CHAPTER 5: NO ONE LEFT TO FEAR
998 Words
Chapter 5: No One Left to Fear
After Alexander's death, Eva thought the silence would be the hardest part.
She was wrong.
The hardest part was realizing that the world did not stop.
The sun still rose every morning.
The rivers still flowed.
The pack still trained.
The kitchens still prepared meals.
Everyone continued living as though the person who had meant everything to her had never existed.
Except to her.
To Eva, everything had changed.
Her father had not only been her family.
He had been her shield.
And now that shield was gone.
***
Before Alexander's death, there had always been hesitation.
The pack members might have disliked her.
They might have whispered behind her back.
But they rarely crossed a certain line.
Because everyone knew one thing.
Eva was Alexander's daughter.
The Beta's daughter.
And even if they hated the fact that she was wolfless, they respected the man who had earned their loyalty.
Now...
That respect no longer protected her.
The whispers became louder.
The stares became colder.
The pity slowly disappeared.
Replaced by something worse.
Indifference.
***
One morning, Eva carried two heavy buckets of water across the courtyard.
The weight pulled against her already tired arms.
She had barely slept the night before.
Her body was exhausted.
But exhaustion didn't matter.
There was always work.
There was always something that needed to be done.
As she walked past a group of young wolves, she lowered her head.
She had learned that avoiding attention was the safest choice.
But one of them stepped forward.
Eva didn't notice until it was too late.
Her shoulder collided with his.
The buckets slipped from her hands.
Water spilled across the ground.
For a moment, everything went silent.
Then laughter followed.
The young wolf looked down at her.
"Watch where you're going."
Eva immediately lowered herself.
"I'm sorry."
She began gathering the buckets.
The wolf scoffed.
"Of course you are."
His friends laughed.
"That's all she knows how to say."
"Sorry."
"Please."
"Thank you."
They mocked her voice.
Eva ignored them.
She picked up the buckets and filled them again.
No one helped.
Not one person.
***
By the afternoon, she returned to the pack house.
She had barely finished cleaning when she heard a familiar voice.
"Eva."
Her hands froze.
She didn't need to turn around.
She already knew who it was.
Melissa.
Slowly, Eva faced her.
The Beta's daughter stood there with Vivian and Juliet beside her.
Unlike Eva, Melissa looked completely untouched by the harsh weather.
Her clothes were elegant.
Her hair was perfectly arranged.
Everything about her showed the difference between them.
Once...
They had been equals.
Now...
They lived in completely different worlds.
"What do you need?" Eva asked quietly.
Melissa raised an eyebrow.
"What do I need?"
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Interesting."
"You finally learned to speak without stuttering."
Vivian laughed.
Juliet covered her mouth, pretending to be surprised.
Melissa stepped closer.
"I was wondering something."
Eva remained silent.
Melissa looked her up and down.
"How does it feel?"
Eva frowned slightly.
"How does what feel?"
"Being nothing."
The words were soft.
Almost gentle.
That made them hurt more.
Eva's fingers tightened around the cloth in her hand.
Melissa continued.
"Your father was respected by everyone."
"He was strong."
"He was admired."
She tilted her head.
"And you?"
A cruel smile appeared.
"You can't even awaken a wolf."
Eva looked away.
Melissa's expression hardened.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you."
Slowly, Eva raised her eyes.
For a moment, something almost like the old Melissa appeared.
The girl who used to laugh with her.
The girl who used to call her family.
Then it vanished.
"Do you remember when we were children?"
Eva froze.
Melissa smiled faintly.
"We used to think nothing could separate us."
A quiet pause.
"Funny how wrong we were."
Eva's chest tightened.
"Melissa..."
But the other girl cut her off.
"Don't."
Her voice became cold.
"Don't say my name like we're still friends."
The words struck deeper than any insult.
Because Eva realized...
Melissa truly believed it.
The friendship they once had was dead.
Melissa turned away.
But before leaving, she glanced at the broom in Eva's hands.
"At least you know your place now."
She walked away.
***
The next day, Eva returned to work before sunrise.
The courtyard needed cleaning.
The kitchen needed help.
The pack needed everything.
And she was the easiest person to order around.
She was sweeping near the training grounds when Vivian appeared.
She looked bored.
"Still doing chores?"
Eva ignored her.
Vivian's eyes narrowed.
"Did you forget we were talking?"
Eva slowly stopped.
"I'm working."
A mistake.
The moment the words left her mouth, Vivian's expression changed.
"You think you're too good to answer me?"
Before Eva could react, Vivian grabbed the broom from her hands.
Juliet laughed.
"Look at her."
"She actually thinks she has a choice."
Vivian examined the broom.
Then smiled.
Crack.
The wooden handle snapped against her knee.
The broken pieces fell to the ground.
Eva stared silently.
That broom was one of the few things she owned.
Not valuable.
Not special.
But hers.
Vivian dropped the pieces at her feet.
"Get another one."
Eva didn't move.
Melissa watched from behind them.
She said nothing.
She didn't stop them.
She simply looked away.
And somehow...
That hurt the most.
Eva slowly bent down.
She picked up the broken pieces.
One by one.
The three girls walked away.
Their laughter fading into the distance.
The courtyard returned to silence.
Eva remained there alone.
Holding the broken broom.
Holding back tears.
And for the first time...
A terrifying thought entered her mind.
Maybe her father hadn't only been protecting her from the pack.
Maybe he had been the only reason the pack still pretended to accept her.
She looked at the empty space where the girls had disappeared.
Then quietly whispered:
"Why did you have to leave me?"
The wind answered.
Nothing else did.
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