Chapter 8 No.8

Elvira

I kept pacing the room, my bare feet dragging across the wooden floor. My thoughts were like a storm that wouldn't stop.

"Spy?" I muttered to myself again, gripping the edge of the dresser for balance. "He really sees me as a spy?"

My hands trembled as I pressed them against my temples, willing the panic to stop. This wasn't just some stupid misunderstanding, this was dangerous. If Alpha Jaxon believed I was a traitor, there was no telling what would come next.

"Someone's setting me up," I whispered to the silence. "Someone's feeding him lies."

"I need to leave. I need to leave before it's too late," I whispered to no one.

But where would I go? Back to Bloodmoon? My stepbrothers would kill me before I crossed the border. And if I stayed here, with a pack that already looked at me with suspicion, I wouldn't last either. I had no one.

I rushed toward the bed, pulling at the blanket, searching for something, only to remember: I had come here with nothing. No bag. No clothes. Not even the clothes on my body were mine. My knees hit the mattress and I stared into the empty space ahead of me. My heart thumped wildly. I was running on adrenaline, fear, and pain.

I stormed toward the door, yanking it open. And froze. Three people stood there. Two men and a girl.

All three stared at me like I'd grown a second head.

The air shifted. Their scents hit me instantly, strong, layered, dominant. All alphas. And the girl, even with her soft, delicate frame, carried a commanding aura of her own. She was Luna. My wolf shrunk inside me instinctively.

"I-" I stepped back quickly, as if I'd made a mistake.

The younger man with soft brown hair and golden eyes was the first to speak. He squinted at me, stepping forward with caution. "Who are you?"

The girl's face twisted into an unimpressed scoff. Her arms crossed, and her voice was razor-sharp. "Don't tell me Jaxon dragged in another one? Hasn't he learned anything from the last one?"

My throat tightened. Another girl?

So I wasn't the first girl to end up here. There were others. Maybe many. I bit back the sting in my chest and turned my back on them, acting like I had a destination in mind, like I wasn't utterly lost in this house and this world.

The second Alpha voice came from behind. Deep and calm. "Wait....blood."

I stopped in my tracks.

"Blood," he said again, louder now. "She's bleeding."

My heart sank. I looked down, and there it was. The wound on my leg. The one I thought had healed days ago. It was seeping red again, staining the edge of the bandages.

Pain hit me, sharp and clean, like the moment the arrow had first sunk into my flesh.

My balance slipped. I grabbed the chair beside the wall, but it swayed with me. I was falling. Everything tilted. I hit the ground, gasping for breath. Two sets of hands were suddenly on me. Strong, steady, lifting me gently. Their scents closed in-pine, tobacco. Comforting and terrifying all at once.

"She's burning up," the one who had asked about the blood muttered.

"Call the pack doctor!" the younger one shouted.

But Luna just stood there. I forced my eyes open, meeting hers. Ice cold. Judgmental. She didn't even flinch.

"Celina, call the damn doctor." Celina said, her tone sharp.

"You call him. She's not my responsibility."

The younger alpha hissed in frustration. "This isn't the time." He stormed off, probably to find the pack doctor, while the older Alpha remained, watching me as though trying to read a script off my face.

"It's alright. You're going to be okay." He said, his tone soft.

Moments later, the door burst open and the healer entered, panting, with a leather bag slung over his shoulder. I watched him kneel and begin treating my knee. I flinched when he pressed against the wound, reopening a dark trickle of blood.

"What happened?" he asked, already digging through his bag. "This should've healed. Alpha Jaxon said you were stable."

"She just collapsed," one of them said.

I opened my mouth. "I-I don't know what happened."

"Move back," the doctor ordered. The brothers stood, though the younger one stayed closer.

He began treating the wound, hands firm and fast. Pain flared again, but I bit my lip to stop from screaming.

"I need to restitch. Hold still. This is going to hurt."

It did. The pressure was unbearable. I could feel the needle sliding through my skin. My nails dug into the floor.

Finally, the pain reduced. The doctor wrapped the wound tightly again.

"She needs rest. Serious rest. No more walking around like you're fine," he muttered.

He packed his things and said, "Alpha Jaxon will be notified"

As the doctor left, the room grew quiet, but not empty. The two alphas and Celina stayed. Watching me. My skin crawled.

"What's wrong ?" I said, regretting it the moment it left my mouth. I didn't mean to say it out loud.

The older brother tilted his head. "You're not from here, right? You're lucky Alpha Jaxon even let you through the gates."

I swallowed hard. "Yeah." I said flatly.

The older brother shrugged. "Just making sure you don't pass out again."

Celina stepped forward finally. Her expression is unreadable. "Just don't bring trouble here. This pack's been through enough."

I lowered my head, judging from the fact they're not talking about the spy thing, the news must've not gotten to them.

"I'm Callen. Jaxon's youngest brother." Callen said, with a faint smile.

"Elvira."

"Nice name. Don't worry you're safe here."

I didn't respond. Because I wasn't sure if that was true. But before I could respond, the door creaked open and Alpha Jaxon stepped in. His energy swallowed the room whole. He moved fast, crossing the floor in strides, his jaw clenched, his eyes, those sharp, grey-blue eyes, locking on mine like he could see everything I didn't want him to.

"What the hell happened?"

I didn't answer.

He dropped to one knee beside me, inspecting the new dressing. His hands hovered over me like he wanted to touch, to help-but wasn't sure if he should.

"You were bleeding again?"

"Nice observation," I muttered to myself.

He glared at me. "I told you to stay in bed."

"You want a spy in your bed?" I replied.

His jaw twitched. He looked like he hadn't breathed since he came in. His eyes locked on mine, then swept over to his brothers. "Out."

"But-" The other Alpha started.

"I said out."

He left first, brushing a glance over me like a silent reassurance. He didn't move until Alpha Jaxon added, "Kale."

He stood, glared at me like I'd cost him something, then walked out, and Callen followed. Celina trailed behind with a scoff and an eye-roll.

He ignored my question earlier and began to inspect the bandages. "You need to stop walking around."

I pushed his hand away. "I didn't ask to be here."

He tensed, staring at me. And then something shifted in his expression. Regret?

"You're right," he muttered, standing. "You didn't."