Chapter 5

Emily’s POV

The cell felt freezing the second Nathan left.

Mate. The word didn’t feel real. My first mate had destroyed me. Now the Moon Goddess was giving me a second chance with a future Alpha King. The Moon Goddess clearly had a twisted sense of humor.

Suddenly, a loud argument echoed down the corridor.

“Alpha Nathan said no visitors,” a guard grumbled.

“Remember exactly who you’re talking to,” a sharp female voice shot back. “I’m the Luna Queen of this territory. Step aside.”

The dungeon door swung open. Doctor Reed stepped inside, followed by a beautiful older woman with silver hair. Her grey eyes landed on me and softened instantly.

“What’s your name, child?” she asked, stepping closer.

“Emily,” I whispered.

“I’m Meredyth. The Luna Queen.”

Panic hit me. I tried to sit up straight, ignoring the sharp pain in my ribs. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble—”

Meredyth cut me off gently, her eyes scanning my face, the scars on my arms, and the dark bruises around my throat. The gentleness vanished from her face, replaced by freezing anger. “Who did this to you?”

I froze. My survival instincts screamed at me to keep quiet.

“She’s starving,” Doctor Reed said, wrapping clean gauze around my ribs. “And some of these scars are years old.”

Meredyth’s eyes turned to ice. “And my son still thinks she’s a rogue spy?”

Reed sighed. “He’s trying hard to believe it.”

Meredyth looked at me, her eyes filling with tears. “Oh, child. We are getting you out of this hole right now.”

Her eyes glazed over for a brief mind-link, then she snapped back. “Let’s go.”

At the exit, a guard blocked our way. “Alpha’s orders, Luna. The prisoner stays.”

“I already spoke to Nathan,” Meredyth said coldly. “Mind-link him. Now.”

The guard paused, his eyes glazing over as he connected to Nathan’s mind. A second later, he turned pale and stepped back, bowing his head. “My apologies, Luna. You can take her out for some air.”

The walk from the dungeons on the edge of the territory was a blur. Meredyth kept a protective hand on my arm as we made our way toward the main packhouse.

Even from the back entrance, the structure was breathtaking. Towering four stories high, the colossal wooden and stone building loomed over us, its massive glass windows reflecting the sky. This was the heart of the Blackwood Pack.

The moment she pushed the kitchen door open, a wave of warmth hit my shivering body. The room smelled like fresh bread and melting butter. It was the exact opposite of the cruel kitchen I had escaped from.

An older woman looked up from her baking. The moment she saw my bruised face, she dropped her towel. “Oh, Moon Goddess…” She rushed over, her face full of worry. “You poor thing.”

Across the room, the kitchen girls stopped chopping. They all stared at me, their eyes wide with shock.

“This is Emily,” Meredyth said. “She needs a warm meal and a lot of rest.”

Dorothy’s eyes moved slowly across my bruises, the cuts on my throat, and my bandaged ribs. Then, she grabbed a plate and started piling food onto it. “Sit down, sweet girl. Let's get some food into you. A good meal cures a lot of things.”

Meredyth touched my shoulder. “I need to attend a meeting, but you’re safe here. Beta Kane will come later and show you to your room.”

I stared at her. “My… room?”

Dorothy went completely still. “What kind of monsters were you living with?”

Hours passed after Meredyth left. By afternoon, more pack members drifted into the kitchen between duties. Every single person stared at my bandages and tangled white-blonde hair. Whispers spread across the room.

I shrank smaller with every passing minute. Eventually, I grabbed my empty dishes just to escape the staring. I hurried toward the large sink without looking up—and slammed directly into someone.

The huge pot in the girl’s hands tipped. Hot stew splashed across the stone floor with a loud, heavy crash.

My body instantly locked up. I flinched, closing my eyes as I waited for the screaming and punishment.

“Oh my Goddess!” a horrified voice gasped.

Soft hands carefully took mine. I opened my eyes to see a girl with bright blue eyes and light ash-blonde hair tied into two braids. She stared at me in absolute shock. “Did the pot burn you? Are you okay?”

I blinked, paralyzed. Why wasn’t she screaming at me?

“I swear Dorothy’s going to murder me this time,” she groaned dramatically, quickly picking up the empty pot.

From the stove, Dorothy pointed a wooden spoon at her. “You’re still breathing, aren’t you?”

“That doesn’t sound very reassuring!” the girl shot back.

A tiny, involuntary laugh escaped my lips.

The girl’s face lit up immediately. “There it is! She does know how to smile. I’m Poppy, by the way.”

“You’re also late,” another girl said, walking in with baskets of vegetables. She had deep, dark brown curly hair and warm honey eyes that stopped dead on me. “Oh. You’re the rogue girl.”

The kitchen went awkwardly quiet.

Poppy threw her hands up, her ash-blonde hair tossing. “Jessie! Look at her, she’s been through enough. Use your brain.”

Jessie shifted the basket, looking genuinely guilty. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. Truly.”

Dorothy clapped her hands loudly. “Enough talking. Emily, sweetheart, come here. Do you know how to chop vegetables?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Then help us, please. We will be grateful.”

We worked for a while, and I slowly began to relax. Eventually, as the afternoon started to fade into evening, Poppy looked at my damp hair with a warm smile.

“Okay,” Poppy said softly. “Let’s get you out of those wet clothes and into a hot shower.”

“Yeah,” Jessie added gently. “You deserve some rest after the day you’ve had.”

Dorothy pointed her spoon at me. “They’re right, sweetheart. Go.”

Poppy opened the door to the massive dining hall and held it for me.

