LILLIAN

I run through the forest, my lungs burning as branches whip against my face and arms. My feet pound against the earth, but I can't stop. I won't stop. To stop would be worse than death.

They're hunting me like an animal. The official story is that I stole something precious from the pack—some treasure that belongs to them. But that's a lie. The real reason they want me back is because I discovered a secret. A secret they'd kill to protect.

"Lillian!" My father's voice roars through our telepathic link, making my head throb. "Stop running, you foolish girl! You're only making this worse!"

I grit my teeth against the pain of his mental assault. I don't have the strength to sever the connection—I've never been strong enough for anything. That's what they've always told me, anyway.

"You will come back and face what you've done!" His voice thunders in my mind again.

I stumble over a root but catch myself, forcing my legs to keep moving. My heart hammers so hard I think it might burst through my chest.

I have to keep running.

I push through another wall of branches, ignoring the sting as they rake across my arms. But no matter how hard I run, I can't outpace my own mind. The memory crashes over me like a wave, vivid and relentless—two days ago, when everything fell apart.

It had started so ordinarily. Just another morning of being invisible...

I scrub the wooden floor of Dylan's bedroom, my knees aching from kneeling on the hard surface for the past hour. The bucket of soapy water beside me has turned gray with dirt, but I'm not done yet. His room is huge—because of course the Alpha's son Dylan deserves the biggest room in the pack house, and he's a slob who never picks up after himself.

One would think being a Beta's daughter would mean my life would be much better, but having a human mom changes everything. My dad never loved her, looked down on humans as mates, and thought himself too good for her. So when she died giving birth to me, he didn't grieve. He remarried, poured everything into his new wife and her two children, who were pure wolf blood, and forgot I existed. All seventeen years of my life.

In a pack obsessed with blood purity, I'm worse than nothing. I haven't shifted yet, so they treat me like I'm less than a half-blood. Even the Omegas look down on me. I work as a servant just to earn my keep, just to have a roof over my head and scraps to eat.

That's why even though I'd rather die than clean this asshole's room, I have no choice. Every part of me burns to make him pay for making my life a living hell since we were children, but what can I do? Just thinking about the times he's pushed me, tripped me, laughed at me, and called me weak and worthless makes my blood boil. And the worst part? Everyone just watched. No one ever stopped him.

I'm waiting for my eighteenth birthday. Just a few more days. Once I turn eighteen, I might find my mate. Maybe—just maybe—he'll be from another pack. Maybe he'll take me away from here, and I'll never have to see any of these people again.

The door suddenly bursts open.

I freeze, my hand still gripping the scrub brush. Heavy footsteps enter the room, followed by lighter ones. Then I hear it—a woman's breathy giggle.

"Dylan," she purrs.

My eyes widen. I know that voice. That's Julia. My half-sister.

I'm still kneeling behind the bed, hidden from view. My heart starts to race. I need to get out of here, but if I move now, they'll see me. They'll know I was here.

"You smell so good," Dylan's deep voice rumbles.

I clap my hand over my mouth, forcing myself to breathe as quietly as possible. Please don't let them notice me. Please.

The sounds start almost immediately—the rustle of clothing hitting the floor, the creak of the bed, then the moans. My face burns with humiliation as I hear my sister fucking with Dylan. I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing I could disappear into the floor.

"We have to be careful," Julia gasps between moans. "At least until after you reject that pathetic half-breed."

My blood turns to ice.

"Don't worry about Lillian," Dylan grunts. "She's nothing. I'll reject her the moment the bond snaps into place."

"Good," Julia breathes. "Because I overheard something yesterday. Father didn't know I was listening."

My heart pounds so hard I'm afraid they'll hear it.