SCARLETT

Everyone looked at me as if I'd grown a second head, and I could practically feel the rage and confusion radiating off Roman, the feeling hitting me slap bang in the face, causing my heart to falter.

"What?" he snapped, gritting his teeth, his nostrils flaring. His fists were clenched beside him, and he stood tall, intimidation oozing from him.

"I know it sounds crazy, but-"

"Yeah, it sounds crazy," Roman chuckled, but there was no humour in it. He was laughing in disbelief. "Scarlett, why would you want to go anywhere near Nyx? There's no way. He'll kill you."

This was what I was afraid of. I knew Roman wasn't going to agree with me - no matter what. He didn't see this situation the same as I did. We were in different boats, here, but I didn't blame him for reacting in such a way. If I were him, I would feel the exact same.

Erica took a worrying glance up towards Roman before stepping towards me, holding out her hands. "Okay, okay," she said, trying to cut the tension in the room. "Although you sound crazy right now, we owe it to you to at least hear your reasonings."

"No." Roman shook his head, his tone leaving no room for argument. "There's no need to listen to the reasonings because it's not happening."

Brandon remained quiet in the corner of the room, seated in a leather chair. He held a calm aura, with his thumb touching his lip as he cocked his head, intensely listening to the conversation.

"Roman, please," I said, taking a step forward, sighing. "Please. You don't have to agree with me, but at least listen to me."

He clicked his door shut, his chest puffing out as he exhaled, cursing under his breath.

"Thank you." I knew better than to touch him at a time like this. I didn't want it to come across like I was attempting to cloud his judgement with our mate bond. "We want to get to know Nyx's way of thinking and how he works. We want to know all about how he treats the gifted wolves and what he does with them, so what better way to do that than be on the inside?"

"You-"

Erica turned to Roman with a stern look, silencing him with her hand. "Let her continue, Roman. Please."

"Thank you." I smiled at her, and she inhaled a shaky breath.

She didn't seem too excited about what I was saying, but it appeared she wanted to give me the benefit of the doubt and allow me to plead my case. She knew how important this was to me.

"You hand me over to Nyx, claiming you've discovered what I am and, although you don't want me as a mate, you want me safe, hence why you trust Nyx with me. It'll prove your loyalty to him. I can speak to other gifted wolves there and get the information on the inside. Then, I can feed it back to you guys."

"And how do you expect to do that?" Brandon said, finally speaking, causing his brother to snap his gaze to him, both of their jaws taut. "There's no way you'll be allowed out to be able to meet us. Knowing Nyx, you'll be under lock and key, chained up in a dirty cellar."

I chewed on my cheek. "I'll find someone who's willing to get to you guys. Me escaping won't work since I'm sure Nyx will have his eye on me, but gifted wolves are resilient. I know they'll jump at the chance to escape and feed the information to you guys in order to free everyone and bring down Nyx."

Roman huffed. "Why are we talking about this like it isn't hypothetical? Scarlett, this isn't happening." His eyes met mine, and he gulped, looking hurt and in pain. "I just found you, baby. I won't let you get taken away from me."

My heart hammered inside my chest. I had to do this, though, for the greater good. I knew no one here would understand. They weren't going to see it from my point of view, but the gifted wolves were my people.

I wouldn't turn a blind eye to the suffering they were enduring. If there was something that I could do to help, then I was going to do it. No matter the risk.

"Nyx won't kill me, Roman," I tried to reason with him. "Gifted wolves are too valuable. As long as I follow his rules and do what he wants me to do, I'll be in and out of there in no time."

"Both of you," he said, directing his words towards his brother and Erica. "Leave. Please."

Erica shot me a concerned look before she and Brandon exited the room, slowly shutting the door behind them, leaving me alone with my seething mate.

"Roman, I-"

"Don't do this to me, Scarlett." Roman's voice broke, and that sound was the most painful thing I'd ever had the displeasure of hearing. "Please don't do this to me. I know you want to help your kind, and we will. But there are other ways that don't involve putting you in harm's way. I can't take it."

He held onto my hand, glancing down at my mark, and I took a deep breath, allowing him to see it. As uncomfortable as I felt, if I wanted Roman to allow me to do this, I needed to show him I trusted him with my life.

