Chapter 25 Outside the closed door , Sophie stood alone . A cold wind cut across her skin , mocking her with its chill . She drifted aimlessly through the streets until she passed a fountain . Glancing at the water's reflection , she froze in horror . " Ah ! " She stumbled back , clutching her face , screaming like a lunatic . The shewolf staring back from the rippling water barely resembled her . Years in prison had left her no chance to care for herself . Old wounds piled on new ones , none ever treated , festered and rotted . Her body was a map of ruin . And yet once , Sophie had been vain , obsessed with beauty . How had she fallen this far ? She didn't understand . Not only was she broken , her parents were suffering too . She remembered how , in prison , they had forced her to watch videos of her parents ' condition . Aged twenty years in mere months , bent and gray before their time , drained of blood over and over while their daughter wasted away in another cell . At just fifty , they were already gray and weathered . And she was no better than a corpse herself . Regret gnawed at her . If only she hadn't chased after wealth and deliberately thrown herself into Aaron's car that day ... If only she hadn't agreed to be his mistress ... If only she hadn't plotted against Claire , again and again . Maybe none of this would have happened . But it was too late . Pathetically , she had even tried to seduce another guy just moments ago , in this state . But what else could she do ? Sophie felt utterly hopeless . Had there been any other path , she wouldn't have resorted to seduction . Yet now , rotted through as she was , what choice remained ? Her life stretched out before her like a tunnel with no end , only darkness . In the prison of the Ironfang Pack , Caden's warriors - temporarily acting as wardens - stood watch not far from Aaron , their gazes unfeeling as he suffered . A blond , sharp - eyed inmate spat curses as he slammed fist after fist into Aaron's body . The blows were merciless . Aaron didn't fight back . He simply endured in silence . In truth , he could have left at any time . He could have flattened the man in an instant , even taken down several inmates at once . And if that failed , he could have begged Caden's warriors for release , But he didn't . He let the pain carve through him . Only in suffering did he feel alive at all . Cluster 25 300004 Perhaps he had gone mad the moment he realized Claire would never forgive him . Now it was all just a desperate struggle to endure for him . Like his father , he was a creature of relentless obsession , incapable of yielding . Yet for the first time , remorse carved its way into his heart . Day after day blurred together . Unlike Sophie , Aaron did not despair . He adapted . The physical torment dulled into routine . His body still felt pain , but his soul felt nothing - numb , hollow , dead inside . One day , slipping past guards and inmates alike , Aaron simply walked out . He followed his memory to Claire's residence in this country . He knocked . But the man who opened the door was a stranger . " Who are you looking for ? " the young werewolf asked warily . Aaron's dark eyes locked onto him . He grabbed the guy's collar . " Where is Claire ? Tell me where she went ! She used to live here ! " Panicked , the man shoved him back . " She's gone home ! I heard her family say she's gonna meet her boyfriend's parents . Thud ! Aaron released him with a shove that sent him sprawling , then stormed off . He returned to his homeland at once . That day , the whole city buzzed with gossip : " } Silverfang Pack's Alpha Aaron's ex - mate now becomes Ironfang Pack's Alpha Caden's girlfriend . For love , Aaron is willing to play second place ! The tale spread like wildfire . Curious eyes turned toward Ironfang Pack , hungry for drama . Outside the gate of the Ironfang Pack House , Aaron stood in the rain . He ignored the stares , gaze fixed fiercely on Claire . " Claire , I won't give up . You'll always be mine . " But Caden's reply was ice - cold . " Too bad . I won't give you that chance . " At his signal , warriors spilled from an armored vehicle , rifles raised , encircling Aaron . Caden drew Claire into his arms , smirking with deliberate challenge . " You dare compete with me - the head of the realm's most critical research project ? Know your place . " Claire's expression was cool , detached . " Aaron , stop coming after me . No matter what you do , I will never forgive you . You're nothing but an annoyance now . " Her parents stepped forward as well , fury in their eyes . " No matter how much you beg for forgiveness , it's useless . You nearly killed us , bastard . Forgive you ? In your dream ! You'll never pass us to reach our daughter . " " Go back to your playboy's life ! We don't give a damm how you collect your trophy mistresses hear or there . Hook up with a new one every day as you wish . Just keep that mess away from us . " Aaron lowered his head . His rebuttal remained silent , spoken only in the solitude of his mind . Inside , he whispered only to himself : I don't want anyone else . I only want Claire . But he was taken away once more . Chapter 25 100.00 % From then on , patrols stationed outside the Ironfang Pack House ensured he would never get close and hurt Claire in a way that couldn't be fixed . In the business world , potential partners tested him , sending gifts of beauty , many of whom resembling Claire , but he rejected them all . He understood now , Claire was forever out of reach . And he was done making any more choices he'd regret for a lifetime . Perhaps solitude was the peace he'd earned . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!