I run.

The path is steep here, sloping downward toward the main road. My feet slip on loose dirt and pine needles. Behind me, I hear him recovering, shouting.

"You bitch! You fucking—"

I don't look back.

Running down the path, my lungs burning, my heart hammering.

Behind me, his curses fade into the distance.

*****

I don't stop running until I reach the Alphahouse.

My hands shake as I yank open the door to the basement. I stumble down the stairs, my legs barely holding me up, and burst into our room.

Mother isn't here yet. Her morning cleaning shift won't end for another hour.

I collapse onto my cot, drawing my knees to my chest.

'He knows. He knows I heard everything. And tonight—'

Tonight he's coming for me.

I press my hands to my face, trying to breathe through the panic.

'Three more days. Just three more days until we leave. I can survive three days.'

But can I survive tonight?

The door opens.

I jerk upright, heart racing—

It's Mother.

She takes one look at me and crosses the room in three strides.

"What happened?" Her hands cup my face, searching for injuries. "Are you hurt? Did someone—"

"I'm fine." My voice shakes. "I just—I made a mistake."

"What kind of mistake?"

I can't tell her the truth. Can't tell her that Lucien tried to rape me in the forest. That he's planning to finish what he started tonight.

She'd do something reckless. Try to protect me. Get herself hurt.

"The clothes," I say instead. "The dresses I was washing. I—I dropped them in the forest. They might be ruined."

It's not a complete lie.

Mother's face softens with relief. "Is that all? Gaia, clothes can be replaced—"

"They were designer dresses. Worth thousands. Luna Rena is going to—"

A knock at the door.

We both freeze.

Another knock. Harder. Impatient.

"Open up!" Grace's voice, sharp and angry.

Mother squeezes my hand once, then goes to the door.

Grace barges in before Mother can fully open it. Her fat hand shoves Mother aside like she's nothing.

"You." Grace points at me. "Come with me. Now."

"What's this about?" Mother steps between us.

"Your daughter destroyed at least one hundred thousand dollars' worth of clothing belonging to the young ladies of this pack." Grace's smile is cruel. "She's going to be punished."

"Wait—" I stand. "You haven't even investigated what happened. You're just assuming—"

"I don't need to investigate. The evidence is all over the forest path. Wet dresses covered in dirt." Grace grabs my arm, her grip like iron. "Now move."

"This isn't fair!" I try to pull away. "You're punishing me without knowing what really—"

"I'm very busy, girl. You can explain yourself to the silver whip."

She drags me toward the door.

Mother tries to follow. "Please, at least let me—"

"Stay here," Grace snaps. "Unless you want to join her."

*****

The courtyard is full of sunlight.

It should be beautiful—warm, bright, peaceful.

Instead, it feels like a stage set for an execution.

Grace hauls me to the center of the space, where a wooden post stands. It's old, the wood stained dark.

"Strip off your shirt," Grace commands.

"What? No—"

"Do it yourself or I'll have the male Omegas do it for you."

Shame burns through me.

I pull off my threadbare shirt with shaking hands, leaving only my worn bra. The air is cold against my skin.

Grace calls out: "Marcus! Bring the whip!"

A male Omega appears—middle-aged, his face carefully blank. In his hands: a silver whip, gleaming in the sunlight.

Silver. The one metal that burns werewolves. That leaves scars even our enhanced healing can't fully erase.

"Ten lashes," Grace announces. "For destruction of property."

People are gathering. Windows opening. Faces appearing.

And there—on the second floor—Sienna and her friends. Diane. Jenny. Others. All of them holding coffee cups, settling in like they're about to watch a show.

Sienna catches my eye and smiles.

This is entertainment to her.

My humiliation. My pain.

Entertainment.

Marcus raises the whip.

"Wait!" Mother's voice.

She runs into the courtyard, her face pale but determined.

"Stop! Please! She's just a child—"

"She's seventeen. Old enough to be accountable," Grace says coldly.

"Then let me take her punishment!" Mother throws herself in front of me. "I'm her mother. I should have taught her better. I should have—"

"You should have," Grace agrees. "Very well. Marcus, whip them both."

"No!" I grab Mother's arm. "You can't—"

"It's alright, baby." Mother's hand finds mine. "We'll face this together."

Marcus looks uncomfortable. "Grace, are you sure—"

"Do it. Both of them. Ten lashes each."

The whip whistles through the air.

I close my eyes, bracing for pain—

And something inside me snaps.

All the years of abuse. All the humiliation. All the times I stayed silent, stayed small, accepted that this was just how life was for Omegas.

All of it crystallizes into a single, white-hot point of rage.

"NO!"

My voice cracks across the courtyard like thunder.

Everyone freezes.

I step forward, putting myself between Mother and the whip.

And for the first time in my life, I look Grace in the eye as an equal.

"This isn't fair!" My voice rings out, clear and strong. "You haven't investigated what happened! You haven't asked me why those dresses ended up in the dirt! You're just punishing me because I'm an Omega and you can!"

Gasps from the watching crowd.

Grace's face goes purple. "How dare you—"

"I DEMAND TO SEE THE ALPHA!" I shout over her. "I have the right to report this! To report ALL of this! The abuse, the injustice, the way Omegas are treated like garbage in this pack!"

Silence.

Complete, total silence.

Even the wind seems to have stopped.

Grace stares at me like I've grown a second head.

"You—" She can barely speak. "You dare—"

"I dare." My hands are shaking, but my voice is steady. "I'm a member of this pack. I have the right to speak to the Alpha. To report wrongdoing. It's pack law."

"Pack law doesn't apply to—"

"It applies to everyone!" I cut her off. "Or are you saying Luna Rena is above pack law? That she can abuse pack members without consequence?"

More gasps. Shocked whispers.

Grace's mouth opens and closes like a fish.

"I demand to see Alpha Owen!" I shout again. "Now!"

The courtyard erupts into chaos.