"NO!" I scream.

I thrash wildly as he drags me toward the hallway, fighting with every ounce of strength I have. I kick at his knees whenever I can reach them, but he refuses to stumble. I grip the bars of an empty cell and keep shouting, hoping someone outside will hear my cries.

Growls echo through the dungeon as Alexis, Dash and the others yank at their cell bars. They strain against the metal, but the bars are built to hold werewolves. They might break free eventually, yet I know I do not have enough time to wait.

Niles gives up on dragging me out and shoves me roughly onto the stone floor. "Fine. I’ll have you right here. An audience will only make this more fun."

"NO! NOOO!" I scream as he tugs at my overalls. His hand grabs at my chest, and terror crashes over me completely.

I stop struggling all at once, going rigid with revulsion. A cold, empty darkness settles over my mind, and an odd sense of calm washes over me. I stare straight into his repulsive face, and a single thought blares loudly in my head:

He has to die

. I picture his heart stopping, over and over again.

His hands still roaming over my body freeze, and his eyes widen in shock. I lift my hands to his face and rake my nails across his skin. He does nothing to stop me, only clutching his chest tightly. Seconds later, his body collapses on top of me. I push him off and scramble upright, but when I look down, his eyes remain open.

I scream and scuttle backward until my back slams against the wall, horror coursing through me. I clamp a shaky hand over my mouth to muffle my cries.

I turn toward Alexis and the others. They wear stunned expressions, their gazes fixed firmly on me rather than Niles’s lifeless form.

"She’s—" Dash begins.

"Yeah," Alexis cuts him off.

"You knew?" Dash asks.

Alexis shakes his head. "No."

My lips tremble, and my whole body shakes uncontrollably. "I… I killed him," I stammer. "I killed him."

Panic spirals through me. No one will care that he tried to assault me. The pack leaders will execute me for this.

"Cass! Cass!" Alexis shouts sharply, pulling me out of my daze.

"Grab the keys," he orders.

I blink back tears streaming down my cheeks and stare at him numbly.

The keys hang from Niles’s pocket. Trembling, I crawl over to the body, snatch the keys and dart back to the wall, pressing the set tightly to my chest.

Alexis does not move to take them. I feel his gaze on me, and after a moment, I hold the keys out toward him.

He stands and unlocks his cell. A wave of dizziness sweeps over me, but I force myself to stay alert.

"Is it time?" Dash asks suddenly.

"Yeah," Alexis replies.

He steps out of his cell and walks past me to kneel beside Niles. He cups the man’s head in both hands and twists sharply, breaking his neck. Then he looks back at me. "I killed him."

My head spins, and my eyes burn. I recall feeling this strange disorientation once before.

"But they’ll kill you now!" I shake my head frantically, struggling to stay coherent. "Don’t take the blame! I won’t let you die for me." My voice grows weaker by the second.

A soft smile tugs at his lips, catching me off guard. "This pack doesn’t deserve someone as good as you," he whispers, leaning closer.

Heavy drowsiness pulls at me, and I rest my head on the floor, fighting to stay awake.

"Don’t… die," I mumble.

"I won’t," he promises.

He kneels down in front of me. My eyelids flutter shut, and I force them open once more.

"What do we do with her?" Dash asks.

Alexis brushes hair from my face and strokes my forehead gently. "Bring her with us."

Just then, footsteps race down the hallway, and several guards burst into view.

Alexis stands to face them. "Take me to your Alpha. He will want to speak with me."

That is the last thing I hear before my consciousness slips away.

I find myself watching a memory unfold. I am eighteen again, swimming in one of the pack’s ponds. This dizzying haze has overcome me once more, just like it did years ago, three days after I first shifted into my wolf form. Two boys a little younger than me wander to the water’s edge, where my towel lies. They begin stomping on it, covering the fabric in mud.

"Hey!" I shout, swimming toward the shore. "Stop that!"

"Look, here she comes!" they laugh.

I climb out of the water, and they hurl rocks at me. The first one strikes my forehead, drawing blood.

"Ha! Got her first try!"

"Run, runt!" the other boy jeers.

Rage surges inside me, and I refuse to flee. I sprint straight for them, my gaze locked on theirs. All I can think about is breaking their arms as they lift more rocks to throw.

I never reach them. They drop the rocks and start screaming, clutching their arms in agony. They turn and run as fast as they can, leaving me utterly confused. Moments later, I collapse to the ground and pass out.

