The room was extremely quiet except for the groan of the chains that held Nia against the cold iron cross. Her head lolled to the side, her face pale under the dim light. A bead of sweat slid down her temple, and the slow, deliberate swing of the sword in front of her chest cast a shadow on the wall. With every creak of the fraying rope holding the blade, it dipped closer to her, its sharp edge gleaming cruelly.

She didn’t wake, but her body twitched with discomfort, her subconscious sensing the danger even in sleep.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Mum? You can’t do this to her!” Kael snapped, pacing furiously in front of Alia, who stood composed, her arms crossed, and her gaze hard as steel. She studied him, her sharp green eyes glinting like frost.

“She’s human, Kael,” she said flatly. “Weak, disposable. She’s lucky I’m giving her a purpose instead of letting her bleed out in that room.”

“Exactly mum! She’s just a mere human!” Kael said, taking a step closer, his jaw tightening. “She’s not going to heal from this. You know that, don’t you? She’s not like us!” he continued, his voice rising with desperation.

And yet,” Alia said, her voice as smooth as ice, her expression unwavering, “she’ll endure. Or she won’t. Either way, she’ll serve as a reminder of what happens when you disobey me.”

“Disobey?” Davon’s voice carried a mocking edge as he leaned lazily against the doorway. “This feels less like punishment and more like a tantrum.”

Alia’s head snapped toward Davon, her stare sharp enough to wipe the smirk off his face.

Kael jumped in, his tone desperate. “We get it. You’ve made your point. Now, let her go.”

A slow smile curled across Alia’s lips, but there was no warmth in it. “You really think I’d let her walk away after what she’s seen? After what she might figure out?”

“She doesn’t know anything!” Kael shouted, his voice cracking under the strain.

“She will remain here,” she said with chilling finality. “Once she’s finished with her punishment, she will work as an omega in the servants’ quarters. Consider this her…reassignment.”

Davon leaned casually against the wall, his usual smirk in place but with an edge of unease. “A wolfless person, working in the servant quarters? Surely you’re not planning to kill her, right?” he drawled, his tone teasing.

Alia turned her gaze on him, her silence heavier than any threat. The teasing light in Davon’s eyes dimmed, and he swallowed hard.

“If you’re trying to send a message to us,” Kael interjected. His voice had dropped, taking on a softer, pleading tone. “We get it. We really do. Now, please, release her.”

Alia’s sharp gaze cut settled on him. “Like I said before, she will remain in this room and complete her punishment.” She said, staring coldly to emphasize her finality. “After that, she’ll be sent to the servants’ quarters and will work for the pack like any common omega.”

“What?” Both Kael and Davon shouted at once, their voices blending into a roar of disbelief as they realized that their mom was in fact, not joking.

“You’re going to make our mate work like a common omega?” Davon added, his incredulous tone tinged with anger. He straightened, his disbelief cutting through his usual swagger. “You can’t do that. She’s ours—”

“She’s nothing,” Alia interrupted, her voice slicing the air. “I gave you both a way out. Reject her, and she could’ve returned to her pitiful life with her greedy father. But no, you both chose weakness, you chose to let her stay, tying her fate to this pack and its consequences.”

“But she knows nothing yet!” Davon protested, stepping forward. “If you let her go now, nothing will happen!”

“A lot would happen,” Alia said sharply. “My orders stand.”

“But—“

Alia raised a hand, silencing them both “Jacob!”

Kael’s beta stepped towards them silently, his expression unreadable.

“Ensure she remains in this room,” Alia commanded before sweeping past her sons without so much as a glance.

Kael’s shoulders sagged as she passed them by, his chest rising and falling with rapid breaths.

Davon broke the silence with a dry laugh. “Well, that went well.”

Kael spun toward him, his eyes blazing. “Don’t start.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Davon said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “I thought we were just going to stand here and watch while she turns our mate into a pack punching bag.”

Kael grabbed Davon’s arm, dragging him down the hall. “Not here.”

“Sure, because the study is so much more discreet,” Davon muttered, yanking his arm free as they entered Kael’s private study.

Kael slammed the door shut, turning to face his brother. His voice dropped, low and urgent. “We need to get her out. Now.”

