Chapter 6: A Ghost from the Past

The metallic scent of blood filled my senses, sharp and suffocating. A scream tore through the haze, the voice unmistakably my mother's. Shadows danced around me, tall figures with claws gleaming under a crimson moon. The Blackwood crest flashed, its wolf emblem seared into my memory.

"No!" I jolted upright, my body drenched in cold sweat. The room spun, and my breath came in shallow gasps.

The Alpha's voice sliced through the silence, low and sharp. "Siena."

I whipped around, my pulse spiking. He stood at the door, his golden eyes piercing through the dim light. "What happened?"

"It's nothing," I lied, but my trembling hands betrayed me.

"Nothing doesn't leave you looking like that." He stepped closer, his gaze narrowing. "Tell me."

I hesitated. The dream clung to me, vivid and relentless. "It's... the past," I admitted. "The Blackwood Pack."

His expression hardened, a storm brewing behind his eyes. "What about them?"

"They were there," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "The night my family died."

For a moment, silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating. Then his tone turned icy. "And you waited until now to say this?"

I flinched. "I didn't think it mattered. I wasn't sure—"

"You're in my pack now," he snapped, his voice a growl. "Everything matters."

Before I could respond, the distant sound of commotion shattered the tension. The fortress walls reverberated with alarmed voices.

"Stay here," the Alpha ordered, but I was already following him.

The scene in the main hall was chaos. Guards restrained two intruders, their faces bloodied but defiant. Kara hovered near them, her smirk replaced with cold calculation.

"They were caught in the armory," she announced. "Planting this." She held up a bundle of parchment, the edges scorched and reeking of sulfur.

My stomach twisted as the Alpha took the papers, his frown deepening. "What is this?"

"It implicates Siena," Kara said, her voice dripping with venom.

All eyes turned to me, suspicion flaring like wildfire.

"This is insane," I said, stepping forward. "Why would I—"

"You tell us," Kara interrupted. "You're the rogue with ties to the Blackwood Pack."

The accusation hit like a blow. "I didn't do this," I said, my voice steady despite the tremor in my chest.

"Then prove it," the Alpha demanded, his gaze like a vice.

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. "The intruders—check them. If they were sent by Blackwood, there'll be something."

"Convenient," Kara sneered. "She's trying to redirect suspicion."

Ignoring her, I knelt beside one of the intruders, forcing myself to meet his glare. A scar on his neck caught my attention—a symbol etched into his skin.

My breath hitched. "This mark... I've seen it before."

The Alpha loomed over me, his voice low and dangerous. "Explain."

"It was on one of the men who... who attacked my family," I said, the words tasting like ash.

His jaw tightened, but he gave a curt nod. "Search them."

The guards complied, and within moments, another dagger was uncovered. Its hilt bore the same emblem I had seen in my nightmare.

"This doesn't clear you," Kara said, her tone sharp.

"But it proves she's telling the truth," the Alpha countered, his voice cutting through the tension. He turned to me, his expression unreadable. "You said this mark was tied to your past. How?"

I hesitated, the memories clawing at me. "It was their crest," I said finally. "The Blackwood Pack. They were the ones who killed my family."

The room fell silent, the weight of my confession hanging in the air.

"Enough," the Alpha said, his tone decisive. "We'll investigate this. For now, Siena stays under guard."

"Under guard?" I protested, my voice rising.

"Until I know where your loyalties lie," he said, his gaze unwavering.

I bit back my retort, the words burning on my tongue. Arguing would only deepen their doubts.

As the hall emptied, I found myself standing alone beneath the pale glow of the moon. The scars of my past felt fresh, the weight of suspicion pressing down on me.

The faint sound of footsteps drew my attention, and I turned to see the Alpha watching me from the shadows.

"Why are you really here, Siena?" he asked, his voice softer this time.

"To survive," I said, the truth raw and unvarnished. "But I don't know if I can."

His eyes searched mine, but he said nothing, retreating into the darkness.

Left alone, I gazed at the moon, the question lingering in my mind. Could I endure this? Could I stay in a place that saw me as a threat, knowing the ghosts of my past might destroy any chance of belonging?

Above, the wind howled, carrying with it a promise of storms yet to come.