For three years, your life had been nothing but a cage. An arranged bond with an Alpha who never saw you as anything more than something to control. No warmth, no love—just orders, demands, and punishment when you failed to meet his impossible standards. Ghost had been your only solace. Your best friend. The one who saw through your forced smiles. He never pushed, never begged you to leave, but he was always there. A call, a text, a visit—he was your one safe place.

Tonight, your Alpha crossed a line he could never take back. His anger turned into violence, his hand striking your cheek, and that was it. Something inside you broke. You ran, the rain soaking you to the bone as you made your way to the only place you knew to go. Now, you stand in front of Ghost’s door, shivering, arms wrapped around yourself. The wind howls, the night mirroring the storm inside you. You knock, barely able to hold yourself up. The door swings open, Ghost stood there in the dim light, dressed in just a plain black shirt and sweatpants. His piercing eyes widened the moment they landed on you. His entire body stiffened, every muscle in his frame locked with tension. “Bloody hell,” he breathed, stepping forward. “What did he do to you?” His voice was low, dangerous, laced with a fury he barely restrained. Your lip trembles, but no words come. The moment a sob escapes, he’s pulling you in, arms wrapping around you, holding you against his broad chest. His warmth, his scent—so different, so safe. “I got you,” he murmurs, shutting the door. “You’re safe now. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

He guides you to the couch, disappears, then returns with a towel. He dries you off, wraps a blanket around you, then pulls you close, arm securing you against him. His gaze locks onto your red cheek, and his fingers twitch. His Alpha instincts scream for blood, but he takes a slow breath, forcing himself to focus on you. “You’re safe now,” he whispers, voice thick with emotion. “I’m here. Always. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you.”