Davon laughed again, the sound bitter. “Brilliant idea, Sherlock. And how do you suggest we do that? Fight off the entire pack? Maybe you can take on Jacob while I pack her a bag.”

“Stop being an ass!” Kael snapped, his voice bouncing off the walls. “We have to get her out of the pack and back to the human world,” Kael said, pacing the room. “She can’t survive here, Davon. You know that.”

“No shit!” Davon said as he leaned against the desk. “And whose fault is it that she’s here?”

Kael stopped and stared at his twin, his glare sharp enough to cut stone. “I’m serious! She can’t survive as an omega—a wolfless Luna? She’ll be eaten alive.”

Davon’s smirk faded, replaced by a flicker of unease. “Oh, so now you care about her survival, huh? Funny. Yet when you had the chance to reject her and avoid all of this, you didn’t. Mr. Lover Boy just couldn’t let her go.”

“For goddess’s sake, Davon, I couldn’t reject her! She’s my mate!” Kael snapped, running a hand through his hair. “You think I wanted this? You think I could look her in the eyes and—” He stopped, his voice breaking.

Davon’s smirk faded, his eyes narrowing. “Spare me the guilt trip. You couldn’t let her go because you’re selfish. Admit it.”

Kael took a step forward, his voice dropping dangerously. “You didn’t reject her either, brother.”

Davon moved away from the desk, standing toe-to-toe with Kael. “Because I knew you wouldn’t. But don’t act like you’re the only one suffering here.”

Kael’s jaw twitched, his restraint unraveling. “If we don’t get her out, she’ll die here. Is that what you want?”

Davon let out a sharp breath, raking a hand through his hair. “What I want is irrelevant. She’s already here, and you’re delusional if you think we can just sneak her out without consequences.”

Kael’s glare hardened, his wolf clawing at the surface. “So what’s your solution? Let her rot in the servant quarters while you sit back and do nothing?”

Davin shrugged, his posture deceptively casual. “Touché. But now that she’s here, we might as well make the best of it.”

Kael’s wolf growled in warning, his claws itching to emerge. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Davon leaned forward, a devilish grin curling his lips. “I mean, she’s here. She’s ours. Why not keep her? Who’s stopping us from fucking her? I mean, think about it. We can have her as much as we want without claiming her. Just sex. No strings attached.”

Kael’s expression darkened. “Are you out of your mind?”

Davon’s grin widened. “Oh, don’t play the righteous saint with me. I’ve seen how you look at her. You’re telling me you haven’t thought about having her in your bed? Tying her up and resting how much of you she can take without whimpering?”

Kael’s fists clenched, his wolf snarling at the implication. “She’s our mate,” he said through gritted teeth. “Using her like that would hurt her.”

Davon laughed, the sound cold and mocking. “Oh, so now you’re worried about her feelings? Don’t tell me you’re actually in love with her. You’ve known her for all of two seconds.”

Kael didn’t respond, his glare unrelenting.

“Wow,” Davon said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “I guess those tits of hers really did a number on you. What’s wrong brother? Can’t stop thinking about having her tied to your bed while you rile into her pus—“

Before he could finish, Kael lunged forward, grabbing Davon by the neck and slamming him against the wall.

“Don’t you dare talk about her like that,” Kael growled, his voice low and dangerous. His eyes burned with a mix of anger and brutality.

Davon smirked even as Kael’s grip tightened. “Touched a nerve, did I?” he choked out.

Kael’s eyes flashed. “I see how you look at her too.”

“She’s mine as well,” Davon replied cockily, his voice strained but defiant. “Oh twinnie…” he lulled, “don’t tell me you don’t want to share her.”

With a growl, Kael shoved him away, sending him sprawling onto the floor.

“Get out,” Kael snapped, his voice a harsh command.

Davon pushed himself to his feet, brushing off his shirt with exaggerated nonchalance. “Fine. Whatever you say twinnie.” He said with a smirk before walking out, leaving Kael alone with his thoughts.

Kael sank into the chair behind his desk, his head in his hands. His wolf growling restlessly. Davon was mad! Utterly mad! Why, just why did he have to share a mate with someone as crude as Davon?