LIANDREN'S POV

"Rowan, I pray you rot in hell and your soul will never find peace," I growl at the top of my lungs as the guards dragged me away from the room.

My whole body was trembling as I felt the fight drain from my limbs. I lost everything.

My title. My home. My mate. My pups.

What was the point of living in this wretched world?

They dragged me through the hallway. It was already dark; the moonlight streamed in from the windows as we moved.

I panted as I felt a nudge in my chest, tears filling my eyes. The pain was unbearable.

The noise just kept clouding my head—the sneers, the voices. It was all too much.

I had only one option.

I glared towards the window, and determination swirled through me.

I flung myself from the guards and dashed towards the window.

"Stop right there!" the guards groaned, charging toward me, but I didn't stop.

I ran, as fast as my legs could go.

I dove through the glass, not minding the cuts. Finally, I was going to be free from everything.

Just when I thought I was going to fall, I felt his grip over my arm, and my body slammed against the harsh concrete. I swayed midway in the air.

"Don't you dare jump," Rowan groaned, his eyes filled with so much fear and pain.

Through my teary, blurred vision, I didn't believe what I was seeing.

What was he doing here?

"Let me go. I need to be free," I mumbled softly.

Rowan shook his head, and I felt the tears in his eyes. Why was he in pain after he treated me like trash?

"Guards, send men downstairs. Set up a barrier. Nothing must happen to my mate!" he yelled.

I let out a scoff. He was probably trying to manipulate me into staying in order to torture me.

"Rowan Lightwood, I pray we never meet again in this life—or the next," I whispered, my voice shaking but sharp with finality. "Because if we do..." My breath hitched, the weight of it all crushing my chest. "...I will be your arch enemy and I'll cut you down. Every single last one of you that caused me pain."

Venom laced every word. My vision blurred with bloodshot fury. Tears burned down my cheeks, and I yanked my hand free from his grip.

He gasped softly, a single tear slipping from his eyes, falling onto my skin like a final goodbye.

"Liandren!" he cried, desperate, but I was already gone.

The world tilted.

Then—thud.

My body hit the cold, hard ground. The air rushed from my lungs. Dust filled my nostrils, stinging.

My ears rang with silence.

My tears dripped, mingling with the dirt as my wolf whimpered deep inside me, a sound so raw it split me into two.

I gave a bitter laugh as I felt life slowly slipping from my fingers.

My eyes hovered to the pale moonlight.

"I hate you..."

Then everything went dark.

*******

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The strong scent of antiseptic filled my nostrils as I groaned.

My whole body felt numb, like I had been run over by a train.

I groaned as my eyes flung open. A soft whimper rippled from my throat.

I tried to sit up, but I felt a hand cover my shoulders. I felt a presence looming over me.

Where was I?

Was this the afterlife?

So many questions boomed inside my head. I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned my gaze toward the man in front of me, locking eyes with a pair of deep brown eyes boring into mine.

"Please lie down. You just woke up and you need to rest." My lashes fanned with confusion. Slowly, I yanked the pair of hands away.

"Who are you? What do you want from me? Did Rowan send you to finish me off?" I recoiled, my hands scraping the bed, my elbows buckling.

The man moved swiftly and caught my hands sharply as he held me before my body hit the bed.

"Hey, I got you! I'm here and no one can hurt you, okay?" I flicked my lashes, leaning to take in the appearance of the man in front of me.

There was something familiar in those eyes that I couldn't quite place. Soft and calm... Something peaceful washed over me as I curled my hand onto his shirt.

"Tell me. Who are you? The last thing I remember was jumping from the highest floor of the manor of the Blood Howl pack." I searched his eyes. "I'm supposed to be dead."

"My sweet Liandren. I'm your father," he mumbled.

If I had the strength, I might have shoved him aside and just left, but I found myself sinking into his embrace.

How could he be my father? I was an orphan, found by the servants of the Blood Howl pack when I was a baby.

Could it really be?

I took a breath, pushing my head away from his chest.

"If you are really my father, where have you been all these years? Do you have any idea just how much I've suffered?" Hot tears pooled on my face.

His eyes softened, and slowly, his hand moved over to hold my shoulders.

"My dear, I didn’t know you existed, and by the time I found out about you, it was already too late."

He tucked me toward him, cupping my cheeks. "I can’t erase the pain and how much you have suffered, but I can bring back your happiness—if you let me."

I let out a bitter laugh. "There’s no way I’d ever be happy. Not after what I lost. It’s not possible."

I let my eyes wander as that one question nudged at my chest. "How am I alive? I felt myself die... I..."

"You are so much more than an Omega, Liandren. The blood of our ancestors—the Draven Lycan—flows through you. It can only be enacted after death."

I panted, pressing my hand over my chest. I was never an Omega. I was a Lycan.

"Dra...Draven? What does that even mean?" I stuttered.

"You’ll find out in due time. But for now, I’d like you to meet someone very special..."

I managed a nod. Everything was still so shocking for me.

I didn’t even know what to make of everything that had happened.

I was a Lycan from a powerful family. I had a family. But could I really trust them?

After what happened with Rowan and Melody, could I ever trust anyone else?

My attention snapped toward the door when I heard it creak open—and my heart stopped.

"Alice?" I squinted, locking eyes with the person in the doorway.

"Luna," her lips quivered.

I held my breath, watching the little baby in her arms stir in his sleep.

My wolf tilted her head, the moment she caught the scent. She knew, even though I was still in denial.

My lips parted, but no words came out at first, so I swallowed the bile rising in my throat.

"Is that my..." Tears peeled at the corner of my eyes as I covered my hands over my mouth. "Is that mine? My baby?"

The man beside me gave a curt nod, and my chest tightened. I couldn’t breathe.

Alice rushed up toward me, and I didn’t hesitate to cup him up in my arms.

"How is this possible? Rowan told me that he was dead..."

"I was the one given the task, but I couldn’t go through with it. Then I met your father. We had planned to save you that day, but you jumped—committing suicide," Alice shrugged sweetly as she turned back to the man beside me.

"So we brought you here. Waited for the day your Draven Lycan blood would awaken, and then you’d wake up from your coma."

I clutched the baby tighter. He was so big. If I had just waited one more day...

Maybe I’d have been able to raise him.

"How long has it been?"

"It’s been over a month. We weren’t sure you’d ever wake, but I saw a vision that you would on this very day..." the man said, and I nodded.

My son was alive. But if it weren’t for Rowan and Melody, my other child would have survived.

They took everything from me without a second thought.

I felt a hand over my shoulders, and I recoiled. My father flinched for a moment.

Alice tugged at my side. "My lady, you can trust him."

I eyed her with suspicion before I let my focus wander back to him.

He crossed his hands over his chest.

"Now that you know who you are... What are you going to do?"

I didn’t know. It was all confusing, and everything was hazy. But one thing was certain.

I tightened my palm as my face hardened.

"Retribution."