This was selfish of me, I knew that, but this was bigger than Roman and me. I was confident that we were going to make it out of this alive, though. The person that wouldn't? Nyx. I was going to make sure of it, even if I had to kill him myself. Although, that would only cause his clan members to retaliate, and I wouldn't survive them.

I had a plan, though. This was my chance to help my kind and put an end to their suffering.

"Roman." I sighed. "I know you worry about me, but trust me when I tell you that I know what I'm doing. This is how we take Nyx down. Trust me."

My mate's beautiful face contorted, and he shook his head, taking a step back. "I'm not handing you over, Scarlett. I'd rather die than take you to Nyx."

I watched as he swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he sent me one last longing look before exiting the room, the air cold and icy. It was the one thing I didn't want - for Roman to give me that look. The look of disappointment.

***

I grunted as I pushed the barbell up, racking the weight and sitting up, sweat dribbling down the back of my neck and down my spine. My muscles were screaming at me to stop, but I couldn't bring myself to. I was angry—not at anyone in particular, besides Nyx. But I was angry at the world. It was cruel, unfair, and just plain wrong.

It was three in the morning, and sleep wasn't coming easily. It had been a day since my conversation with Roman about handing me over to Nyx, and he hadn't spoken to me much. We'd conversed slightly, but the words uttered were nothing more than questions about what we were having for dinner or a greeting.

It felt like we were back at square one, again.

I glared at myself in the mirror. Every time I saw myself, I felt nothing but pain. I was tired of it. I just wanted to love what stared back at me.

"Late-night workout?"

I jumped at the voice, noticing Erica strolling towards me, dressed in a pair of black lycra shorts and a purple sports bra. I hummed.

"It seems like I'm not the only one." I laughed, nodding towards her.

"The baby's growing, and it's giving me nausea. The only way I can tackle it is with a workout. I'm not sure why, but it works." A laugh bubbled up her throat.

Goddess, I wanted to experience pregnancy, but it was so far out of reach.

"Do you want someone to keep you company?" I questioned, nodding to the treadmill Erica was clambering onto, setting it to a low speed. "I was about finished, but I can stick around. I don't think I'll be able to sleep anyway."

Erica beamed. "I'd love that."

We walked next to each other in silence for around ten minutes. It wasn't uncomfortable, but there was an elephant in the room that it looked like neither one of us wanted to address.

"How's Brandon?" I asked pathetically, just desperate to fill the quiet.

"He's okay. He and Roman have been working all day today, so I didn't see him."

I nodded in understanding. I hadn't seen Roman, either, except when he got home and hopped straight in the shower, helped me make dinner and then went to bed. He looked like he wanted to ask me more about why I want him to hand me over to Nyx so much, but it looks like he doesn't want to bring it up again and encourage me to continue on with the idea.

"Scarlett." Erica's use of my name pulled me from my daydream, and I turned to her with wide eyes.

"Yes?"

"About what you said... about Nyx."

I inhaled. Here we go.

"I understand how much you want to take Nyx down. I really do. This means more to you than it does to all of us combined, but do you really think being imprisoned by Nyx is the right way to do this? I'm not being patronising. I'm genuinely curious. I want to understand your way of thinking."

I gulped. "Nyx has tormented my kind for as long as I can remember, Erica. I want to get him. No, I need to get him. I truly believe this was why Roman and I were brought together. Nyx wants to work with him so badly, and then he just so happens to be mated with a gifted wolf? I know it sounds stupid, but I honestly feel like this was meant to happen." My eyes brimmed with tears. "I can't back down. This is what I'm meant to do - to protect my people."

Erica dipped her chin in understanding, wrapping an arm around me comfortingly. "If this is how you feel, then I'm going to be behind you the whole way. I mean it. You're so passionate about this, and I think Roman is so upset because deep down, he knows you'll never forgive him if he doesn't let you do this."

Roman had every right to be upset. He didn't want to lose me, and that was completely understandable. It was just painful knowing he didn't want to help me in the way I believed was the best way.

"I'll speak to Roman. " Erica placed her hand on her belly, smiling at me. "We're going to help you. We're going to free your people, Scarlett."