Rosa's POV

The walk home felt like a nightmare. My legs moved on their own, numb to the cool night air. My mind was in a fog, hurting with the sting of rejection and the cruel taunts from my sister.

I had thought my eighteenth birthday would be the start of something beautiful, the day I found the mate who would cherish me. Instead, it was a day of humiliation and heartbreak.

Finally I reached the house I shared with my father and Ava. All I wanted was to crawl into bed and cry myself to sleep. Maybe in the morning, I would wake up and realize this was all some terrible dream.

I had a key to the house strapped to a string around my neck. Opening the door, I stepped inside, letting the door creak shut behind me. The house was dark, save for the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the window. But something felt… wrong.

My heart rate quickened. I strained my ears and heard the faintest sound. Voices. Footsteps. I froze, fear crawling up my spine. Who could possibly be in our house this late at night? And without permission as well?

“Who’s there?” I called out, my voice shaky. Silence answered me.

For a moment, nothing moved. The house felt as cold and as silent as a tomb. I took a tentative step forward, glancing around nervously. The shadows seemed to shift, and I suddenly felt very small in the vast darkness.

I felt around for a candle on the table, my hands trembling as I lit it. The small flame flickered to life, filling the room with a scary glow. I held it high as I moved further into the house. The floorboards creaked under my feet as I walked.

I reached the kitchen, the dim light barely lighting the corners of the room. And that was when I saw him. A man stood in the kitchen, partially hidden by the shadows. His back was to me. He clutched a knife in one hand, a thick rope in the other.

I gasped as the breath froze in my throat. The man turned to face me, his eyes dark and menacing. Panic stole my senses. I took a step back, but my legs felt like lead. I had to get out—I had to run!

I spun on my heel and dashed for the door, the candle flickering out as I stumbled toward the entrance. But just as I reached for the handle, a figure blocked my way. I skidded to a stop, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Beta Jasper!” I breathed in relief as I recognized the figure. I didn't even want to think about how both men had gotten into my house; I was extremely relieved to see a familiar face.

“Please, help me!" I begged. "There’s a man with a knife in the kitchen. He—he’s going to hurt me!”

I reached for him, desperate for safety, but Beta Jasper didn’t move. He just stood there, his expression cold, his eyes hard. A sinking feeling settled in my stomach.

“Please,” I whispered. But instead of stepping aside, Jasper shoved me back into the house, forcing me toward the kitchen. I stumbled, my back slamming into the wall. Pain shot through my elbow as I hit the ground with a cry.

“Stay down,” Jasper growled. “You’re not going anywhere.”

I stared up at him in shock. “W-What are you doing? Why are you doing this, Beta Jasper?”

But Beta Jasper Just sneered, stepping closer. “You really thought you’d just walk away after what happened tonight? That you’d stay in Moonstone Pack after being rejected?”

I tried to push myself up, but my body refused to cooperate. Pain throbbed through my elbow, and my head was spinning. I felt the sting of tears, but I fought them back. “What are you talking about?”

Jasper loomed over me, his face twisted in contempt. “You’re nothing but a weak Omega. Useless. You were a stain on the pack long before Damon rejected you. And now, you’re being taken care of.”

My heart dropped. The man in the kitchen, the knife, the rope—it all clicked into place. This wasn’t just a random intruder. This was planned. They were here for me.

I scrambled back, trying to put distance between us, but my back hit the cold wall of the kitchen. “Please,” I begged, my voice barely more than a whisper. “Please, don’t do this.”

Jasper’s eyes darkened, and a cruel smile tugged at his lips. “You’re leaving Moonstone Pack for good, Rosa.”

I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. “No, I can’t leave. This is my home—”

“Not anymore!” Jasper cut in. “You’re not wanted here, Omega! You are going to be sold as a slave bride to another Alpha. Somewhere far away. You’ll never be a problem here again.”

I froze in horror. Sold as a slave bride? The words echoed in my mind, almost too horrifying to comprehend. They were going to sell me off like property.

Did Alpha Damon plan this?

The other man stepped closer, the blade of his knife gleaming in the faint moonlight. The rope dangled from his hand, ready to bind me.

“No!” I screamed, desperately pushing myself to my feet. I had to run. I had to get out of here.

But before I could take more than two steps, something hard slammed into the side of my head. The world spun violently, my vision blurring as pain exploded inside my skull. I collapsed to the floor, whimpering.

My body was limp, and the fight had drained out of me. I could hear muffled voices, see shadows moving above me, but it all felt distant. Unreachable. Was I going to die like this?

My eyelids grew heavy. The darkness was creeping in from the corners of my vision. The last thing I saw was Jasper’s cold, unforgiving stare before everything finally went black.