Linda’s POV

I smiled before I spoke.

It wasn’t a wide smile. It was the slow, quiet kind that curls at the corner of your lips when you already know the ending of the game and everyone else is still fumbling with the rules.

“Do it, undress her” I said calmly.

The servants hesitated for only half a second. They always did. Not because they cared about Jade, but because they knew what it meant to cross someone who was about to be mated into power. Still, they knew Jade was still just a traitor’s daughter while I was the beta’s daughter, and so their obedience won over conscience, as it always does in this pack.

Jade’s eyes snapped to me.

“What are you doing?” she demanded, backing away.

Two servants stepped forward.

“Don’t touch me!” she shouted, her voice sharp, trembling beneath the anger.

I tilted my head, watching her scramble backward like a cornered animal. Goddess, she really still didn’t understand anything. Not the hierarchy. Not the timing. Not how little control she actually had.

“Undress her,” I repeated, my tone bored now. “Strip her naked"

That earned me a glare from Jade that could have burned flesh if hatred alone were power.

They grabbed her arms.

She fought. Of course she did.

She twisted, kicked, cursed, shouted my name like it was a weapon. Her cloth tore. Buttons popped loose. For a moment, Jade nearly broke free, but it didn’t matter. There were too many hands. Too many bodies holding on to her.

I watched every second.

I enjoyed seeing her stripped, every second of it, and I basked happily in her helplessness.

The only thing that I enjoyed was watching reality finally sink its teeth into her. Watching the moment she realized that being chosen did not mean being protected.

Her hoodie was ripped off first. Then her blouse. Her skirt followed. Jade struggled harder then, breath coming fast, cheeks flushed with fury and humiliation.

“Linda!” she yelled. “Stop this!”

I laughed softly.

Stop this?

Why would I?

When they were done, Jade stood shaking, arms crossed tightly over her naked boobs, chest heaving. Rage and shock warred in her eyes, and for just a flicker of a moment, something else flashed there too, fear.

Good.

I gestured to the gown.

It was beautiful in a quiet, forgettable way. Ivory. Simple lace. No rare stones. No heavy embroidery. No bold statement. Exactly what I wanted.

Not low enough to draw Alpha Ashford’s suspicion.

Not high enough to elevate Jade beyond what she deserved.

They dressed her quickly, efficiently, as if she were nothing more than a doll to be arranged for display. Sleeves pulled on. Fabric smoothed. The bodice tightened.

Jade went still then.

Not calm, but quiet in that dangerous way people get when they’re storing anger for later. I admired that about her, actually. She had fire. It just burned in the wrong direction.

I circled her slowly, inspecting the final result.

She looked like a bride.

And I hated it.

I hated that she would stand beside them.

I hated that her name would be tied to theirs.

I hated that fate, cruel, blind fate, had chosen her instead of me.

Last night, when the boys showed up at my door asking me about what happened a year ago, I’d truly believed I was finished.

They were different, harder, colder. Renzo especially. The way he looked at me made my skin prickle. They asked questions that I didn’t want to answer

And so I denied it.

Then I cried when I needed to. I softened when I had to. I reminded them of memories. Of loyalty. Of comfort. I let them believe that I would die without them and I was more than willing to kill myself if the leave.

Then I pretended to sleep.

And I heard everything.

Renzo said they were going to reject her.

Not because they didn’t want her, but because they cared too much to keep her tied to them, preventing them from truly being free.

Hearing that broke me.

When my father returned and told me how the Alpha reacted to the rumors, everything clicked into place. Tradition. Succession. Power. Men like Alpha Ashford didn’t care about love, they cared about bloodlines and control.

So I pushed the board over.

I made the move first.

So I could be in control and work things out in my favor in the end.

I leaned close to Jade’s ear and whispered,

“Smile. You don’t want to embarrass your mates before the pack.”

Her jaw tightened.

Oh yes. This was perfect.

Renzo’s POV

The suits lay across the bed like a sentence already passed.

Black. Tailored. Ceremonial.

Final.

I stared at mine for a long time before Ronan broke the silence.

“Are we really going to do this?”

I let out a breath that felt heavier than it should’ve been.

“No,” I said instinctively. “There’s no way this is happening.”

Ryder nodded, jaw clenched.

“Father must’ve lost his mind.”

The room felt too small. Too quiet. Like it was holding its breath with us.

We weren’t supposed to be here. This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.

We were supposed to reject Jade so she could be free. Not marry her and tie her down with us more.

Thee doors opened.

Alpha Ashford stepped in like the world bent to accommodate him.

“It’s almost time for the mating ceremony,” he said coolly. “What are you still waiting for? Get dressed.”

“We’re not getting married father” Ryder snapped.

Ronan stepped forward. “We don’t want this.”

Our father’s gaze moved between us slowly, assessing. Calculating.

“And who,” he asked calmly, “said you had a choice?”

Something inside me snapped.

“I don’t understand you,” I said. “You don’t even like Jade or her family. Why force this?”

He laughed.

Actually laughed.

“Because your position depends on it,” he said. “Tradition binds power. Rejecting a bonded mate destabilizes succession. If you want to inherit my throne, you will seal this bond tonight.”

Ronan took a step forward. “That’s insane....”

A slap echoed across Ronan’s face.

Ronan froze.

We all did.

Our father had never hit us. Not like this.

“No more questions,” Alpha Ashford said coldly. “You will be mated tonight. End of story.”

He turned toward the door.

“Be ready when I return.”

The door shut behind him.

The silence fell again

I looked at my brothers.

Something had gone very, very wrong.

And once again, Jade was going to bear the brunt of this all.