still missed them.
I hated that. I hated how love could survive even betrayal.
The rain had stopped earlier this morning, but dark clouds still lood overhead, making the entire town feel dim and heavy. The streets bustled with normal daily life around us, pack mbers moving between stores and restaurants completely unaware of the storm raging inside .
My fingers curled tighter against the fabric of my coat as the car finally slowed near the massive gates of the Blackthorn Pack House.
Imdiately, the familiar security checkpoint ca into view. And just seeing it made my stomach twist painfully.
Unlike the town itself, which welcod outsiders during dayti, the pack house remained heavily guarded at all hours. No one entered without permission or identification. Especially now, considering tensions between packs and rogue territories had only increased these past years.
Two warriors stepped toward the car the mont we stopped.
I recognized both of them instantly. They were senior patrol warriors from the eastern territory division. I used to see them almost every week inside the pack house.
For a second, panic nearly overwheld . What if they alerted the Alphas imdiately? What if-
No. I shook my head and inhaled deeply. I couldn’t afford panicking now.
The driver lowered his side window slightly and calmly inford them he was dropping soone off at the pack house. Both warriors imdiately frowned because outsiders weren’t simply allowed entry without verification.
I already knew how this would go. So before either of them could question further, I lowered the window on my side and removed the mask covering the lower half of my face.
Both warriors froze. One of them visibly did a double take before his eyes widened in complete shock.
"Miss Hale-"
He imdiately straightened and bowed his head politely while signaling his partner to open the gates.
The massive iron gates slowly began sliding apart.
The warrior turned back toward again, looking like he wanted to say sothing more. Maybe ask where I had been. Maybe ask if the rumors were true. Maybe ask if I was alright. But I couldn’t afford any conversations right now. So before he could speak, I quietly pulled the window back up.
The car moved forward again.
My pulse only climbed higher. I knew exactly what would happen now. The mont those gates opened for , soone would notify the alphas. Which ant the clock had officially started ticking.
I had specifically chosen today because both Darien and Kaiser were supposed to attend the monthly territory eting at Crescent Wolf Pack. They shouldn’t return for several more hours.
Unfortunately, "shouldn’t" wasn’t the sa as "won’t."
And even worse, Alastor might co back with them. Just thinking about facing him made my breathing feel uneven.
No.
I only needed the bracelet. Nothing else. I would retrieve my mother’s bracelet and leave imdiately. That was all.
The car continued driving deeper into the estate before finally stopping in front of the massive three-story pack house that had once felt like the center of my entire world. Now it looked unfamiliar sohow. Colder. Like a beautiful place stripped of warmth.
My fingers shook slightly as I removed the seatbelt. Before opening the door, I lifted my gaze toward the rearview mirror and t the driver’s eyes and told him quietly, "I need you to stay here."
He imdiately frowned. "Miss Rosalie, I’m instructed-"
"I know," I interrupted softly but firmly. "And I also know you weren’t sent here just as a driver."
His expression shifted slightly.
Right. So I had guessed correctly. Whether Zaiden sent him or Eiden did, I couldn’t tell. Probably both. Still, that wasn’t important right now.
"I appreciate it," I continued honestly. "But you following inside will only create problems. You won’t be allowed beyond the main hall without permission, and I can’t waste ti arguing with security."
He looked ready to protest again, but I didn’t let him.
"I need you out here instead," I explained. "Watch for the alphas’ return. If any of them arrive, alert imdiately."
His brows furrowed deeper.
"And listen carefully," I added seriously. "If sothing goes wrong, you leave and contact your boss. Do not try fighting anyone here."
That clearly surprised him. I saw it plainly in his eyes. Probably because he assud exactly what everyone else did when it ca to . That I was so fragile, overly emotional woman hidden behind strong n.
And I was the one to be blad. No one else.
"This is foreign territory for you," I continued calmly. "No matter how strong you are, you’ll still be surrounded by hundreds of warriors if conflict breaks out. If you engage in a fight here, not only will you lose, but it could also beco a political issue between packs."
The silence inside the car stretched for several seconds. The driver stared at like he was seeing properly for the first ti. Then slowly, he nodded once. "I understand."
Only after hearing that did I finally open the car door. The cold air outside imdiately brushed against my skin as I stepped out onto the familiar stone pathway leading toward the entrance of the pack house.
Everything felt too familiar - the fountain, the training grounds visible beyond the eastern side, the scent of pinewood drifting through the air.
My chest tightened painfully again, but I forced myself to focus. I climbed the entrance stairs quickly, and the mont the front doors opened, silence spread through the entire foyer.
Servants froze, warriors halted mid-step, and several people openly stared. Shock spread across face after face as recognition hit them.
"Rosalie..."
Soone whispered my na softly from sowhere behind , while another servant gasped quietly.
I ignored all of it. I ignored the stares, ignored the whispers rapidly beginning around , and ignored the painful familiarity clawing at my chest with every step deeper into the house.
I walked straight toward the grand staircase without slowing once. Soone called my na again, this ti louder. But I still didn’t stop.
I climbed the stairs, walked down the familiar long hallway, and into the room that once used to be mine.
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