ROBERT.
The words landed with brutal precision, each one striking its mark without mercy. They didn't shout or explode, they cut, clean and exact, leaving wounds that throbbed long after the sound faded.
"You don't know me," I said.
My voice came out steady, but there was an edge beneath it now, something strained and brittle. I held her gaze, refusing to look away, even as something heavy pressed against my chest.
"I know enough," Sophie replied without hesitation. There was no doubt in her tone, no room for negotiation. "I know she quit her job because of pack pressure. I know she's been humiliated publicly. I know she was chased through the streets like an animal."
Each statement hit like a blow.
My chest tightened painfully, breath catching as the images formed in my mind, Tessa cornered, terrified, running. The thought made my fists clench reflexively, nails biting into my palms.
"That wasn't my doing," I said, the words coming out harsher than I intended.
