Irene's POV
I woke up to the blinding brightness of the infirmary, the sharp sting of antiseptic biting my nose and dragging me out of the thick haze of unconsciousness. For a moment I didn’t know where I was. My mind felt muddled, my throat raw, and the inside of my chest burned like someone had ripped it open and left me bleeding for wolves to pick at. The muffled throb of voices outside the room made my temples pound harder.
Then it all came crashing back.
Lisa.
The humiliation. The fight. The way she stood over me when my body gave in, as if I was nothing more than some weak, helpless pup. The memory of her smirk, her defiance, that disgusting sense of triumph flashing in her eyes—it lit fire under my skin. My stomach twisted in rage, in shame, in disbelief.
“No!” The scream rippe
