Chapter 2
Julia's POV
My body convulsed with another wave. I pressed my palm against my mouth harder as the pain intensified. Nathan knew exactly what he was doing to me. Each time he took another woman to his bed, the mate bond between us twisted into a torture device. And there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it.
The pain began to subside slightly, leaving me trembling and soaked in sweat. Nathan must have finished. I gasped for air, finally able to breathe without feeling like my chest was being torn open. Slowly, I uncurled my body and wiped the tears from my face with shaking hands.
My herbal notebook lay open on the desk beside a stack of nursing textbooks—my escape plan. If I could just hold out until I got accepted to a nursing program far away...
The clock on my nightstand read 3:17 AM. Another night of broken sleep before I had to face my family and pretend everything was fine.
"You look like hell," Eric announced as I entered the kitchen the next morning, his eyes narrowing with cruel interest.
I avoided eye contact, pouring myself a cup of coffee with hands that still trembled slightly.
"Seriously, what do you even do all night?" Sophia chimed in, not looking up from her phone. "Some weird herb ritual? Or are you just naturally this hideous in the morning?"
My mother continued packing lunches, not even bothering to respond to Sophia's barb. I gripped my coffee mug tighter, trying to steady myself.
"I heard weird noises coming from your room," Eric said, his voice deliberately loud enough for everyone to hear. "All that moaning and stuff. Were you fucking masturbating? That's disgusting."
"Eric!" My mother finally looked up, frowning. "Language at the breakfast table."
I took a careful sip of coffee, hoping the caffeine might help with the lingering headache while fighting back the urge to scream at him. I was enduring unimaginable agony because of Nathan, and here was my brother, calling me disgusting for sounds I couldn't control. This was exactly why I could never turn to Eric for help or protection—unlike other sisters who relied on their brothers. To him, I was just a target for ridicule, not family worth defending.
"I was studying late," I lied, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Nathan was in rare form at the party last night," Eric continued, smirking. "You should have seen the blonde he took home. Though I guess you wouldn't want to see that, considering your weird obsession with him that everyone knows about now."
My father entered the kitchen, his attention focused on his phone. "Eric, don't forget you're helping with training the younger wolves this afternoon." He barely acknowledged my presence with a quick nod before turning to my mother. "I'll be late tonight—council meeting with the Alpha."
My mother nodded, handing him his travel mug of coffee. "I left your notes for the meeting on your desk."
This was my family—my brother the star athlete, my social butterfly sister, and my parents, always busy with their Beta responsibilities. And me, the invisible daughter with the secret that was slowly killing me.
During lunch break at school, Sophia stormed up to me, her face flushed with anger. "What did you say to Nathan?" she demanded, jabbing a finger at me. "You must have been begging him for an invitation like some pathetic loser, right?"
My stomach dropped. "What are you talking about?"
"He told me to tell you that you're coming to his party this weekend too," Sophia spat, clearly furious that her idol had singled me out. "He specifically asked for you. What the hell did you do?"
I stared at my half-eaten sandwich, suddenly nauseous. Of course. Nathan knew yesterday's humiliation wasn't enough. He was going to make this a regular occurrence.
Just six more months until I turned eighteen. Six more months of this hell before Nathan could formally reject me.
And then what? I didn't know. But it had to be better than this—being bound to someone who used our sacred connection as a weapon against me.
Six months later.
I stared at the acceptance letter in my hands, its university letterhead gleaming in the afternoon sunlight streaming through my bedroom window. I read it for the fifth time, savoring every word of validation.
"Dear Ms. White, We are pleased to offer you admission to the State University School of Nursing. Your research on medicinal herbs have impressed our admissions committee..."
My heart raced. This was it—my ticket out. After months of enduring Nathan's public mockery and private threats, I finally had a legitimate reason to leave the star Shadow pack.
I carefully placed the letter back in its envelope and slid it into my herbal notebook for safekeeping. Yesterday had been my eighteenth birthday. My wolf had awakened under the full moon, completing the mate bond that Nathan so despised. I could feel him now, a constant presence at the edge of my consciousness, though he never communicated through our mindlink unless he wanted to torment me.
Tonight was a Moon Gathering, and this time I had a plan. Nathan had promised to reject me formally once my wolf awakened. I would use that to negotiate my freedom.
I knew the werewolf laws by heart now, having spent months researching loopholes. A formal mate rejection required consent from both parties. Most rejected wolves were too heartbroken to deny their mates anything, but I was different. I would use his desire to be rid of me as leverage.
"He can reject me," I murmured, "but he has to let me leave."
The community center glowed with silver decorations, same as every month. I slipped away from my family the moment we arrived, scanning the crowd for Nathan.
I found him surrounded by his usual entourage, including my brother Eric and several admirers. Nathan had grown even more imposing in the past year, his tailored suit emphasizing his broad shoulders, his golden-brown hair perfectly styled.
As if sensing my approach, he turned. His eyes narrowed when they met mine.
"What do you want, Julia?" he asked when I reached him, surprise evident in his tone. I never approached him voluntarily.
"I need to talk with you," I said, forcing confidence into my voice despite the knot in my stomach. "About college."
Nathan dismissed his followers with a flick of his wrist. They dispersed reluctantly, Eric shooting me a suspicious glare before backing away.
"Let's find somewhere quieter," Nathan said, his voice cool and controlled.
He led me to a corner of the second floor, away from the main celebration. The moon shone through a large window, bathing us in silver light.
"I've been accepted to State University's nursing program," I said, pulling the letter from my purse. "I want to go."
Nathan's eyes skimmed the paper. "Leaving the pack requires Alpha permission."
"I know."
"Which I won't give." He handed the letter back with a dismissive gesture.
I took a deep breath. "You know formal rejection requires my consent too."
His eyes flashed dangerously. "Are you threatening me?"
"Negotiating," I corrected. "Let me go to college, and I'll agree to your rejection."
