Riley’s POV

Morning sunlight spilled through the narrow gap in the curtains, casting a pale gold strip across my hospital bed.

+8 Pearls

Maybe it was the rest, or maybe the meds had finally kicked bin/bb, /bbut my headache wasn’t as bsharp /btoday. My mind felt less foggy, more aware.

1 got up slowly, slipped on the slippers Mia had brought me, and stepped out of the room. I just wanted some bair/b. bA /bmoment of quiet.

But the universe had other ns.

Just as I turned the corner into the hall

Sweet Coy. bFamiliar/bb. /b

Scarlett.

hallway. I heard a voice bthat /bgrated on my nerves like ws on bone.

1 looked up–and sure enough, there she was, walking shoulder to shoulder with Maddox.

She wore a white dress, her makeup blight /band watery like she was trying to embody innocence itself. A thick bandage wrapped around her forehead, and her whole posture screamed frail and delicate. The kind of look that begged for bsympathy/b.

Herughter died the second she spotted me. She flinched, like she’d seen a ghost. And then, softly–so softly it made my skin crawl–she said. “Riley…”

Maddox paused 100, his eyes flickering with something unreadable. Maybe guilt. Maybe pity. I didn’t bcare /bto digb. /b

I stopped, just for a beat.

And then I kept bwalking /bbRight /bbpast /bthem.

Like they were air.

But Scarlett, bas /balways, wasn’t content to be ignored. She edged closer with that same mock–timid expression she always wore when she was pretending bto /bbe fragile.

“Are

you

feeling any better?” she asked. “Maddox and I came to visit you… Where are you going?”

I didn’t answer.

Didn’t even blook /bat her

But she kept inching closer. Kept needling at me with her fake concern. She wanted a reaction. She needed one. So I gave it to her.

I walked up, calm and measured–and pped her clean across the bface/b.

The sound echoed in the corridor like a whipcrack. Her bdainty /blittle body stumbled backward from the bforce /bof it, bthe /bpristine makeup on her cheek bsmudging /bbeneath the vivid red of my handprint.

Maddox caught her before she could fall. His arm went around her waist, and with bhis /bother hand, he shoved me.

Hard

“What the hell is wrong with you, Riley?” he snapped. “Scarlett came here because she was worried about you. And you just- hat her Without even listening? What is wrong with your

His voice was raised, sharp with anger. A few nurses turned their heads as they passed.

1 staggered slightly from his push.

b1:47 /bPM – ?

And then I pped him too.

“Don’t touch me.” I hissed.

The shock on his face was almostical. His eyes went wide bas /bif he couldn’t believe I’d actually done it.

But I wasn’t done.

+8 Pearls

“You want to know what’s wrong with me?” I said. “I want to know what Scarlett thinks she’s doing, shoving her fake little wounded doe‘ act in front of me like I’m supposed to care.”

“She knows I hate bher/b. She knows I want nothing to do with her. But she keeps getting in my face. So yeah. I pped her. And I’d do it againb./b”

“And you–what the hell are you, Maddox? What gives you the right to step in like you’re some noble protector?”

He just stared at me like I’d grown another headb. /b

The boy I used to follow around like a puppy. The one I used to call “my Maddox.” My big brother figure. My first love.

He looked at me like he didn’t recognize me anymore.

Hell. I didn’t recognize him either.

“You’ve changed,” he said finally, his voice tight. “You’re not the Riley I knew. What happened to you?”

Iughed. Laughed because if I bdidn’t/b, I’d scream.

“You’re really gonna pull bthat/bb? /bFive years, Maddox. Five years locked up in a cell for a crime I didn’tmit. You think that doesn’t change a person?”

“You let them throw me in there. You stood next to Zara band /bsaid nothing when shebeled me unstable. You defended Scarlett bwhile /bI was in chains.”

I stepped closer.

“You Don’t Know. Me.7

Scarlett let bout /ba trembling sob behind him, her eyes all ssy and wet. “Maddox, are you bokay/bb?/b” she whispered, conveniently loud enough for me to hear.

Then she looked at me again, tears brimming.

“You hit me. And now you bhit /bbMaddox/b? He came because he was worried about you, Riley. Is this how you treat people who

Her bvoice /bshook, her bottom lip trembling like a scared little pup.

But her eyes-

They were shining with satisfaction.

She was loving this.

She was ying the victim while I bstood /bhere, hands shaking with rage.

I raised my arm again. Just to watch her flinch.

She squeaked and darted behind Maddox, pecking out from behind his shoulder like some terrified cub.

“Ruley, you’re being so cruel.”

Enough

“Looks like thest lesson from the White Wolf wasn’t enough for you–byou /bwant to experience it again?” I stared him.

b42 /bPM

“Enough, Riley. Scarlett already told me–your White Wolf is just a ck magic illusion. Stop lying to yourself.”

Maddox grabbed my wrist this time, harder. His grip was tight, fingers bdigging /binto my skin.

+8 Pearls

He bgrowled/b. “No one’s going to put up with your tantrums forever. Yoush out like this bagain/bb, /bband /bdon’t expect me to just stand here band /btake it—

Smack.

Another p.

Lused my free hand this time.

His sentence ended right there.

The crack of bpalm /bagainst cheek rang louder than thest.

He stood, stunned.

His jaw clenched. His eyes flickered, wild and unfocused.

Then I hit him bagain/b.

Third time.

Harder.

His head jerked sideways, and the flush that bloomed on bhis /bface was near violet. The once–pristinewyer, the golden boy bof /bthe werewolf courts, now stood red–faced and speechless.

“Still want to act like my keeper?” I said, eyes like frost. “You think you matter in this? You’re not my mate. Not my Alpha. You’re nothing.”

I stepped around him.

“I may not be loved in the Ebonw bPack/b,” I said without turning back, “but at bleast /bI’m still Scarlett’s sister. On paper. bAnd /bif I want bto /bp some sense binto /bmy baby sister, bthat’s /bfamily business. You? You’re just a spectator. Keep your nose out.”

Maddox stared at me, open–mouthed, like I’d gutted hun.

bHis /bbvoice /bcracked when he finally managed, “You hit me…”

There was disbelief there. Hurt. Like I’d just killed something sacred.

He’d once been everything to me

And now!

He

a stranger I couldn’t stand to blook /bbat /b

I said nothing

Just met his gaze.

And in mine, he saw the truth-

That whatever part of me had once cared about him, had once thought he was a hero-

That part was gone

Buned with the girl he helped send to prison.

And I

ver digging it up

again.