“She’s gone,” he says when my tears finally dry up. Simple. Not a lie dressed up as comfort. Only the truth. “But nothing and noone could ever make you not matter. You’re better than anyone I’ve ever met, Princess. You matter, and I promise I’ll always be here for you when you need me.”
I don’t look at him. I can’t. My throat burns too much. But something in my chest eases. Just a little. I think I’ve been in love with Luca Taylor my whole life. And I understand he is speaking in a protective-older-brother sort of way, not because he loves me the way I love him.
I'm fourteen years old and he’s nine years older than I am. He still sees me as a kid. I’m still growing, still figuring things out. I’ve only had my wolf for a couple of years, and it’s still slow and awkward when I shift. Of course, he doesn’t see me the way I see him.
But still, butterflies erupt in my stomach, and my breath catches. My wolf purrs with contentment, as if she’s almost moved on from Mom’s betrayal already. And as long as we have Luca, everything will be okay.
“You don’t have to say that,” I whisper.
“I know.” He hauls himself up to a stand and reaches a hand down to pull me to my feet, too.
“I hate her,” I breathe.
“Yeah,” he says with a loud sigh. He pushes his hands through his inky black hair before clasping his hands behind his neck. “After what she’s done, I kinda do, too. Come on, let’s go visit your dad. He needs you to be strong for him. Can you do that for me, Princess?”
I nod my head before walking to the sink to splash water on my face. The ache inside my chest is still there. But it’s stopped clawing at me, trying to find a way out. I can be strong. I can hold it together. I still have Ryan and my dad. We can get through this as long as we stick together.
Chapter One
Sofia
“Damn, Princess. You broke my fucking nose,” Luca growls. His voice sounds thick and nasal because, yeah, I definitely broke his nose.
Good. He deserved it.
He’s sitting in a pool of his own blood, glaring up at me acting as if I’m the problem. Like, I didn’t just watch my best friend nearly get dragged off by a monster. My heart’s still hammering against my ribs from the adrenaline coursing through me. My wolf is spitting fire at not being able to help someone in such a vulnerable position. Someone who is not only hugely important to me, but who is physically weaker andneededme.
My blood burns from the frustration, anger, and—if I’m honest with myself—the complete terror of helplessness I had felt.
I haven’t felt that useless or small in years. Not since the night my mother blew our life apart. I’ve worked hard to never feel that insignificant again. And Luca had to go and annihilate every bit of confidence and self-belief I’ve been building.
The cloying scent of copper burns my nostrils as I survey the damage. As well as his obviously broken nose, blood stains his chinand gray shirt. There are long, angry claw marks along his hips and outer thighs, cutting past his jeans and into the flesh. My marks. I did that when I tried to fight him off.
He should’ve let me go.
I narrow my eyes at him. I know the look I’m giving would make most wolves back down, but of course, not Luca. No, he watches me like I’m a puzzle he already knows how to solve. One that’s not worth his time. Assuming he’s not the reason I’m standing here, shaking with fury and shame and something that came dangerously close to grief. He could have gotten Emily killed. Jackson too.
What the hell is wrong with him? I’m an alpha female, for fuck's sake. I can handle myself in a fight. I could have taken at least two of those warriors easily.
“You’re lucky that’s all I did, you un-fucking-believable, chauvinistic asshat!” I shout, my voice echoing across the clearing. “I can’t believe you did that!”
My chest rises and falls in hard bursts as I glare down at Luca, and he glares right back. He is the absolute worst! He’s sitting there, resetting his broken nose, looking so damn calm about it all. As if we aren’t in a clearing with seven dead warriors and a dead alpha.
Not that they’ll be missed. Every last one of them deserved to die.
My claws are still out, my wolf pacing just beneath my skin, liquid gold burning in my eyes, and my vision sharper while my wolf remains present. Every instinct in me is still screaming frombeing held back, restrained like I’m some fragile little pampered princess instead of a completely capable alpha female.
“How do you still not get that I can look after myself?” I snap, my voice cracking with the heat of betrayal.
“I saved you from getting hurt in a fight you have no business being a part of,” he mutters, voice low and clipped. “No need to be a brat about it.”
He looks up at me, raising an eyebrow as if he’s expecting a thank you. Like saving me from the fight—saving me from myself—is something I needed.
“Seriously, Luca? A brat? Because it's childish and unreasonable to not want to stand by while a sadistic psychopath abducts my best friend?That’syour take on the situation? Unbelievable.”
I growl, throwing my hands up in pure rage. There’s no talking to him. No fucking point anymore. I whirl around to where Ryan is watching this disaster unfold. Completely naked after shifting back into his human form after the fight, but I’m too angry not to lay into him. “And you! What the hell, Ryan?”
“What did I do?”
