Chapter 17 The Accusation
“How could I have done this?” My voice came out too high. “Lycian, I was with you all night. I didn’t do this.”
He was already calling Cade. The phone rang twice before he picked up.
“Where is she?” Lycian’s voice was hard. Cold. Nothing like the soft tone he’d used an hour ago over dinner.
“St. Mary’s Hospital. Fourth floor. Her father’s losing it,” Cade said, tense. “Lycian, he’s calling everyone. Every pack member. Every ally. He’s saying Elowen attacked her out of jealousy.”
My stomach dropped. The perfect dinner. The kiss. The moment I’d felt happy. All gone in seconds.
“That’s insane. Why would I attack her?”
“Because you’re the wolfless human who stole her mate,” Cade said. “That’s what Marcus is telling everyone.”
“But I was with Lycian. All night. We went to Rosa’s. We just got back.”
“Can Rosa confirm that?” Cade asked.
Lycian’s jaw tightened. “She closed the restaurant for us. No other customers. No witnesses except her.”
“And she’s human. Her testimony won’t mean much to the pack,” Cade muttered. “Half the pack is already convinced. By morning, everyone will think Elowen’s dangerous.”
“Then we prove she’s not.” Lycian grabbed his keys. “We’re going to the hospital.”
“That’s a terrible idea. Marcus will rip her apart the second he sees her.”
“I don’t care. She’s not hiding.”
“Lycian.” I grabbed his arm. “Maybe Cade’s right. Maybe I should stay here.”
“No.” His eyes met mine, gold and fierce. “You didn’t do this. I’m not letting them make you look guilty by hiding.”
“But what if they don’t believe me?”
“They will. Because I’ll make them.” He headed for the door. Stopped when I didn’t follow. Turned back. “Elowen. Come on.”
My hands were shaking. Actually shaking. I pressed them together but they wouldn’t stop.
“I’m scared,” I whispered.
He crossed back to me in three strides. Took my face in his hands. Gentle despite the gold still flashing in his eyes. “I know. But you’re not alone. I’m right here. I’m not leaving you.”
“What if that’s not enough?”
“It will be.” He pressed his forehead to mine. Our breath mingled. His heart was racing. I could feel it through the bond. Fast and furious and determined. “Trust me. Please.”
I wanted to. Wanted to believe his certainty was enough to protect me.
But I’d learned a long time ago that wanting something didn’t make it real.
Still. I followed him to the car.
The hospital smelled of bleach, antiseptic, and fear. Sterile white walls, bright fluorescent lights. My shoes squeaked on the linoleum as we walked to the elevator. People stared. Staff, visitors, even a nurse at the desk, eyes wide as if they already knew what I was accused of.
Through the ER doors, I saw other wolves watching. Whispers started immediately.
“That’s her.”
“The human who attacked Madison.”
“Looks weak.”
“Doesn’t matter. Madison’s in the hospital.”
My throat went dry. Lycian’s hand found my back, steadying me. His wolf barely contained.
“Fourth floor,” he said as the elevator doors closed.
The ride felt endless. My reflection stared back. Navy dress, hair done from dinner. I looked like someone on a date, not an accused attacker. But half the pack already believed I was guilty.
The elevator opened. Marcus stood in the hallway with two men. Broad, hard-eyed. Fighters. All turned toward us. Marcus’s face flushed red.
“You have some nerve bringing her here,” he said.
“She has a right to defend herself,” Lycian said.
“Defend herself? My daughter is unconscious!”
“Elowen was with me all night. She couldn’t have done this.”
“Says you. Her mate. Of course you’d lie. Everyone knows she attacked Madison out of jealousy. Probably hired someone.” Marcus moved closer. His men flanked him, a wall of hostility.
“That’s ridiculous,” I said. “I have no reason to hurt Madison.”
“You have every reason. She’s everything you’re not. Strong. Beautiful. Worthy of an Alpha. You’re just a desperate human clinging to something that was never yours.”
Heat flooded my face. Shame and anger. My mind went blank.
“Watch your mouth.” Lycian growled. The men stepped back. “You’re talking about my mate.”
