Chapter 7

JEREMY’S POV

I smelled the blood before I even reached the house.

My wolf surged forward, clawing at my insides. Something was wrong. Very wrong. I pushed through the front door and the scent hit me full force—death, fear, and underneath it all, her.

Lyra.

I ran up the stairs three at a time, following the sounds of shouting and her muffled screams. My heart was hammering so hard it hurt.

The bedroom door was open. What I saw made my vision go red.

Caspian had his hands wrapped around Lyra's throat. Her face was turning purple, eyes wide with terror. Orion and Silas held her arms twisted behind her back. Rowan stood to the side, face cold and watching. Raphael was there too, just staring like he didn't know what to do.

And on the floor between them—Dad. Covered in blood. Not moving.

"Get off her!" I roared, grabbing Caspian by the back of his shirt and throwing him across the room.

He crashed into the wall hard. Orion lunged at me but I shoved him back. Silas let go of Lyra's arm and she collapsed, gasping for air.

"What the hell are you doing?" I snarled, putting myself between them and her.

"Protecting what's ours," Caspian spat, pushing himself up from the floor. His eyes were wild, grief and rage mixing into something dangerous. "This bitch killed Dad! Look at her—she's covered in his blood!"

"She murdered him," Silas said coldly, his voice deadly calm. "Her and that gold-digging mother of hers. Probably planned it together. Kill the Alpha, take the pack, take everything."

Behind me, Lyra sobbed. The sound tore through my chest like claws.

"She didn't kill him," I said, my voice coming out harder than I meant. "She wouldn't."

"How the fuck would you know?" Orion demanded, stepping closer. His fists were clenched, ready to fight. "You just got here. She's got Dad's blood all over her hands, Jeremy. Open your goddamn eyes."

"I know," I growled back.

The words hung in the air. My brothers all stared at me, suspicion crawling across their faces.

"What do you mean, you know?" Rowan asked slowly. His eyes narrowed. "How do you know anything about her?"

Shit. I'd said too much. But I couldn't take it back now.

"I just know," I repeated, meeting each of their stares. My wolf pushed at my control, wanting to shift, wanting to protect her. "Trust me. She didn't do this."

"Trust you?" Caspian laughed, but it sounded broken. "You walk in here defending some girl we just met? Dad's dead, Jeremy. Dead. And she's the only one here with him."

"I heard him crying," Lyra choked out from behind me. Her voice was raw, hoarse from Caspian's hands on her throat. "I came to help. He grabbed me and said—he said something about me being special. That you don't know what I am. Then he just... he just died. I didn't do anything. I swear I didn't."

"Liar," Silas said flatly. "Convenient story. The innocent girl just trying to help."

"It's the truth!" Lyra cried.

"Shut up," Caspian snarled, starting toward her again.

I moved faster, shoving him back hard. "Touch her again and I'll break your fucking jaw."

"You want to fight me over her?" Caspian's voice dropped low and dangerous. "Our father is dead and you're defending his killer?"

"She's not a killer."

"Then what is she to you?" Raphael spoke for the first time, his voice quiet but cutting. His eyes burned into mine. "Why are you so sure, Jeremy? What aren't you telling us?"

The question hung heavy between us. I could feel all their eyes on me now. Waiting. Demanding answers I couldn't give.

Because how could I tell them? How could I explain that I'd hired her, claimed her, marked her skin with my mouth and hands? That she smelled like mine even though she wasn't? That my wolf recognized something in her I didn't understand?

"Call the pack doctor," I said instead, avoiding the question. "Have him examine Dad. If she poisoned him or stabbed him or whatever you think she did, he'll find proof."

"Fine," Silas said coldly. He pulled out his phone. "Dr. Chen. Get here now. Emergency."

The room fell into tense silence. Lyra stayed on the floor, shaking. I wanted to go to her, pull her close, but I couldn't. Not with my brothers watching every move.

Minutes crawled by like hours. Finally, Dr. Chen arrived with his medical bag. He was an older wolf, had been with our pack for decades. He knelt beside Dad's body and started his examination.

We all watched in silence. Waiting.

Dr. Chen checked Dad's eyes, his mouth, his chest wound. He took samples of the blood. His movements were slow, careful, thorough.

"Well?" Caspian demanded after what felt like forever. "What killed him?"

Dr. Chen sat back on his heels, his face grave. "Poison. Wolfsbane, mixed with something else I'll need to test for. But this wasn't administered tonight."

"What do you mean?" Orion asked.

"I mean he's been poisoned slowly over months," Dr. Chen said quietly. "Small doses, building up in his system. His organs were failing. The heart attack tonight was just the final result of long-term poisoning."

The words hit like a bomb.

Months. Not tonight. Not Lyra.

"You're saying she didn't do it?" Rowan asked slowly.

"I'm saying whoever killed your father started long before this girl arrived," Dr. Chen confirmed. He looked at Lyra with something like pity. "She couldn't have done this."

Relief crashed through me so hard my knees almost buckled. She was innocent. I knew it, but hearing it confirmed made my wolf settle slightly.

My brothers stood frozen, the rage draining from their faces into something worse—grief, confusion, guilt.

"Let her go," I said quietly.

Caspian's jaw clenched but he stepped back. Silas did the same. Orion looked away.

But the hatred in their eyes didn't fade. Not really. They might know she didn't kill Dad, but they still didn't want her here. Still saw her as an outsider, an intruder in our pack.

"This doesn't change anything," Silas said coldly, looking at Lyra like she was dirt. "You're not welcome here. You understand? This isn't your home."

"Silas—" I started.

"Stay out of it, Jeremy," he cut me off. "Whatever connection you have with her, I don't want to know. But she's not pack. She's not family. And I want her gone."

Before anyone could respond, the door opened again.

Iris rushed in, her face painted with fake tears. She looked at Marcus's body and let out a dramatic wail.

"Oh no! Marcus! My love!" She pressed her hands to her face, sobbing loudly. Then her eyes found Lyra. "You. This is your fault. You brought bad energy into this house. Now look what's happened! They're going to blame us both because of you!"

"Mom, I didn't—"

"Don't call me that," Iris hissed, somehow making herself look like the victim. "I finally found happiness and you ruined it. You always ruin everything."

Lyra's face crumpled. The pain in her eyes made my chest tight.

Iris turned to my brothers, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I should never have brought her here. Please forgive me. I've lost my husband because of her curse."

I watched her performance with disgust. She was good. Really good. Playing the grieving widow perfectly while throwing her own daughter under the wolves.

My brothers bought it. I could see it in their faces—sympathy for Iris, more hatred for Lyra.

Lyra just stood there, covered in blood, shaking and alone. Everyone against her. Even her own mother.

My wolf howled inside me, desperate to protect her.

But I couldn't. Not without explaining everything. And I wasn't ready for that fight.

Not yet.