REMI POV
"Drink this."
I woke up choking. Smoke everywhere. Bitter liquid being forced down my throat.
"Easy, child. Easy." My grandmother’s face appeared through the haze. "The smoke is helping you."
"Helping me what? Die faster?" I coughed. Gagged on whatever she’d just made me drink.
"Helping you survive." She pressed the cup harder against my lips. "Drink all of it. Now."
It tasted like dirt and death and something worse. But I drank.
"What is it?" I gasped.
"Moonflower and bloodroot. It’ll mask the mate bond for a few hours."
"Mask it?"
"The bond is killing you, Remi. Pulling you back to him. This gives you time." She packed more herbs into the fire. The smoke got thicker. "Maybe six hours. Maybe less."
"And then?"
"Then it comes back. Stronger. Angrier." Her eyes were sad. "You can’t run from a mate bond, child. It always wins."
"I’ll take the six hours."
"Stubborn. Just like your mother used to be." She started packing herbs into a bag.
The door burst open.
My mother rushed in, face all concern and worry. My father right behind her.
"Remi! Oh thank god, you’re awake—"
I held up my hand. "Stop."
Mom froze. "What?"
"I saw you." My voice came out flat. "Last night. The party. The new dress. The drinks. You were celebrating."
Silence.
Dad cleared his throat. "Remi, we can explain—"
"Explain what?" I looked at them both. "That you thought I was dead and threw a party?"
"We thought—the Alpha sent word—" Mom’s voice cracked. "We thought we lost you."
"And you looked real broken up about it."
Grandmother stood. Moved between us. "Maybe give the girl some space."
"We’re her parents," Dad said.
"Then act like it."
Mom’s face hardened. The fake concern dropped. Just like that.
"Actually," she said, voice cold now, "we needed that money."
There it was.
"Your father can’t hold a job. We’re about to lose the house. Your siblings are starving." She crossed her arms. "The Moonstone pack paid for your death. Good money. We couldn’t say no."
I stared at her. "What if I actually died?"
"But you didn’t."
"What if I did?" My voice rose. "You would’ve just lived like I never existed?"
"Don’t be dramatic—"
"Don’t put your responsibilities on a child," Grandmother snapped at her.
Mom whirled on her. "We didn’t force her to marry anyone. We heard she killed someone at a wedding. Had to pay for it somehow. The Alpha offered. We just accepted payment for her death. That’s it."
"That’s IT?" I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. "You sold me."
"We did NOT—"
"You took money for my corpse before you even confirmed I was dead!"
"Remi, you don’t understand how hard things have been—"
"I don’t care." I tried to sit up again. This time I made it. "I don’t care about your problems anymore."
Dad finally spoke. "Don’t talk to your mother like that."
"Or what?"
"You’re alive, aren’t you?" He gestured at me. "So what’s the problem? Now get well. You need to go back to the Alpha."
I laughed. Couldn’t help it. "Go back?"
"He owns you now," Dad said simply. "We spent the money he paid for you. All of it. So you belong to him until that debt is cleared."
My wolf stirred. Finally woke up. Oh, NOW you show up.
"You can’t be serious," I said.
"Your grandmother will fix you up with enough strength to make the journey." Dad was already heading for the door. "We’ll send word you’re alive and ready to return."
"I’m not going back to that place."
He paused. Looked back. "You don’t have a choice."
Then he left.
Mom lingered. "Remi, please understand—"
"Get out."
"The Moonstone pack can’t come here. We have enough problems without them knocking on our door. You need to leave." She actually looked scared now. "Please."
"Fine. I’ll leave." I met her eyes. "But first, I want to see the kids."
Her face softened slightly. "Of course."
She left to get them.
Grandmother sat back down beside me. Started packing herbs into a small bag.
"Never forget what I taught you," she said quietly. "Wild sage for wounds. Tunise leaves for poison. Moonroot for—"
"Fever. I know." I watched her work. "You’re the only one who ever cared."
"Your parents care. In their own broken way." She tied the bag closed. Pressed it into my hands. "But caring doesn’t mean they know how to show it right."
"They sold me."
"They’re desperate." She squeezed my hand. "Doesn’t make it okay. But it explains it."
The door opened again.
My younger siblings poured in. Sally and Nelly, the six-year-old twins, practically tackled me. Aster, four years old and already serious as hell, walked in slowly. We called him Mr. Broody because he never smiled.
"Remi!" Sally hugged me tight. "Mom said you’re in a beautiful palace!"
"Are there horses?" Nelly asked.
"And guards?" Sally’s eyes were huge.
I hugged them both. Tried not to cry. "Yeah. There’s all that."
Mr. Broody climbed onto the bed. Looked at me with those big dark eyes. "I’m gonna save you."
