chapter 7: Shadows of Betrayal

Chapter 7: Shadows of Betrayal

Cassia’s world unraveled as the pack gathered beneath the cold glow of the moon. The clearing was alive with a pulse of anger, a seething mass of wolves eager for blood. Every face turned toward her, some with barely concealed glee, others with open disgust. Every accusing gaze bore the same unspoken condemnation: guilty.

Her heart pounded as whispers turned to growls, the sound like rolling thunder in her ears. They were circling her now, a pack of wolves ready to pounce, and at the center of it all stood Rhett.

Alpha Rhett. Her mate. Her tormentor.

He stood tall, his golden eyes blazing with the fury of a wildfire. His broad shoulders, tense and unyielding, loomed over her as though the force of his hatred could crush her where she stood. Everything about him screamed power, but it was a power wielded against her—a weapon she could never escape.

“Cassia.” His voice was a command, low and deadly, slicing through the cacophony of the pack. “Step forward.”

Her knees buckled under the weight of his presence, but she forced herself to obey. Each step toward him felt like walking through quicksand, the earth itself seeming to resist her movement. By the time she stood before him, her head barely reached his chest.

“I didn’t do it,” she began, her voice trembling but defiant. She raised her chin, daring to meet his blazing gaze.

Rhett let out a cold, humorless laugh that sent shivers down her spine.

“Didn’t do it?” His tone was mocking, his voice cutting through her like a blade. “The vial was found in your quarters. The king is dead, and you expect me to believe you’re innocent?”

Murmurs rippled through the pack like a tide.

“She’s always been cursed,” someone growled. “It’s in her blood.”

“She shouldn’t even be here,” another snarled. “Her kind only brings ruin.”

Cassia’s fists clenched at her sides, her nails biting into her palms until pain cut through the haze of fear. She wouldn’t cry. Not here. Not now.

“I was framed,” she said, her voice rising above the crowd. “I would never—”

“Enough!” Rhett’s roar silenced the clearing. The sound reverberated through the night, making the very air seem to shudder.

He stepped closer to her, the ground seeming to tremble beneath his boots. His scent—smoke and cedar—wrapped around her, both intoxicating and suffocating.

“You think this is a game?” he snarled, his voice low and venomous. “The king is dead. His blood is on your hands. Do you even comprehend what this means for the pack? For me?”

“I didn’t do it,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Rhett’s hand shot out, gripping her chin in a punishing hold. His fingers bit into her skin as he forced her to look up at him.

“Then prove it,” he said, his voice a deadly whisper. “Because right now, the only thing keeping me from tearing your throat out is the slim possibility you’re telling the truth.”

The crowd erupted into murmurs again, but Cassia barely heard them. Her entire world had narrowed to Rhett’s grip, his burning gaze, and the suffocating scent of him.

Before she could speak, another voice cut through the tension like a knife.

“Alpha.”

Lucian stepped forward, his silver eyes gleaming in the moonlight. His presence was quieter than Rhett’s, but no less commanding.

“Perhaps we’re jumping to conclusions,” he said, his voice calm yet firm. “Cassia has been a target her entire life. It’s possible someone used that to their advantage.”

Rhett turned his glare on Lucian, his jaw tightening. “You think she’s innocent?”

Lucian’s gaze flicked to Cassia, lingering for a moment before returning to Rhett. “I think we should consider every possibility before condemning her. If she’s guilty, the truth will come out. But if she’s not…” He trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.

The tension between the two men was electric, a silent battle of wills. Rhett’s grip on Cassia’s chin tightened for a moment before he released her with a shove that sent her stumbling.

“You have until dawn,” he said coldly, his eyes never leaving hers. “Find proof of your innocence, or I’ll deliver justice myself.”

With that, he turned and strode away, the crowd parting to let him pass.

Lucian lingered, his silver eyes still fixed on Cassia. There was something in his gaze—sympathy, perhaps, or something darker.

“You’d better start looking,” he said, his voice soft but laced with an edge.

Cassia didn’t respond. She couldn’t. Her throat was tight, and her chest ached with the weight of Rhett’s ultimatum.

As the crowd dispersed, she stood alone in the clearing, the weight of the pack’s judgment pressing down on her like a physical force.

The room was cold and barren, a reflection of the life she’d been forced to live. The cot beneath her was hard and unyielding, the blankets threadbare. She sat at the edge, her hands trembling as she stared at the floor.

Who would frame her? And why?

The knock at the door startled her, and she froze, her heart pounding.

“Cassia?”

Lucian stepped inside, his silver eyes gleaming in the dim light.

“I believe you,” he said, his voice quiet but firm.

Cassia stared at him, her heart lurching with a mix of hope and suspicion.

“But,” he continued, stepping closer, “believing you isn’t enough. You’ll need more than that to survive Rhett’s wrath.”

His words sent a chill down her spine.

“Why are you helping me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucian’s lips curved into a small, enigmatic smile. “Because you deserve better than this.”

His words were like a balm, soothing the raw edges of her fear. But there was something in his tone—a subtle undercurrent of danger—that made her blood run cold.