My younger brother is determined to pry into the corner of the wall

Three years after I escaped from that hellhole, my brother-in-law, Ben, finally found me. He held me so tight, like he was afraid I’d disappear again. When he saw the scar on my stomach, he just cried, holding me close.

“Did it hurt?” he whispered.

“It’s okay,” I lied.

“Thank God I found you, Jenny. I’ll never let you go again.”

Ben was the Beta of our pack, second only to the Alpha, his younger brother, Aaron. His words were a balm to my frayed nerves.

“Okay,” I managed.

I tried not to think about that day. Aaron’s eighteenth birthday, the night of his first shift, the most important day in the pack’s calendar. Aaron would transition from human to werewolf, officially taking over as Alpha. As an omega, I wasn’t allowed to attend. I was supposed to be at home with my parents, praying to the Moon Goddess.

The thought sent a spike of pain through my head. I remembered Aaron waiting for me to cook him dinner that night.

“I hate salad. I want steak.”

“I don’t know how to cook it.”

“Can’t you learn, for me?” He’d wrapped his arms around my waist, nuzzling my neck.

“How about you try the salad, just for tonight?” I’d stood on tiptoe, kissing him.

He’d grinned, starting to unbutton his shirt. “You’re right.”

We never made it to dinner. Instead, I spent an hour staring at the ceiling. Afterward, he’d held me tight.

“Jenny, you’ll always stay with me, right?”

“Of course.” Terrified he’d see the lie in my eyes, I’d handed him a glass of water. “Don’t be silly.”

Aaron drank it down without a second thought. Then he stumbled, his body swaying.

“Jenny? What did you do?”

Aaron was powerful. My only chance was to drug him.

“Forget me, Aaron,” I’d whispered, running out the door, leaving his pained roars and shouts echoing behind me.

Life after my escape was quieter than I expected. Ben was busy running the pack, but he spent every spare moment with me. The former Alpha and Luna had stepped down, and the new Alpha remained shrouded in mystery. No one had seen him.

“Aaron’s kept a low profile since his first shift,” Ben told me. “He hates public appearances.”

I nodded, letting Ben pull me into his arms.

“Jenny, I missed you so much while you were gone. I want you to stay right here with me. When Aaron returns, I’ll talk to him about us.”

Looking into his earnest eyes, I couldn’t refuse. Five years ago, the Moon Goddess had chosen me as Ben’s mate.

I nodded shyly, and Ben, overjoyed, kissed my cheek.

I didn’t expect to see Aaron again so soon. Three days later, I was doing laundry when I saw him emerge from the forest, surrounded by pack members. I finally got a good look at him. He wore a leather jacket, taller than everyone else, with close-cropped hair. The knife in his hand was still dripping blood.

I froze, and when his gaze shifted towards me, I ducked behind a thick tree, hoping he wouldn’t see me.

Ben noticed Aaron’s hesitation. “What is it?”

Aaron gave a cryptic smile, then winced, a hand going to his side. “Nothing.”

They continued walking, then Aaron st...