Chapter 2

When I opened my eyes, my phone showed hundreds of missed calls from Damon and a flood of messages.

I was about to read them when the door was kicked in.

Damon stormed in, eyes bloodshot.

"Sable! If you have a problem, take it up with me! What did Elara ever do to you?"

"Everything she says comes straight from the Moon Goddess. Are you questioning the Moon Goddess Herself?"

The Moon Goddess was the highest faith of all wolves. Damon was wielding that accusation like a weapon.

I blinked.

"What are you talking about? What happened to her?"

Damon sneered.

"You don't know what you did?"

"You posted online just so people would feel sorry for you and go after Elara, didn't you?"

"Well, congratulations. The comments are vicious. Elara is sensitive. How is she supposed to handle that?"

I scrolled to the top trending topics.

#GraymereAlphaAbandonsMateForStepsisterElara#

#ElaraFakesMoonGoddessDecreesToStealHerSistersMate#

One trending topic after another, all about Elara.

But she still held the title of the Moon Goddess's messenger, and the majority were defending her. Only a handful believed she was lying.

Even reasonable doubts were swallowed up by her supporters. How many people were actually attacking her? And how harsh could they really be?

I kept my voice calm.

"Those posts weren't from me. They have nothing to do with me."

Damon's jaw tightened.

"Drop the act. The person you hired to post already confessed!"

"Elara couldn't take it and jumped from the fifth floor. The doctors are still trying to save her. Do you even have a heart?"

For a moment, I could not even answer.

Once a wolf awakened, male or female, their physical resilience increased dramatically.

Jumping from the fifth floor was about as dangerous as hopping over a puddle.

As a pack Alpha, there was no way he didn't know that.

The only explanation was that because it was Elara, he'd lost the ability to think straight.

Before I could figure out how to prove my innocence, he hauled me to my feet.

"Elara is hurt because of you. I want you to go kneel before the Moon Goddess's shrine and pray. Pray that she survives."

"And when she wakes up, you'll beg for her forgiveness."

I struggled with everything I had.

"Are you out of your mind? I'm not even fully dressed!"

Reason and dignity were supposed to separate wolves from beasts.

To appear outside in a state of undress was a profound humiliation.

He hesitated for only a second before gritting his teeth.

"This is the punishment you deserve for what you did to Elara."

I stared at his cold face.

The last thread tying my heart to him snapped.

On the street, leering, predatory gazes fell on me from every direction.

I hung my head and let Damon drag me in silence.

We arrived at the hospital entrance.

His subordinate Gavin hurried over.

"Elara is fine, sir. You can relax."

His eyes slid toward me, lingering on my chest.

"You can leave Sable to me, sir. I have plenty of ways to deal with a prisoner."

Damon's brow darkened. His fist slammed into Gavin's face.

"She's mine. You don't get to touch her."

Gavin crashed to the ground and scrambled to his knees, apologizing frantically.

"I was out of line, sir. Please forgive me."

Damon ignored him and draped his jacket over my shoulders.

His voice was stiff.

"I'll keep today's incident quiet. Elara probably doesn't want to see you. Go pray at the Moon Goddess's shrine and repent."

I said nothing.

Before, seeing him defend me like that would have convinced me he still cared, that he just hadn't realized it yet.

But now, all I felt was cold.