~ RONAN ~

I can’t shut down Kael’s annoying voice screaming "I told you so" in my head for the past few minutes. I hate to admit it, but he’s right. He’s fucking right.

"I don’t need you to restrain me," I growl under my breath. "I’m going to rip her apart piece by jagged piece..."

I agree. I fucking agree.

I gave Mara a warning to stay the fuck away. Twice. Once should’ve been enough — twice is just suicidal.

I march straight to her room, fury boiling in my veins. Without thinking twice, I kick the door open with a loud bang, the bolt snapping under the force.

Two pairs of eyes snap toward me. Mara shoots to her feet. My mother stands up as well, her expression changing from surprise to deep concern the second she sees my face. Mara’s goes deathly pale.

"Ronan," my mother says carefully, stepping forward. "What’s happened? You look—"

I don’t answer her. Instead, I cross the room in three long strides and grab Mara by the throat.

"How fucking dare you."

Her eyes go wide with terror, her hands immediately coming up to claw at my wrist, her feet barely touching the ground as I lift her and slam her back against the wall hard enough to crack the plaster.

"I fucking warned you," I growl, anger seething through my veins. "I warned you to stay away from her, and I was explicit about that. And what did you do?"

Mara chokes, her face turning a bright red as she struggles to fucking take in air, her nails digging into my forearm, drawing blood, which I don’t give two fucks about.

"You hired rogues," I continue. "You orchestrated her kidnapping, and you put my Luna in danger. You know what that means, don’t you?"

"Ronan!" My mother’s voice cuts through my rage. "Let her go. Now."

My eyes remain fixed on her, ignoring my mom’s screams and protests.

"I’m going to fucking kill you," I say simply. "That’s what it means."

"Ronan, I said let her go!" My mother grabs my arm, trying to pull me back. "I didn’t raise you to hit women. Let her go."

I finally turn my head to look at my mother. Just one look is enough to make her step back slightly... the shock that crosses her face.

"She tried to have Roselle killed. She fucking engineered the kidnapping and assault of my Luna, and she was nearly murdered because of her." I squeeze tighter, rage consuming me just at the thought of it.

My mother’s face goes white. "Ronan, please—" Mara gasps out, her voice strangled and desperate. "I didn’t know she was asking me for help—"

"Bullshit," I snarl. "You knew exactly what you were doing."

Mara lets out a choked sound, her hands still clawing uselessly at my wrist.

"Calm down, Ronan. We need to talk." My mother’s voice trembles as she takes a cautious step forward. "Put her down. You can’t kill her. We have our word to uphold with her family."

I don’t even look at her. "You’re going to kill her if you keep strangling her," Mom shrieks, panic breaking through her composure.

My grip tightens. "That’s exactly what I’m planning to do."

Mara’s eyes widen further, terror flooding her features as her struggles grow weaker.

"Ronan." My mother’s voice drops, firm and commanding. "Listen to yourself."

I finally glance at her, my chest heaving with rage.

"You can’t kill her. She’s from the Wolfhart family, and you can’t spill their blood without cause and a proper investigation. You can’t."

A bitter laugh tears from my throat.

"Without cause?" I repeat.

Mom swallows hard, holding my gaze despite the fury rolling off me.

"You can punish her," she says carefully. "If she’s guilty, she’ll answer for it."

The muscles in my jaw flex. Mara lets out another strangled gasp, her face nearly purple now.

"Ronan," my mother pleads, taking another hesitant step forward. "Put her down."

I drop her to the floor, and she collapses in a heap, panting for breath, gasping as hard as she can as air rushes back into her lungs.

"Ronan..."

"It’s Alpha to you!"

"Alpha, I... I didn’t mean to. I wasn’t planning on killing her, I swear. She was scared. She said she was scared of the curse and that she needed help to run. I did that. I helped her..."

Another bullshit. I know that everything she’s saying is an already cooked-up lie. Mara isn’t the type to help someone in distress.

I turn to my mom.

"There’s a cause, and it’s treason. She had no fucking right to kidnap my Luna from my pack, whether she agreed to it or not."

"Please, Ronan." Mara’s voice breaks as she drags herself upright, tears streaming down her face. "I’ve worked my whole life for this pack. I fought during the border wars. I’ve served your family for years. Everything I’ve done has been for this pack."

She shakes her head frantically.

"I made a mistake. I admit that. But I wasn’t trying to get her killed. I swear on the Moon Goddess, I wasn’t. She came to me scared and desperate, and I thought I was helping her."

Her gaze flickers between me and my mother.

"Please don’t throw everything away because of one mistake. Don’t take my home from me. Don’t take my life."

Mara’s face pales further.

"You’ll march down to Roselle’s room and fucking apologize for everything you put her through, and she’s going to decide what your fate eventually is."

She nods immediately. Mom stands to follow, but I shake my head.

"No. Not now."

We walk into Roselle’s room. She’s returned to reading the book she was reading earlier. Her expression shifts to surprise as she takes in Mara beside me.

"We’ll make this quick. Mara has something to say, and you’ll decide what her punishment is." My gaze hardens on Mara. "Don’t go soft."

Mara falls to her knees.

"I’m sorry, Roselle... I didn’t mean to. I was only trying to help you. I didn’t know they had motives of their own..."

"One more lie and I’ll sink my claws down your throat."

Mara flinches violently. "I’m sorry..." Her voice trembles. "I... I was jealous, and... I... Please forgive me..."

Roselle hasn’t said a word. Her gaze darts from me to Mara, a flabbergasted look settling across her features as she tries to process what’s happening.

I watch her carefully. For a moment, nobody speaks.

Then I step forward, my voice calm, though the rage is still simmering beneath the surface.

"Roselle." Those hazel eyes immediately find mine.

"Mara admitted to helping orchestrate your escape. Whether she intended for those rogues to hurt you or not doesn’t matter. She handed you over to them." My jaw tightens. "That makes her responsible."

Roselle swallows hard. I gesture toward Mara, still kneeling on the floor.

"So tell me what you want me to do."

Her eyes widen. "She’s your victim," I continue. "Not mine, yours, and she hurt you, betrayed your trust, and put your life at risk."

Mara lets out a shaky sob.

"Alpha Ronan..." she whispers.

I ignore her. "If you want her imprisoned, she’ll be imprisoned. If you want her stripped of her rank, I’ll do it. If you want her exiled from this pack, I’ll make it happen."

Roselle stares at me in shock. "And if you think what she did deserves death..." My gaze drifts briefly to Mara before returning to Roselle. "Then I’ll carry out that sentence myself."

The room falls completely silent. Mara’s face drains of all color.

"Nobody is going to question your decision," I say quietly. "Whatever you choose, I’ll stand by it." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Roselle looks down at her hands, then back at Mara, who is trembling on the floor, and then signs.