Chapter 11: No More Baseless Accusations
Chapter 11: No More Baseless Accusations
(Lucas’s POV)
The image of Celeste pulling herself from the sacred moon pool wouldn’t leave me. It played over and over in my mind like a curse.
Her clothes clung to her like a second skin, soaked and heavy. Her scarred arms trembled as
she dragged herself onto the frozen ground. The silver burns were clear even through the
soaked fabric. Her wolf’s limp energy flickered faintly beneath the exhaustion.
Her violet eyes burned, not with strength, but with resolve.
And still, none of us had moved to help her.
My fists clenched at my sides as my wolf, Bloodfang, paced uncontrollably inside me. His
snarls were sharp, restless. His energy was suffocating.
Why couldn’t I stop seeing it?
The crowd had parted for her as she limped away, head held high despite the weight of her
soaked body. She didn’t wait for thanks–or an apology. She never did.
“Alpha,” Sarah’s voice broke through my thoughts, trembling faintly.
I turned on her, my green eyes blazing with barely contained anger.
“Fetch the healer,” I barked, my voice sharp and cutting.
Sarah flinched at my tone. Her eyes darted nervously before she nodded. “Y–Yes, Alpha.”
Her retreating figure didn’t ease my mood. Bloodfang growled low, his frustration swelling
along with my guilt.
How could she have jumped in with those wounds? How did she even have the strength?
And Scarlett?
I turned to where Scarlett lay, trembling beneath the thick coat Victoria had draped over her.
She was whimpering softly, her emerald eyes darting between every wolf who circled her.
Victoria crouched protectively by her side. “You’re safe now,” she whispered softly, stroking
Scarlett’s damp auburn hair.
Safe.
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The word clawed into me like a blade.
She wouldn’t have been safe if not for Celeste.
The healer arrived quickly, her gentle wolf emitting comforting warmth as she knelt by Scarlett. She didn’t look at me once.
“She’s freezing,” the healer murmured as her hands worked quickly, glowing faintly with energy. “But she’ll recover. Her temperature should stabilize once I apply the herbs.”
Victoria exhaled loudly, her relief almost palpable. “Thank you,” she said softly, her green eyes shimmering faintly.
I remained silent, standing tall and unmoving as I crossed my arms over my chest.
Sarah had returned, standing stiffly at the edge of the scene. My jaw tightened as I turned my gaze on her.
Her wolf visibly flinched under my scrutiny, her nervous energy tainting the air.
“Sarah,” I said sharply.
She jerked upright like a soldier caught out of line.
“You were quick to accuse Celeste of pushing Scarlett into that pool,” I said, my voice calm but laced with venom. “Why?”
Sarah gulped, her throat visibly bobbing as she scrambled for words.
“I-” she began, her voice high–pitched and wavering. “I only wanted to protect Scarlett, Alpha.”
Bloodfang snarled beneath my skin, his golden eyes flashing dangerously. I took a step forward, forcing Sarah to shrink just slightly in her place.
“And you thought accusing Celeste was the way to do that?” I snapped, the edge in my voice cutting through her excuses.
“She has… a past…” Sarah stammered weakly, her words trailing off at my sharp glare.
“A past you had no problem exploiting during the moon crystal incident,” I growled, my anger barely contained. “Am I wrong?”
Her lips trembled, the flicker of fear behind her eyes betraying her voice. “It’s not like that, Alpha!”
Bloodfang’s growls filled my chest, each sound sharper than the last.
“Then explain it to me,” I said coldly, my green eyes boring into hers. “Was this an accident? Or
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Chapter 11: No More Baseless A…
did someone–perhaps Scarlett–plan this?”
Sarah’s pupils dilated slightly at the accusation, her panic clear. “No!” she gasped, her breathing uneven. “Never! Scarlett would never-
“Enough,” I cut her off sharply, my tone brimming with disgust.
Scarlett’s weak whimper distracted us then. Her small voice called quietly for Sarah, and the
Beta lunged eagerly toward her, like a servant toward a lifeline.
I clenched my jaw at the sight. Scarlett had always been fragile, but this wasn’t fragility. This
was calculated.
“There will be no more baseless accusations,” I said sharply, my voice slicing the air like ice.
My eyes narrowed on Sarah. “Not one. Am I clear?”
Sarah nodded frantically, her head bowing low as her wolf shrank beneath mine.
Victoria, who had been hovering protectively over Scarlett, looked up at me then.
Her voice was soft, hesitant. “Lucas,” she said, her gaze tired.
“What?” I snapped impatiently, my patience wearing thin.
Her lips pursed, but she kept her tone steady. “Celeste… did she learn to swim?”
The question stopped me cold. My hands curled into fists as anger surged through me, almost
choking.
“She learned,” I said bitterly. “Because maids threw her into silver–lined pools and left her
there. Over and over again.”
Victoria’s expression froze in horror, panic flickering behind her wide green eyes. She opened
her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out.
I didn’t wait for her response. The ground beneath my feet burned as I turned sharply, my
movements rigid with fury.
Bloodfang howled in my mind, his energy surging violently.
The training grounds blurred into view, the cold air cutting against my skin like shards of
glass. Each step exhaled rage.
Faint cries reached my ears, cutting through the cold with sharp, pleading tones.
My vision snapped to the scene immediately.
A group of warriors had cornered a young omega. Not a man–barely more than a boy. His
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Chapter 11: No More Baseless A…
wolf cowered behind him as the others jeered and laughed at his trembling.
Behind the boy gaped the silver–lined training pit, its edges humming faintly with an energy that made my blood boil.
Bloodfang lunged before I could think.
“You call this training?” my voice thundered across the clearing.
18 Points
The warriors spun, their mocking laughter evaporating instantly as my towering figure closed the distance.
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