The morning sunlight streaming through the curtains felt intrusive, highlighting the chaos of Seline’s emotions. She sat at the edge of her bed, her fingers digging into the blanket wrapped around her. The hollow ache in her chest was hard to ignore, and the events of the previous night felt surreal, like a bad dream she couldn’t shake off.
She had barely processed the fact that Austin had left her when she heard a soft knock on the door. Her heart lurched, confusion swirling in her mind. She debated not answering it but sighed and dragged herself to the door. Swinging it open, she was startled to see Austin standing there, holding a small brown paper bag and a coffee cup.
Her stomach twisted. “What do you want?” she asked, her voice sharp, though it didn’t fully mask her hurt.
“I brought breakfast,” he said simply, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
Seline folded her arms and glared at him. “I didn’t ask for breakfast.”
Austin set the bag and cup on her cluttered kitchen counter and turned to face her. “You looked like you’d barely eaten the last time I saw you. I figured—”
“You figured what?” she interrupted, bitterness dripping from her tone. “That you’d play the role of the concerned Alpha now?”
He frowned, his jaw tightening. “I’m not here to argue with you.”
“Then why are you here, Austin?” she snapped, her voice rising. “What do you want from me? Because last night was pretty clear—you don’t want me. So why bother?”
Her words seemed to hit him harder than she expected. He looked away, his expression unreadable. “What happened last night…” He paused, then met her gaze. “It can’t happen again.”
Seline laughed bitterly, the sound harsh and hollow. “Of course it can’t,” she said, her voice dripping with self-deprecation. “Don’t worry, Austin. I’m not delusional enough to think it meant anything to you. I expected you to show up and tear me down, so go ahead. Get it over with.”
Austin’s brows furrowed, his usual confidence faltering as he studied her. “I’m not here to tear you down,” he said quietly. “I don’t hate you, Seline.”
She scoffed, her arms tightening around herself. “You could have fooled me. Every word out of your mouth these past few months has made it pretty clear how much you despise me.”
“I don’t—” He stopped, sighing heavily. “I don’t despise you.”
“Sure,” she said with a sarcastic laugh, brushing past him toward the counter. She grabbed the coffee cup, needing something to do with her hands. “If this is your attempt at some grand apology, save it. Last night was a mistake, and we both know it.”
Austin’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before it shifted to the half-packed boxes scattered around the room. “Are you moving?”
Her grip tightened on the cup. “That’s none of your business.”
Before Austin could respond, her phone buzzed on the counter. She glanced at the screen, and her stomach clenched when she saw the name: Loyd.
Austin’s expression darkened instantly. His gaze flicked from the phone to her face, his jaw tightening. “Maybe it’s Loyd’s business then,” he said coldly before turning on his heel and walking out the door.
The sound of the door slamming shut echoed in the small apartment, leaving Seline standing there, fuming. Anger swirled inside her—not just at him, but at herself, at the mess her life had become. She let out a frustrated sigh before picking up the phone and answering.
“Loyd?” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
“Seline,” his voice came through, calm but urgent. “Can you meet me? It’s important.”
Her brow furrowed. “What’s this about?”
“It’s about you,” he said cryptically. “And Austin. I think… I think I know something that can help you.”
---
They met at a small café on the outskirts of town, one of the few places in the area that catered to Others and humans alike. Loyd was already seated in a corner booth when she arrived, his usual charming smile absent.
Seline slid into the seat across from him, her arms crossed. “What’s going on?”
Loyd leaned forward, lowering his voice. “I overheard something. Some of Austin’s packmates were talking about you and the woman who was killed.”
Her stomach churned, but she kept her expression neutral. “And?”
“And from what I heard, it sounds like Austin might be trying to frame you,” Loyd said bluntly.
Seline blinked, her mind reeling. “That doesn’t make any sense,” she said, shaking her head. “Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know,” Loyd admitted. “But I recorded part of what I heard.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small audio device, placing it on the table between them. Seline stared at it, her pulse quickening.
“Before you listen,” Loyd said, his tone cautious, “I need you to know that I’m not doing this to hurt you. I just thought you deserved to know the truth.”
Without waiting for a response, he pressed play.
The recording crackled to life, and Seline immediately recognized the voices of a few of Austin’s packmates. Their words were low but clear, and the things they were saying made her blood run cold.
“…don’t know why he hasn’t just handed her over already,” one voice said. “She’s a liability, and the pack hunter would deal with her for good.”
Another voice responded, “Austin’s being too soft on her. If it were up to me, I’d make sure she was out of the picture. She doesn’t belong here.”
“I heard he’s letting her stay around because of the witch thing,” a third voice chimed in. “Useful for barriers or whatever.”
The conversation continued, each word feeling like a dagger to Seline’s heart. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. The final blow came when one of the voices said, “Maybe we should just let the rumors spread. Make it look like she had something to do with the murder. That would solve the problem, wouldn’t it?”
Loyd stopped the recording and looked at her, his expression grim. “I’m sorry, Seline.”
She sat there in stunned silence, her mind racing. The recording wasn’t direct evidence of Austin’s involvement, but the fact that his packmates were even discussing such a thing…
“No,” she said finally, her voice trembling. “It doesn’t make sense. Austin… he wouldn’t do that.”
“Wouldn’t he?” Loyd said gently. “He’s made it clear he doesn’t want you here. And his pack follows his lead.”
Seline shook her head, her hands gripping the edge of the table. “He… he hates me, sure. But framing me for murder? That’s…”
“Think about it,” Loyd said. “He doesn’t trust you. He’s always watching you, always trying to control you. And now this.”
The weight of his words pressed down on her, and for the first time, she felt something break inside her. The betrayal hit her like a tidal wave, threatening to pull her under.
Her vision blurred as she stared at the table, her thoughts spiraling. Was this what Austin had been planning all along? To paint her as the villain, to get rid of her once and for all?
Seline felt sick to her stomach, the betrayal cutting deeper than she thought possible. For so long, she had told herself she didn’t care what Austin thought of her. But now… now she realized how much she had wanted to believe that, deep down, he wasn’t as heartless as he seemed.
And now, that hope was shattered.