What's worse than being kidnapped?

It's when your parents choose not to save you.

And what's more painful than your parents leaving you behind?

It's when your husband, your last hope, abandons you too.

**

Iris's head throbbed with a dull ache as she blinked her eyes open.

Panic set in as she realized that she was all bounded up and gagged!

And she wasn't alone. Harper, her sister, was also beside her, bound and gagged.

"Harper," Iris whispered, her voice hoarse, "Are you okay?"

Harper's gaze was filled with hatred, her words muffled by the gag. "How dare you ask? This is all your fault, Iris!"

"No..."Iris was just about to reply, a hulking man walked close with a lewd grin.

"Well, well, look at the prime pieces we've got here," he leered, his eyes undressing them with a vulgar appraisal. "I wonder how they taste like."

"Keep your damn paws off, you horny ape. These two are gonna line our pockets."

His partner, a wiry man with a sly glint in his eyes, jabbed him with an elbow. "I saw their old man, Paul Diaz, blow 200 million on some dusty old trinkets last month. We're gonna make a killing!"

Then he pulled out a phone and dialed.

"Listen up, rich folks! We have your daughters and we ain't playing games here. We want 100 million for each of 'em, and we ain't budging. Don't try any funny business."

"My sweet darling Harper! Please don’t hurt Harper!" Iris heard her mother Hellen’s anxious voice from the speaker.

“If you want them back safe and sound, that's 200 million in total.” The kidnapper shouted back at the phone. He then put the phone beside Iris's ear and urges her to say something.

"Dad, mom! Harper and I are here, please save us!" Iris pleaded in the phone.

"Tsk. I want to hear the voice of Harper! Where is Harper?"

Iris's heart sank. Tears streaming down her faces and she didn't know what to say.

She always knew that everyone loved Harper more than her.

But she's still their daughter! Don't they care if she lives or dies at all?

The kidnapper was impatient and took the phone back and shouted. "200 million, understand?"

"We can only afford 100 million," Iris heard Paul Diaz's voice over the phone, "How about I give you 100 million and you just give my Harper back?"

"What are you talking about? You just want one daughter back?" Even the rogue was surprised."I saw the news, Hellen, Paul. You spent a fortune on that antique collection last month!"

"100 million's all we can manage." Paul insisted.

"Yes, we only need Harper! Please don't hurt our Harper!"

Iris's eyes widened. The kidnappers were right. She knew how rich the Diaz were.

They spend hundreds of millions on jewelry every year.

But they were unwilling to spare a mere 100 million on her?

The kidnappers exchanged glances, then the hulking man spat out his disgust. "Figures. So the other one's useless, she can't even get her family to pay up for her."

"Now, which one of you is that precious little Harper?"

Iris's heart sank as she watched her sister being sent away.

In fact, since her childhood, Iris had been trying hard to please everyone in her family. She cooked for the entire household and lived like a servant. She would get up before the sun rises and start cooking breakfast for everyone, even though they have servants, just because she thought she knew their food preferences better.

But all that hard work was still not enough to make them like her.

"Well, ain't that a kick in the teeth," the hulking kidnapper continued, turning to Iris with a smirk. "Your own family don't want you, sweetheart. Guess you're not worth the price, huh?

"Looks like we got some time to kill before we figure out what to do with you, little beauty."

"No, please don't!" Iris screamed. But how would the kidnapper listen to her? She was not worth any money now, unlike her sister.

"Please, please! I can pay!" Iris added. "Call my husband, Daran Albright! He's the alpha of Riverside Pack. He's richer than my parents, he has the money!"

The wiry kidnapper raised an eyebrow and stopped his partner. "You were the Luna of the pack? Let's give him a call then."

He dialed the number, putting it on speakerphone.

The sound of Daran's voice filled the room, deep and authoritative.

"Iris, what have you done?" Daran growled. "Your reckless actions have put the pack and your sister in danger."

Iris's voice was frantic as she pleaded, "Daran, I'm kidnapped and they want 100 million ransom!"

"I've already heard about the kidnap from your family. Iris. You've brought nothing but trouble!"

"Daran, I..."

"Is Harper safe now?"

Iris's heart sank when Daran mentioned Harper. No! Not her husband too!

"I don’t think you are fit to be my Luna anymore." Daran continued to say. "Now, it’s time to end this relationship."

"No, no! Daran, listen to me!"

But Daran didn't stop or give her any time to explain. He continued.

"—As the Alpha of Riverside Pack, I, Daran Albright, hereby REJECT Iris Diaz as my mate!"

The kidnappers saw Iris's face turning pale.

“Ah—” Iris let out a sharp cry as a strong pain coursed through her body mercilessly! Her wolf howled with her in despair.

It was the snapping of her mate bond with Daran.

It felt like setting fire to her body while stabbing a hundred blades into her flesh. Iris collapsed on the ground, her body twitching in pain.

"Guess your husband doesn't want to play ball, sweetheart," the hulking kidnapper said, his grin widening as he approached Iris.

Iris's eyes widened in despair. "Daran..."

The kidnapper cut off the call with a harsh laugh. "Well, well, looks like you're all out of options, little beauty."

Screech!

The kidnapper's hands roughly tearing at Iris clothes.

"Time to have some fun!" he jeered.

"Please stop!" Iris shook with terror and desperation.

Her heart is hurting so much.

The kidnapper's knife scratching her body caused her skin to bleed, but it was the rejection from her parents and her husband that cut deep within her.

She never thought that she would be rejected twice within a few minutes.

And both by her most loved ones.

Her mind raced with the cold truth: they had all decided that she wasn't worth saving.

Bang!

Just then, the door burst open.

"What the hell?" one of the patrollers from Blood Moon Pack shouted, spotting the scene.

The hulking kidnapper spun around, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Patrollers!" he barked to his partner.

The kidnappers exchanged glances, then made a run for it, bolting past the patrollers and out into the night.

"Fuck! we let those rogues escape again!" The patrollers turned their attention to Iris.

That she-wolf crawled and held her own shoulder in a corner. Her eyes were wide with fear and her body was trembling uncontrollably.

"Who are you?"

"I..."

Before she could answer the question, her eyes rolled back, and she slumped to the side, fainting from the overwhelming stress and relief.

"What are we gonna do with the she-wolf?" A patroller asked his partners as he approached Iris, trying to check her status.

"Wait a minute," Suddenly, he spoke with surprise and pointed at Iris's naked skin. "Look!"

"That birthmark... it's the same as our alpha's!"

"And her scent...!!" His partner's eyes widened.

"I heard Alpha Logon had a little sister who was given to the wrong family in the delivery room.”

“Someone call Alpha Logon right now!”

“His beloved sister is back!”