Chapter 88
Leo’s POV
My heart felt heavy as I watched Scarlett walk away. Her head was held high, but I could see the truth in the small shake of her shoulders.
I saw the whole thing. Elara wasn’t trying to win that fight—she was trying to ruin Scarlett’s face. Scarlett only defended herself, but now she was walking away alone, looking like the person who had done something wrong.
I looked back at the center of the ring, and my blood turned to ice.
Ethan was still on his knees. His hands were shaking as he reached for Elara. The healers were already there, using their powers to close her wounds. The deep cut Scarlett had made on Elara’s chest was already fading away. Soon, there would be nothing left but a tiny pink mark. She was fine. But Ethan was staring at her with so much worry—a look he had never once given Scarlett.
“Elara, what were you doing?” Liam’s voice was loud and angry. He stepped toward them, his face dark with anger. “That wasn’t a fair fight. You were trying to hurt her face on purpose p>
Elara’s lips trembled. Tears began to fall down her cheeks as she looked up at Ethan, acting like a victim.
“You were trying to scar her!” Leon roared. His Alpha anger made the air feel heavy. He stepped forward, his eyes glowing with rage as he looked down at Elara. “I saw it! We all saw it p>
Elara let out a small sob and hid against Ethan’s chest.
“That’s enough!” Ethan snapped. He stood up, putting his body between Leon and Elara to protect her. He didn’t even look at the blood Scarlett had left on the grass. He only cared about the girl in his arms. “It wasn’t her fault. It was just a fight. Things happen when people are angry p>
I spat on the ground, my anger intensifying. “No,” I said, my voice loud and sharp. “Elara wasn’t just fighting, Ethan. Don’t lie for her p>
My wolf was screaming inside me. He wanted me to grab Elara and ask her why she hated Scarlett so much. But I controlled my emotions.
“Elara wasn’t just fighting,” I continued, my eyes locked on her. “She fought like she hated Scarlett. Like she wanted to destroy her p>
I couldn’t believe it. I was the one defending Scarlett while her own partner stood there protecting someone he barely knows.
Liam crossed his arms and looked at the path where Scarlett had gone. “Scarlett is your partner, Ethan. She is the reason you won today. She is bleeding, and you didn’t even look at her. Who do you care about more? Elara, whom you know nothing about, or your fiancée p>
Ethan’s jaw went tight. For a second, he looked guilty, but he said nothing. He didn’t go after Scarlett. He didn’t even ask the healers to check her arm.
He just stood there like a wall, hiding Elara.
“The winners of the Blood Moon,” I shouted to the crowd, my voice full of bitterness, “are Scarlett and Alpha Ethan p>
A few people clapped, but most people just looked away. They knew something was wrong—especially the way me and my brothers were defending Scarlett.
Elara stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes. She didn’t say thank you to Ethan. She didn’t look at any of us. She just turned around and walked away.
Ethan watched her go. He looked worried and confused. Then, without saying a word to us, he turned and walked away in the other direction.
I stood in the dirt, watching them both leave. A seed of doubt was planted in my heart. Something was very wrong. Ethan was acting like a man whose soul belonged to the girl on the ground.
I am going to find out your secret, Ethan, I thought, squeezing my hands into fists. And if you are using Scarlett to hide your love for Elara, I will deal with you myself.
I turned to leave, but Leon blocked my path. “Where are you going?” he asked, his voice still rough from the fight.
“I’m going to check on Scarlett,” I said, trying to sound like I didn’t care as much as I did. “I’m her Alpha. She is a pack member who just got hurt. Can’t I see her p>
I hated this. I wanted to scream at them. I wanted to howl that she was my mate. My wolf was pacing inside me, crying out in pain because he could feel her hurt. Every step she took away from the field felt like a knife in my chest.
“I’m coming with you,” Leon said, stepping forward.
“Me too,” Liam added, catching up to us.
I frowned. I didn’t want them there. Scarlett was my mate. This should have been just between me and her. Why did they have to ruin it?
Liam saw me hesitate. “What? Can’t we come? We are Alphas too, aren’t we p>
I rolled my eyes, feeling the heat of my temper rising. “Since when did you two start caring about her so much p>
Leon folded his arms and glared right back at me. “And when did you start caring p>
The air between us was thick with a new kind of tension. We were brothers, but whenever it comes to Scarlett, we don’t agree on a thing. I shook my head and started walking toward the packhouse. “Fine. Let’s go. But I bet she’s going to send us all away the moment she sees our faces p>
As we walked away from the dying fires of the festival, Liam spoke up. “Wait. I have a plan. Something to cheer her up p>
“What?” I asked, stopping near the edge of the gardens.
Liam smirked. It was the old, mischievous look he used to have before everything got so complicated. “Do you remember the trick we used to do with Scarlett? The one she always said she hated, but secretly loved p>
The memory flashed in my head immediately. I could almost hear her laugh—the real one, not the fake smile she wore for Ethan.
“Of course I do,” I said, a small smile finally tugging at my lips.
Liam’s smirk grew wider. “Let’s do it. It’s the only thing that will lighten her mood after the mess Ethan made p>