Chapter 9. His Reputation

Avery’s POV

The stars were few in the sky as I walked down the narrow path leading to Charles’s home, it would be dawn soon. A soft breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the faint scent of pine. Despite the natural serenity of the scene, my heart felt heavy, weighed down by the rumors and disdain that seemed to follow me like an unwanted shadow.

I hadn’t been able to sleep. My father’s words, Amelia’s smugness, and the judgmental stares of the Pack members echoed endlessly in my mind. The one person who had stood by me was Charles, and now even his reputation was being dragged through the mud because of me.

When I arrived at his small clinic, I hesitated at the door. The sound of muffled voices drifted through the walls, and I instinctively knew they weren’t patients here for medical advice.

“…I never would’ve thought Charles had it in him,” a woman’s voice said.

“Right? Who would have guessed he’d go after the Alpha’s daughter? And