Chapter 4: please don't leave me

They spread the rumors, sending word via informants they knew would make sure the lies reached Kaelan's ears. Whispers of Amelia's alleged "betrayal," her "hidden intentions," and "dangerous secrets" began to filter through; carefully concocted words aimed at planting seeds of doubt.

They knew how powerful Kaelan was as an Alpha, but even the strongest had their moments when they could be swayed-especially if the right kind of manipulation was applied. She resolved that Amelia would be brought back broken and humiliated, stripped of this sudden happiness.

Amelia had wandered into the forest, taking one of her routine walks, the cool air filling her lungs and soothing her spirit. She had grown to love these walks, often exploring the depths of Shadow Moon's land as if staking a claim to it herself. Here, with Kaelan and his pack, she felt alive, at peace in a way she had never known.

Her musings were cut short by the rustling of leaves. She turned, glimpsing Lila flash through the trees. Lila was laughing, her abandonment to all care gleaming in her eyes as she ran ahead, teasing Amelia to catch up.

"Can't keep up, can you?" Lila called back over her shoulder, the sound ringing with light joy.

Amelia grinned and lengthened her stride, chasing after her friend. But as she drew closer, something caught her eye-shadows shifting in the trees. Her senses snapped to attention, every muscle tensing, as the scent of rogues drifted on the air.

"Lila!" Amelia shouted, her voice cutting through the silence. Lila froze, turning back to face Amelia just as the rogues emerged from the trees, closing in on them circlewise. For a moment, Lila's eyes flashed with panic, but Amelia took a defensive stance, placing herself between Lila and the rogues.

"Stay behind me," Amelia whispered, her voice full of steely determination. She had already lost so much; she wasn't about to add her newfound friend to the list.

One of the rogues sneered, his eyes cold and ruthless. "Well, well, what do we have here? Two little lambs, wandering alone in the woods?"

Amelia didn't flinch. Though fear clawed at her heart, she stood firm, ready to protect Lila no matter the cost.

The first rogue lunged and Amelia responded on instinct, blocking his attack and landing one that was just as fierce. The fight was brutal, chaotic. She fought with every ounce of strength she had, doing her best to fend off the attackers while keeping Lila safe. Blood and dust filled the air as she struck and kicked and defended.

But they were too many, and Amelia could feel herself struggling, her energy flagging. Just when she was going to falter, one of the rogues managed to break past her defenses, slipping past her guard.

"Lila!" Amelia cried out in horror, quickly watching the rogue close in on her friend. Lila's face twisted in fear as she tried to run, but the rogue was too fast. His claws slashed out, cutting into her.

Lila had gasped, clutching her side as she crumpled to the ground. Amelia's heart broke with a scream tearing from her throat as she fought harder, trying in any way she could to reach her friend. She had finally managed to push her way through the rogues to Lila's side before the attackers fled, leaving them alone in the bloodstained clearing.

Lila, please, stay with me," Amelia whispered, cradling her friend in her arms. Tears streamed down her face as she pressed a hand to Lila's wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "You're going to be okay. Just hold on.

Lila's eyes met hers, shining with pain, and a flicker of gratefulness. Her mouth opened to speak, but her breath hitched, her voice fluttering away. Then with one last shudder, her eyes slid shut.

Amelia's scream resounded through the forest.

The pack found her hours later, still cradling Lila's lifeless body. News went through Shadow Moon like wildfire, whispered oohs of horror and utter belief. Lila, so loving a sister to Alpha Kaelan, was dead-and the blame would come upon Amelia.

It had already spread well before Amelia could make her way to the packhouse. Whispers of betrayal and accusations, hushed yet spreading like wildfire, all pointed at Amelia as a cold-blooded killer. By the time she stumbled into the packhouse, every pair of eyes held hate and mistrust.

Amelia barely got inside before she was seized by Kaelan's Beta, Ethan, his face contorted in rage. "How could you, Amelia?" he growled, tone dripping with anger. "Lila trusted you. Kaelan trusted you.

"No, Ethan, please listen," Amelia begged, tears of despair in her eyes. "I would never hurt her. The rogues attacked us, and I tried to save her-I swear. Ethan's fist closed tighter, and his eyes blazed. "Save her? That is a convenient excuse for the blood that covers your hands." He pushed her forward, and she stumbled, barely keeping her balance.

