Chapter 7: Get Out of My Brain

Ava's POV

"Where the hell have you been?" Ella popped up beside me, grabbing my arm as I slipped back into the crowded ballroom. "I was about to come looking for you after that scene with Jackson on the terrace."

"Blake showed up just in time," I muttered, yanking my collar up to hide the fresh marks. "Sent Jackson packing with just a look."

"Thank the Moon Goddess," she sighed, clearly relieved. "You okay?"

"I will be once we find those Northern wolves again. They know something about the border clash that could help Dad."

She tilted her head toward the east side. "Over there. They're five drinks deep already." She dropped her voice. "Heads up though. Caroline and her groupies are lurking in the corner like they're waiting to pounce. She's been shooting daggers since you scored that honor thing with Blake."

I caught Caroline's golden curls gleaming under the lights. Her eyes locked onto mine, cold as ice.

"She's always trying to one-up me," I said, straightening my formal wear. "Don't have time for her high school drama right now."

"I'll cause a distraction if needed," Ella offered.

I grabbed an empty tray from a nearby table and made my way over. The Northern delegates huddled by the windows, their fancy blue threads marking them as bigwigs, though their loud laughs told me they were well into the bottle.

I slipped into server mode, offering drinks while making myself practically invisible. They barely looked my way, deep in their chat.

"—total setup," a stocky wolf with salt-and-pepper hair was saying. "Carter walked right into it."

His buddy with the face scar nodded. "That clash was too perfectly timed. Someone leaked his route."

My heart jumped, but I kept it cool, topping off glasses without missing a beat.

"That ambush was too on the nose," the first wolf slurred. "Someone from Shadow Creek sold out the Alpha's travel plans... but no way it was Rivers. He and Carter were tight as thieves." He crossed his fingers to show just how tight.

"Zip it!" Scar Face hissed, finally noticing me. "Not here."

I played dumb, but inside I was doing cartwheels. Dad was innocent! Someone else had ratted out Alpha Carter.

Before I could dig deeper, the air shifted. The hairs on my neck stood up as my wolf sensed trouble coming from behind.

"Well, well. Playing waitress tonight?" Caroline's voice sliced through the conversation. "The traitor's daughter trying to blend in."

I turned slowly, keeping my face blank despite the fire in my veins. Caroline stood there in her fancy designer dress, showing off curves and her family crest. Her three cronies flanked her, smirking like they'd found fresh meat.

"Caroline," I said flatly. "Didn't realize the waitstaff was your concern."

Her glossy lips curled up. "Just letting everyone know you're a fraud. A reject pretending to be useful." She raised her voice. "Check it out! It's the marked leftover who thought fancy fighting would impress the Alpha King!"

The Northern wolves shifted uncomfortably, realizing they'd been overheard by the wrong person.

"At least I earned my showcase spot with actual skill," I fired back. "Not daddy's connections or mommy's designer battle pajamas."

Caroline's face went red. "Your dad was the connection king. Too bad he backed the wrong horse. My father says William was Carter's lapdog, never saw which way the wind was blowing."

I caught something in her words—a thread I needed to pull.

"What wind?" I pressed, stepping closer.

Her smile turned smug. "The smart wolves knew when to jump ship. My father says Hayes was at the border that day—" She froze, color draining from her face. "I mean, Hayes told my father that day..."

My stomach dropped. "Hayes was at the border during the attack? That's not what the pack records show."

"I didn't say that!" she snapped, panic flashing in her eyes. "You're twisting my words!"

Her scent flipped from smug to scared in a heartbeat. She'd let something slip, and she knew it.

"You totally did," I said quietly. "And we both know it."

Caroline backed up, her posse closing ranks. "You're pathetic. Nobody will believe a word from you."

As they retreated, my mind raced at warp speed. Jackson's dad was supposedly in meetings when the border clash happened—every report said so. If he was actually there...

I needed to find Ella.

She was waiting by the garden door, reading my face like a book.

"What happened? You look like you just struck oil," she whispered, pulling me into the shadows of some fancy trimmed bushes.

"Caroline fucked up," I explained quickly. "She accidentally spilled that Hayes was at the border when Carter got ambushed."

Ella's eyes went wide. "But the official story has him at council meetings!"

"Exactly. If Hayes is lying—"

A roar from inside cut me off. Jackson's voice, pissed as hell.

"Time to bounce," Ella grabbed my arm. "Caroline's probably tattling to Jackson right now."

We ducked through the garden, taking the back path toward the parking lot. Near the edge, I yanked Ella behind a huge hedge.

"Hold up," I whispered, catching a familiar scent. "Jackson's out here."

Through the leaves, I spotted him arguing with an older man—Hayes himself. They stood by a large black vehicle, Hayes jabbing a finger into Jackson's chest like he was punching buttons on a remote.

"Can't keep your marked bitch in line?" Hayes snarled. "She's digging into that day!"

Jackson straightened his fancy clothes. "She's clueless. Just trying to save daddy."

"The Alpha King stepped in tonight. If he starts poking around—"

"He won't," Jackson cut in. "I'm practically family now."

Hayes dropped his voice, but my wolf hearing caught every word. "Make sure she backs off. I've blocked all her warrior position requests. A lone wolf can't cause much trouble."

My blood turned to ice. They were systematically destroying my future.

Ella and I split up at the forest path, promising to connect tomorrow. I took the hidden trails home, my head spinning with everything I'd discovered. Dad was innocent. Hayes had lied. And they were cutting off all my options one by one.

Halfway home, my neck exploded with pain. I crashed against a tree, clutching my mark as it burned like someone had pressed a hot poker to my skin.

Having fun playing detective, Ava?

Jackson's voice oozed into my mind, forcing open our mindlink through the mate bond. God, I hated that he could still do this—barge into my head whenever he felt like it.

Get out of my brain, I pushed back, trying to slam the door on him.

You're dancing with the devil. Stop digging, or daddy won't be the only one hurting.

I kept walking, trying to ignore him, but he clung like a bad smell.

Think you'll land a position? Find another pack? My dad made sure every request you send gets trashed. No pack wants a traitor's kid.

I stumbled, his words hitting home. So that's why all my recent applications had gone nowhere.

One way forward, Ava. Take my offer. After your dad's gone, you and your mom will have nothing. No home, no pack, nowhere to go.

I'd rather sleep in dirt than be your side piece, I shot back.

Something shifted then—my mark suddenly pulsed warm instead of painful. A strange power flowed through it, pushing against Jackson's presence.

What... what's happening? His voice wavered. What is this?

The gold threads from Blake's touch seemed to wake up, shoving Jackson's influence away. In seconds, the mindlink snapped shut, leaving sweet silence in my head.