Rejected by Blood

Chapter 11: Sierra’s Public Attack

The pack hall buzzed with restless energy as wolves gathered from all corners. Whispers drifted through the air like smoke, but beneath the surface simmered something far more volatile. I could feel eyes on me — some curious, some hostile.

Then Sierra made her entrance like a storm ready to break. She leaned casually against the far wall, her entourage circling like vultures. The moment our eyes locked, a malicious grin spread across her face.

“Well, well,” she called out, voice dripping with disdain, “Isla Black graces us with her presence. Or should I say, the pack’s biggest mistake.”

A hush fell over the room as every head turned. I swallowed the lump rising in my throat but refused to back down.

“I’m part of this pack, Sierra,” I said steadily. “No matter what you say.”

Her laughter was cold, cruel. “You don’t belong here. You’re a parasite, a weak shadow of what this pack should be. Even Donnavan agrees.”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd — some faces smirking, others whispering in disbelief. Sierra thrived on the chaos she stirred.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside the hall. The heavy wooden door burst open, and a pack member stumbled in, pale and breathless.

“There’s… a body,” he gasped. “Down by the riverbank. It’s… it’s Tessa.”

A collective gasp swept through the room. Tessa was quiet, well-liked — a wolf who had voiced her doubts about Donnavan’s leadership carefully and quietly.

Before anyone could react, Axel’s voice cut through the rising panic. “Everyone stay calm. We’ll handle this.”

But the damage was done. Rumors flared instantly: some said Tessa was killed for speaking out; others whispered darker accusations — that Isla had something to do with it.

I could see Sierra’s eyes glittering with satisfaction as the crowd shifted uneasily, suspicion creeping into their glances.

Earlier that night, in the dim shadows near the riverbank, Mary Black had carried out her plan with ruthless precision.

Tessa had confronted her in secret, threatening to expose the trafficking operation. Mary’s smile was ice-cold.

“You should know better than to cross me,” Mary hissed before silencing Tessa forever with a brutal strike to the head.

She dragged the body to the riverbank, carefully staging the scene to look like a wild animal attack — but with subtle signs planted to implicate Isla, like a torn piece of her scarf caught in Tessa’s hand.

Mary slipped away unnoticed, already plotting the fallout.

That same night, Axel and Liam led a small group of warriors into the dark woods bordering our territory. Every step was a calculated risk.

“Keep quiet,” Axel warned, eyes scanning the shadows. “Donnavan’s men won’t expect us.”

The first sign of the camp came as flickering torchlight behind thick underbrush. Suddenly, a guard spotted them and shouted a warning.

Chaos exploded.

Arrows flew, wolves howled, and the clash of steel echoed through the trees. I fought beside Axel, our movements instinctive and fierce.

Axel shouted orders, “Push forward! Liam, cover the flank!”

Liam moved swiftly, taking down two men before a bullet grazed his arm. He gritted his teeth but kept going.

I dodged a knife and tackled an attacker, heart pounding.

Through the smoke and chaos, I spotted cages stacked high with terrified wolves — some barely more than pups.

Axel grabbed my arm. “We need to get them out now.”

We smashed the locks, freeing the captured wolves even as reinforcements poured in.

Back at the pack hall, tension crackled in the air like static electricity.

Sierra’s followers whispered doubts; some looked uneasy around her now, questioning the cruelty they had once cheered.

Dakota was nowhere to be seen, his absence noted with suspicion.

Mary moved among the wolves, her smile tight and calculating, but even she couldn’t hide the cracks forming beneath the surface.

I stood tall, my hands trembling slightly but my spirit unbroken. The pack needed to see the truth — and I was ready to fight for it.

The next morning, the pack was restless. Whispers filled the corridors like a gathering storm. Dakota’s absence from the gathering hadn’t gone unnoticed, and suspicion hung heavy in the air.

Axel found me near the edge of the training grounds, his expression grim.

“We need to talk about Dakota,” he said quietly.

I nodded, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach.

Later that afternoon, we tracked him down near the river, where the water ran cold and swift.

“Dakota,” Axel called, his tone firm but calm.

Dakota turned, his eyes flickering with guilt and fear.

“I didn’t mean for it to go this far,” he confessed, voice low.

I stepped forward. “What have you been doing, Dakota?”

He swallowed hard. “I was spying... for Donnavan. I thought if I could keep tabs, maybe I could protect you. Protect all of us.”

Axel’s jaw clenched. “You betrayed your own pack.”

Dakota’s shoulders slumped. “I was scared. Donnavan has power, and if he finds out I’m working against him… I didn’t know what else to do.”

I softened, stepping closer. “We all have to be brave now, Dakota. Loyalty to the pack means standing together, not hiding in fear.”

He nodded, tears threatening. “I’ll make it right. I swear.”

That evening, after the adrenaline faded, Axel and I sat together by the fire outside the cabin. The sky was a deep, bruised purple, stars beginning to prick the dark.

He looked at me, his eyes steady.

“You read the letters, right?”

I pulled the worn paper from my jacket, tracing the familiar handwriting. “Three more. Each one feels like a piece of him reaching through time.”

Axel’s voice softened. “What did he say?”

One letter slipped from my fingers. “He told me how much he loves me, that he hopes I grew up strong… that he’s proud.”

A lump rose in my throat, and my voice cracked. “I never really knew him. But these letters… they make me feel like he’s here.”

Axel reached out, brushing a curl from my face. “You’re not alone anymore, Isla. You have me. And we’ll face this together.”

I looked up, meeting his gaze, heart pounding.

“Axel… I’m scared sometimes. Of losing control, of what’s coming.”

He smiled gently. “You don’t have to be. I’ll be with you every step. You’re stronger than you think.”

I leaned into him, feeling the steady beat of his heart.

The fire flickered low as we sat close, and something shifted between us — a promise, a bond.