Chapter 13
As I watched my grandmother’s fragile form lying in the infirmary bed, my heart ached with worry. The pack’s healer had assured me that she would recover, but the incident had left me shaken. I couldn’t believe that my own pack members had turned against me, refusing to help my grandmother in her time of need.
But two familiar faces had stood by me – Dylan and Marcus, my childhood friends and loyal pack members. They had helped me rush my grandmother to the hospital, and now they stood by my side, their eyes filled with concern.
I breathed a shaky sigh of relief, then, as my grandmother rested, before I slipped away to take care of the conspiracy.
I turned my attention to the CCTV footage, my eyes scanning the images for any sign of the culprit. And then, I saw her – Amy, my so–called best friend, lurking in the shadows, her eyes gleaming with malice as she exchanged the clips to be projected.
I growled, my hackles rising. “Amy,” I sneered, my voice low but powerful. “She’s the one who’s been spreading the lies, who’s been trying to destroy me.”
But before I could take action, Dylan and Marcus stepped forward, their faces calm and reasonable. “Bella, wait,” Dylan said, his voice soothing.
“Let’s not jump to conclusions. Amy may have been playing a prank, but it’s not worth ruining her reputation over.”
I stared at them with a pair of stunning eyes before asking,“A prank? You call this a prank? My grandmother almost died because of Amy’s actions. And you’re defending her?”
But, they interrupted me. “It was just a prank, Bella,” Marcus pleaded. “Do you have to make such a scene? Your grandmother is still alive, isn’t she? Besides, Amy has hardly earned a place in the Lunar University, unlike you. She will loose it if rumours begin circulating against her for a minor mistake.”
“Unlike me?” I narrowed my eyes, “What do you mean by saying that? Do you believe all those rumours against me?”
He sneered, “Rumors don’t just spring from nothing, Bella. Just getting a seat in the Lunar university was too difficult for me and Dylan, yet you topped the university, how?”
His words, laced with the venom of pack prejudice, no longer had the
Chapter 13
2/3 79.2%
183% TUI LUD TUNTY.
Now, they finally spoke their heart out, though igniting a cold fury within me.
“And those images of you getting laid with the warriors of rival packs, how could Amy get them if you hadn’t really slept with them?” Dylan spat, “Besides, we have never seen your skills before. We don’t know how you managed your pack these years without any skills.”
“No body has seen what skills I possess. That’s because-”
Words were dead before coming to my lips as I recalled I could not share any information with other people or else my dream of joining the mystical institute would be at stake. But, it gave them a chance of putting worse accusations against me.
“If you were in trouble or incapable of running your father’s pack, you had Marcus and I standing beside you, and helping you run your pack, Bella.” Dylan said, “Why didn’t you seek out help, instead you went on selling yourself to dirty warriors? Do you know how shameful it was to accept you as our mate in that banquet?”
“Yes, people were watching us. We couldn’t even maintain eye contact with anyone. You don’t care about your reputation but we do, Amy do.” Marcus added.
“Don’t take us wrong, Bella. We are still worried about you. Have you ever been concerned about your safety doing all these? What if you caught some disease while playing around these-”
“Stop it,” I yelled, “That’s enough.”
“My skills…I’ve been saving them for when it truly matters,” I finished, my voice dripping with ice. “And as for those images, they’re nothing but fabricated lies. You’re so quick to believe them, to believe the worst about me, without even giving me a chance to defend myself.”
I took a step closer to Dylan and Marcus, my eyes blazing with anger. “You’re my friends, or at least, I thought you were. But now, I’m not so sure. You’re so willing to believe the worst about me, to think that I’m some kind of…of… whore, who sleeps around with anyone who will have her.”
I turned to leave, but not before I saw the doubt in their eyes. I saw the uncertainty, the questioning.
As I walked away, I felt a sense of pride, of satisfaction. I had stood up for myself, I had defended myself against their accusations. And I had done it with dignity, with honor.
But no
I walked I folt a foron on my wrint l
Chapter 13
d hook only to find Dulan
3/3 81.2%
arginty, wit HOMOI.
88%
But as I walked, I felt a force on my wrist. I turned back only to find Dylan. standing behind me. I took a sigh of relief, thinking they finally trusted me. However, the words coming out from his lips sent chills down my spine.
“You can’t leave from here, Bella,” he said coldly, “We won’t let you.”
I stood frozen, my heart racing with fear, as Dylan’s eyes gleamed with a menacing intensity. “Bella, don’t make me do something I’ll regret. You know the power of our Pack. No one will dare to defy us.” He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a low growl. “And don’t think for a moment that your precious grandmother is safe. I can have her harmed with just one word. You have three seconds to hand over the evidence. Three…Two…” I felt a cold sweat trickle
down my spine as I realized I had no choice. I couldn’t risk my grandmother’s life, not even to clear my own name.
“I was wrong!” I cried, falling to my knees as tears streamed down my face. Dylan’s expression twisted in a cruel smile as he snatched the evidence from my hands. “You should have thought of that before you tried to cross us, Bella.” Marcus loomed over me, his eyes cold and unyielding. “You’ll never be able to hurt Amy again. She’s under our protection now.”
I felt a wave of despair wash over me as I realized I was truly alone. The pack had turned against me, and my former friends had betrayed me. I stumbled back to the infirmary, my heart heavy with grief, and stayed by my grandmother’s side for days, afraid of what Dylan and Marcus might do next.
But then, two strangers appeared at my grandmother’s bedside, their faces stern and unyielding. “Bella, we’re from the Golden Wolves Institute, sent by Dean. We’ve been sent to ensure your grandmother’s safety and to escort you to a secure location.”
I felt a spark of hope ignite within me. Maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t alone after all. I stood up, my shoulders squaring, and followed the two strangers out of the infirmary, leaving Dylan and Marcus behind.
SAM
