Chapter 1

Three years ago, I nearly died giving birth to my son.

My husband Elias wasn't by my side—he was outside, ready to rip my baby from my arms and hand him to his dead brother's widow.

"We owe her this."

As I screamed and bled, Elias made his decree: "Aria stays away from the boy. She comes near him, she gets the silver whip."

They gave my son to Vivienne. I wasn't even allowed to see his face.

For three years, I tried everything to reach him.

Scaled walls—got twenty-three scars across my back. Snuck in as a maid—starved for seven days. Crashed his third birthday—thrown in ice water until I couldn't feel my legs.

Every time, worse punishment. Elias started looking at me like I'd lost my mind.

Then yesterday, fire ripped through the house. Flames swallowed the nursery.

Everyone screamed, including Vivienne—but she didn't move.

Only I ran in.

I pulled Asher out, barely breathing.

When he woke up, he shoved me away and clung to Vivienne, sobbing: "Mommy! She's here again! Make her GO! You said she'd leave if I was good!"

Three years of lies had erased me completely.

I dropped to my knees, voice breaking: "Call me 'Mom' just once. Then I'll disappear forever."

---

Aria's POV

Asher peeked out from Vivienne's arms. Those wet blue eyes locked on me.

"If I call you that... you'll really stop trying to take me?"

Barely a whisper, but it gutted me.

Elias frowned, eyes cold. "Aria, what game are you playing now?"

I ignored him. Just looked at Asher and nodded.

"Then... Mom."

Everything stopped.

I closed my eyes. Tears spilled down my cheeks. "Yeah."

My hand was still bleeding—crushed by a beam when I'd torn through the fire. Blistered and burned. But I didn't care about the pain. I just stared at him, burning that little face into my memory forever.

"I said it..." Asher glanced at Vivienne, checking if she was angry, then turned back. "So you really won't come back?"

I dragged my good hand across my face. "I won't."

Asher relaxed and buried himself in Vivienne's arms. "Mommy, I was so scared..."

Vivienne held him tight, murmuring comfort, watching me like I might lunge.

I stood up. Turned to leave.

"Wait." Elias's voice cut through the air.

I stopped, thinking maybe he'd finally remembered something.

"How did the fire start?" He stepped in front of me, looking down. "The nursery's always heavily guarded. How does it just catch fire?"

I froze. "I don't know. When I got there, it was already—"

"SHE SET IT!" Vivienne shrieked. "It was HER! She hates that I'm raising Asher—she wanted to kill us both!"

Her voice cracked as she clutched Asher. "Just like back then... If it wasn't for her, Damien wouldn't be dead! Now she won't even spare my only child!"

The crowd exploded.

"That old incident?" "I heard Damien died because of her..." "But didn't someone say the Alpha himself—" "Shh! That was covered up, wasn't it?"

I went stiff.

Seven years. I thought that night had been buried in the wasteland forever.

Elias's face darkened. "ENOUGH!"

Then he turned to me, eyes like ice. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"It wasn't me!" I protested desperately. "When the fire started, I was still on the pack perimeter—the patrol can confirm—"

"Then how did you get there so fast?" Vivienne cut me off. "Everyone else was still on their way, but YOU were the first one in!"

"Because I watch that window every single day!" I screamed. "As long as the light's still on, I know he's okay—"

"You've been SPYING on us?" Vivienne's voice shot up. "Aria, you're like a goddamn ghost that won't leave!"

"At least I went IN!" I roared. "You didn't even dare go in to save him—"

CRACK.

The slap sent me stumbling, blood seeping from the corner of my mouth.

Elias hit me. Hard.

"SHUT UP!" he snarled. "What right do you have to question Vivienne? She's your elder. Damien's widow!"

I held my face, completely stunned.

This boy who used to catch fish with me by the creek, who promised to be my knight forever—he just hit me. For another woman.

"Elias..." The words came out broken. "That's my son too. How could I ever hurt him? You really don't trust me at all?"

"Who knows what you'd do to get that kid back." Elias stared at me coldly. "This is your last warning, Aria. Next time, it won't just be a slap."

I looked at the disgust in his eyes. Something ripped open in my chest. And suddenly, I understood.

He hated me.

Hated that I made him carry that secret. Hated that after we came back from the wasteland, he could never be the old Elias again.

I laughed. Laughed until tears ran down my face.

"Elias Blackthorn," I looked straight into his eyes, word by word. "I'm breaking our mate bond. I'm leaving Shadowcrest Pack."