“And Emily!” Dorothy suddenly called out from behind me.

I spun around too quickly to look back—and slammed directly into a wall of solid muscle.

A powerful arm wrapped around my waist, catching me before I hit the floor. My hands pressed flat against a broad chest.

Cedar. Pine needles. Power. Mate.

My heart skipped a beat as the bond flared to life. For a second, I was pressed fully against him. Nathan.

Everyone in the kitchen stopped moving. Nathan slowly looked down at me, his grip tight.

“Mine,” Nyx whispered with longing.

Nathan’s jaw clenched. “What are you doing here?”

The freezing tone felt like ice water. I wrenched myself out of his grip, stepping back fast.

“Luna Meredyth brought me here,” I answered quickly, my voice shaking. “The guard said there was permission to leave the cell.”

Nathan’s expression darkened. “I said you could get some fresh air outside. Not wander through my packhouse.”

My cheeks burned. “I-I wasn’t trying to—”

“Enough.”

A flash of something unreadable crossed his face before it turned completely back to stone.

“My mother enjoys ignoring my orders,” Nathan said flatly. He looked down at me, his eyes cold. “But don't get too comfortable here. I'm still deciding what to do with you.”

His words were harsh, but his body told a completely different story. His fingers tightened instinctively before he stepped back, like touching me burned him.

The air in the kitchen grew incredibly thick.

Nyx whimpered in the back of my mind at the loss of his warmth, but Nathan didn't notice. It was like I suddenly stopped existing for him. He turned his attention straight to Dorothy.

“Alpha Marcus arrives tonight. Prepare extra food. He’s bringing his Beta, Vincent, and all of his guards with him.”

Dorothy nodded warmly, wiping her hands on her apron. “Of course, Alpha. Everything will be ready, and I'll make sure the dining hall looks welcoming for the occasion.”

“Just make sure it tastes as good as usual,” Nathan added, the edge in his voice softening into genuine respect. “You know Marcus only comes here for your cooking.”

Dorothy let out a soft laugh. “He eats like a starving wolf. I’ll make sure there’s enough to fill him up.”

Everyone in the kitchen laughed softly at Dorothy's words. Nathan let out a low, amused huff—a sound that was almost a laugh.

But the moment his eyes shifted to me, the warmth vanished. His face went blank, and he walked out of the room.

I stayed frozen where I was. I didn’t understand him. He had been almost kind to Dorothy. Calm, and even warm. So why couldn’t he be like that with me? Because the worst part was… I could see the kindness inside him.

“Painful, isn’t it?” Nyx whispered quietly inside my head.

Before I could answer, Poppy suddenly grabbed my hand.

“Come on,” Poppy said quickly, pulling me toward the stairs before anyone in the kitchen could start asking questions.

Her room was on the second floor. It was small, warm, and filled with fluffy blankets and stacks of romance books. A second, empty bed stood near the far wall.

“I won't ask what just happened downstairs,” Poppy said, pointing toward the floor. “But I hope you'll tell me someday. For now, you can stay here until Meredyth figures everything out.”

I was grateful she didn't push for answers.

I looked down at my hands, hesitating. “Do you really think she can protect me from Nathan? He… he wants me gone.”

“Meredyth can handle her son,” Poppy said softly. “Nathan is furious right now, but he respects his mother too much to drag you out of here by force.”

“And the Alpha King?” I whispered, my chest tightening. “What if he agrees with Nathan?”

Poppy’s smile faded into a look of deep respect. “King Garrett is different. He isn't cruel, Emily, but his word is absolute law. He is too wise and unyielding to let anyone change his mind.”

She leaned in a little closer. “If the King decides you’re a threat to the pack, no one can stop him from exiling you. We just have to hope he sees the truth before Nathan convinces him otherwise.”

She tossed a stack of clean towels to me. “The shower is at the end of the hall. Don't mind the terrible water pressure.”

Poppy turned to her closet, quickly flipping through the hangers.

“Here, this is perfect for your hair color,” she added, pushing a black dress covered in tiny flowers into my arms. “And you’re lucky we're the same size.”

I stared down at the dress. Nobody had given me new clothes since my mother died.

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice thick.

Poppy smiled. “Go shower before I start crying.”

The hot water felt incredible against my aching muscles. Dirt, dried blood, and mud washed down the drain while steam filled the tiny bathroom. I stood under the spray for a long time, just trying to remember what clean skin felt like.

I returned to the room. My damp hair was hanging loose around my shoulders, and a heavy exhaustion was settling deep into my bones.

Poppy looked up from her bed and stopped mid-sentence. “Oh, wow.”

“Told you she was pretty under all that dirt,” Jessie smirked from the empty bed. She’d slipped into the room while I was in the shower.

My cheeks burned.

A heavy knock cut through the room.

Jessie rolled her eyes. “That’s for me. I can smell my brother’s annoying scent from a mile away.”

Poppy opened the door, and a tall, broad-shouldered man dressed in black stood there. I recognized him instantly. He was the same wolf who had pulled me from the road near the crashed SUV, carrying that same dangerous scent of rain and smoke.

“What do you want, Blake?” Jessie asked, crossing her arms.

Blake didn’t even look at her. His dark eyes swept over my clean hair, the floral dress. Something unreadable flickered across his face.

“I’m not here for you, sister,” he muttered. Then he looked directly into my eyes. “Emily.”

My stomach tightened instantly.

“Alpha King Garrett wants to see you.”

The warmth of the room vanished around me. Because suddenly… I realized the Alpha King might be about to decide whether I lived or died.