Scapegoat for My Sister's Miscarriage? No Way!

CLAIRE'S POV

Before I could respond, Alpha Jason grabbed my arm, yanking me forward with enough force to make me stumble. I tried to wrench free, but his grip was iron. He dragged me through the house and out into the open square. I heard the faint murmur of voices as we moved, people noticing the commotion. By the time we reached the center of the square, a crowd had begun to gather.

He released me with a rough shove, and I barely caught my balance, my heart pounding in my chest. I scanned the faces around me—pack members, all familiar, all once indifferent to my presence. But now, they were curious.

"Listen up!" Alpha Jason's voice boomed through the square, silencing the murmurs.

I clenched my fists, knowing exactly where this was going. Alpha Jason wasn’t going to rest until he had everyone on his side, until he’d painted me as the villain. He had the power to do it too—people listened to him, trusted him. He was the Alpha afterall, and in this pack, once someone was branded an outcast, there was no coming back.

“There’s something you all deserve to know about our dear friend here,” he continued, his eyes cutting into me with every word. “You all know her as my mate's younger sister, right? But one thing you don't know is that she is also a sex worker!”

The whole crowd gasped.

Alpha Jason continued on, “And not only that, for months, she’s been racking up debts from her excessive shopping sprees and fake lifestyle, losing money left and right. And who’s been there to bail her out of everything? Petra.”

I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to shout that it wasn't true, that I had never owed anyone money before. I wanted to scream that it was all lies, that I was innocent. But the Alpha held the power over these people. No, they wouldn't doubt their Alpha.

He pointed a finger at me, his expression one of disgust. “Petra ’s been nothing but a good sister to her, paying off her debts, keeping her from drowning in her own mess. But how does she repay that kindness?” He let the question hang in the air for dramatic effect before answering it himself. “By slandering Petra ’s name, spreading lies about her, and pushing her into depression. She doesn't even think about the fact that Petra is pregnant.”

The crowd shifted, their once neutral faces now hardening with accusation. They were buying into Jason’s story—hook, line, and sinker. It didn’t matter that there was no proof, no evidence. In their eyes, I was guilty, and Petra was the innocent victim.

Whispers began to fill the air.

“Can you imagine such filthy behavior?”

“How can a girl like that be a sex worker after all her sister does for her? It's truly not written in the face, because who would have thought someone like her could indulge in such!?”

“I know, right? And not only that, she still had the guts to spread lies about her sister who was kind enough to help her out of her debts. People like her don't deserve mercy. It's wasted on them.”

“I feel so sorry for Petra right now. Having such a sister is the worst thing in the world.”

I could feel the familiar ache in my chest, the bitterness of betrayal rising in my throat. In my previous life, I had tried to defend myself. I had shouted, screamed, pleaded for someone to believe me. But no one had. The truth hadn’t mattered then, and it didn’t matter now.

I barely spoke, barely moved, knowing that it would make no difference. Defending myself was pointless. They had already made up their minds about me.

But that didn’t mean I would go down quietly.

I took a step forward, and pleaded, "Please, you just have to wait a while. You will soon receive a call from Petra."

He faltered for just a second, his brow furrowing in confusion. But he recovered quickly, turning back to the crowd. “She’s desperate now, trying to twist this around like she always does. But you all know the truth—she’s a menace, and it’s about time she faces the consequences.”

The crowd murmured in agreement, their hostility toward me growing.

Moments later, as if on cue, Jason’s phone rang. He glanced down at the screen, his expression tightening when he saw the caller ID.

“Go ahead, Alpha,” I said quietly. “Answer it.”

He hesitated, just for a moment, before answering. I watched as his face shifted from anger to concern, and then to something darker. The crowd grew silent, everyone waiting for whatever news Petra had to deliver.

When he hung up, his gaze found mine, colder than before. “Petra… just lost the baby.”

The crowd gasped loudly.

Alpha Jason continued speaking, his voice heavy with accusation as he pointed at me. “And it's all your fault.”

He stepped closer, his voice a venomous whisper that only I could hear, “You've just signed your death sentence.”

I stared back at him, my heart pounding. This was only the beginning.