4. The Circle is Repeating

Alice's POV

I wasn’t allowed to step foot outside the pack house.

Eora had stationed two warriors in front of my door since early morning. She said, “Alpha Redius only wants to make sure you’re safe before Jason’s trial.”

Yeah, right. That was just Eora’s excuse to keep me from ruining her plan—separating me from Jason. She always had the depth of a puddle when it came to scheming.

I let out a slow huff. “If he actually cared about my safety, he’d let me look for real evidence.”

The warriors didn’t respond. Of course they didn’t—an Alpha’s order was law.

So I did the only thing I still could: I reached out to Jason through the mindlink.

“Jason. I need to talk to you. Now. Make up some excuse so they’ll let you out.”

A few minutes later, hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway. My door swung open, and the warriors saluted stiffly.

“He has five minutes,” one of them said flatly.

Jason stepped inside, pale and exhausted, his hair a complete mess like he hadn’t slept at all.

“Alice…” His breath trembled. “I’m not a traitor. You have to believe me.”

I yanked him inside and shut the door before the warriors could interfere. “I do believe you, Jason. But belief isn’t enough at your trial. We need testimony. Proof.”

Jason dragged a hand down his face. “That photo… it’s not me. Someone altered it.”

“I know. But without a witness, we can’t prove anything.”

“I have one.” He lifted his head, a faint spark returning to his eyes. “Principal Draven.”

I froze. “Draven? Alpha Draven Bradford?”

Jason nodded quickly. “He can confirm I never left academy grounds these past three weeks. There’s no way I met with any Southern Rogues.”

I held my breath. “Okay… but Draven has to come here himself. We need him as the main witness.”

“Then call him,” Jason urged. “Now.”

Without wasting a second, I grabbed my phone and dialed the academy. After two minutes of being bounced around, the operator finally connected me to Alpha Draven. His deep voice answered after only two rings.

“Miss Ravenscourt?”

“Alpha Draven… I need your help. It’s about Jason.”

I told him everything—word for word from Jason. Draven stayed silent for five seconds, but it felt like an eternity.

“I’ll come,” he said at last. “And I’ll bring the academy’s evidence. Jason has not left our territory. The accusation is false.”

Relief flooded through my chest. “Thank you. May the Moon Goddess—”

“Save the gratitude for when this is over, Miss Ravenscourt.”

He ended the call. Jason exhaled shakily, his shoulders dropping.

“If Principal Draven comes… that’s enough, right?”

“It should be,” I answered.

But my voice didn’t sound nearly as confident.

Because I knew exactly who we were up against.

**

The pack house meeting hall had been transformed into a full courtroom. The elders sat in a long row, and Redius sat above them all—like some god of judgment ready to throw lightning bolts.

Jason was dragged in wearing silver wrist chains. I bit my tongue bloody trying not to attack Beta Luke when he yanked the chain harder than necessary.

Eora stood across the room, calm and smug. That tiny smile of hers made my blood boil.

The trial began, and I stepped forward as Jason’s defender. My hands were a bit shaky when I started speaking, but I held my ground.

“Jason is not a traitor,” I said loud enough to reverberate across the hall. “He’s a disciplined student. For the past three weeks, he never received permission to leave the academy. His activities were monitored from morning until night. He had no opportunity to meet any rogues.”

Eora snorted. “Cute story. But stories don’t beat physical evidence.”

Beta Luke stepped up with a brown file. “Surveillance photos. Secret letters and bood stamp.”

I clenched my jaw. “They’re fake. The signature doesn’t even match!”

Eora strode forward, her Delta aura weighing heavily on the room. “Alice, it’s understandable to defend your family. But accusing us of forgery without proof is reckless.”

“You did forge them!” I snapped.

The elders whispered among themselves. Redius tapped the table, restoring silence.

“Enough. Alice, your evidence is circumstantial. You have no witness.”

And just as those words left his lips, the doors to the hall opened.

Every head turned.

Draven Bradford entered with steady, unbothered steps—two academy officers flanking him and a black sealed box in his hands.

“Now she does,” he said, voice cool and sharp.

Eora’s breath caught. Redius stiffened before smoothing out his expression.

Draven gave the elders a respectful nod. “I have the academy’s access logs. Jason did not leave the premises during the period Eora mentioned. Not even during meals—he was in the cafeteria. It is impossible for him to meet anyone outside.”

My chest loosened for the first time in days. Jason bowed his head, shoulders shaking with relief.

“These records cannot be altered,” Draven continued. “They are sealed by both the academy and the Carpathian Council. They are valid evidence.”

Eora tried to smirk, but fear cracked through her composure. “Records can be forged too.”

“Of course,” Draven said, staring her down. “But not ones bearing the Council’s seal.”

The elders murmured in agreement. Some nodded at Draven. I thought—finally—this was done.

But Redius stood.

His face wasn’t angry. Or worried. Or even conflicted.

Just… empty.

“Evidence or not,” he said, “Jason behaved suspiciously the night before the coronation. Delta Eora had an instinct. I trust her.”

Draven frowned. “Instinct? You want to condemn a child using instinct?”

Redius ignored him. His eyes locked on mine.

“Are you certain he’s innocent, Alice?”

“Yes!” I yelled. “Jason is not a traitor.”

Redius studied me long. Way too long. Like he was peeling open my soul.

“Very well,” he said quietly. “Then I’ll give you a choice.”

I froze. Draven stiffened. Jason growled in protest.

Redius descended from his seat.

“I’ll free Jason…” he said slowly, “if you give me your bracelet.”

The entire hall went dead silent.

My hands trembled. “Alpha Redius… don’t joke.”

“I’m not.” His smile was thin. Sharp. “You want your brother alive, don’t you?”

“Alice, don’t!” Jason cried. “I’d rather die than take that away from you—”

“Shut up, boy,” Redius cut in.

Draven stepped forward. “You’re insane. That item is sacred. You don’t understand what—”

Before he could finish, Beta Luke jabbed a needle into his neck.

“Beta Luke!”

“DRAVEN!”

I screamed as Draven staggered, collapsing to one knee. A purple burn spread under his skin.

“High-dose wolfsbane,” Luke said calmly. “Alpha Redius doesn’t want interruptions.”

“You’re killing him!” Jason shouted.

“No,” Redius said lazily. “Just disabling him.”

I stared at the bracelet on my wrist. The bracelet that, in my past life… I had also handed to Redius.

And it had destroyed everything. The circle was repeating. No matter how I changed things… fate dragged me right back.

I looked at Jason—desperate, terrified. At Draven—fighting the poison, glaring at Luke with sheer fury. At my bracelet—my life, my future.

And then…I unlatched it. The room fell into absolute silence.

I stepped forward, each second feeling like I was walking into my own grave. My hands shook as I placed the bracelet in Redius’s palm.

Jason sobbed without sound. Draven bowed his head, jaw clenched tight. Eora looked smug enough to burst.

Redius closed his fingers around the bracelet.

“I knew you’d choose this,” he murmured.

I didn’t respond.

Then he leaned in, lips brushing the shell of my ear—warm, soft, and cold enough to freeze my blood solid.

“Starting today, Alice… your life no longer belongs to you.”