"We'll continue this conversation soon, my queen." He planted a kiss on my cheek before stalking out of the room, leaving me alone with Christian.
"Make sure she gets cleaned up, dressed, and eats something," I heard Jasper call out to someone else in the other room. A woman's voice replied,
"Yes, Alpha."
I looked at Christian, relief washing over me.
"Thank you," I whispered, grateful that he'd come in to distract Jasper just in time. But the gratitude seemed misplaced as he glared at me like I was dirt on his shoe.
"Don't thank me yet, beautiful," he growled, the words sending a chill down my spine. "You need to do everything Jasper tells you. If you don't, he'll find ways to hurt you and still keep you alive. Trust me, I know," Christian said, haunted eyes staring past me. "He's just as evil as his father."
"Christian?" My voice quivered, not sure if I was offering comfort or seeking reassurance. His glare returned, his words like ice against my skin.
"Christian is dead. My name is Grant." With that, he turned and stormed out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts and shattered hope.
My chest tightened, the air around me feeling suffocating. The one person I thought I could trust, the one person who might protect me in this hell, was gone. Christian was dead all along, and the man standing before me had been Grant, the traitor who kidnapped me and betrayed the Silver Stone pack. Overwhelmed and on the verge of a panic attack, I crumpled to the floor of the walk-in closet, tears streaming down my face.
Chapter 20
Erica
Sobsrackedmybodyas I lay crumpled on the cold marble floor of the obscenely lavish walk-in closet. My chest heaved with each desperate gasp for air, my heart pounding against my ribcage like a caged animal. The weight of betrayal pressed down on me, suffocating any hope that I might have clung to. I thought about Jasper's words in the cells: Liam had been back for almost a week and hadn't so much as lifted a finger to rescue me. And just when I'd begun to think that maybe, just maybe, I could trust someone here, it turned out they were all in on it. They were all happy to have me out of their hair. It felt like I was drowning in a sea of despair.
"Erica," a soft voice called out from behind me. I didn't bother to look up, too lost in my wallowing and self-loathing. Whoever it was, I didn't want to hear their lies or empty reassurances.
But then the voice spoke again, more insistent.
"Erica, please look at me." My eyes shot up in surprise, recognising the voice and praying that I was wrong. But there she stood, Verity, standing there in the Shadow Night warrior uniform. My heart felt like it was being ripped from my chest as I took in every detail of her new appearance, her blond hair scraped back into a tight bun, her pale blue eyes now so cold and unfamiliar.
"Verity," I choked out, tears blurring my vision. "Please... tell me this isn't true."
"Erica, it's complicated," she murmured, a look of guilt and annoyance flickering across her face. "You'll understand soon enough."
"No!" I cried, scrambling to my feet and glaring at her. "How can you do this? How can you betray everyone we care about?"
"Look, Erica..." Verity said firmly, staring me down. "I am where I'm supposed to be."
"Supposed to be?" I spat, my voice shaking with anger and betrayal. "What about our friendship? What about your loyalty to the Silver Stone pack?"
“Never mind that now,” she said in a fake cheery voice. “The Alpha has asked that you get cleaned up and we get some food into you.
"Tell your precious Alpha to go fuck himself." I spat, my anger boiling over. Verity's smile faltered, but she quickly composed herself and tsked at me, taking my hand and leading me back into the main bedroom. The room was luxurious, but I felt nothing but disgust for its opulence, a stark contrast to the dingy cell I'd been confined in for days.
"Erica," Verity began, her voice soft and cautious, "it will be easier if you just agree to everything. You'll have a much better time, and you won't get hurt that way." I narrowed my eyes at her, trying to discern whether it was a threat or genuine concern. But Verity's face remained unreadable, a blank mask hiding her true thoughts.
"Trust me," she added, her tone turning cheery again, though it lacked sincerity. "I'm sure it won't come to that."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked, bitterness lacing my words. Verity didn't answer, instead changing the subject.
"Would you like a bath or a shower?" she inquired, gesturing toward the attached bathroom.
"Fine, I can shower myself," I spat out, not bothering to hide the venom in my voice. I saw a flicker of hurt cross Verity's face, but it vanished in an instant as she pasted on that fake smile of hers again.
"Of course, Erica," Verity said, waving her arms at the array of clothes hanging in the closet. "I made sure everything here is to your taste." My eyes widened as I realised who was behind all this, the clothes, the makeup, even the scent of my favourite shampoo wafting from the bathroom. It had been Verity all along.
"Was it you? Did you choose all this stuff?" I asked, my voice cracking with a mixture of fear and betrayal. Verity nodded happily, ignoring my obvious distress.
"Yes, I wanted to make sure your transition to the Shadow Night pack was as easy as possible. We're friends, after all. I just want you to feel at home."
