Riley’s POV

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    b+5 /bbFree /bCoins

    They hadn’t expected so many of them to show up. They knew they couldn’t get away today, and the moment Carmen and the others burst in, chaos erupted.

    “Die!” Carmen’s roar cut through the room as she charged straight at Maddox, eyes zing red with fury.

    And then I saw her–Carmenunch herself at Otto Wilson. My heart stopped. He was on top of me. The white sheets were stained crimson with my blood. My skin was raw, blistered, and burnt in ces, my face swollen and battered. I could barely breathe, my body trembling violently.

    Carmen’s face contorted with rage, her teeth bared. “You son of a-! How dare you touch Riley! Did you think I wouldn’t find out?!”

    “Wait! Wait!” Otto cried out, panic in his voice. “It wasn’t me! I didn’t touch her!”

    Carmen’s eyes snapped toward him, her pupils narrowing dangerously. “Then who—?” ”

    “It was Selene Ashford! She made the call, she told me to- Otto stammered, writhing under her fury.

    Carmen froze for a fraction of a second, her chest heaving, before realization struck. Her furious red gaze shifted to Jace Hale, who had just entered behind Duke. His face went pale.

    “You–Selene?” Jace whispered, stunned. His mind raced, and recognition dawned like a lightning bolt. “It was…my ex–Selene?”

    The truth hit Carmen like a hammer. Rage twisted back into a different kind of focused intensity–she wasn’t just protecting me; she’d thought Otto had personally attacked me. The fire in her eyes red again, now more precise, targeted.

    Otto screamed, thrashing weakly as Carmen advanced again, de raised. “I swear! It was her call! She’s the one–Selene Ashford!”

    I coughed violently, tasting blood as my throat constricted. My body shook from pain and adrenaline, but my wolf growled low, instinctively aware that the fight wasn’t truly over.

    “You’re asking for death!” she screamed, plunging her de into Otto’s back.

    He shrieked, copsing onto the bed beside me, convulsing, his face twisted in agony.

    Her strikes were relentless, each one a furious blow that left him utterly defenseless. Otto’s body became a torn canvas of wounds under the storm of her attacks.

    I struggled to breathe, shock rooting me to the spot. Tears spilled uncontrobly.

    “Stop… don’t…” I whispered, my voice hoarse.

    Carmen’s eyes softened for just a moment as she dropped her de and swept me into her arms. “Riley… it’s okay. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

    Outside, the sounds of fighting slowed. Caelum Knox, Duke stormed inside, assessing the scene. Their jaws

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    O

    10:13

    28 Aug

    dropped at the sight of me–exposed, battered–and Otto’s lifeless body.

    b+5 /bFree Coins

    “Carmen… you killed him again?” Duke’s voice was tense, concern threading every word. “We could have called the authorities. They’re criminals! You don’t need to-”

    “Authorities?” Carmenughed, harsh and cold. “These animals hurt Riley. If they go to prison, they’ll be back in a few years. That isn’t justice–it’s mercy.”

    “They need to pay with their lives,” she spat, her voice deafening in the room. “Every wound they inflicted. on Riley, they will repay in full.”

    I clung to Duke, my tears streaming, heart pounding. “What means again?”

    Duke’s face hardened. “Those who tormented you in prison… after release, Carmen made sure they wouldn’t hurt anyone again. Do you know what she’s done for you, Riley? Even Maddox’s legs–she broke them herself to stop him from hurting you further.”

    “Shut up!” Carmen snapped at Duke, fury zing in her eyes. Her warning could have burned steel.

    Caelum stepped in, tugging Duke slightly. “Duke… Riley is under the Alpha’s protection. Speak carefully.”

    But Duke’s chest burned with helpless anger. “The person I love is about to be sentenced… and you expect me to stay silent?”

    A deadly silence fell.

    Duke took a deep breath and stepped in front of Carmen, taking the knife from her hands.

    “What are you doing?” she asked warily, scanning him for threat.

    “I won’t let you die,” Duke said through clenched teeth. “Get out of here, now. I’ll handle this. If the authorities arrive… I’ll cover for you.”

    My chest tightened, nearly suffocating from the mix of pain and relief.

    A violent cough tore through me, and blood spurted into my mouth. My vision blurred at the edges, but I clung to Duke’s presence like a lifeline.

    Even in the haze of pain, my wolf growled low in my chest, reminding me the fight wasn’t over. But for the first time in hours, I felt… protected.