The pack members surrounded her, cold faces and accusations in their eyes. She saw Kaelan standing on the fringe of the crowd, his eyes dark with pain that split her soul. Amelia's heart wrenched, and she tried not to give in to tears, fighting for composure.

"Kaelan, you have to believe me," she whispered, searching his eyes. "I fought for her. I tried to save her. It was the rogues…they…they're the ones who did this."

His face was unreadable, his expression torn between the trust he once had for her and the agony of losing his sister. His voice was just above a whisper, laced with pain that seemed to cut through Amelia. "I don't know what to believe, Amelia. All I see is my sister lying dead, and you're the only one left standing.".

Amelia's world spun as the weight of his words crashed down upon her. Her heart shattered, strength slipping away from her. "I would never hurt her, Kaelan. Please…you have to believe me. I loved her too." But the face turning to Amelia was cold; his eyes a distant gray. "Enough," he growled. "I need time to think. With that, he turned and strode away, leaving Amelia set upon by hostile glares, her pleas falling on uncaring ears. She felt trapped, the walls of the packhouse closing in on her as the hatred weighing upon her from everyone bore down on her. They believed the worst of her, and the pain of their betrayal struck her like a physical blow. The look on her face was smugly satisfied as she listened to the report from one of her informants within the Silver Fang Pack. She knows Kaelan will be devastated over his sister's death, and in arranging it so the blame fell on Amelia, she has placed a seed of mistrust between them.

Caroline snickered to herself, a cold, victorious smile on her face. "So Amelia thought she could get away from me, huh?" she whispered. "Now she'll have nothing left: no pack, no friends, and no Alpha to protect her."

Jackson slouched against the doorframe, curling his lips into a smirk as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Seems you succeeded in tearing her down again. Caroline shot a glance over her shoulder at him, a spark of satisfaction dancing in her eyes. "And this time, I'll make sure she stays broken. By the time we're done with her, she'll have nowhere to go." Jackson erupted into a peal of laughter; his voice was tinged with dark humor. "I never thought I'd say it, but you've really outdone yourself this time, Caroline.

But Caroline's face went black as coal, her voice dripping with ice. "I'm not done yet. So long as Amelia breathes, she is a threat. I want her decimated, Jackson. And I won't stop until I see that done.".

The next few days, Amelia walked around in some kind of lonely, dark haze as the betrayal by Kaelan and pack members nipped at her heart. Each time she walked through the packhouse, cold stares, harsh whispers, and open hostility followed her. Even Ethan looked upon her with disdain, while earlier he had been so warm and kind to her. She felt she was a prisoner of an unending nightmare; even speaking to Kaelan himself was greeted with silence or glare. He refused to look her in the eye; his heart had grown stone against her.

It was late at night, and she could not sleep; thus, she found herself wandering to the training grounds where she had sparred with Lila only days ago. The memories rushed back, and Amelia fell to her knees, sobbing into her hands.

"Lila, I'm so sorry," she whispered, breaking her heart all over again. "I tried to save you. I fought for you with everything I had. Why won't they believe me?" Her voice fell into the silence as though unheard by anyone. She was utterly alone, a stranger in the only place that had ever felt like home. She saw now that the shadow of Caroline had still fallen across her life, poisoning everything she touched. And deep inside, she was afraid that even should she survive this ordeal, she might never be free of Caroline's grasp.

Kaelan watched Amelia from a place of shadows. Her sobs tore at him, stirring deep inside a part of him he didn't want to give any recognition to. He wanted so badly to trust her, to believe in her innocence; yet his sister lay lifeless before him. He struggled in the grip of inner turmoil, his fists clenched as he felt the battle within him. If Amelia were telling the truth, he had failed her by not keeping her safe. On the other hand, if she were truly guilty…

A voice within his heart whispered maybe he would never get to the truth, that he was letting anger blind his judgment. The pain of Lila's death was too raw, too fresh, and he couldn't bring himself to bridge this gap between them. For now, he could do nothing but stand by and watch Amelia break under a crime she swore she didn't commit-one he wasn't even sure he could forgive.