Aria pretends she's in support of the escape plan. She agrees to leave Blackwood with Lysander later at night. Few minutes after Lysander's exit, she runs to the palace. The palace guards won't let her in. She screamed after the Alpha's aid but he didn't respond. He hears her but chose not to respond. Some maids run to Princess Ophelia to inform her of Aria's nuisance at the palace gate.
The furious Princess finds a reason to discipline her. The maids she had sent to fetch her didn't meet her at home, so it's a good thing the prey came herself. The princess orders the guards to bring her to her premises.
At the princess's premises, the princess slapped her. Aria's in disbelief. Her anger almost made her use her magic, but she holds herself.
"How dare you?" Princess Ophelia says. "You, a smelly slave from Netherlands, disrespect my orders? You?" She slaps her again. The slap pulls Aria to the floor.
"Please, Your Highness, I wish to speak to the Alpha. It's important," Aria says. She gets hit again by a more angry Ophelia.
She has more guts, Ophelia thinks. Aria sees a space and made for the run; she ran as her legs will take her. The guards and maids after her, her mission to meet the Alpha. She knows he's in the throne room, and he'll come to her aid once she sees how distressed she is.
Her slam to the throne room got her tackled to the floor by the guards. They got to her at the entrance of the throne room.
"Elijah! Elijah!" she screamed. He could hear her. His wolf pulls him to the door, and he sees his love on the harsh floor tackling with a guard. Another guard hits her to stop.
He is furious, but the princess's immediate intervention to the scene prevented him from strangling the guards who manhandled her to death.
"Alpha Elijah! Don't involve yourself in this nuisance. Let me handle it. I'll see to it that this is properly handled. You can go back to your meeting," Princess Ophelia says.
"I need your help, Elijah!" Aria cries.
Ophelia slaps Aria to the Alpha's very own face. He is furious but he couldn't react. He'll tell her all the reasons tonight at the guest house. He'll endure it. She should endure it too. It hurts him more that he allowed her to such pain and hurt. She looks needy of his help, but her life is more important to him.
He turns his back to the throne room, much to Aria's dismay.
He couldn't concentrate on the rest of the meeting. His bond to her feels all the pain, the hurt. He felt them all.
The princess had ordered her flogging at the market square. Most people of the Blackwood pack witnessed her pain, cries, and blood. She was flogged and left under the rain. The cold rain washed away her bleeding and tears as she was tied to a tree in the market square.
Her maidens, Kaida and Zephyrine, came to her rescue only when everyone was gone and untied her. They gently took her to the guest house and nursed her wounds. Her emotions to the nursing of her wounds unheard and unseen.
She sends her friends away, needing some alone time. Well, it wasn't an unplanned alone time. She wants to wait for Lysander. She will leave with Lysander. She prefers to stay with a known enemy than this betrayal from her lover.
Nightfall, Lysander came again.
"I'll follow you," Aria says, "not because of your petty lies, but because I know your motherly instincts were true. You will do anything for your son. Ironfist holds the poor child hostage."
Lysander was in terrible shock at that realization. She stammers as she replies.
"I'm sorry, Aria. I'm so sorry."
Aria follows her in pain, her body aching as she walks. Lysander leads her to the deep woods. Till they get to some strange wolves.
The wolves took her away as Lysander returns.
One of the wolves turned back to human and blew a powder to her face, and it's lights out for her.
That night, the Alpha left for the guest house but met Aria's absence. He sent Axel to call for her friends Kaida and Zephyrine, and he did.
Elijah's authoritative voice demanded, "Where's Aria?"
The girls trembled, scared.
"We left her alone after she demanded alone time," Kaida stammered. "We don't know where she is."
Elijah's restlessness grew.
He ordered all guards to search for Aria all night, but to no avail.
At dawn, he knew Aria was in danger. Their bond felt severed, as if she was far beyond his reach.
Each guard's negative report heightened Elijah's fear.
Unbearable anxiety drove him to search alone.
He howled his Alpha cry at the palace, summoning the Blackwood pack.
"Find Aria, the witch from Netherlands," Elijah commanded. "Bring her back alive and unharmed."
The pack dispersed, determined to find Aria.
Ophelia watched, witnessing Elijah's desperation.
As the pack members left, Elijah approached Ophelia.
"Where is Aria?" he growled, anger burning.
Ophelia shook her head. "I don't know where she is."
Elijah's eyes blazed.
"You better hope I find her alive and unharmed," he threatened. "If I don't, all Wolfland will witness a blood bath, and yours will flow the Blackwood land."
Ophelia paled, terrified.
She'd never seen the Alpha so enraged.
"Could it be that the witch got severely wounded and died from the beating?" she pondered.
A glimmer of hope emerged.
"Perhaps she's still alive."
Ophelia's fear intensified.
Elijah's wrath would be unstoppable if Aria was harmed.
The full day passed with no news of Aria's appearance. Nobody saw her. It was as if she vanished.
Elijah, desperate, sent for the Netherlands Captives, seeking their aid.
Kaida Emberwood's defiant gaze met Elijah's.
"We can't help you, Alpha Elijah," Kaida declared. "No Netherlands Captive will assist our enemies."
Elijah's frustration intensified.
"I am happy she escaped away from this horrible place," Kaida continued, her voice laced with malice.
Elijah's face darkened.
"You think she escaped?" he thundered. "You must be crazy to think that. She's in danger. I know that!"
Kaida's expression remained unyielding.
"How then can we help you?" He asked, his tone dripping with disdain. "We're slaves, captives here in Wolfland. We can't move freely. We're nothing but slaves here. Free us, and we'll search for her worldwide. We need her more than you do. She's ours."
Elijah's eyes narrowed.
He sensed Kaida's genuine concern for Aria.
"Very well," Elijah said. "I'll grant your freedom if you find Aria alive and unharmed."
Kaida's eyes sparkled with determination.
"We'll find her," he vowed. "But know this, Alpha: if we discover you wolves are behind her disappearance, your people will face our wrath."
Elijah's jaw clenched.
"I'm willing to take that risk," he said. "Find Aria."
The Netherlands Captives dispersed, driven by hope and determination.