AUBREY

I wake to the familiar scent of cedar and storm rain, my head pounding with the lingering echoes of Jax's punishment. The soft mattress beneath me and the worried green eyes hovering over me tell me I'm back in Knox's bedroom, though I have no memory of how I got here.

"Thank the Moon Goddess," Knox breathes, his hand moving to cup my cheek with devastating gentleness. "You scared me, Aubrey. One moment you were standing, and the next you collapsed like someone had struck you down."

The irony of his words makes my stomach clench. Someone had struck me down—just not in the way he imagines. I can still feel the phantom pain of Jax's mental assault, the way agony tore through my skull when I tried to warn Nora.

"I'm fine," I lie, struggling to sit up despite the way the room spins around me. "Just tired."

Knox's expression remains skeptical. "The castle doctor said it was exhaustion from pushing yourself too hard with the training sessions..." He pauses, studying my face with those perceptive eyes that see too much. "You need to take it easy."

If only exhaustion were my only problem.

I nod weakly, letting him believe the convenient explanation. It's easier than trying to explain that the man he considers his brother just tortured me for attempting to protect an innocent woman.

"Why did you want to speak with Nora?" Knox asks suddenly, his voice carefully neutral. "Before you collapsed, you called her name. What did you want to discuss?"

My throat tightens as I scramble for an explanation that won't reveal the truth. "It was... personal," I manage, hating how hollow the words sound.

Knox's brow furrows, clearly sensing there's more to the story. "Personal? Do you two know each other from before today?"

"No," I say quickly, perhaps too quickly. "I just wanted to ask her about... girl stuff. You know, what it's like being a female Alpha, that sort of thing."

Knox studies my face for a long moment, his green eyes searching for cracks in my explanation. I can see him weighing whether to push further, but finally he nods. "Alright. If you're feeling up to it later, you can find her after dinner."

Relief floods through me, though I know any chance to warn Nora has likely passed. Jax's message was clear—stay silent or face worse consequences.

"Tell him the truth," Aria urges desperately in my mind. "Knox deserves to know what kind of monster his brother really is."

"I need more time," I tell her, pushing her voice away. "I need to understand what Jax is really planning before I can risk everything."

A soft knock interrupts my internal struggle. An Omega servant appears in the doorway, bowing respectfully. "Your Highnesses, dinner is ready to be served."

Knox helps me to my feet, his hand steady on my elbow as we make our way to the dining room. The familiar corridor feels different now, charged with the knowledge that Jax walks these same halls. Every shadow could hide a threat, every servant could be one of his spies.

The dining room buzzes with conversation as we enter. Astor's massive frame fills his usual chair beside Iris, while Noah adjusts his wire-rimmed glasses as he discusses something with Queen Grace. The entire royal family has gathered, their faces warm with the kind of contentment that comes from shared meals and easy companionship.

But it's the sight of Jax and Nora seated flanking King Alexander that makes my chest tighten with dread. They look so comfortable, so naturally integrated into the family dynamic. Nora's face glows with happiness as she shares some story that makes the King laugh, while Jax plays the role of devoted mate with sickening perfection.

How can he sit there so calmly, pretending to care about these people while planning their destruction?

"Aubrey, dear," Queen Grace calls as we take our seats. "I'm so glad you're feeling better. You gave us quite a scare."

"Much better, thank you," I reply, forcing warmth into my voice while avoiding Jax's penetrating gaze.

Dinner begins pleasantly enough, with lighthearted conversations about training routines and other random topics. Iris regales us with stories from her latest adventures, while Astor adds dry commentary that makes everyone laugh. For a moment, I can almost forget the danger sitting mere feet away.

But when the topic shifts to inter-pack relations, Jax leans forward with sudden interest. "Speaking of pack dynamics," he says, his voice carrying that familiar note of casual authority, "I recently heard about a pack that simply vanished overnight. The Haven Pack, I believe it was called."

My blood turns to ice. Every muscle in my body goes rigid as he continues speaking, his tone conversational as if discussing the weather rather than the massacre that destroyed my entire world.

"Tragic, really," Jax continues, those storm-gray eyes finding mine across the table. "An entire pack wiped out in a single night. No survivors, no witnesses. Just... gone."

The words hang in the air like poison, and I know with sickening certainty that he's doing this deliberately.