The silence was suffocating. I stared at Alpha Dane in shock, his words echoing in my head—*my bride*. It didn't make sense. I was nothing but a broken wolf, a prisoner in my own home, and yet here he was, claiming me.
Trey jerked his wrist from Alpha Dane's grip, glaring at me as if I had somehow orchestrated this. His fury was palpable, but he didn't dare challenge Alpha Dane again. Not openly, at least.
"Your bride?" Trey repeated, his voice dripping with disbelief. "This murderer?"
Alpha Dane's crimson eyes didn't waver from me. His gaze felt like fire burning through my skin, but there was something else in his expression—something I couldn't quite place. Curiosity? Interest?
"Yes," Alpha Dane said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Unless you want to challenge my decision."
Trey's lips thinned, and for a moment, I thought he might explode. But instead, he took a step back, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "Of course not, Alpha Dane," he muttered, his tone forced. "It's just... she's hardly fit to be anyone's bride, let alone yours."
Dane's eyes darkened, and for a brief second, I saw a flicker of something dangerous cross his features. "That's not for you to decide, Trey," he said coldly. "I make my own choices."
Trey clenched his jaw but said nothing, his eyes darting between Dane and me with a mixture of anger and fear. Finally, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the office, leaving me alone with Alpha Dane.
The air felt thick between us, like a storm waiting to break.
Alpha Dane didn't move for a long moment, his eyes never leaving me. Then, slowly, he stepped closer, his tall frame towering over mine. I instinctively shrank back, my body pressing against the wall behind me.
"You're not afraid of me, are you?" His voice was low, a hint of amusement in it.
I didn't know how to respond. Fear had been my constant companion for years, but this—this was different. He was dangerous, yes, but not in the same way Trey or Kyle were. There was a strange calm in the way he moved, in the way he spoke, like he had control over everything around him.
"I..." My voice faltered. "I don't understand."
"Why I chose you?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. His eyes softened, just a fraction, as if he was considering something deep within himself. "You're curious. Most people would beg to be spared, but you don't. You hold it all in, even though you've been pushed beyond your limits."
My heart raced. He was right—I didn't beg, didn't cry out, even when I wanted to. But that wasn't strength. It was survival.
"You should learn to speak for yourself," he added, his voice a little softer now. "You're not weak, Neah, no matter what they've made you believe."
I blinked in surprise, my lips parting in shock. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. No one had ever told me I wasn't weak. For so long, I had believed Trey and Kyle's words—that I was useless, pathetic, a murderer who deserved every bit of pain they inflicted on me.
Alpha Dane studied my face, and then his expression shifted. "What happened to your wolf abilities?"
I hesitated, unsure of what to say. I didn't want to relive the humiliation of telling him the story, but something in his gaze told me that this was different. That he wouldn't mock me the way Trey did.
"They were bound," I whispered. "When I was six, after my parents' death."
Dane's eyes darkened, a shadow passing over his face. "And they blame you for that."
It wasn't a question. He already knew the answer. I nodded, unable to meet his gaze.
He was silent for a moment, and then he said something that sent a chill down my spine.
"They lied to you."
I looked up, confused. "What do you mean?"
"About your parents' death. About everything." He straightened, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Wolfsbane doesn't kill us anymore, Neah. It hasn't for centuries. Whatever happened to your parents, it wasn't an accident, and it wasn't your fault."
I shook my head, my mind spinning. "But... Trey said—"
"Trey is lying," Alpha Dane interrupted, his voice firm. "He's using you as a scapegoat. And they've bound your wolf to keep you from discovering the truth."
My breath hitched. Could it be true? Could Trey and Kyle have done all this to cover up something darker? I had always suspected something wasn't right, but I had never dared to question it. The guilt they had instilled in me was too strong.
"I don't know why they did it," Dane continued, "but I plan to find out. And I'll help you, Neah."
I stared at him, stunned. Help me? No one had ever offered me help before. Not without some cruel catch or hidden agenda. Why would he, a powerful Alpha, care about someone like me?
"Why?" I asked quietly. "Why would you help me?"
His crimson eyes softened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something more—compassion? "Because you don't deserve this," he said simply. "And because I believe there's more to you than they've allowed you to see."
I didn't know what to say. My whole life had been built on lies, and now, everything was unraveling before me. I wasn't sure if I could trust him, but I knew one thing for certain—I couldn't stay here. Not with Trey, not with Kyle.
Alpha Dane reached out, his hand gentle as it rested on my shoulder. I flinched out of habit, but he didn't withdraw. "You'll come with me," he said firmly. "To Black Shadow. We'll break the bond on your wolf. And together, we'll uncover the truth."
My heart pounded in my chest. Leaving this place, leaving the hell that had been my life for so long—it seemed impossible. But as I looked into his eyes, something stirred within me. Hope. A tiny, fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, things could change.
I nodded slowly, my voice barely above a whisper. "Okay."
Alpha Dane's lips curved into a small, satisfied smile. "Good. Then let's get you out of here."
As he turned to lead me out of the office, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. For the first time in years, I was walking toward something—something unknown, but something better than the nightmare I had been living.
And maybe, just maybe, I would find my freedom after all.