Chapter 8

The forest was still and cold.

The only thing that could be heard was the distant howls of wolves training or fighting. Thorne was in the cursed woods known only to him, where there was no sound, only the steady thud of him punching the wood.

Thorne's fists were soaked in blood. He stood shirtless, slick with sweat, chest heaving. The tree in front of him had long since cracked from the repeated assault, its wood now covered in blood and splintered.

Five days. Five days without sleep.

He was losing his mind.

This was the longest he'd gone without sleeping. His previous record had been three days, but now, five days? Every time he shut his eyes, he could only see her.

The gods whispered in his ears when he closed his eyes. He'd see her, his mate, burning, reaching for him. Screaming, crying, and then he'd see Adina's face, blood dripping down her hands, a tiny lifeless pup cradled in her arms. Barren. Murderer. He knew the gods would never do anything for him. Instead, they looked for ways to make his life harder.

Sending him a mate was one thing.

Sending him a murderer as a mate was another.

A murderer he couldn't reject.

Thorne growled and drove his fist into the tree again, splinters digging into his fist, but he didn't stop. Couldn't.

Thorne staggered back, breathing ragged. The tree was ruined, half-dead and leaning. Still, it stood, just like him.

Broken. But standing.

Behind him, someone cleared their throat. "Alpha."

Thorne didn't turn. He didn't need to. The scent was familiar, the footsteps careful.

It was Caelum. The Beta stood a few feet away, watching silently.

It's happening again, Caelum thought grimly. Five days without sleep, and the King is unraveling. This would usually happen during the nearing of a full moon, but not this time. Thorne has had it rough for the longest time; he's struggled to sleep and rest…he's gone days without sleep, but this…this was the longest he's gone. Five days without shutting his eyes. Caelum was worried.

"What?" Thorne asked, his voice low and hoarse.

"We've caught them. The rebels. And the informant who's been feeding them information."

Thorne's head turned slightly. He reached for his shirt, slung over a low branch, and pulled it on.

"Where?" he asked, his voice a growl.

"In the hall," Caelum replied. "Everyone's waiting."

Thorne hummed quietly. He started walking towards the house, anger bubbling beneath his skin.

As they neared the edge of the woods, Caelum spoke again, hesitant this time. "Also… there was an incident tonight. Adina. She was—"

He didn't get to finish his words.

Thorne didn't even stop walking.

He moved past him without a word, as though the name alone meant nothing. As though the very thought of her only fueled his disgust.

Caelum watched him go, jaw clenched. He wondered silently what could've fueled Thorne's disgust for the slave this much.

Five rebels stood in chains—worn, ragged, bloodied. Behind them, a man knelt. Older, dressed in noble robes. A face known by all.

A traitor among their own.

Thorne entered the hall, and silence fell, not a soul dared to breathe out of line. He stopped before the noble and tilted his head, like a predator studying prey.

"I knew it," he said finally. His voice carried no emotion. "I smelled your rot months ago."

The noble began to beg, his voice trembling. Just pathetic. "My King, please. I only did it for the peace of the realm. I never meant harm—"

Thorne cocked a brow. "For the peace of the realm? I'm all ears. Tell me exactly how rebels would've brought peace to the realm."

The noble swallowed hard, his body trembling. He fell forward to the floor. "F-forgive me, my king. I have sinned against you and the people! Forgive me, my king!" He cried out shamelessly.

Thorne looked down at the man groveling at his feet. His lips curled, not into a smile, but something darker.

"Stand up," he ordered.

The noble scrambled to obey, his face soaked in tears. The rebels behind him flinched but stayed silent.

Thorne stepped closer, his voice low. "When you sold out your people, did you beg for them too? Did you weep for the children who would've died if your little betrayal succeeded?"

The noble shook his head frantically. "I didn't think. I swear I didn't think it would go that far—"

"That's the thing about traitors," Thorne said, his voice now deadly. "You never think it will go that far."

He turned to the crowd gathered in the hall. Pack members, guards, nobles, servants…even the slaves.

And among them… was her.

Adina stood to the side, head lowered slightly, flanked by the two slave girls. Her cheek was bruised. Faint blood dried at her lip. She was still, silent, and watching.

Thorne's gaze lingered on her for only a second—but it was enough for the fury to surge in his chest. All that he read in that report all surging into his mind yet again.

She killed pups

. A murderer.

The gods had tied him to a creature like that.

She wasn't so different from him, and he didn't want an image of himself.

He looked back at the noble, his eyes glowing now with rage.

"Let this be a message," he snarled, his voice echoing across the hall. "To all those who think betrayal will buy you mercy."

He didn't wait for a response.

With a snarl, Thorne's claw shifted from his hands with a crack. In one brutal motion, he slammed his clawed hand into the noble's gut.

The man screamed, blood gushing instantly, but Thorne didn't stop. He gripped hard and with one savage pull, ripped out his insides.

The noble fell to the ground, his insides spilling across the floor.

Blood splattered a

ll around the people.

And across Adina's face.

She stood frozen, her body locked, eyes wide in horror as crimson dripped down her cheek.

Thorne stood over the corpse, breathing heavily.

Then… he turned.

Their eyes met across the hall.

Adina's stare trembled.

His didn't.

In that moment, all he could see was her with blood on her hands. The tiny lifeless pup she murdered.

The gods mock me still. Thorne thought coldly, casting a final look at the noble's twitching corpse. Just like every traitor who covered themselves in tears and begs for mercy after bathing in blood.

"Clean this up," he barked out before storming out of the hall, Adina's gaze locked in his mind. She stared at him like he was a beast. A monster the gods made.