Eira entered my room, flanked by several pack members and Kael. Their eyes were full of unease, darting to me as though I might lash out at any moment. I sat on the edge of my bed, barely managing to stay upright. A bitter laugh slipped from my lips, cracking the heavy silence. It quickly turned into a sob that shook my shoulders.
“You haven’t even let me explain myself,” I said, my voice trembling. “You’ve already decided I’m guilty.”
Kael’s jaw tightened, his expression a mix of frustration and regret. “There are witnesses, Sable. There’s proof. And there’s motive.”
“Witness?” My voice rose, sharp with disbelief. “The maid who sent me to the hall? What did she say?”
“She said you asked where Eira was and stormed off to confront her,” Kael replied, his tone cold and measured. “She saw you attack Eira.”
I shook my head, letting out a grim, hollow laugh. “Attack her? In this state?” I gestured weakly to my frail body. “Eira is stronger than me now. Everyone knows that.”
Kael ignored my protest, his voice relentless. “There’s more. A shipment of silver weapons was smuggled into the pack, and the documents list your name. It was illegal, and the timing…” His words hung in the air, heavy with accusation.
One of the pack members stepped forward, their tone accusing. “You’ve been jealous of Eira. Everyone can see it. All the attention she’s getting, her abilities, her bond with Kael…”
I turned to Eira, who stood silent, her face pale and innocent. Her wide eyes shimmered with unshed tears, as if this situation hurt her more than it did me. The sight of her like that twisted something deep in my chest, a sharp ache that left me breathless.
I forced my gaze back to the gathered wolves, my voice low but firm. “Get out. All of you.”
Kael opened his mouth, ready to argue, but one look at my face stopped him. One by one, they filed out, leaving me alone in the suffocating silence.
After that day, I withdrew from everyone. I didn’t trust anyone except Mia, my childhood maid. She was the only one who stayed by my side. I spent most of my time watching from my window as life in the pack revolved around Eira. The wolves adored her; they laughed and celebrated in her presence. Even Kael seemed captivated, his fleeting glances in my direction colder and more distant with each passing day.
One evening, Kael confronted me, his voice sharp with frustration. “If you don’t apologize to Eira, I won’t speak to you again.”
I said nothing. My silence echoed louder than any argument I could have made. That night, I sat by the window, staring at the moon with my hand resting on my growing belly. My thoughts churned, heavy and dark. How had everything fallen apart so quickly?
Eira had become the pack’s shining light, untouchable and adored. Her white hair shimmered like frost, earning her the nickname “snow queen.” I, on the other hand, had become a shadow of the Luna I once was. My sunny disposition had withered into something dark and brooding, my black hair deepening like the shadows that clung to me. The wolves whispered behind my back now, calling me the “shadow queen.”
I watched silently as the pack moved on without me, the bonds I once held so dear slipping further from my grasp. And as the days bled into nights, I clung to one unshakable truth: I was utterly, heartbreakingly alone.
