Eileen’s POV
The abandoned furniture factory in the western suburbs smelled of rust, mold, and damp wood.
Dust floated in the air like gray snowflakes under the broken skylight. The huge warehouse was silent except for the occasional creak of metal sheets rattling in the wind.
My wrists were tied tightly behind my back, the coarse rope cutting into my skin.
Across from me, Liora Evans sat on a wooden chair, also bound, though the fear on her face looked strangely… shallow.
I swallowed hard, forcing down the rising panic.
Today was supposed to be my engagement day.
The Evans family had arranged my marriage with Chris Vance, heir of the Vance family. It was supposed to be the beginning of a new life for me.
Instead, I had been tricked into coming here.
Footsteps echoed through the empty factory.
A group of masked men stood around us like wolves surrounding prey.
At the sound of a car stopping outside, hope ignited in my chest like a fragile flame.
One of them chuckled coldly.
“Looks like the groom has arrived.”
My heart skipped.
Chris came.
He came to save me.
The rusty door screeched open.
Chris Vance walked in wearing a tailored black suit, his expensive leather shoes stepping over broken wood pieces on the floor.
Even in this filthy place, he looked elegant and composed.
When my eyes met his, tears immediately filled them.
“Chris!”
Relief surged through me.
“You came… I knew you would come.”
But the kidnappers suddenly grabbed Liora by the arm and dragged her forward.
“Mr. Vance,” the leader sneered. “Two women. You can only take one.”
My heart froze.
“What…?”
The kidnapper grinned wickedly.
“One is your fiancée, and the other is her sister. Choose which one lives.”
The air instantly turned cold.
My breath caught in my throat as I looked at Chris helplessly.
He didn’t even hesitate.
“Liora,” he said calmly.
The single word shattered something inside me.
The kidnapper raised an eyebrow.
“Are you sure? The other one is your fiancée.”
Chris glanced at me as if I were something unpleasant stuck to his shoe.
“Yes,” he said impatiently. “Take Liora. Kill the other one.”
For a moment, I thought I had misheard.
My mind went blank.
“Chris…” My voice trembled uncontrollably. “What did you say?”
He frowned, clearly annoyed.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said kill her.”
My whole body began shaking.
“But… today is our engagement day…”
Tears streamed down my face as the words poured out.
“Since the Evans family told me about our engagement, I tried so hard to please you… I learned cooking because you said you liked home meals… I prepared gifts for your parents… I…”
My voice broke.
“Why do you hate me this much?”
Chris laughed coldly.
“Hate you?”
His eyes swept over my plain dress and messy hair with undisguised disgust.
“You’re ugly, stupid, and completely useless. Do you really think someone like you deserves to marry into the Vance family?”
Each word struck like a knife.
“You should be grateful we even considered using you to strengthen family ties,” he continued mockingly.
“Unfortunately, Liora is much more suitable.”
At that moment, Liora suddenly turned her head toward me.
The frightened expression on her face disappeared instantly.
In its place was a triumphant smile.
My blood ran cold.
“You…” I whispered.
Chris casually took out his phone.
“I’ll transfer one million now.”
The kidnappers’ eyes lit up.
“One million?”
Chris nodded impatiently.
“Make sure she disappears completely.”
His gaze returned to Liora, instantly softening.
“Come. Let’s go.”
Liora pretended to struggle weakly.
“But… what about my sister?”
Chris snorted.
“Don’t worry about her.”
He turned to leave with Liora.
Desperation flooded my chest.
“Chris, wait!”
I struggled violently against the ropes.
“Please… take me with you…”
My voice trembled with humiliation and fear.
Chris stopped walking.
For a moment, hope returned.
Then he turned around.
And kicked me.
The blow hit my stomach hard enough to knock the breath out of me.
I collapsed onto the cold concrete floor.
“Don’t be shameless,” he said coldly.
“You actually thought you could climb the social ladder through me.”
His eyes were full of contempt.
“Pathetic.”
Without another glance, he walked out of the factory with Liora.
The sound of the car engine faded into the distance.
Silence returned.
The kidnappers laughed loudly.
“Well, that was easy.”
“Poor girl.”
“Looks like your fiancé really hates you.”
One of them stepped forward and cut the rope binding my hands.
“Don’t blame us,” he said casually. “Blame your bad luck.”
Pain and humiliation burned inside my chest.
Slowly, I pushed myself up from the floor.
If they wanted my life…
They would have to take it.
I closed my eyes and reached for the wolf inside me.
“Shift.”
A familiar warmth spread through my body.
Bones cracked.
Fur grew across my skin.
Within seconds, a brown wolf stood where I had been.
But it was small.
Thin.
Weak.
The kidnappers burst out laughing.
“An Omega?”
“Seriously?”
“I thought we’d have some fun.”
One of them shifted.
His body expanded violently as black fur covered his skin.
A huge wolf twice my size landed heavily on the ground.
The others followed.
Five wolves surrounded me.
Predators.
I lunged first.
Claws slashing desperately.
But it was useless.
A massive paw slammed into my body.
Pain exploded through my ribs.
Another wolf bit into my shoulder, sending hot blood spraying across the concrete.
The world spun.
My body crashed to the ground.
The kidnappers shifted back into human form, laughing.
“That’s it?”
“Not even worth the one million.”
One of them wiped blood off his knife.
“Leave her. Wild wolves will finish the job.”
Footsteps began moving away.
My vision blurred.
So this is how it ends…
A deep, ancient voice echoed in my mind.
You must never reveal the White Wolf.
My mentor’s warning.
Only reveal it when you have enough power to protect yourself.
But right now…
If I didn’t…
I would die.
A cold fury surged through my veins.
The dying brown wolf’s body trembled.
Then—
A howl split the night.
The kidnappers froze.
“What the hell was that?”
They turned around slowly.
Their eyes widened in horror.
The brown wolf was gone.
Standing in its place was a massive wolf with fur as white as fresh snow.
Silver eyes glowed like moonlight.
The White Wolf.
At that exact moment—
SCREECH!
The sound of tires tearing across asphalt echoed outside the factory.
Car doors slammed.
Heavy footsteps rushed toward the entrance.
The rusted doors burst open.
A tall man in a dark suit stormed inside, his presence overwhelming the entire space.
And his gaze landed directly on me.