Mia's POV
I finally laid down on the plush bed, the soft lavender sheets cradling me
in their comforting embrace. The room, so perfectly designed, felt like a
sanctuary, but my mind refused to settle. My lips still tingled from the
kiss with Tristan, and my heart raced every time I thought about how
close we'd been.
"How could something so brief feel so intense?" I ran my fingers over
my lips, replaying the moment in my head. His warmth, the way his
hand cupped my face, the way he made me feel like I was the only person
in the world-it was all so overwhelming.
"It was really different and a special kiss for the first time." I mumbled
to myself.
I closed my eyes, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips, and
eventually, sleep claimed me.
When I woke, the morning sunlight streamed through the curtains,
casting a golden glow across the room. I blinked, disoriented for a
moment, before realizing where I was.
I sat up, brushing my hair out of my face, and noticed something odd. My
dress from the party was gone, replaced with a simple nightgown. I
frowned, trying to piece together how I'd ended up here. The last thing I
remembered was falling asleep in the room Tristan had shown me.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, my bare feet sinking
into the soft rug. My thoughts raced as I made my way to the door,
determined to figure out what was going on.
As I stepped into the hallway, I bumped into someone.
"Watch where you're going," Layla snapped, glaring at me. Her perfect
curls were slightly disheveled, and there was a wild look in her eyes.
"Sorry," I said, stepping back. "Have you seen Tristan?"
Her expression darkened, and before I could react, her hand lashed out,
striking me across the face.
Her expression darkened, and before I could react, her hand lashed out,
striking me across the face.
"You're unbelievable," she hissed. "This is all your fault!"
I stumbled back, my hand flying to my cheek. "What are you talking
about?"
"Don't play dumb," she sneered. "Last night, you were parading
yourself around like a whore, clinging to every man in sight. Because of
you, the Atwood brothers and Tristan fought. You've caused nothing but
chaos!"
I froze, her words hitting me like a slap. "That's not true. I didn't-"
"Don't even try to deny it," she interrupted, stepping closer. "You've
been whoring yourself out to anyone who looks your way. First Tristan,
then the brothers-what's next? Half the pack?"
Anger flared in my chest, but I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay
calm.
"You shouldn't even be here," she spat, her tone dripping with venom.
"You've been nothing but trouble since you showed up. If it weren't for
you, none of this would have happened."
"That's funny," I said, lifting my chin. "Because the last time I checked,
I wasn't the one throwing myself at Tristan every chance I got. Maybe
you should take a look in the mirror before you start calling someone
else a whore."
Her eyes narrowed, and her lips curled into a snarl. "You think you're
clever?"
"No," I replied. "I think I'm done listening to you. So unless you have
something useful to say, why don't you do us both a favor and walk
away?"
"You're nothing," she spat. "You're just a pathetic little girl who doesn't
know her place."
"Tristan was attacked last night," she said, her voice dripping with
venom. "And it's all because of you."
My stomach dropped. "What? Is he okay? Who attacked him?"
She ignored my questions, her anger boiling over as she shoved me hard.
I lost my balance, landing on the floor with a painful thud.
"You shouldn't even be here," she spat. "You've been nothing but
trouble since you showed up. If it weren't for you, none of this would
have happened."
Pain shot through my arm as I tried to push myself up. Something
cracked, and I realized with horror that my wrist was broken.
But then, as quickly as the pain came, it vanished. My wrist twisted back
into place, the bone snapping back together. I flexed my fingers,
stunned.
"What the…" Layla stared at me, her eyes wide.
I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding. "It's not what you think."
"You healed," she said, her voice low and accusing. "You have a wolf."
"I don't," I lied quickly, backing away.
"Don't lie to me," she growled. "Everyone knows you're nothing but a
weak little omega with no wolf. But now? Now you're healing like an
alpha."
She lunged at me, her nails aimed for my face. I barely dodged, my
instincts kicking in as I grabbed her wrist and twisted it.
"Stop it," I said. "I don't want to fight you."
"You're hiding something," she said, her voice filled with rage. "And I'm
going to find out what it is."
She broke free from my grip and struck again, this time aiming for my
ribs. I blocked her, using my newfound strength to hold her off, but I was
careful not to use too much. I couldn't let her figure out the truth about
Ima, not yet.
She pushed me back, and I stumbled, my back hitting the railing of the
staircase.
"You don't belong here," she sneered, shoving me again.
I grabbed the railing to steady myself, but she was relentless. She lunged
forward, her hands slamming into my chest.
I lost my grip.
The world tilted, and I felt the sickening sensation of falling. My body hit
the edge of the stairs, and I tumbled down, the sharp corners of the steps
colliding with my back and sides.
Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. I could hear Layla
shouting, could feel the air being knocked from my lungs, and for a brief
moment, I thought, This is it. This is how it ends.
But then Ima's voice echoed in my mind.
"Not today."
A surge of energy coursed through me, and I felt my body twist mid-fall.
I hit the bottom step, landing hard but not as broken as I should have
been. Pain flared through my body, but it was manageable.
I groaned, rolling onto my side as I tried to catch my breath.
Layla stood at the top of the stairs, staring down at me in disbelief.
"How… how are you still alive?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I forced myself to my feet, wincing as my ribs
protested.
"Stay away from me," I warned, my voice steady despite the pain.