I didn't need to hear the words to know danger was coming.
The shift happened overnight. The whispers about my power, about besting Gideon in private combat, those I could handle.
But by the next afternoon, the rumors had changed. Twisted into something darker.
"Did you hear what Elara said about Darius?"
"I heard she called him weak. Said he couldn't satisfy her."
"No, she said the Fenrir family was pathetic. That they didn't deserve their territory."
"She publicly humiliated him. After everything he did for her."
"The future Alpha fought for her and she spat in his face."
I stopped walking, my blood running cold. These weren't the same rumors as yesterday. These were specific. Malicious. Designed to provoke.
And completely false.
Celeste grabbed my arm. "Don't react. That's what they want."
"I didn't say any of those things."
"I know. But someone is spreading lies and people are believing them." She pulled me into an empty classroom. "This is Gideon. Has to be."
