The hall was loud.
Voices shouted from every side.
They were all arguing about me.
I sat on the cold floor in the middle of them. My hands were shaking, and my dress still smelled of smoke. My hair was messy. My face felt hot and dirty.
Markus banged his hand on the table.
"She's trouble! Look what she's done already. First the rogues, now a fire! How long before she burns down the whole pack?"
Caleb stood beside him, pointing at me.
"She shouldn't even be here! Her blood killed our people. Why should we protect her? We should send her away—or kill her now."
A few people nodded. Their eyes were cold.
They looked at me like I was some kind of monster.
I tried to speak, but my throat felt tight. My voice came out soft.
"I didn't start the fire. Please, I didn't—"
"Liar!" Caleb shouted, cutting me off.
"Everyone saw you running from it!"
I wanted to tell them what really happened—that Ivar had tied me, that the fire wasn't my fault—but I knew no one would believe me. No one knew the truth. Only me and Ivar. And even if they knew, they already wanted me dead. So saying it was Ivar's fault now wouldn't change anything. They already wanted me dead.
Lena, the healer, stepped forward.
"She looks weak. She can't even lift a bucket. How could she start a fire like that? Maybe it was just an accident."
"Accident?" Markus growled. "You call that an accident? She brings bad luck everywhere she goes!"
The crowd murmured again. My chest hurt. I wanted to disappear.
Then the hall door opened.
Mira walked in with Garrett and their daughter, Clare.
Mira's face was hard. "I gave you a bed to sleep in," she said, her voice shaking with anger. "I gave you food. And this is how you repay me? By running away like a thief in the night? You made us all look like fools!"
Tears filled my eyes. "Mira, please—"
Before I could finish, Garrett slapped me. The sound echoed through the hall.
My face stung. The whole room went silent for a moment.
Garrett glared at me. "You should be thankful you're still alive. Don't talk back."
Clare folded her arms. "She deserves whatever happens next," she said coldly.
The whispers started again.
"She's dangerous."
"She'll destroy us all."
"Just end it now."
I felt dizzy. My knees hurt against the floor. My heart was beating too fast.
Markus turned to the others. "We can't keep her here. She's a curse! We must get rid of her before something worse happens."
People nodded and began to shout in agreement.
I wanted to scream, to tell them the truth, but no words came out.
Then, suddenly, the doors slammed open.
Everyone stopped.
Jason walked in. His eyes were cold, his face unreadable.
He looked around the room slowly, then said,
"No one touches her."
The room went silent. Even the air felt heavy.
Markus frowned. "Alpha, you can't be serious. She burned the woods—"
Jason cut him off. His voice was calm but sharp.
"She didn't burn anything. I did. I set the fire."
Gasps filled the room. Everyone looked at him like he had lost his mind.
Caleb stepped forward. "Alpha, that makes no sense. Why would you—"
Jason's eyes turned dark. "Do you wish to question me, Caleb?"
Caleb froze. "No, Alpha," he muttered.
Mira looked shocked. "You're protecting her?"
Jason didn't answer. He just stared at me for a long moment. His eyes were cold, but deep inside them, I saw something else—something I couldn't explain.
No one said another word. The silence was thick.
Then, from behind, I heard the sound of footsteps. Slow. Calm.
The doors creaked again.
When I turned my head, my breath stopped.
A tall man walked in. His clothes were clean, his hair neat. His face looked calm—too calm.
Ivar.
His ear was whole again.
There wasn't a single mark on him.
He smiled—a small, dangerous smile.
His eyes met mine.
And my heart stopped.