Chapter 161
The day started off normal enough—quiet, calm even. I spent the morning tidying up my room, playing with the twins, and trying to shake off the unease that Joseph’s note from the night before had left me with. I told myself I was overthinking it. Maybe it was all in my head, and I was making something out of nothing.
But by the time lunch rolled around, everything fell apart.
It happened so suddenly. I was in the kitchen, helping Sophie prepare snacks for the twins, when Beta Chris stormed in, his face tight with anger.
“Ayla,” he said sharply. “You’re coming with me. Now.”
I blinked, confused. “What? Why? What’s going on?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
I exchanged a worried glance with Sophie, but she only looked as bewildered as I felt. Wiping my hands on a towel, I followed Chris out of the kitchen, my heart thudding in my chest.
He led me to the main hall, where Jake was already waiting. His arms were crossed, his expression unreadable, but his eyes were sharp and cold. Standing next to him, looking pale and shaken, was Joseph.
\---
The moment I stepped into the room, Joseph flinched, as if my mere presence frightened him.
“Is this some kind of joke?” I asked, looking between Jake and Marcus. “What’s going on?”
Jake’s gaze didn’t waver. “Joseph has accused you of attempting to harm him.”
My stomach dropped. “What?”
Joseph stepped forward, his voice trembling. “Last night, I woke up to find someone in my room. I didn’t see her face, but I caught her scent. It was hers.” He pointed a finger at me, his hand shaking just enough to sell the act.
“That’s ridiculous!” I shot back, my voice rising. “I wasn’t in his room last night. I—”
“And there’s this,” Joseph interrupted, holding up a blade. The sharp edge gleamed in the light, and my breath caught as I noticed the blood smeared on the tip.
On the table behind him, there was a pillow with a dark red stain soaking through the fabric.
“I woke up to this by my head,” Joseph said, his voice heavy with accusation. “If I hadn’t moved in time, I might not be standing here right now.”
I felt the blood drain from my face. “You’re lying,” I said, shaking my head. “I didn’t do this. I would never—”
“Your scent was in his room,” Chris said.
“That’s because—” I stopped myself. My scent. Of course, he would use that against me.
Jake finally spoke, his voice cold and controlled. “You were in his room recently, weren’t you?”
“Yes,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “But not last night. I went in during the day to—to look around. I thought he might be hiding something.”
Joseph scoffed. “And there it is. She admits to sneaking into my room. If she’d do it once, what’s to stop her from doing it again?”
“I wasn’t trying to hurt you!” I shouted, desperate to make them believe me.
Jake’s eyes bore into mine. “Do you have any proof? Anything to support your side?”
My mind raced, but I came up empty. The only evidence they had was circumstantial—my scent, the blade, the blood—but it was damning enough to make me look guilty.
“I don’t need proof,” Joseph said, his voice dripping with self-righteousness. “The facts speak for themselves.”
The room fell silent, the weight of the accusations pressing down on me like a physical force. Finally, Jake spoke again.
“Until we can determine the truth, you’re to remain confined to your room. You are not to leave for any reason.”
“What?” I stared at him, disbelief coursing through me. “Jake, you can’t honestly believe I’d do something like this!”
His jaw tightened. “It’s not about what I believe, Ayla. It’s about the evidence. Until this is resolved, I have to put the safety of the pack first.”
I was escorted back to my room by two guards, their faces impassive. As soon as the door closed behind me, I sank onto the bed, my mind racing.
Joseph had set me up perfectly. He’d planted the blade, manipulated the evidence, and played the victim like a master. And now, everyone thought I was some kind of criminal.
Joseph was more conniving than I thought if he could easily manipulate situations like this then whatever he was up to had to be worse. I needed a way to convince Jake to take this seriously .
The door creaked open, and I looked up to see Tammy standing in the doorway. Her expression was a mix of anger and betrayal, her eyes flashing with fury.
“You really fooled me,” she said, her voice cold. “I actually started to believe you weren’t as bad as I thought.”
“Tammy, you don’t understand—”
“Oh, I understand perfectly.” She stepped closer, her hands clenched into fists. “You pretended to be my friend, pretended to care, all so you could get close enough to hurt my father.”
“That’s not true!” I shouted, tears stinging my eyes. “I didn’t do it, Tammy. I swear I didn’t.”
She scoffed. “Save it. You’ll regret this, Ayla. You’ll regret the day you ever crossed me.”
"Tammy!"
She stormed out, slamming the door behind her. I sat there in silence, her words echoing in my head.
I didn’t even have a chance to explain myself.
The hours dragged by, each one heavier than the last. I replayed the events in my head over and over, trying to figure out where I’d gone wrong. How had Joseph managed to outsmart me so completely?
When night finally fell, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The weight of the accusations, the distrust in Jake’s eyes, and Tammy’s harsh words pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket.
I huffed, to hell with Joseph.
I wasn’t going to let Joseph win.
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