Candace
The boot of the vehicle was small, suffocating, and pitch black. It reeked of motor oil, rusted metal, and old blood, the stench filling my lungs every time the car jerked over uneven ground.
My body had been crumpled into the cramped space like discarded luggage, my bound wrists burning behind my back while every sharp turn sent me slamming painfully against the hard steel walls. Pain radiated through every inch of me.
Everything hurt but the thought of Ryker, twisted through my chest worse than the physical pain.
The same boy who once pinned me gently against the rough bark of the old persimmon tree behind the training grounds while nervously sliding his signet ring onto my finger.
The same boy who carved our initials into the bark with his pocket knife C + R. The wood had probably grown over it by now, swallowed it whole, just like grief swallowed us. Just like the tragedy three years ago devoured every ounce of softness the triplets once gave me.
A broken sound escaped my throat. Ryker had to know Deidre was lying. He had to.
Then why did he still choose her? Why did all of them keep choosing her?
My whole body ached. Pain radiated from my broken ribs, the burn on my back and the places the stones had hit me.
I squeezed my eyes shut in the dark. I had to get out of this. Whatever punishment Ragnor was going to order, it could not be good. I was already so beaten up and without my wolf.
My heart was slamming so hard I could feel it in my throat.
Don't panic, breathe.
I had survived three years of this humiliation and pain from my pack members. I had survived the kennel, the pig sty, the collar suppressing my wolf, the beatings… the endless beatings. A horrible feeling settled heavily inside my stomach.
Would I survive this?
The vehicle slowed to a stop and fear sat heavy in my throat refusing to go down.
No, oh goddess no.
Fear immediately flooded every vein in my body. The boot swung open violently. Blinding daylight flooded the compartment before rough hands grabbed my arms and yanked me out hard enough to make my knees smash brutally against stone.
A cry ripped from my throat instantly. Jagged gravel tore into my skin while the guards dragged me across the courtyard like an animal headed toward slaughter. Pack members surrounded the wide open space already ready to watch their traitor's daughter bleed again.
The guards finally forced me onto my knees in the center of the courtyard. Sharp stones bit painfully into my skin while my bound hands strained uselessly behind my back. My hair fell wildly across my face, partially hiding the crowd staring down at me with disgust and hatred.
Then my gaze lifted. Ragnor towered above me, his grey eyes glaring down at me in disgust like I was a crawling worm hanging on his boots.
"Prepare the coals." His voice was low and carried across the courtyard like a blade. My entire body seized up in fear.
Coals? No. He wouldn't. He wouldn't use that on me.
"Ragnor," I choked out desperately, scooting closer to him on my knees. "Please, I didn't say it. I didn't, Deidre said it first, I was only repeating-"
Pain exploded across my scalp and a startled gasp tore from my lips as my hair got violently yanked backward.
Ryker crouched in front of me. His mismatched eyes locked onto mine.
Up close, I could see red threaded through his irises from anger and lack of sleep. His scent wrapped around me next.
Once, that scent used to calm every fear I had. Now it only filled me with dread. His hand wrapped harshly around my chin before forcing my face upward.
"You really don't know when to stop lying, do you?" he hissed coldly.
My chest tightened painfully. The hatred in his eyes destroyed me more than the grip on my jaw ever could.
"Fine," he snarled. "Have it your fucking way." His voice rose sharply afterward. "Where are the coals? Why the hell is it taking so long?"
"We're heating it up, Alpha Ryker," One of the guards responded.
"Ryker, please-"
He shoved my face away and rose to his full towering height. In the gap between him and Ragnor, I saw Reign with Deidre by her side. Her eyes met mine and gleamed with triumph before she blinked, masking it with a soft, sad look.
These were the boys who used to know me better than anyone.
I wanted to scream the words at them.
I'm still here. I'm still your Candace. Can't you see this isn't me?
Heavy footsteps suddenly echoed across the courtyard. My head whipped toward the guards returning with a massive iron basin carried carefully between them. Heat rolled toward me instantly.
The basin glowed red from within. My stomach dropped the moment I saw the burning coals piled inside.
Pure panic exploded through me. I lurched upward instinctively, ready to run when a boot slammed brutally into the back of my knee.
Pain shot through my leg immediately as I crashed back down.
Fear finally shattered whatever remained of my pride.
"Please!" I sobbed desperately. "Please don't do this. I swear on my father's grave I'm telling the truth."
A cold mocking laugh rang across the courtyard.
"Your father lost the right to be sworn on the day his head rolled," Reign drawled cruelly. "Try another bluff, sweetheart."
The words sliced straight through me.
My father was innocent. Someone lied.