I waited for days to be punished, certain the boys would lie about what happened. Yet no one ever came for me. From that day on, they avoided me entirely.

I jolt awake as the memory fades. "That was me?" I whisper to myself.

I never remembered it happening like this. How was any of this possible? Niles died just moments ago, right when I wished for it. I had completely forgotten about those two boys, until now.

It has to be a coincidence, I tell myself. Such strange power cannot exist. It feels dark and wrong, anyway. I take a deep breath to steady myself, convincing myself I am imagining things. Niles was old; he simply suffered a heart attack. That is all.

I stare up at the ceiling, confused. "Wait… where am I?"

I am in my own bedroom. The sound of a television drifts in from the living room. I stand and walk out into the hall.

"Lauren?"

"You’re awake!" Lauren and James jump to their feet and pull me into a tight hug.

I pull away after a moment. "How did I get here?"

"Some of the Alpha’s men carried you home. After everything that happened, they decided to end your punishment early."

"I remember what happened, but what came after I blacked out?"

"You don’t know? All we were told is that the creep Niles tried to hurt you, and one of the guards stepped in to save you."

"Guards?" I repeat in shock.

They both nod.

Why would they lie? Did Alexis not take responsibility for Niles’s death? Panic claws at my chest. What if they killed him and the others?

Lauren notices my distress. "The doctor said you’re healthy. You’re alright, aren’t you?"

"I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me," I answer quickly. She exhales in relief.

"What happened to the prisoners?" I ask anxiously.

"That’s the strange part. All the cells are empty now," James says.

"What?" Fear spikes through me again. Did the pack execute them all?

"No one’s talking about it. The Alpha’s family has kept everything quiet all day."

"What time is it? How long was I asleep?" I head back to my room and slip on my sneakers.

"It’s nearly seven in the evening. You passed out around two in the morning, right after the incident."

I rush for the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" they call after me.

I run toward the main pack house. I will not let Alexis and the others bear the blame for what I did. If they want to punish someone, let it be me.

The grounds are busier than usual for this hour. I hurry into the kitchen, where everyone is busy preparing a grand feast, just like they would for a major festival. Matilda spots me and hurries over.

"Dear girl, I’m so glad you’re safe. We heard everything that went on."

"Thank you, but I need to see them!" I dart past her toward the dining hall doors.

"Stop! This is a private dinner! Not even Gamma-ranked members are allowed inside!" she calls after me, reaching for my arm.

I push past her and burst through the doors.

The room falls silent. I spot the Alpha seated at the head of the table and shout without thinking. "It wasn’t him!"

The Alpha stares at me, stunned and furious. "What is the meaning of this interruption?"

I fall quiet when Alexis turns in his chair. He is alive and unharmed, dressed in a neat suit, his body clean. His scars stand out clearly now, and though he looks vastly different from the injured prisoner I knew, I recognize him instantly. There is a familiar warmth in his features.

He looks just as surprised to see me. Dash and the other men sit beside him at the dinner table, their faces also etched with shock.

"This is unacceptable!" the Luna snaps. "Has she lost her mind?"

"Look at her, making a fool of herself," Bryn sneers.

"I’ll deal with her," Ezra speaks up. I finally notice his presence among the crowd. The entire Alpha family and several Betas fill the room. Ezra grabs my arm and pulls me outside, through the kitchen and into the backyard, before releasing me.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demands.

"I’m confused," I mumble.

"No kidding. You just got out of the dungeon, and now you march in here like you own the place?"

"I’m not trying to get sent back."

"Then don’t give my mother any reason to lock you up again," he warns.

He is right. The Luna would seize any excuse to punish me. I glance back at him. He studies me carefully, his gaze clinical rather than lustful.

"I’m glad he’s dead," he murmurs, his voice so quiet I almost miss it. "I would have killed him myself if he put you through that pain."

I know Ezra hurts me constantly with our mate bond, yet I am relieved Niles failed to harm me. "Why are those men sitting at the dinner table? They were prisoners yesterday."

"Mind your own business," he snaps.

Of course he would not explain. I glance around and see decorations being set up everywhere, as if a festival is about to begin. "What’s going on here?"

"A celebration," he replies, turning to leave. "Stay out of my mother’s sight."

"This would be a lot easier if you weren’t so terrible to me," I mutter. He hears me, spinning around with narrowed eyes.

I turn and run before he can lash out. Sometimes running away is the smartest choice.