*Selena*
I stood there frozen, my heart racing as Avery’s words sliced through the fragile cocoon of grief that had enveloped me since Lola’s tragic death. The wounds of her loss were still raw, the pain a relentless ache that gripped my chest.
“No!” The word tore out of me as my voice quivered with a mixture of shock and defiance.
“Yes! Yes, you are the murderer,” Avery spat the words out with a fiery vehemence.
My trembling lips parted, ready to defend myself against the accusations that had blindsided me.
“She didn’t kill Lola,” the deep resonance of Zander’s voice rolled out like thunder amidst a storm. He stepped forward, standing beside me.
I turned my tear-filled eyes toward him, a mixture of astonishment and shock dancing in their depths. Why would he stand by me?
“How… how can you say that, Zander?” Avery’s incredulous voice laced with disbelief shattered the momentary respite as her words trembled, a quiver of uncertainty revealing the cracks in her conviction.
“I know because she has no wolf. Look at Lola’s body-this wasn’t the act of a human. It was the work of a mad and bloodthirsty animal,” Zander reasoned with his precise observation.
A gasp caught in the air, the realization dawning that there might be more to this tragic tale than met the eye. Yet, Avery’s anger was now directed at Zander.
“I can’t believe it, and there you are taking her side,” she accused with a tone that sought to plant seeds of doubt. “You know that she is like her traitor family. We still don’t know what else she has hidden.”
“Maddox, get Lola’s body checked, figure out what happened,” Zander’s voice sliced through the tension in the room, ignoring Avery’s whining in the process.
“Everyone, just head back to your rooms. We’re diving into this, so don’t worry,” he directed, and the other Werewolves scattered, each with their own mix of worry and confusion.
Avery, though, didn’t budge. She stood there, shooting daggers at Zander, her frustration practically palpable in the air. Zander seemed exhausted, a sigh escaping him as he dealt with her.
“Avery, seriously, go to your room now,” he snapped with a touch of impatience, his voice turning cold as ice.
“But Zander…” she started to argue, her voice a mix of defiance and desperation.
Zander didn’t even let her finish.
“We’ll talk about it tomorrow,” he dismissed her.
My shock from the earlier accusations was still fresh, and Zander’s sudden support was a jolt to my emotions. Tears were still making their way down my cheeks as I watched the investigators somberly carry Lola’s body out of my room, a visual that felt like a nightmare.
Zander stayed back. Once the investigators were out of sight, he turned his attention to me.
“Selena, come to my room,” he invited, his voice quietly authoritative.
I must have looked puzzled because he quickly clarified, “Your room is a mess, covered in blood and wreckage. It’s late, and you shouldn’t stay here alone. Just for tonight, come sleep in my room.”
Staying in the Alpha’s room felt strange, but I was extremely exhausted and emotionally traumatized by the sorrow. So, I silently nodded in agreement. He led the way, and I followed, the silence between us heavy with unspoken questions.
Once we were inside his room, he turned and locked the door behind us, the click of the lock echoing in the room’s quietness.
He turned toward me. His gaze fixed on me as he posed a direct question, his voice a mix of curiosity and seriousness. “Are you finally going to tell me what’s going on?”
I mirrored his gaze, my own expression a blend of defiance and uncertainty.
“What do you mean?” I countered, challenging him to clarify.
His brow furrowed, annoyance flickering across his features.
“I know where you were and what you were doing when Lola died,” he stated firmly, his words carrying a note of controlled frustration as he continued to study me intently.
He knew? The realization hit me, a mixture of surprise and realization dawning within me. Of course, he knew. The system reboot couldn’t have happened automatically.
“So you were playing with me, controlling the system while sitting far away?!” I shook my head as realization gleamed.
“Do you think you can defeat your teacher?! I was the one who taught you every single detail of hacking?” He scoffed, his conceited eyes glowing with pride.
I snorted at his proud remark, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“I know you didn’t kill that Omega because you were in the data room, stealing information,” he declared, his anger simmering beneath the surface.
“So, you’ve known all along? How long were you pretending to be ignorant?” I retorted, my tone tinged with skepticism.
He held my gaze, his irritation barely concealed.
“Do you think you got the data room key so easily and just like that? No, I left it there for you,” he admitted, unraveling his secret.
His revelation left me stunned, trying to piece together his motives.
“Why did you do that?” I asked, genuine confusion coloring my words.
“I wanted to understand your intentions, Selena. You harbored so much resentment toward me that you didn’t think twice about risking the entire werewolf community’s existence. How could you be so self-centered?” His accusation hung in the air, a mixture of disappointment and anger lacing his voice.
I fell silent, studying his face for any signs of deception. He hadn’t changed; he was still the same master of manipulation.
“Tell me, who else is involved?” he demanded once more, his tone unyielding as he pressed for answers.
“So, that was your plan?!” I shook my head in disbelief, my emotions swirling with a mix of shock and understanding.”You wanted to find out who else was working with me. That’s why you didn’t throw me in prison when you caught me hacking the system. You were keeping an eye on me. Or were you enjoying watching me fail in misery?” I let out a bitter laugh, my words laced with a mocking tone aimed at his calculating mind.
His expression remained impassive as he responded, his voice carrying a trace of frustration. “No, I needed to uncover who you were working for. The data is of no value to you. Someone else is interested. Tell me, who’s behind this? Who are you working for?”