Chapter Five
Trent's POV
I was livid. My guards reported to me that Minerva; the girl I had saved months ago, gave shelter in my pack and protected like my own sister, had been deceiving me about her true identity.
I strode into the holding chamber where Minerva had been dragged, the heavy scent of fear clinging to the air. My guards stood rigid at the edges of the room, eyes downcast, waiting for my word. She sat on the floor, her once-pristine dress now dirtied with dust. When her eyes lifted and met mine, there was no trace of the fragile woman I’d carried out of the woods days ago—only deceit staring back at me.
“Alpha Trent,” her voice quivered, “please, let me explain—”
“There’s nothing to explain,” I cut her off sharply, my voice echoing in the stone walls. “You came into my territory bleeding, begging for my mercy. I gave it. I sheltered you. I fed you. I trusted you. And all the while, you knew exactly who you were.”
Her hands clasped together as she crawled closer. “I didn’t mean to deceive you. I had no choice. My father—”
“Your father,” I snarled, “tried to slit my father’s throat in cold blood. You dare speak of him here?”
Her tears spilled freely. “I’m not him. I never wanted his war. Please, Alpha, I swear I only sought safety.”
I leaned closer, my shadow engulfing her. “Safety you could have found without a lie. You thought I wouldn’t know? You thought my guards wouldn’t uncover who you really are?”
“Trent,” she whispered, voice breaking, “if you kill me, you’ll be no different than him.”
I studied her, rage burning in my chest, but I forced my voice low and deliberate. “I’m not killing you. Not yet. You’ll rot in my prison until I decide if your presence is worth sparing—or breaking.”
She gasped, clutching my boot as though her life depended on it. “Please, Alpha—please! I beg for mercy.”
“Mercy?” My voice cut through the room like steel. I pulled my leg away and motioned to the guards. “Take her. Lock her down.”
The guards seized her arms despite her frantic cries. She struggled, but the sound of iron chains clinking shut drowned out her pleas. I turned without another glance, my cloak sweeping behind me as her voice echoed through the halls.
The corridors of the manor felt colder that night. I returned to my chambers, my mind heavy, but the weight doubled when I realized something was wrong. The room was dark, silent. Empty.
“Ariel?” I called softly, my voice dipping into the shadows.
No answer. My gut twisted. She’d been avoiding me all day, but it was late now—too late for her to be absent from our quarters. I searched the adjoining rooms, the balcony, the gardens outside. Nothing.
Panic seized me. I closed my eyes and summoned the bond that tethered us, my chest heaving as I pushed my energy outward. Ariel… where are you?
A faint thread stirred, distant but alive. My heart pounded as her voice brushed against my mind, shaky and desperate.
Trent…
I froze. The fear in her tone clawed through me like talons. Trent, please… help me.
My vision blurred red. Without another breath, I bolted out of the manor, the trees of the woods swallowing me whole as I followed the bond. Branches whipped past my arms as my wolf surged beneath my skin, demanding release, demanding blood.
Her scent hit me first—wild, sweet, laced with fear. Then I heard them: rough male voices, cruel laughter, Ariel’s muffled cry.
I broke into the clearing. Four men circled her like predators, their filthy hands outstretched. One had already ripped the sleeve of her dress, baring her trembling arm.
“Step away from her,” I growled, my voice a death sentence.
They spun, startled, but too slow. I lunged, fists and claws striking with lethal precision. The first man’s jaw cracked beneath my knuckles, sending him sprawling. The second barely drew a blade before my claws slashed across his chest, his scream choking in his throat. The others tried to run, but I dragged them back, slamming one into a tree so hard bark splintered.
“You think you can touch her?” My voice shook with fury as I raised the man by his collar. “My mate?”
“P–please,” he whimpered, blood streaming down his face.
I didn’t grant him the courtesy of a reply. My fist ended his plea.
“Trent!” Ariel’s voice cut through my haze. I turned, finding her pressed against the tree, eyes wide with fear and relief.
I dropped the last man at my feet and strode to her, scooping her trembling form into my arms. She clung to me instantly, burying her face against my chest.
“You’re safe,” I whispered, my voice breaking with the force of it. “I’ve got you. No one will ever touch you again.”
Her sob shook through me. “I knew you’d come. I called, and you came…”
I kissed her temple, carrying her swiftly back through the forest. Her weight was nothing in my arms, yet the thought of what almost happened weighed heavier than iron chains.
When we returned to the manor, Amelia was already rushing forward, her healer’s satchel clutched tightly.
“What happened?” she gasped, her eyes scanning Ariel’s torn dress, the scratches along her arms.
“Some men tried to corner her in the woods,” I said darkly, refusing to release Ariel.
Amelia’s eyes softened as she reached out. “Let me see her.”
Ariel nodded weakly, allowing Amelia to check her pulse, her breathing, the small bruises beginning to bloom. “She’s shaken, but fine,” Amelia murmured.
“I’m fine,” Ariel whispered, though her grip on my tunic told another story.
I brushed a strand of hair from her face. “Rest now. You’re safe here. That’s all that matters.”
Her lips parted as though to ask something, but I silenced her with a firm look. “No questions tonight. Just sleep. Trust me.”
She studied me, hesitant, then finally nodded, letting her eyes close as I laid her gently on the bed. I waited until her breathing steadied before I stepped away.
Kyle was waiting for me outside the manor, arms folded, eyes narrowed. “Alpha.”
“They’re in the cells?” I asked.
“Yes. Bruised, broken—but alive, as you commanded.”
My jaw tightened. “Good. Make sure they wish they weren’t. I want every bone screaming. I want them to remember what happens when someone touches what’s mine.”
Kyle inclined his head, no hesitation in his voice. “Consider it done.”