Chapter 2

Ryan escorted Selena to the infirmary for treatment, then took her back to the home before hurrying off to the training ground himself.

Selena held Dennis in her arms, like she'd only just noticed I was still there.

"I'm injured," she said. "Can you take care of Dennis for me?"

"No," I said.

"I don't have time for this fake act," I continued, turning to leave, unwilling to get tangled up with her any longer.

But she stepped forward two paces and deliberately pushed Dennis into my arms.

"You watch Dennis for a while, and I'll give you back the pendant." Her voice was soft and insincere, eyes gleaming with cunning.

I stared at her brazen look, alarm bells ringing in my mind.

Hesitating briefly, I couldn't resist the lure of the pendant.

I reached out to pick up Dennis, my fingers instinctively tightening—I knew she wouldn't give in so easily.

Right then, Selena yanked her hand away from the back of Dennis' body.

My hold on him was disrupted, my wrist twisting at a bad angle.

Dennis slipped completely out of my arms.

I lunged forward, but I was still too slow. I dropped to my knees, scrambling to scoop him up.

"Dennis!"

Ryan rushed over at some point without me noticing.

"My baby!!" Selena screamed, snatching Dennis out of my arms, wailing like her heart was being ripped out. "Ayla, are you insane?!"

Russell was drawn over by the commotion too.

"Ayla said she wanted to help me take care of him," Selena sobbed, almost choking on her tears. "Then she suddenly let go and threw him on the floor…"

"I didn't." I stared at her in disbelief.

"The future heir of this pack almost died in your hands." Russell looked at me, voice icy. "Take her to the training grounds. Nail punishment."

Ryan's expression changed. "Father—"

"This is your first lesson as an Alpha and as a father," Russell said flatly. "You decide."

I was shaking all over, and my instincts made me look to Ryan.

After a brief silence, Ryan closed his eyes for a moment and said quietly, "Follow the rules."

I stared at him, numb, feeling my heart being torn into pieces.

Two guards stepped forward, roughly grabbing my arms and dragging me toward the training ground.

They pinned me onto the torture rack and pressed silver spikes into me.

When the first spike drove through my wrist, it felt like my bones were being ripped open.

The second, the third—pinning down my other wrist and both ankles. Blood ran down the metal spikes, washed thin by the rain.

I lifted my head and saw only a sky choked with clouds.

I suddenly remembered two years ago, when Ryan fought his father to keep me in Silver Moon, and publicly agreed to take the nail punishment himself.

He let one silver moon spike after another drive straight through his bones.

Cold sweat poured off him, his face went chalk-white, but he gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound.

Only when I was on the verge of breaking down did he force a small smile and say to me, "Don't be scared, I'm fine. As long as I can still be with you, this pain is nothing. You can stay here without worrying."

By the time the ninth spike went in, I couldn't hold on any longer.

My vision went dark with pain, and I forced the words out from my throat: "What you suffered for me—I'm paying it back now, Ryan."

In a haze, I saw Ryan running toward me.

He lifted me into his arms and sprinted toward the infirmary, his voice hoarse. "Ayla, I'm sorry."

"Just give me a little more time," he went on, clinging to the words like they could fix everything. "Once she gives birth to this child, I'll take you away from here. I swear it. So don't pull something like this again. Don't force my hand like that."

"I didn't do anything." I used what little strength I had left to answer him. "Ryan, you still refuse to believe me?"

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he didn't respond.

That brief silence was like a blunt knife, slicing through the last bit of hope I had left.

I thought I couldn't feel pain anymore, but my chest still felt like it was being ripped open.

At that moment, Ryan's brows drew together sharply, clearly tugged by a mind link.

"Ryan…" Selena's voice shook in his head. "Dennis seems off. He won't stop crying. I'm really scared…"

He ground his teeth, his steps faltering, then handed me off to the guards.

"Take her in and treat her. I have to go back. I'll come pick her up and bring her home."

Watching his back as he left, I let out a bitter laugh.

"It's never going to be me you come back for."