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Bianca’s POV

The tension in the air was suffocating. Every corner of the pack house buzzed with whispers of Finn’s attack, and I couldn’t move without feeling a dozen eyes boring into my back. Jenny and I had barely made it out of that hallway alive after Alina’s confrontation. I wasn’t scared of her, but her words stuck in my head.

“Did we mess up?” Jenny asked nervously as we entered my room and closed the door behind us. She sat on the edge of the bed, her hands twisting anxiously in her lap.

I leaned against the dresser, crossing my arms. “No,” I said firmly, though the tightness in my chest said otherwise. “We’ve been careful. We didn’t stab Finn. Someone else did. Alina’s just lashing out because she’s desperate.”

“But what if she’s right?” Jenny’s voice cracked. “What if whoever stabbed Finn was aiming for Lia? What if we’re next?”

I turned to her, my glare silencing her panicked rambling. “We are not next. Whoever did this has no reason to come after us unless you do something stupid like freak out.”

Jenny nodded but didn’t look convinced.

I paced the room, my mind racing. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. Lia was the target, not Finn. Now everything was upside down, and the pack was on edge. If Alina decided to dig too deep, she could uncover secrets that would destroy us both.

My phone buzzed on the dresser, pulling me out of my thoughts. I grabbed it, glancing at the screen. It was a message from my investigator.

“I found something. Sending it now.”

A few seconds later, a video came through. My heart pounded as I opened it, the screen filling with grainy security footage.

At first, it was hard to make out, but then I saw him. Luca. He was entering Lex’s house the night everything went to hell. A slow smile spread across my lips.

“Gotcha,” I muttered under my breath.

“What is it?” Jenny asked, standing to peer over my shoulder.

I quickly locked my phone and shoved it into my pocket. “Nothing. Just some pack gossip.”

Jenny frowned but didn’t press further.

“Listen,” I said, shifting the conversation. “We need to be smart about this. Finn’s attack changes things, but it doesn’t change our goal. Lia is still a problem, and we can’t let her get comfortable. She’s too close to Luca, and if those two start working together, they’ll uncover everything.”

“But what do we do now?” Jenny asked, her voice shaking.

I gave her a cold smile. “We wait. Whoever attacked Finn is either an ally or an enemy we haven’t identified yet. Either way, they’ve given us an opportunity. The pack is distracted, and Alina’s too focused on revenge to see what’s right in front of her.”

Jenny still looked unsure, but she nodded. “Okay. What about Alina?”

I laughed dryly. “Alina’s predictable. She’ll make threats and stomp around like she owns the place, but she won’t act without proof. All we have to do is stay one step ahead of her.”

Jenny sighed, looking slightly more relaxed. “I hope you’re right.”

“I am,” I said confidently. “Now go. I need to make a few calls.”

Jenny hesitated, but eventually nodded and left the room.

As soon as the door clicked shut, I pulled out my phone and opened the video again. I watched it closely this time, noting every detail. Luca wasn’t just at Lex’s house; he looked agitated, almost frantic. He knew something.

I made a quick call to my investigator.

“Who else has seen this?” I demanded the moment he picked up.

“No one,” he replied. “You said to send it to you first.”

“Good. Keep it that way. I’ll let you know if I need anything else.”

I hung up and leaned against the dresser, my mind racing.

Luca’s involvement complicated things, but it also gave me leverage. If he was connected to Lex’s death, then I had a weapon I could use against him and Lia. But I had to be careful. If I played this wrong, it could blow up in my face.

As I considered my next move, the door creaked open, and Jenny peeked in.

“What now?” I snapped, irritated by the interruption.

“There’s a meeting in the main hall,” she said nervously. “Alina called it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course, she did. Fine, let’s go.”

Jenny and I made our way to the hall, where the pack had already gathered. Alina stood at the front, her eyes blazing with anger and determination.

“I don’t care what it takes,” she was saying as we entered. “Whoever did this to my brother will pay. And if anyone here is hiding something, now is the time to come forward.”

Her eyes swept over the crowd, lingering on me for a moment before moving on.

I met her gaze with a smirk, daring her to say something. She didn’t.

As the meeting continued, I felt my confidence returning. Alina could bluster all she wanted, but she didn’t have proof. And as long as I had that video, I held the upper hand.

When the meeting ended, I slipped away, my mind already planning my next move. Lia and Luca thought they were safe, but they had no idea what was coming.

I smiled to myself as I headed back to my room. The game was far from over, and I intended to win.

___

Lia’s POV

The hallways felt eerily quiet as I made my way to Finn’s room. The entire pack house was in chaos earlier, but now it seemed like the air itself was holding its breath. My steps faltered as I neared the door, dread pooling in my stomach. Finn was injured, and no one had any answers.

I pushed the door open gently and stepped inside. The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of a bedside lamp. Finn lay on the bed, his face pale and motionless, bandages wrapped around his chest. Seeing him like this sent a pang through my heart. This wasn’t the strong, commanding Finn I knew.

I approached the bed and stood by his side, my fingers hesitating over his hand before finally resting on it.

“Finn…” I whispered though I knew he couldn’t hear me. “I’m so sorry this happened to you. I wish I could fix it.”

The guilt weighed heavy on me. If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t be in this state. This attack was meant for me—I was sure of it.

The door creaked open behind me, and I turned to see Alina stride in, her expression a mix of anger and suspicion. She stopped a few feet away, crossing her arms over her chest.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded, her tone icy.

“I came to check on him,” I said quietly, trying to keep my voice calm.

She scoffed. “You’ve done enough damage already. Don’t you think it’s time you leave my brother alone?”

Her words stung, but I forced myself to hold my ground. “I didn’t hurt Finn, Alina. I care about him.”

“Care?” she repeated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “If you cared, he wouldn’t be lying there, fighting for his life.”

“That’s not fair,” I snapped, the weight of her accusations finally breaking my resolve. “I didn’t stab him. I would never hurt him!”

“Would you?” She took a step closer, her eyes narrowing. “Because ever since you came into our lives, everything has been chaos. My brother’s been distracted, this pack is falling apart, and now he’s on the brink of death. Tell me, Lia, how exactly are you not to blame?”

I clenched my fists, anger, and frustration bubbling inside me. “I didn’t ask for any of this! Do you think I want to be hunted? Do you think I want people trying to kill me? I’m as much a victim in this as Finn is!”

“Victim?” Alina laughed bitterly. “You’re not a victim, Lia. You’re a curse.”

Her words hit harder than I expected, and for a moment, I couldn’t find a response. The silence between us was thick, broken only by the soft sound of Finn’s breathing.

Finally, I spoke, my voice quieter but firm. “You can blame me all you want, but it doesn’t change the fact that someone out there is targeting this pack. You’re wasting time pointing fingers when we should be finding out who’s responsible.”

Alina’s eyes flashed with anger, but she didn’t immediately respond. Instead, she turned her attention to Finn, her expression softening slightly as she looked at him.

“I’ll find out who did this,” she said, her voice lower but still filled with determination. “And when I do, they’ll pay. But if I find out you had anything to do with it, Lia… you’ll regret ever stepping foot in this pack.”

I met her gaze, refusing to back down. “I didn’t hurt him, Alina. And I’m not going anywhere until I know he’s safe.”

For a moment, we stared at each other, neither willing to back down. Then she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, leaving me alone with Finn once more.

I sank into the chair beside his bed, my hands trembling as I gripped the armrests. The argument with Alina had rattled me, but it also strengthened my resolve.

Whoever was behind this attack wasn’t going to win. Not if I had anything to say about it.