Someone manipulated all of them but grief blinded them too deeply to see it. One of the guards grabbed my wrists and held them over the burning coals.
Heat immediately licked across my skin. I whimpered helplessly. Then Deidre's voice floated softly across the courtyard.
"Candace, please," She was pressed against Reign's chest, her hands fisted in his shirt, her shoulders shaking. "Just say you're sorry. Just apologize and it will stop. Candy, please, I can't bear watching this,"
Beg?! For what she had said?
It would bring her joy to see me grovel, to accept penance for her sins. Then again, I had fallen into her trap just like the day River turned up dead.
Fury burned hotly in my chest, as hot as the coal. I didn't do it. I would never beg for something I didn't do.
My gaze flickered to Reign's tightened jaw, and for a second his hazel eyes flicked toward the coals and then away, like even he couldn't stand it.
The guards forced my arms forward. My wrists were still bound but the heat from the coals cut the rope.
They grabbed each arm instead, two guards holding me, one on each side. My breath came in rapid gasps. I tried to fight, but I was starving and wolfless. I didn't stand a chance.
Heat blasted violently against my face while sweat rolled down my skin and into my eyes.
"From lying against my son," Aunt Elena screeched loudly, "to insulting River's memory at his own graveside?"
She stood nearby beside Uncle Nathan and Dylan. Dylan sat smugly inside a wheelchair with his foot bandaged while hatred gleamed openly across his face.
"Add more coals," Uncle Nathan ordered coldly. "I want her to remember this lesson."
Hatred burned so fiercely inside me I thought it might consume me whole.
I hate you, I thought, looking at him. Every single one of you!
My palms hit the coals and a loud, inhumane shriek tore out of my throat. Pure agony surged through me as the heat seared into my palms, the skin catching and charring. The smell of my own flesh burning rose into the air.
I screamed and screamed and could not stop, thrashing, trying to escape, to remove my hands from the coals.
"Hold her," Ragnor barked and the guards pressed down harder.
I thrashed. My whole body convulsed trying to pull away. I heard a whistle in the air and a cane landed across my back tearing another agonizing scream from my lips.
Tears burned down my cheeks. They whipped my shoulders, my legs. The cane tangled in my hair and yanked hard. My scalp heated in pain as I felt strands tearing from the root. It cracked against the side of my skull and my vision turned white.
"Disgusting piece of shit," Aunt Elena spat, stepping closer. Her wet spit hit the side of my face.
"Why are you so bent on ruining everything? Everything you touch rots and dies. Rotten cursed dog."
How could she do this to me?! When my father was alive, she used to treat me well. She had been my mother's closest friend together with Luna Ashley. How could she do this to her friend's daughter?
The spiked whip hit my face, tearing into my skin and my thoughts dissolved into a shriek. Blood was in my mouth. I couldn't feel my palms anymore, beads of sweat poured into my eyes. I was shaking so hard my teeth were rattling.
"Please!" Deidre sobbed, and through my blurry vision I saw her run to Ragnor, dropping to her knees before him.
"Please, stop, Ragnor, please!"
Her hands grabbed at his legs, her face tipped up to him streaming with tears as if it were her hands being burnt. As if she was the one being whipped. How was no one seeing the pretender for who she truly was?!
"I can't… please, make it stop, I know what she did but I can't watch this,"
"Ssh, she's not worth your tears, baby," Ragnor cooed softly and reached down. He drew her to her feet, his thumbs moved across her cheeks, wiping.
Dark spots blinded my vision along with the tears. My forehead dropped toward the edge of the basin as my arms gave out, the guards were the only thing holding me up.
The cane came down on my spine.
I stopped hearing everyone's cursing and words after a while. Everything just blurred into one sound.
Deidre's face swam in my vision. At the cemetery when I asked her that question, she had done something she and her mother always did when they were lying.
Her left eye had twitched twice. There were so many questions that needed to be answered and I was going to find them if it cost me my last breath.
The cane hit the back of my skull and the world tilted hard. The guards finally let go of my hands and I crashed to the ground. My soul was slipping away.
The sky came into view then Ragnor, Reign, Ryker, loomed above me like three monsters.
My mates? I thought dryly. No, they were monsters.
My fingers found the collar at my throat. The cold metal under my numb burnt fingertips.
Moon goddess, I prayed. You know I'm innocent. You know the truth. I've been rejected three times.
First my pack, then my first mate and my second chance mates. I'm not asking for much. Just one more chance. One last chance to avenge my family. To find the truth. To make this right. Please, hear me.
The collar cracked around my throat. The metal split apart, the pieces falling away from my neck.
For one blazing second something warm and alive surged through my chest. Then the darkness took over me.