Chapter 24

Autumn’s POV

I didn’t sleep all night.

Not even for a second.

I was too excited. Too restless. I kept tossing and turning on my bed, my eyes fixed on the ceiling, imagining it again and again. I kept replaying the scene in my head, the people shouting, demanding my freedom, calling out the Alphas, turning against them for what they did to me. Even if it was a lie, it felt so good. It felt like power.

This was what they deserved.

They thought they could play with me, ruin me, break me like before but not this time. This time, I was prepared. This time, I wasn’t going to sit quietly and cry while they stepped on me. No. I’d make them regret ever touching my life.

I got up from bed and went to the window, pulling the curtains slightly to peek outside. Nothing yet. The sun was rising slowly. The air looked too quiet.

I paced around my room, chewing on my bottom lip. What if no one came? What if Ivy and Rowan were all talk, like before? What if they changed their minds?

No. They wouldn’t. I cried in front of them. I played my part perfectly. They were angry for me. They promised to do something. They said they’d talk to others and protest.

And I know how people in this pack are.

Once someone starts a fire, everyone else throws wood in it. It was only a matter of time now.

Hours passed and my heart wouldn’t stop racing. I changed clothes three times. Nothing looked right. Everything looked too suspicious, like I was dressing up for attention. In the end, I wore something simple,a pale blue dress, no makeup, hair tied in a braid. I had to look soft and helpless like a victim.

Then it happened. I began to hear so many voices.

I rushed to the window and pulled the curtains open fully. My lips parted as I saw them.

A group of people - pack members storming toward the pack house. Some of them I recognized. Some of them were strangers. But all of them looked furious. I could see Ivy and Rowan. They were leading them.

It was really happening.

They marched up to the front gates, demanding to be let in. The guards looked panicked. One of them ran off, probably to get the Alphas. I stepped back from the window, breathing fast. My hands were shaking.

Then I saw Adonis, Dante and Knox.

They came out, all three of them, looking calm, but I could tell they were surprised. Maybe even nervous. People don’t usually question the Alphas. Especially not like this.

“They’re using a child,” someone yelled. “A child they were supposed to raise!”

“She wants to leave! Why are you forcing her to stay?!”

“She’s not your property!”

I smiled slowly, a small, secret smile. My heart felt full. The anger in their voices was like a warm hug to me. I let the curtain fall and stood there, soaking in the sound.

This was just the beginning.

Adonis raised his hand, trying to calm them. “Please,” he said, his voice firm. “Let us explain—”

“There’s nothing to explain!” another voice shouted.

“We saw the post!”

“She’s crying every day!”

I covered my mouth and pretended to gasp, even though no one could see me. Inside, I was laughing. They were so easy to manipulate. They really thought I was some poor girl being tormented by powerful Alphas.

Dante stepped forward too. “You’ve all misunderstood something,” he said. “We’ve done nothing to hurt her—”

“Then why won’t you let her go?!”

Knox didn’t say anything. He stood there, arms crossed, jaw tight. His eyes moved slowly across the crowd like he was trying to figure out who started this.

I wonder if he’ll guess it was me. I wonder if he already knows. I mean, that's exactly what I want.

I turned around and walked toward the door. It was time to show my face. Time to finish what I started.

But right as I stepped into the hallway, I saw Agatha.

Her arms crossed, eyebrows raised, lips pressed in a thin line.

“You did this,” she said, like a fact.

I blinked at her innocently. “Did what?”

“This protest. This drama. You planned all of it.”

I smiled without showing my teeth. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Are you serious? You’re causing chaos! You think this is a game?!”

I leaned closer and whispered, “They didn’t believe me. So I let the people believe me instead.”

“You’re evil.”

I laughed. “And who taught me? Hmm? Let’s not forget who locked me in the shed last winter. Or who lied and said I broke the Alpha’s office window. I’m just playing your game now.”

Her nostrils flared. “You’re stepping over a line, Autumn.”

I tilted my head. “And? What are you going to do? Cry about it?”

“The Alphas still healed you. They gave you a home—”

“I didn’t ask for this home. If they want me gone so badly, they should’ve let me leave when I begged to. But no. They wanted to keep me here, like some little pet. They made their choice.”

Agatha looked like she was going to hit me, but instead, she just shook her head and stormed off. Why is she even mad when she's supposed to be happy that I'm doing things like this?

I kept walking.

When I stepped outside, the shouting grew louder. Everyone turned to look at me like I was some kind of tragic princess. Ivy and Rowan rushed toward me and hugged me tightly.

“She’s here!” someone yelled.

“Poor girl!”

“She looks so scared!”

Yes. I made sure I did.

I stood behind Ivy and Rowan, acting like I didn’t want to be seen, like I was scared. I bit my lip, lowered my eyes, and clung to them like I needed protection.

“She’s just a child,” Rowan said. “You can’t keep her like this.”

“Let her go!” someone else added.

I could see the Alphas staring at me now. Their eyes were filled with a mix of anger, confusion, and something else I couldn’t name.

And then it happened. Something I never planned. Something I wasn’t ready for.

“She’s our mate,” Dante said suddenly.

Everything froze. The crowd went silent. I stopped breathing.

What?

No. No. This isn’t right.

What the hell did he just say?

“She’s our mate,” Adonis repeated, stepping forward. “That’s why we can’t let her go.”

Knox still didn’t speak, but his eyes were on me. What the hell is going on in their heads?

My heart dropped. I felt dizzy.

They’re not supposed to know yet. In my past life, they didn’t find out until much later. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go. This isn’t part of the plan.

“How do you know that?” I asked quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

I realized that I might have just admitted to its in front of them. Wouldn't there be suspicious since we don't even have a mating bond yet?

Adonis looked straight at me. “Because we can feel it. We’ve known for a while. We were just waiting for the right time.”

No.

No, no, no.

They’re not supposed to know. This ruins everything. If they know, they’ll get possessive again. They’ll start controlling me again. They’ll make everything harder.

This isn't right at all. We don't have that bond yet! How am I supposed to be their mate? This is so weird.

I had them right where I wanted them. And now?

Everything was slipping. The people around me started murmuring.

“She’s their mate?”

“But she’s so young—”

“Then why treat her like this?”

The questions started again, but this time the energy had shifted. It was no longer just about my freedom. It was about the bond. About us.

I didn’t like it.

I wanted to scream.  I wanted to undo this and make it stop. But I couldn’t show it. So instead, I started crying again.

With big, soft tears. I shook my head and whispered, “I didn’t ask for this.”

Rowan hugged me tighter. “It’s okay. You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”

Ivy glared at the Alphas. “You don’t own her just because of some stupid bond. Let her choose.”

The crowd cheered again, defending me. But I couldn’t hear it. All I could hear was the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

What the hell was happening?

“She is lying! She's not their mate!” Agatha announced loudly.