Bella’s POV
“What are you doing to her?!”
The healer suddenly rushed toward Nara, her expression filled with urgency. She bent down, immediately checking on her, her hands moving swiftly as if she were trying to undo some kind of damage. Meanwhile, I stood frozen, unable to move from where I was.
I could feel the weight of everyone's gaze, the judgment settling into the room like a heavy storm. The healer’s assistants, who had been lingering in the background, began whispering among themselves. Their hushed voices carried through the tense air, but I heard them loud and clear.
"She's a disgrace!"
"Did you see how she pushed her own sister?!"
"The Alpha was only trying to help, but look at her—she’s selfish to the core!"
The murmurs grew louder, voices overlapping until they became a roar of accusations.
"I knew it! She was never fit to be our Luna!"
"Women like her, damaged and broken, always end up twisted in their own ways!"
"She’s cruel, heartless!"
The words hit me like sharp daggers, each one cutting deeper than the last. My chest tightened, and I instinctively took a step back. My gaze flickered across the room, searching for something—anything—to ground me. But all I saw were eyes filled with disdain, disgust, and betrayal.
Then my eyes landed on Nara. She was clutching the newborn against her chest, holding the fragile infant as if shielding it from some unseen threat. And then—she smirked.
It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but I saw it. A wicked, twisted smirk curling at the edges of her lips, a silent taunt meant only for me.
My stomach dropped.
No.
I turned to the one person who had always been by my side. The one person I thought would defend me.
Hunter.
For years, he had been my anchor, my shield against the world. But when my eyes met his, I saw no trace of the man who had once promised to stand by me no matter what.
His face was carved with fury. And then, before I could react, he moved.
Faster than I could process, his hand shot out, fingers wrapping around my throat. He gripped me tightly, forcing me to meet his burning gaze.
His voice, usually filled with warmth, was now razor-sharp with anger.
"Bella, how could you do something so disgusting?!" His hold tightened just enough to make me gasp. "Why would you try to hurt the baby?!"
My heart pounded against my ribs.
"It's a newborn!" he continued, his voice rising. "Do you have to drag everyone down with you before you're satisfied? Apologize to Nara. Right now!"
The room fell into absolute silence. The weight of his words crushed me, suffocating me more than his grip ever could.
I stared at him, disbelief coursing through my veins like poison.
Apologize?
He wants me to apologize?
My thoughts spun wildly. Did he really believe I would harm a child? That I was capable of something so monstrous? My vision blurred for a moment, but I forced myself to stay strong.
I lifted my chin, refusing to let the tears spill. My voice, though shaken, was steady.
"Why should I apologize for something I didn't do?" My voice wavered, but I refused to let it break. I took a sharp breath before continuing. "Do you really think she's innocent, Hunter?"
I turned my gaze back to Nara, who still clutched the baby like some delicate prize.
"She's not," I whispered, my voice laced with conviction. "She's faking everything."
I knew, deep in my bones, that this was all a game to her. A perfectly orchestrated performance designed to turn everyone against me.
And worst of all?
It was working.
I saw it—the flicker of hesitation in his eyes, the fleeting moment of guilt that flashed across his face.
For a split second, I thought… maybe, just maybe, a part of him still cared. That somewhere deep inside, he knew the truth.
But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. His expression hardened once more, his voice like a blade cutting through the air.
“Stop this fucking nonsense.” His grip tightened before he abruptly let go, shoving me back as if my very presence disgusted him. “You’re making me question everything. Maybe sealing my fate with you was the biggest mistake of my life!”
I should have crumbled at his words. I should have begged, pleaded for him to listen.
Instead, I laughed.
A hollow, mocking laugh.
Oh, Hunter… you don’t need to pretend anymore.
Because soon, none of this would matter.
Soon, I would escape.
“Take her away from here!” he ordered, his voice devoid of emotion.
Rough hands grabbed me before I could react. They dragged me out of the healer’s residency, treating me like trash that needed to be thrown out. My feet stumbled against the ground, but they didn’t care. They shoved me forward, pulling me through the hallways like I was nothing.
And then, without warning, they threw me into a small, dark room.
I barely caught myself before hitting the floor, my balance slipping for a moment. The door slammed shut behind me, locking me in.
"Let me out!" I screamed, pounding against the door.
Silence.
No one came.
For hours, I sat there in the suffocating darkness, my mind racing with every possible scenario. What would they do to me? Would they exile me?
I didn't know.
And that terrified me.
But then, finally, the door creaked open.
A figure stepped inside, her silhouette framed by the dim light from the hallway.
Nara.
She arched a perfectly shaped brow, but the innocent, trembling girl from earlier was gone.
"Oh, my poor sister," she mused, taking a slow step forward. "Tell me… how does it feel to be hated by everyone all over again?"
Her words slithered into my skin like poison.
"Isn’t it familiar?" she continued, tilting her head in mock sympathy. "You must hate me right now, don’t you? But let me guess… you finally realized, didn’t you? That it was Hunter.”
My stomach twisted violently.
"He’s the one who took away your wolf," she whispered, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "The one destroying your life piece by piece."
"And," she added with a slow, cruel smile, "he’s the reason you can’t conceive."
"Honestly," she laughed, "I should thank you. If it weren’t for your blood my baby wouldn’t have grown this strong and healthy."
I wanted to scream. To fight. To do something.
But I couldn’t.
Because deep down, I knew… she was telling the truth.
Tears blurred my vision, but I refused to let them fall.
This wasn’t just about Nara.
It was about everyone I had ever trusted.
They had all been part of this.
"How could you do this to me?" I choked out, my voice raw with pain.
She let out a sharp laugh, then reached behind her. From the folds of her dress, she pulled out a small glass bottle filled with a thick red liquid.
My eyes widened.
Before I could react, she smashed it against her legs, drenching herself in the crimson liquid.
"Oh, dear Bella," she crooned. "If Hunter didn’t need you as my personal blood supply, do you really think he’d keep you around?"
She took a step closer, her expression alight with pure malice.
"Face it," she whispered. "You were born beneath me."
Her fingers brushed against my cheek, her touch ice-cold.
"And now, I have taken everything from you."
She leaned in, her breath ghosting over my ear.
"So do me a favor and watch closely, dear sister," she purred. "See just how far Hunter is willing to go… for me."
