Chapter 14

Mason stood and threw my old diary at my feet. I flinched back in shock, heart pounding.

“I found it in the trash,” he snarled, fist closing around the ring box. I couldn’t tear my eyes off that fist. “I expected something cute, not you fantasizing about some other man!”

His expression started shifting back to that mask of rage from the other night. I’d resisted then, and he snapped. So, thinking fast through the haze of fear, I leaned in instead.

“Mason, please,” I begged in a sweet, calm voice, kicking aside the diary as I went to him, like it meant nothing. “I was like 14 then, the guy is some movie star whose name I don’t even remember.”

His brows drew together. “That’s not what it sounded like.”

I forced a small smile. “I was such a nerd back then, I was always in my books and movies. I never talked to real boys enough for a real crush, so I pretended,” I babbled. “It’s embarrassing. That’s why I threw it out.”

Mason still seemed skeptical, so I reached for his fist – ignoring the alarm bells screaming in my mind – and pried the ring box from his fingers. I slipped it on my left ring finger and smiled at him, as big as I could make my face go.

“Oh Mason, it’s beautiful,” I sighed, hoping he couldn’t hear my heart still thundering. Please, please believe me.

A relieved smile spread across his face. “You like it? I wasn’t sure, I know pink isn’t always your thing but…”

Like a switch flipped, he was my Mason again. Except now I knew it was a lie.

…

The next morning, I woke early. The sun was shining right in my face through the curtains, and I tried to turn –

But I couldn’t. I tugged at my arm and metal bit into my skin. I sat up with a gasp. I was handcuffed to the headboard

“Good morning beautiful,” Mason said warmly from across the room.

Furious, I rattled the cuffs, “What the hell is this?”

“Relax, Harper. I just don’t want you leaving the house or having any contact with other men,” he said simply, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

“Mason, this is crazy,” I raged back, “you can’t do this –”

But he laughed softly. “Silly girl, I can do whatever I want, I’m your alpha.” Then he leaned down an inch from my face. “Now can I get a good morning kiss?”

Anger boiled through me and I didn’t think. I darted forward and grabbed his lip between my teeth. Keeping my eyes locked on his, I bit.

Hard enough to taste blood.

Mason shoved me away, cursing. He held a hand to his mouth and stared at me. I stared right back, his blood dripping down my chin.

I waited for him to hit me – but he just stormed out. “Watch her,” he spat to the maids I glimpsed outside the door. Then he was gone.

I sagged back against the headboard, wiped my mouth… and wept.

Levi POV

The photos slapped down on my desk and filled me with rage. Mason black out drunk surrounded by prostitutes. Mason in bars and clubs starting fights. Mason dragging his girlfriend by the hair across the floor.

The last one sent chills down my spine.

“Basically, you name the flavor of scandal and Mason’s got at least one,” Noah, my most trusted beta, finished his report with a grimace. “One of my media exec contacts calls the full rap sheet ‘unspeakable.’ Thought you’d want to know this one though.”

He handed me a folder that revealed even more photos, these mostly of a battered and bruised woman with hollow eyes. Then a few mugshots of Mason. Then the police reports.

Mason had beat up and imprisoned his ex. He’d been arrested, but before it could go to court, all charges were mysteriously dropped.

Rage roared through me. I’d seen enough. That scum had Harper convinced he loved her, cared for her. But it didn’t seem like he was capable of those feelings. Men like Mason just wanted to control, to possess.

But he couldn’t have my girl.

Noah followed me as I strode for the door. “What’s the plan boss?”

“We’re confronting that bastard,” I growled.

I sped to the Ridgewood house and didn’t bother knocking before walking in. “Mason!” I bellowed for the whole house to hear.

The little shit looked over the upstairs railing in surprise. “Levi? Did we have a meeting or-?”

“No, but we’re going to talk.” I slipped his mugshot from the folder and held it up. “Right fucking now.”

Mason frowned and jogged down to meet me. He reached for the photo, but I handed the whole folder back to Noah, out of his reach.

“I can explain,” Mason said with a politician’s smile.

“I’m sure you can,” I said darkly, “Let’s see if I believe you.”

Mason sighed. “Look, I’m not going to pretend I always made good choices. That situation was a lot of things, but it was not abuse.”

I scoffed, thinking of that poor girl’s face, but he kept on. “We both got a little out of hand when we drank,” he admitted. “That night, she started attacking me, I defended myself, but I was drunk too. I know I messed up. But it wasn’t all on me.”

“Yeah, not quite,” I scoffed. “Want to try a different story?” He was crazy if he thought I was letting him marry Harper now.

Before I could say that, I heard a strange sound, like something heavy being shaken. I frowned, looking up towards where it was coming from.

“Sorry,” Mason chuckled smoothly. “We’re doing some renovation on the nursery upstairs. Harper and I plan on pups as soon as we’re married.”

Suspicion rose in my chest. “Harper, can you hear me?” I tried to mind-link, but got no answer.

“Speaking of our girl,” Mason said, and I curled my lip. She wasn’t our anything. “Look at this – isn’t it perfect on her?”

He pulled out his phone and showed his lock screen – Harper’s hand on his naked chest, a monstrous pink diamond on her finger. “She couldn’t even wait ‘til the wedding to put it on,” he bragged, grinning like the happiest man alive.

Yeah, I didn’t buy it. I just turned and left, letting Noah make my excuses behind me. I strode to the car – then as soon as Mason closed the door, I went around the side of the house, following to shaking sound.

It led me right to Harper’s window.

“Don’t let anyone close,” I told Noah, then shifted. My large black wolf took over, changing my body instantly, and I leapt, bursting through wood and glass.

Harper gasped and stumbled back, flopping on the bed – the bed she was handcuffed to.

Rage flared through me, and I shifted back, breaking the cuffs with my bare hands. “Did he do this to you?” I demanded.

But me and my wolf had already decided – Mason was fucking dead.