Rebecca's POV
The healer who came was not one I recognized.
He stumbled in breathing hard, blood staining the sleeve of his shirt, and the look on his face told me the news was bad before he'd said a single word.
"Alphas." His voice came out ragged. "We have another problem."
Matthew stood upright immediately. "What now?"
The healer hesitated — the particular hesitation of someone who knows what he's about to say is going to land badly and is bracing for the aftermath.
"Some of the wounded are refusing treatment," he said finally. "If it comes from anyone associated with the marked girl."
The room went completely still.
He looked uncomfortable, but forced the rest of it out. "They're calling her cursed. Morale's getting worse by the hour."
I felt the words land somewhere below
