Riya Lesnar
The past weeks—or months—are a haze I cannot name. Battles were fought behind closed doors, loyalties tested in silence, and choices made in ways the world will never see. Riya was always there, in fragments, in memories, in the part of me I can never show.
By now, nothing is simple. No one is safe. And the next move we make could decide everything.
This is where the story picks up. The war, the love, the betrayals—they are all coming to the surface. There is no turning back.
Mia and I returned to the pack feeling tired but content from our Lunch. We had visited Hilda's dad at the hospital, but when we got there, he was far asleep and the doctor resisted us from waking him up.
After looking at Hilda's dad, I felt pity for her, including Mia, who kept reminiscing if that's why Hilda had been feeding Ethan the poison so she would be able to sort her father's hospital bill.
When we got inside, I said goodnight to Mia and headed upstairs to Ethan's room. I was eager to share what I'd learned about the herbs, and I was hoping he'd still be awake waiting for me.
But when I opened his door, the room was empty. The bed was still perfectly made, just like I'd asked him to do earlier.
I walked back downstairs, feeling confused and a little worried. Where could he have gone so late at night?
I spotted one of the maids cleaning in the hallway and walked over to her.
"Excuse me," I said. "Do you know where Alpha Ethan is? I was looking for him in his room, but he's not there."
The maid looked up from her work with a concerned expression. "Oh, My Luna. There was a problem at the pack border earlier tonight. Some kind of threat or attack. The Alpha left with Zeeshan and many of our soldiers to handle the situation."
My heart sank. "When did they leave? Do you know when they'll be back?"
"They left about two hours ago," she said. "I'm sorry, but no one knows when they'll return. It depends on how serious the problem is."
I felt sad and worried hearing this news. Ethan was out there somewhere, possibly in danger, and I wasn't able to be with him or even tell him what I'd discovered about the herbs.
"Thank you for telling me," I said to the maid.
I walked to my room feeling heavy-hearted. All I could do now was pray for Ethan's protection, and for all the soldiers who had gone with them.
Just as I was about to open my bedroom door, my phone beeped with a text message. I pulled it out and saw it was from my boss at the strip club.
"Last chance. Come tonight."
I stared at the message for a long moment, then slid it away without responding. I went into my room and sat on my bed, thinking about everything that had happened today.
I got up and went to take a bath, hoping the warm water would help me relax and think more clearly. As I soaked in the tub, my mind kept going back to my boss's message.
Maybe going to the club tonight would actually be better; this could be the perfect opportunity to confront him, to tell him I was done and that he needed to stop threatening me. With Ethan away and not sure when he'd be back, this might be the best time to handle this situation once and for all.
I could go there and make it clear that I wouldn't be controlled or blackmailed anymore. I could warn him to leave me alone, and then I'd never have to deal with him again.
The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the right thing to do. I needed to face this problem head-on instead of running from it.
---
Later that night, I got dressed in dark clothes and quietly sneaked out of the pack house. I was careful not to make any noise as I left, not wanting to wake anyone or answer questions about where I was going.
The drive to the strip club felt longer than usual. My heart was beating fast with nervousness, but I was determined to end this situation tonight.
When I arrived, I sat in my car for a moment, gathering my courage. Then I reached into my purse and pulled out the mask I used to wear when I worked there. I slipped it on, covering the upper half of my face.
I took a deep breath and walked inside.
The club was busy, with loud music and flashing lights. The familiar smell of alcohol and cigarettes hit me immediately, bringing back memories I'd tried to forget.
I had barely stepped through the door when I heard my boss's voice calling out over the noise.
"So you finally decided to show up!"
I walked over to where he was standing behind the bar, trying to stay calm and confident.
"I came here to talk to you," I said firmly. "I want you to stop…."
Before I could finish my statement, I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"Riya?"
My blood turned to ice immediately, the voice sank in. I prayed it wasn't true, that my ears were playing tricks on me. But when I turned around slowly, my worst nightmare was standing right there.
My father was staring at me with shock and horror written all over his face. Next to him stood Maddison, and she was smiling with satisfaction, like this was exactly what she had planned.
I felt like the world was crum
bling around me as I stared back at them, unable to move or speak.