Chapter 61: No

Later that night, the entire Blackwood Pack gathered in the large training ground, where several torches had been placed around the area to provide enough light. The news of an important announcement had spread quickly, and everyone wanted to know why Alpha Gabriel had called them together at such a late hour. Some believed it had something to do with the witches who had been causing trouble recently, while others thought their Alpha had an important decision to make. However, nobody expected the gathering to be about the girl they had treated badly for so long.

Hazel stood beside her father, wearing a beautiful dress with her hair falling freely over her shoulders. She had been looking forward to this moment all day, and the thought of finally proving herself made her lips curl into a small smile. For years, these people had looked down on her, called her weak, and treated her as if she were a disgrace to the pack. Some had even laughed at her because she couldn’t shift into her wolf form, while others had been quick to believe every bad thing Scarlett said about her.

Tonight, things were going to change.

When the sound of footsteps came from the entrance, Hazel turned her head and saw several royal guards walking toward them with Scarlett between them. Scarlett’s hands were tied, but she didn’t look frightened at all. Instead, she wore a strange smile that made Hazel wonder if the girl had completely lost her mind.

Even after being caught, Scarlett still seemed to believe she could escape the situation, and that confidence only made Hazel more eager to watch her fall.

"Well, look who finally decided to join us," Hazel muttered under her breath, watching as the guards brought Scarlett closer.

Scarlett heard her and turned her head, their eyes meeting for a brief moment. Rather than looking away, she smiled mischievously, as if she had a secret that Hazel would never discover. Hazel raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She had already learned that Scarlett loved playing games, and she wasn’t going to let another one of her tricks ruin the evening.

Alpha Gabriel stepped forward and raised his hand, bringing the noisy crowd to silence.

"Everyone, we are gathered here tonight because there is something important you need to see for yourselves. For a long time, this pack has been living with lies, and some of you have judged others without knowing the truth. Tonight, I want those lies to end."

His words caused whispers to spread through the crowd, but he ignored them and turned toward Scarlett.

"Bring her forward."

The guards obeyed immediately, leading Scarlett to the center of the gathering, where a large stone had been placed on a wooden stand. Hazel recognized it at once. It was the same stone that had been used to test her purity when Scarlett accused her of being a witch wolf.

Back then, Hazel had stood before everyone while they watched her with disgust, and some had even celebrated when the test seemed to prove that Scarlett was right.

Now, Scarlett was the one standing before it.

"Touch the stone," Gabriel ordered.

Scarlett’s smile disappeared for a moment, and she looked toward the guards as if expecting someone to rescue her. When nobody moved, she shook her head and tried to pull her hands away.

"I don’t have to do this!" she protested. "You can’t force me to touch something when you already know what you’re trying to prove!"

"Then you shouldn’t have any reason to be afraid," Gabriel replied coldly. "Touch it."

The guards caught her arms and forced her hand against the stone before she could resist any further. For several seconds, nothing happened, and the crowd waited in silence. Then the surface of the stone began to glow with an unusual light, and the result became clear to everyone watching.

Scarlett was a witch wolf.

A loud gasp spread through the gathering, followed by angry whispers as people began remembering all the things they had said about Hazel.

The same people who had once accused her of being dangerous were now staring at Scarlett in shock, unable to understand how they had been fooled for so long.

Hazel folded her arms and watched them with a satisfied smile.

"So, what happened?" she asked loudly enough for the people closest to her to hear. "Wasn’t I the witch wolf you were all so afraid of? Didn’t you call me a disgrace because I couldn’t shift in front of you? Now that the truth is standing right before your eyes, do you finally understand how foolish you’ve been?"

Several people lowered their heads, unable to meet her gaze. Others immediately began apologizing, their voices mixing as they tried to explain that they had only believed what Scarlett told them.

"We’re sorry, Hazel!"

"Please forgive us. We didn’t know she was lying!"

"We shouldn’t have treated you that way!"

Hazel listened to their apologies without changing her expression. She had spent too many nights crying over the way these people treated her, and she wasn’t going to pretend that a few words could erase everything they had done.

"Save your apologies," she said, lifting her chin. "You were happy to believe the worst about me when you thought I was weak. You didn’t ask questions or give me a chance to explain myself, so don’t expect me to suddenly forget everything because you finally discovered the truth."

The crowd fell silent, and Hazel felt a small sense of satisfaction settle inside her chest. For once, she wasn’t the person standing in the middle of the gathering while everyone pointed fingers at her.

She was the one watching them struggle with their shame.

Then a man stepped forward from the crowd, looking at Hazel with surprise and excitement.

"Wait, Hazel! Is it true that you’ve finally seen your wolf?"

Hazel turned toward him, slightly surprised by the question. She had expected them to focus on Scarlett’s exposure, but apparently, the news of her transformation had already started spreading through the pack.

"Yes," she answered simply.

The man’s eyes widened, and several others immediately gathered around them, their earlier shame forgotten as excitement took over.

"That’s wonderful!"

"What does your wolf look like?"

"Can you show us? We want to see her!"

Hazel stared at them for a moment before raising her chin proudly. "No."

Their smiles froze.