Chapter 2
The car had barely moved a few feet when we were forced to stop. Elouise Perez, the Omega who had overseen my exile for the past three years, appeared at the window with a saccharine smile plastered across her face. She knocked lightly, her eyes gleaming with something I couldn’t quite place.
I froze, my heart pounding in my chest as if I’d been struck by a bolt of lightning. My hands clenched the edge of the seat, my nails digging into the leather. My wolf stirred uneasily in the back of my mind, a low growl echoing in my thoughts. *She’s here to remind you,* my wolf whispered, her voice tinged with warning. *Don’t let her see your fear.*
I gestured to Rayden Larson, the Beta of the Silver Moon Pack, to roll down the window. “Auntie,” I said, forcing my voice to remain steady, “what’s up?”
Elouise’s smile widened, though it didn’t reach her eyes. She struggled with her accent as she spoke, “Sunny loves these…”
She held out a plastic bag, and I stared at it, my stomach twisting. Inside were shelled peanuts—innocent enough to anyone else, but to me, they were a cruel reminder of the torment I’d endured. My wolf snarled louder, her presence pressing against my consciousness. *Don’t take it,* she urged. *Don’t let her win.*
But I couldn’t refuse. Not here, not in front of Rayden, who watched the exchange with a cold, dispassionate gaze. I took the bag, my fingers trembling as I forced a smile. “Auntie, that’s very thoughtful of you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
As I clutched the bag, a chill ran down my spine. My wolf let out a whimper, her fear mingling with my own. I could feel the memories rushing back—the countless meals I’d been forced to kneel over a pile of peanuts, the sharp pain that had cut through me with every mistake, every misstep. Elouise’s son, her enforcer, had made sure the punishment left no visible marks, but the pain had been deep, searing, unforgettable.
This was her warning. If I dared to speak out, if I revealed the horrors of my exile, she would make sure I regretted it. Those videotapes—humiliating, degrading, like training a dog—would find their way into my hands, a reminder of her power over me.
My face must have betrayed my emotions because, just before the world blurred and I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness, I saw Elouise’s expression shift. For a moment, it almost looked like concern, but I knew better. How could she care about me? She wanted me gone, far from her, far from the Alpha, so Carmen wouldn’t have to deal with the mess I represented.
As darkness closed in, my wolf’s voice echoed in my mind, a faint whisper of defiance. *We’ll survive this,* she said. *We always do.*
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