Chapter 64

Isla POV

The door creaked open softly, letting in a thin ray of morning light and the scent of dew-soaked grass.

I stirred beneath the covers, blinking rapidly against the brightness, only to find Lily standing hesitantly by the threshold.

Her hands twisted in front of her, her eyes darting around like she’d been caught sneaking somewhere she didn’t belong.

“You’re up,” she said in her usual cheerful voice but her face didn’t match the words.

She looked stressed, almost as if she had eaten something that her stomach didn't agree with.

I pushed myself upright, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “Barely, I couldn't sleep much last night. Are you okay, though? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Yes, I'm fine, Luna. It's just…” Lily bit her lip, glanced at the floor, and then back at me. “I don’t think you should go down for breakfast today.”

That jolted me fully awake, wiping the remnants of sleep away from my eyes. “Why?”

She closed the door behind her before stepping closer, lowering her voice like the walls themselves might be listening. “A lot happened while you were asleep. Whispers… and rumors. The whole pack is stirred up.”

My stomach knotted. “Stirred up? What kind of rumors are you talking about?”

She hesitated but it only made it worse.

Finally, she sighed, wringing her fingers together. “Someone saw you with Kieran last night. They’re saying it looked… compromising. That there’s more between you two than there should be. And now it’s spreading like wildfire around the pack. Luna, people are saying you’ve been unfaithful to Tristan.”

I froze, the words lodging sharp in my chest.

The person who was spying on us must have been the one spreading the lies, “But that’s ridiculous,” I whispered. “Nothing happened. We weren’t doing anything or-”

“I know,” Lily said quickly, stepping closer. “I know you and that you wouldn't hurt anyone like that, but most people don’t care about the truth. They care about what makes the best story. And right now, you’re the story.”

I pressed a trembling hand to my temple, anger and shame warring inside me. “So what, I should hide? That will only make me look guilty.”

Her mouth opened, then closed again. “I just don’t know if it’s wise to face them so soon. The news is on everyone’s lips, and while some might not say anything to you out of respect, others won't mind and may speak out of turn.”

I swallowed hard.

The thought of leaving this room, walking down the hallway with all those judging eyes poking holes into my back… it made my skin crawl.

But hiding would be worse, it would mean that I was guilty.

“I know what you mean but…” I said finally, pushing the covers aside. “I’ll go. If I don’t, they’ll think they’re right. They’ll think I have something to hide and I don't.”

Lily’s gaze searched mine, as if hoping I’d change my mind, but when she saw the resolve hardening in me, she only nodded and moved to help me dress.

This time around, I chose a neutral-colored dress, as I didn't want to draw more attention to myself.

By the time I reached the dining hall, my pulse was hammering. I wasn’t just walking into breakfast… I was walking into a trial.

The oak doors leading to the dining area swung open with a groan, and the room’s eyes seemed to pin me at once.

Tristan as always, sat at the head of the table, his face unreadable and his hands folded neatly in front of him.

Kieran lounged across from him, casual in posture but sharp in gaze, like a wolf ready to bare its teeth. And then there was Lady Rhea —Tristan’s aunt—whose stare cut across the room like the gleam of a blade.

“ Finally, you decided to grace us with your presence. Please, sit,” she commanded, her tone brooking no refusal.

I obeyed, my fingers tight around the chair’s edge as I pulled it out so I could sit. A servant poured tea, though the steam curling upward felt more like smoke from a battlefield.

Aunt Rhea didn’t waste time delivering cutting remarks, barely a minute after I had sat down. “Do you understand the chaos you’ve caused? This pack is already under scrutiny from the recent rogue attack and now whispers of scandal follow you through the corridors. If you cannot uphold dignity as a Luna, at least refrain from dragging Tristan’s name through the mud.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing myself not to return her harsh words. “You haven’t even asked what happened or if it's all a lie. You just decided I’m guilty.”

Her brows lifted sharply. “And what would your side be, girl? That you were innocently seen in compromising proximity with another man? If you think that we're stupid enough to fall for that, then you don't know who you're talking to. Listen if you cannot contribute as Luna, must you also fail as a partner?”

The words stung, bitter as acid.

All my life, I've been used to people berating me, talking down on me, and treating me as if I were dirt beneath their shoe, but here… I thought I could change all of that, so I worked hard, harder than anybody has to gain their respect and attention, yet it was never enough.

My chest burned, but I forced the words out anyway. “I will not sit here and listen to you paint me as something I’m not.”

It was like they sucked the air out of the room in the next second.

Then, Kieran’s fork clattered against his plate as he dropped it, leaning forward, glaring daggers at Tristan. “You’re really going to sit there and let them tear into her like this?” His voice snapped like a whip, his eyes fixed on Tristan. “They’re talking down to your mate, Tristan. And you can’t even find a word to say?”

The silence was deafening everyone looked to the man in question.

Tristan’s jaw ticked, his gaze fixed on the table.

“She doesn’t need me to fight her battles,” he said finally, his voice flat. “She can speak for herself.”

The dismissal cut deeper than Rhea's harsh words.

Kieran’s lip curled. “This isn’t about whether she can speak for herself. It’s about respect. And if you let your own blood tear her down at your table, what kind of message does that send to the pack? That you are as feeble and weak-minded as they say you are?”

Tristan’s eyes lifted at last, cold and sharp. “Careful, Kieran. You forget where you are.”

“No….” Kieran said, his smile thin and dangerous. “I think I remember perfectly.”

The table sat in a suffocating silence, the food untouched, the air thick with unspoken war.

For the rest of the meal, barely five words were spoken, only the sound of clinking silverware loud in the silent room.