Chapter 57 Seeds Of Doubt
Simone Pov
I sat with my cheer squad at lunch and picked at my salad. The cafeteria was loud and crowded like always. Everyone was talking about the sports week announcement. The energy was electric.
Perfect timing for what I had planned.
"Did you hear about the Silverthorn competition?" Maya asked excitedly. She was one of my squad members. Blonde and bubbly and easy to manipulate. "This is going to be so fun."
"I know," I said with a smile. "I can't wait to show them what Keane is made of."
"Do you think we'll win?" another girl named Rachel asked.
"Of course we'll win," I said confidently. "We have the better teams. The better athletes. The better everything."
"What about that new girl?" Maya said. She lowered her voice a little bit. "Maddie Vale. Do you think she'll compete?"
I had been waiting for someone to bring up Maddie. I had been planting seeds for weeks now. Little comments here and there. Subtle questions. Gentle doubts. All building toward this moment.
"Oh Maddie," I said carefully. I made my voice sound concerned. "I'm not sure she should compete honestly."
"Why not?" Rachel asked. She leaned forward with interest.
"Well," I said slowly. I looked around like I was making sure nobody else was listening. "I don't want to spread rumors or anything. But I've heard some things."
"What kind of things?" Maya pressed. Her eyes were wide with curiosity.
"Just that she's not as weak as she pretends to be," I said. I kept my voice low and sweet. "Some people have seen her do things that wolfless people shouldn't be able to do."
"Like what?" Rachel demanded.
"Moving too fast during training," I explained. "Lifting weights that should be too heavy. Beating people in sparring who are way more experienced. Little things that don't quite add up."
Maya and Rachel exchanged glances. I could see the doubt forming in their eyes. The suspicion taking root.
"But she's wolfless right?" Maya said. "That's what everyone says."
"That's what she says," I corrected gently. "But how do we really know? Has anyone actually verified it? Or are we just taking her word for it?"
"I never thought about it like that," Rachel admitted.
"I'm not saying she's definitely lying," I said quickly. I held up my hands innocently. "I'm just saying maybe we should be careful. Maybe we should watch her more closely. You know. For everyone's safety."
"Safety?" Maya repeated. "You think she's dangerous?"
"I think anyone who lies about what they are could be dangerous," I said. "Think about it. Why would someone pretend to be wolfless if they weren't? What are they hiding? What are they planning?"
The girls nodded slowly. I could see my words sinking in. Taking hold. Spreading like poison through their minds.
"You should tell the coach," Rachel suggested. "Before sports week starts. So they can investigate."
"Oh I don't want to cause trouble," I said. I made my voice sound reluctant. "I'm probably just being paranoid. Forget I said anything."
"No you should definitely say something," Maya insisted. "Better safe than sorry right?"
I pretended to think about it for a moment. Then I sighed like I was giving in to pressure.
"Maybe you're right," I said. "I'll mention it to coach. Just to be safe. But please don't tell anyone I said anything. I don't want Maddie to think I'm targeting her or something."
"We won't say anything," both girls promised.
"Thanks," I said with a grateful smile. "You guys are the best."
The conversation moved on to other topics after that. But I knew the damage was done. Maya and Rachel would tell other people. Those people would tell more people. The rumor would spread like wildfire through campus.
By tomorrow everyone would be talking about Maddie Vale. Questioning her. Watching her. Waiting for her to slip up and reveal what she really was.
I took a bite of my salad and smiled behind my cup. Everything was going exactly according to plan.
Every small lie was another brick in the wall. Another piece of the trap. When the big truth finally came out and everyone discovered Maddie was a white wolf nobody would be surprised. They would all say they knew something was off about her. They would all claim they saw the signs.
And I would be right there looking shocked and betrayed. Poor innocent Simone who tried to give Maddie the benefit of the doubt. Who wanted to believe the best in people. Who got fooled just like everyone else.
Nobody would suspect me of orchestrating the whole thing. Nobody would connect me to her downfall. I would be completely clean.
"Are you okay Simone?" Maya asked. "You're smiling kind of weird."
I wiped the expression off my face immediately. "Sorry. Just thinking about the competition. I'm excited to show Silverthorn what we can do."
"Me too," Maya agreed enthusiastically.
I finished my lunch and excused myself from the table. I had other things to take care of. Other pieces to put in place.
I pulled out my phone as I walked across campus and sent a quick text to Jace.
"Rumors are spreading. Everyone is starting to question her. Phase two can begin soon."
His response came back almost immediately.
"Perfect. Can't wait to see the look on her face when it all falls apart."
I smiled again and put my phone away. Jace was so predictable. So easy to use. He thought we were partners but really he was just another tool. Another weapon I was using to destroy Maddie.
When this was all over Maddie would be exposed. Humiliated. Destroyed. And Calix would finally see that she was nothing but trouble. Nothing but a liar who brought chaos wherever she went.
Then he would come back to me. Where he belonged. Where he had always belonged.
I walked past a group of freshman girls who were talking in hushed voices. I slowed down just enough to hear what they were saying.
"Did you hear about the wolfless girl? Apparently she's been lying about her abilities."
"No way. How do you know?"
"Everyone's talking about it. They say she's hiding something big."
I kept walking but inside I was celebrating. The rumor was already spreading faster than I expected. By tonight the whole school would know. By tomorrow Maddie would be the most watched person on campus.