Chapter 1

Noticing my silence, Noah Ashford thought I was deliberately refusing to respond. He marched up to me and kicked me to the floor.

"Are you trying to play dumb? Read every single word out loud and beg for Mia's forgiveness on your knees, or I won't let you off the hook!"

I didn't have time to dodge. His kick sent me flying, and I slammed hard into the floor.

My wolf let out an agonized cry.

I forced my eyes open despite the excruciating pain and focused on the notes. They were covered in glaring red handwriting, but to me, those crooked lines looked no different from the legs of dead spiders.

What on earth was written on them?

I had no idea.

Mia Ashford sat on the couch, pretending to tremble in fear at Noah's outburst.

"Noah, stop it!" she cried. "Layla went missing when she was young and was raised alone in another pack. Maybe she's just trying to get your attention by doing something so extreme."

She clutched her chest, her voice trembling as she continued, "But I can't take this anymore. She keeps sneaking these notes into my room every day at midnight.

"I've been having nightmares every night. In my dreams, she keeps telling me to die and get out of the pack.

"I'm so scared… My wolf could break down at any moment."

Mom patted Mia's back gently, trying to comfort her. But the next second, she turned toward me and glowered at me.

"Layla, look what you've done to Mia!" she hissed. "I should've prayed to the Moon Goddess that I would never give birth to you!"

I stared at Mom, the memory of her bringing me back three days ago still fresh in my mind.

She had sobbed as she told me that I was her biological daughter who had gone missing, swearing that she would do everything she could to make it up to me in the future.

Yet now, she was spitting venom at me as though I were her enemy.

I shook my head and picked up the notes.

"It wasn't me," I said.

Noah pulled out his phone, brought up a security camera recording, and shoved it in my face.

"Are you still trying to lie?"

The video showed two in the morning. A figure dressed in a black hoodie kept their face and body concealed, furtively slipping the notes through Mia's door one by one.

That black hoodie was the only piece of clothing I owned that wasn't torn. I had picked it up from the orphanage's rubbish bin last winter, and it was covered in filthy stains.

"You're the only one in the house who would wear something this disgusting!" Noah spat, glaring at me. "The evidence is right in front of us. Are you still going to deny it?"

I played the video over and over again. The figure in it had a similar build to mine, but it really wasn't me.

"I threw away that hoodie a long time ago," I said, meeting Noah's gaze. "It was too dirty and smelly. I was afraid I wasn't good enough for this family wearing it."

When my family had come to welcome me on my first day back in the pack, they had all been dressed impeccably. Not a speck of dust could be seen on their clothes.

So that very night, I had thrown the hoodie away, afraid they'd be disgusted by the smell on me.

Mia wrung her fingers and spoke in a small voice.

"Layla, are you saying someone secretly picked up the clothes you threw away and used them to frame you?"

Her eyes reddened as she continued, "But apart from the maids, we only have cooks in this house. They've worked here diligently for decades and have no grudge against you. Why would they do something like this?"

Tears rolled down her cheeks, her face filled with hurt.

"Or… are you implying that I put those notes through my own door and staged this entire incident myself?"

"Enough, Layla!" Mom suddenly yelled.

"Making a mistake is one thing, but you refuse to admit it and keep denying everything," she scolded, her voice laced with disappointment. "Mia can't even bear to hurt a stray cat on the street. Why would she ever hurt you? Do you take us all for fools?"

Dad, who had remained silent the entire time, suddenly slammed his hand on the table.

The deafening crash echoed through the house, and the entire living room fell silent.

His bloodshot eyes blazed with fury, and his presence grew imposing.

"Since you refuse to admit your mistake…"

He turned to the maid standing nearby and ordered coldly, "Search her room. Find the evidence."