Alina’s POV

"I don’t think you did it."

The words make his smirk falter for a split second. I push on, voice soft but steady.

"I don’t think you’re as bad as people think you are."

His smirk slowly returns, deeper this time, curling at the edges with something almost dangerous.

"You really think so?" he asks, voice low.

"I do." My throat feels tight as I meet his eyes. "You could have killed me during the accident... but you didn’t. You saved me instead. That’s something I’ll never forget."

Lucian’s gaze darkens, heavy with unspoken things. He takes a slow step closer, the space between us shrinking.

"You know I did that because I’m connected to you," he says, the words rough and honest. "I’ve never felt a pull toward anyone the way I feel it for you, Alina." His voice drops even lower. "But I’m not a good man. I’ve killed people before."

The confession settles heavy in the air.

"You can stop," I whisper. "You don’t have to keep living like this. There’s always room for you to change."

A harsh scoff escapes his lips, sharp and bitter. He shakes his head, but his eyes stay locked on mine.

"Thanks, but I like the way I am, Alina." His tone hardens, though something vulnerable flickers beneath it. "I kill those who deserve to be killed. I have one rule: before they kill you, you kill them first."

He moves toward me until his presence looms close, heat radiating from his body.

"I know you would hate this side of me... but this is who I am." His voice turns quieter, almost raw. "A scarred rogue. A killer."

He stops right in front of me, close enough that I can see the faint scars tracing his skin.

"Be my queen, Alina. We can rule this place together. I want you beside me all the time. You won’t have to worry about anything. I’ll give you anything you want... just please. Be with me. Marry me."

My eyes flicker as I stare up at him, heart pounding against my ribs.

"No."

The word falls quietly between us. I watch a shadow of sadness sweep across his eyes, dimming the fierce light that was there moments ago.

"I don’t want to be with anyone, Lucian," I say, my voice catching. "I just want my son back and nothing more. I only want to be with Leo and stay with him."

Lucian doesn’t step back. His jaw tightens, but his voice remains steady, almost gentle in its persistence.

"You will be with him," he murmurs. "We three can live together."

"I don’t think I want Leo to grow up in this kind of environment, Lucian," I say, my voice steady despite the unease twisting in my chest. "No offense, but you are a criminal."

I pause, then add bluntly, "And it was a mistake getting tangled with you."

Lucian scoffs, the sound low and sharp.

"I get it," he mutters, his tone dropping low and heavy. "I’m horrible. I don’t expect you to actually understand, Alina. We have to live like this. This is the only way we can stay sane. They don’t care about us. No one does."

He steps closer, eyes burning with quiet intensity.

"You turned down my offer, but that doesn’t mean I’ll give up on this. I love you, Alina... and that’s my truth."

The sincerity in his voice hits like a weight against my ribs. Before I can respond, he offers a half-smile, tired but stubborn.

"It’s getting late already. You should get some sleep. And please... don’t try to escape this time."

With that, he turns and leaves the room.

The door clicks shut behind him. A heavy sigh escapes me as I push myself up from the chair.

Why can’t I just have a peaceful, fulfilled life? Why does everything about me have to be so complicated? I hate this.

On one hand, I have a rogue — a criminal, a serial killer — who wants me to marry him. On the other, an ex-husband who refuses to give me my freedom and only wants to keep me enslaved.

I push my hair back roughly, frustration burning behind my eyes. Did I commit some terrible atrocity in my previous life that I deserve this? Would things have been different if my parents had never abandoned me? If they hadn’t left me in that orphanage? Would it have been easier if I had a wolf of my own to console me... or if I had been born with a completely different identity?

I feel like I’m losing my mind. The helplessness claws at me — the terrifying knowledge that I have no power to change any of this. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Exhausted, I walk back to the bed and sit on its edge before slowly lying down. I should close my eyes. That’s what I need right now — to forget, even for a little while. But sleep refuses to come. My thoughts keep spinning, loud and relentless.

I can’t stay still.

I swing my legs off the bed and stand. Lucian warned me not to try escaping again... but the urge to get out of this room, out of this place, burns stronger than caution. Heart hammering, I open the door and slip into the hallway.

The corridor is dim, shadows stretching long across the walls. My stomach churns as I take in the horrific sight — stretched skins of dead people hanging like grotesque trophies. Nausea rises in my throat. This is sickening.

"Why is she here?" a rough voice echoes from somewhere ahead. It doesn’t belong to Lucian.

Drawn by the sound despite the fear prickling my skin, I creep closer. Three men are gathered in a dimly lit room just off the hallway.

"She’s Lucian’s mate," one of them says. "That’s why he’s keeping her here."

"To make matters worse, she’s the ex-Luna of the Crimson Pack," another adds, his voice dripping with clear disgust.

"This won’t be good for us. I don’t like this," the third man says, fear and annoyance twisting his words. "We could all end up in trouble because of her. Why would Lucian risk this much? If she’s his mate, he could’ve just rejected her instead of putting all our lives at stake."

One of them leans forward, his tone turning vicious. "I think it’s best we get rid of her. Lucian has lost focus because of that girl. We were supposed to raid Aiden’s pack members, but because of her, we couldn’t. Getting rid of her will solve everything."

My eyes widen in shock, ice flooding my veins. They want me dead.

This is bad. I’m not welcome here either. If I stay, they’ll hunt me down and kill me. I have to leave this place — no matter what. I can’t die. Not for Leo’s sake. I can’t die so easily.

I step backward slowly, trying to retreat without a sound, but my shoulder brushes against a tall vase. It teeters for a heartbeat... then crashes to the floor with a loud shatter.

"Oh no," I whisper to myself, panic surging through me.

"Who’s there?" one of the men barks.

My heart races so fast it feels like it might burst from my chest.

"It’s probably that useless cat," another mutters dismissively.

Relief washes over me, weak and trembling. I stay frozen in place until their voices drift back into conversation.

I’m not safe here. Not at all.

But how do I escape this time?