The days after my return blurred into one long stretch of whispers and stares. Everywhere I went, I felt the weight of the pack pressing down on me. In the dining hall, voices dropped as soon as I entered. In the training yards, warriors paused mid-spar to glance in my direction. Even in the library, where I had once found refuge in quiet corners, the silence now carried judgment.
No one said the words to my face, but I heard them anyway. Rejected. Claimed. Cursed.
Selene did her best to shield me from it. She stayed close, reminding anyone who dared glare too long that a Beta’s loyalty was not given lightly. But even her presence couldn’t smother the rumors.
And Darius—Darius made no attempt to silence them. If anything, he fueled them. He prowled the Keep like a wolf daring anyone to