"What?"
He puffed out his little chest. "When I’m bigger. I’ll come get you. With my big feet."
I laughed. Cried. Both. "You mean your little feet, buddy."
"They’ll be BIG by then."
"I know they will." I kissed his forehead. "But you don’t need to save me. I’m gonna save YOU. All of you. From this place."
"When?" Nelly asked.
"Soon." I looked at all three of them. "I promise. Okay?"
They nodded.
Sally touched my face. "Why are you crying?"
"I’m not."
"You are."
"It’s nothing. Just—" I wiped my eyes. "Just dust. From Grandma’s smoke."
They nodded. Serious. Like they understood.
My mother called them from the other room. They ran off.
Grandmother squeezed my hand. "I’m sorry, child."
"Don’t be." I wiped my eyes. "At least now I know."
"Know what?"
"That I have nothing here worth staying for."
Grandmother helped me stand. "Where will you go?"
"Away from here. Away from him."
"The bond will bring you back."
"Then I’ll run until it kills me." I took the bag of herbs. "Thanks for this."
"Remi." She grabbed my arm. "That alpha... Nero. He marked you. That means something."
"It means he owns me. Like property."
"Or it means he chose you. Out of all the women in the world, he chose you." She smiled sadly. "Don’t let pride kill you, child."
"It’s not pride. It’s survival."
I left before she could argue.
The forest was quiet. Too quiet.
I’d been walking for an hour. Maybe two. Time felt weird.
The bond was still quiet. Grandmother’s mixture was working.
"You’re an idiot," Parrot said.
I almost screamed. "You’re back?"
"Bold of you to show up the first time I mention leaving the alpha."
"I’ve been here the whole time. You just couldn’t hear me because you were DYING."
"Well, I’m not dying now."
"Yet. You’re not dying YET." She sounded pissed. "We should go back. The alpha is probably losing his mind."
"Good."
"GOOD? Remi, he’s our MATE. Our bond—"
"Is a prison. I don’t care what you say, Parrot. I’m not crawling back to him."
"You literally will be crawling if you keep this up. The mixture will wear off soon."
"I’ll deal with it."
"By dying in the woods where no one will find us?"
"If that’s what it takes."
"You’re insane."
"I preferred when you were silent."
"And I preferred when you weren’t suicidal." Parrot huffed. "Fine. Die out here. But when we’re worm food, don’t say I didn’t warn you."
I kept walking.
My legs were getting weaker. The mixture was wearing off.
Shit.
"Told you," Parrot muttered.
"Shut up."
"Can’t shut up. We’re bonded. You’re stuck with me until death."
"Which might be soon."
"Exactly my point. We should go back. Nero has those huge arms. Those strong hands. That big—"
"PARROT."
"What? I’m just saying. The alpha could protect us. Keep us safe. Probably fuck us again—"
"I will find a way to mute you."
"You can’t mute your own wolf. That’s not how this works."
I kept walking. Through the trees. Past the creek. My legs felt weak already. Grandma’s medicine was wearing off faster than she thought.
The bond pulled. Hard. Like someone hooked my ribs and yanked.
I stumbled.
"Not yet," I muttered. "Just a little further."
The bond pain hit. Sharp. Sudden.
I gasped. Fell against a tree.
"Oh no." Parrot’s voice changed. Worried. "Remi, we need to go back. Now."
"Can’t."
"You’re being stubborn. Again."
"I’m being smart. He doesn’t care about me. He just wants to own me."
"He marked us."
"Then I’ll die with his mark on my neck." I pushed off the tree. Stumbled forward. "Better than living as his property."
Everything was getting blurry. Double vision.
I was seeing two trees. Two paths.
"Remi, you’re about to faint again," Parrot said. "Third time today. Really breaking records here."
"Shut up."
"You shut up. You bullheaded—"
"No, no, no—" I grabbed a tree. "Not yet."
Too late, my wolf whispered.
My legs gave out.
I hit the ground hard. Tried to get up. Couldn’t.
I heard a noise.
Footsteps. Behind me.
I turned.
And froze.
Alpha Manuel. My pack’s alpha.
He was... handsome.
"Are you okay?" He walked closer. Careful. Like I was a wounded animal. "The rumors about you being mad... they’re not true, right?"
"Alpha Manuel." I tried to stand again. My legs gave out.
He caught me before I hit the ground. "Easy. I’ve got you."
"How did you know—" My vision was going. "How did you know about the curse?"
" We’ll talk when you’re not passing out."
"Third time," Parrot whispered. "Told you."
Darkness swallowed me.
But before I went completely under, I heard Manuel sigh.
"Oh fuck me. Another Nero baggage."
Baggage? ANOTHER? Who was the first? And why did he sound... almost pleased?