Seline could feel the tension the moment she walked into work the next morning. The usual hum of chatter among the bar’s patrons seemed different, more subdued, with frequent glances cast in her direction. She forced herself to keep her head high, determined not to let the unease get to her. As she tied her apron behind the counter, she noticed a pair of female shifters sitting at a table near the back. They were speaking in hushed tones, their eyes darting toward her every so often.
Seline ignored them at first, focusing on wiping down the counter and taking orders. But when she saw the same two women whispering again and shooting furtive glances her way, she decided she’d had enough. Setting her tray down, she walked over to their table, her heart pounding but her steps steady.
“Something you’d like to share with the rest of the class?” she asked, her voice calm but laced with an edge.
The women froze, their eyes wide with surprise. One of them, a brunette with sharp features, cleared her throat nervously. “We didn’t mean anything by it,” she muttered.
“Didn’t mean anything by what?” Seline pressed, crossing her arms over her chest.
The second woman, a blonde with a softer demeanor, hesitated before speaking. “It’s just… people have been talking,” she admitted reluctantly.
Seline arched a brow. “Talking about what, exactly?”
The brunette shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “About the female shifter who was… found last night,” she said carefully. “They’re saying you were involved.”
Seline’s stomach tightened, but she kept her expression neutral. “And where, exactly, did you hear that?”
The women exchanged uneasy glances before the blonde answered, “One of Austin’s packmates mentioned it. We didn’t want to believe it, but…”
“But you were happy to spread it around anyway,” Seline finished for her, her voice cold. The women shrank back in their seats, and Seline leaned forward slightly. “For the record, I didn’t kill anyone. Maybe next time, you should think twice before you believe everything you hear.”
She turned on her heel and walked back to the bar, her hands shaking with suppressed anger.
---
When her shift ended later that afternoon, Seline stepped outside to find Austin leaning against the side of the building. She groaned inwardly, her anger from earlier flaring back to life.
“What do you want?” she asked, her voice sharp.
Austin pushed off the wall and approached her, his expression serious. “We need to talk,” he said.
Seline crossed her arms, glaring at him. “Then talk.”
He glanced around, his jaw tightening. “Not here.”
“Why not?” she challenged. “Afraid your packmates will hear you consorting with the enemy?”
Austin’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t take the bait. “Just come with me,” he said, his tone clipped.
Reluctantly, Seline followed him to a quieter part of the street. When they were out of earshot of anyone else, she turned to face him, her patience wearing thin. “What’s this about?”
“I know you’re being framed,” he said without preamble.
Seline blinked, caught off guard. “What?”
“The rumors about you killing the shifter—someone’s setting you up,” Austin said.
Seline’s mind raced, her initial anger giving way to confusion and suspicion. “Why would anyone do that?”
“I don’t know yet,” Austin admitted. “But if you want to clear your name, you’re going to have to help me figure it out.”
Seline laughed bitterly. “Help you? Why would I do that? Don’t you have an entire pack to help you solve your problems?”
Austin’s jaw tightened, and he looked away for a moment before meeting her gaze again. “I can’t trust them,” he said quietly.
That admission caught her off guard. “You can’t trust your own pack?”
He didn’t answer, but the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.
Seline shook her head, backing away. “This isn’t my problem, Austin. Figure it out on your own.”
“If you don’t help me, you’ll be the one to pay for it,” Austin said, his voice hard. “The pack hunter’s already watching you. If you don’t clear your name, he’ll come for you—outsider or not.”
Seline’s heart skipped a beat, the image of the wolf from last night flashing in her mind. “The pack hunter?” she echoed.
Austin nodded. “Big guy, dark fur, piercing eyes. He’s relentless.”
Her stomach dropped. “He was outside my apartment last night,” she said softly.
Austin’s expression darkened. “Then you’re already on his radar. You don’t have much time, Seline.”
She stared at him, her mind racing. She hated the idea of working with him, but the alternative wasn’t exactly appealing. Finally, she sighed. “Why do you even care about helping me?”
“I don’t,” Austin said bluntly. “This is about getting justice for my packmate, not about helping you.”
His words stung, but Seline refused to let it show. She forced a bitter smile. “You must have really cared about her,” she said mockingly.
Austin’s eyes flickered with something she couldn’t identify, but he didn’t respond.
“Fine,” Seline said reluctantly. “I’ll help you. But don’t expect me to like it.”
Austin’s lips curved into a smirk. “Don’t act so insulted. You’ve been fawning over another wolf Alpha anyway.”
Her temper flared, and before she could stop herself, she snapped, “I haven’t seen Loyd since that night.”
Austin fell silent, his smirk fading.
Satisfied that she’d struck a nerve, Seline turned and walked away, her heart pounding. She didn’t look back, even when she felt his gaze burning into her back.
---
That night, as Seline prepared to wind down for the evening, a knock at her door startled her. She hesitated for a moment before opening it, only to find a familiar face—Sam, the warlock regular from the bar.
“Sam?” she asked, surprised.
“I thought I’d check in on you,” he said, his tone kind but concerned. “You seemed a little off today.”
Seline managed a small smile. “I’m fine, just tired.”
Sam studied her for a moment before nodding. “If you need anything, you know where to find me,” he said before leaving.
As she closed the door, Seline couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that had settled over her since her conversation with Austin.
Later that night, as she lay in bed, the sound of her phone buzzing startled her. She grabbed it, her heart racing as she read the message.
Two bodies found in the forest. Male. Not shifters.
Her breath caught in her throat as she read the next line.
The loan shark thugs who attacked you.
Seline dropped her phone, her mind spinning. She sat there in the dark, her hands trembling. Someone was tying up loose ends—and she wasn’t sure if she was next.