My jaw clenched, but before I could speak, Asher stepped in front of me. "She’s here because I brought her."

Soren crossed his arms, unimpressed. "And why should we trust her now? She abandoned us. She chose him."

Murmurs spread through the pack. I could feel the weight of their resentment pressing down on me like a vice.

"I didn’t choose him," I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. "I was taken."

Soren let out a sharp laugh. "Taken? You were mated to him for years, Astrid. If you wanted to leave, you would have."

I opened my mouth, then shut it. He wasn’t wrong. For so long, I had convinced myself that Magnus loved me, that things would change. I ignored the signs, the betrayal unfolding right in front of me.

But I wouldn’t ignore it anymore.

"You can hate me all you want," I said, meeting Soren’s gaze. "But I’m not here to beg for your forgiveness. I came back because I have nowhere else to go."

Silence. The pack watched, waiting.

Then, a new voice cut through the air. "Then you stand before the Elders."

My stomach twisted as the crowd parted, revealing the three Elders of the Crimson Pack. Their eyes, old and knowing, bore into me as they motioned for me to step forward.

Asher gave me a small nod. "Go."

I swallowed hard and walked toward them.

Inside the Elders' cabin, the air was thick with the scent of burning herbs. The room was dim, lit only by a few flickering candles. The Elders sat in a row, their faces unreadable.

"You have returned," the eldest, Elira, said. "But not as the girl who left."

I forced myself to stand tall. "No."

"You were taken by the Shadow Pack," she continued. "Bound to their Alpha. And yet, you return now. Why?"

I hesitated. "Because I finally see the truth."

Elira exchanged glances with the others. "And what truth is that?"

"That I was never meant to be with Magnus," I said, my voice low. "That I was never his mate. I was just a pawn in his father’s plans."

The words felt bitter on my tongue, but they were true. I had spent years believing Magnus and I were fated. That our bond was real. But I had been wrong.

One of the Elders, a man with a scar across his cheek, nodded slowly. "Then you must reclaim your place. But it will not be given freely."

I clenched my fists. "I don’t expect it to be."

Elira leaned forward. "Then let us see if you can still fight for your pack."