Chapter 3

Brianna's mother, Diane Foster, marched toward me with pure hatred in her eyes. She looked as if she'd happily tear me apart.

“Nora, your brother humiliated Brianna on purpose, and he still hasn't apologized. If you won't teach him how to behave, don't interfere when someone else is kind enough to do it for you.”

Adrian jumped in before things could escalate. “Eli pushed her first, Nora. You should be glad it was me who handled him. Her family wouldn't have been nearly as gentle.”

He leaned in and lowered his voice. “He isn't badly hurt. I barely touched him.”

That only made me angrier. Eli's pant leg was soaked with blood from the knee down, and he limped every time he moved. How could Adrian look at him and shrug it off?

I couldn't stay quiet. “Two hours ago, Brianna was threatening to jump off the roof. Wasn't that embarrassing? She tried to steal my fiancé in front of the whole pack. What about that? By your logic, she's the one who needs a lesson.”

Brianna and Diane both scowled. Adrian grabbed my arm, trying to shut me up.

I kept going. “When Eli got here and couldn't find me, he thought someone was bullying me. He pushed her because he was trying to protect his sister. Brianna is standing here right now because I sent Adrian to save her and gave her what she wanted. I'm not asking you to repay me. Just leave my brother alone.”

Neither of them answered. They were itching to argue, but for once, they had nothing to say.

Eli tried to help me up. By then, the pain had drained me so badly I couldn't hold myself upright. My knees gave out, and I fell backward.

Adrian caught me before I hit the floor. “Nora, what's wrong?”

Instead of answering, I asked Eli to call the pack healer.

Adrian eased me into a chair, alarmed by how pale I'd gone. “Are you okay? Why do you need the healer? Did you really hurt yourself that badly?”

Brianna saw her chance. “Don't fall for it, Adrian. She barely fell. How much damage could that do? She's faking. She probably sent her brother over here to ruin our ceremony.”

The concern drained from his face. He looked at me coldly. “Nora, you know how I feel about liars.”

Eli started to defend me, but I stopped him.

If Adrian really cared, a few words from Brianna wouldn't have been enough to turn him. Explaining myself wouldn't change anything. I didn't want to look at either of them anymore. Staying would only hurt more.

It took everything I had just to stand. Eli slipped under my arm and took my weight, and we started slowly toward the door.

Every step drove another blade of pain through my stomach. Until the healer arrived, all I could do was endure it.

Adrian faltered at the sight of me struggling. He took a step toward us, but then someone shouted that Brianna had fainted. He spun and ran to her. The fear on his face was far greater than anything he'd ever shown for me.

I'd known he would choose her. It still hurt to watch.

Eli noticed and spoke softly. “Don't be sad, Nora. When I'm older, I'll take care of you. Nobody will ever be able to push you around again.”

We hadn't even reached the doorway when the healer rushed in. “Who needs help?”

I opened my mouth, but Diane got there first. “Over here! Please help my daughter!”

Adrian scooped Brianna up and carried her over. He knew I was the one who'd called for the healer, yet he didn't seem the least bit ashamed of taking my place.

“Nora, you can still walk. Brianna's clearly worse off.”

Brianna lay in his arms, her cheeks as rosy as ever. Anyone with eyes could see she was faking.

But my life was on the line. I couldn't step aside this time. I shook my head. “No. I called for help. Please, examine me first.”

Diane's palm cracked across my face. “Who do you think you are? You don't get to put yourself ahead of my daughter!”

Eli lunged to stop her, but someone shoved him down. His injured knee hit the floor again, and he curled around it in pain.

Diane ordered the staff to drag us out and lock us up so we wouldn't get in the way of Brianna's treatment.

Desperate, I caught Adrian's hand. He shook me off without a moment's hesitation. “Stay out of the way while the healer sees to her, Nora.”

I closed my eyes and let go of any hope that he would help me. They had barely hauled me into the room when the staff member holding me screamed.

The floor beneath me was covered in blood.