“She’s not your mate. She’s a mistake you’ll regret.” Marcus showed a photo of Madison in a hospital bed. “Look at what your human did.”
“I didn’t do anything!” I shouted. “I was at dinner with Lycian all night.”
“Prove it.”
“Rosa can confirm it.”
“The human chef? Her word means nothing. But Madison’s blood under fingernails? DNA evidence. Real proof.”
My blood went cold.
“The police took samples. Results by tomorrow.” His smile widened.
“They’ll find nothing,” Lycian said. “Elowen didn’t touch her.”
“We’ll see.” Marcus turned to his men. “Spread the word. Emergency pack meeting. Midnight. Vote on the human now.”
“You can’t,” Lycian said. “My father has to approve.”
“He already did. I called him,” Marcus said, pleased. “The human needs to be dealt with immediately.”
The world tilted. Midnight. Less than two hours to prove I didn’t do this.
“Lycian.” Damien jogged down the hall. “Dad wants you at the estate. Now.”
“I’m not leaving Elowen.”
“Bring her. He wants to talk to both of you. He’s really pissed.”
Marcus laughed. “Of course he is. His son chose a violent human over pack safety.”
“She’s not violent,” Lycian said through gritted teeth.
“Tell that to my daughter.”
A doctor emerged. “Mr. Blackthorn? Your daughter’s awake. You can see her now.”
Marcus paused at the door. Eyes full of hate. “Midnight. Don’t be late. Though I doubt the pack will let you leave alive.” He disappeared inside.
The hallway was quiet. Machines beeped. My heart hammered.
“We need to go,” Damien said. “Before Marcus comes back out.”
“I want to talk to Madison,” I said.
“Absolutely not,” Lycian said.
“She’s the only one who knows what really happened.”
“She’ll lie. Say it was you.”
“Maybe. But what if she doesn’t?” I stared toward Madison’s room. In two hours I’d face the pack accused. Only she could clear me.
Madison lay in bed. Pale, bruised, hair matted with dried blood. Small, fragile. Nothing like the confident girl from the coffee shop.
Her eyes opened and widened.
“You.” Her voice rough. “You did this.”
“No. I didn’t. I was at dinner with Lycian all night.”
“Liar.” She tried to sit, winced. “I saw you. Right before everything went black. Your face was the last thing I saw.”
“That’s impossible,” I said. “I wasn’t there.”
“She’s lying,” Marcus said. “Making it up to save herself.”
“I’m not lying!” Madison’s voice cracked. Tears spilled. “She attacked me in the parking lot behind Rosewood Bar. Hit me from behind. I saw her standing there, smiling.”
“Madison, I swear I didn’t do this.”
“Get out.” Her voice small, broken. “Get out before I scream.”
Lycian appeared behind me, hand on my shoulder. Gentle, firm. “We need to go.”
“She’s lying,” I said. Not to him. To everyone. “I don’t know why but she’s lying.”
“Get her away from my daughter,” Marcus said, eyes gold now too. Wolf rising. Dangerous.
Lycian pulled me out, down the hall, into the elevator. My body shook.
“She’s lying,” I repeated. The words felt important. “Why is she lying?”
“I don’t know.” His voice tight, controlled. But through the bond, I felt his rage. Hot, violent, barely contained. “But we’ll figure it out.”
The elevator doors closed.
In the reflection, I saw my face. Pale. Terrified. My eyes are too wide. My lips pressed together to keep from crying.
I looked exactly how someone guilty would look.
Damien stood in the corner. Quiet. Watching me with those careful eyes.
“Do you believe me?” I asked him.
He was quiet for a long moment. Too long. “I don’t know what to believe. But my brother believes you. That’s enough for now.”
The elevator dinged. Ground floor.
“Midnight,” Damien said as we walked to the car. “Two hours to prove you didn’t do it. Think you can manage that?”
I looked at Lycian. At the determination burning in his eyes. At the gold that still lingered. The way his jaw was set like he was ready to fight the entire world.
“I have to,” I said.
Because if I couldn’t prove my innocence in two hours, the pack would vote me out.
And Marcus had made it very clear what that meant.
They wouldn’t let me leave alive.