Darius's POV: "Thora, are you okay? I just heard Caleb gave you trouble. He didn't hurt you, did he?" A girl ran up to Thora, her voice full of worry. I knew her instantly. Hazel—Thora's half-sister. When I investigated Thora's background, I'd come across Hazel, too. I'd even found photos of her meeting with rogues and sent them to the Greens. The accident where Thora fell off the cliff? Hazel was definitely involved. Yet here she was, playing the role of the caring sister. "If you could squeeze out a few more tears, maybe I'd believe you," Thora said coldly. Her sharp words cut through the tension so fast that even I almost laughed."And the rumor about me being mixed up with rogues—that came from you, didn't it?" Thora asked bluntly. Hazel's face darkened. She quickly put on a pitiful look. "You ... you think it was me?" "What do you think?" Thora smirked. I caught it—the flash of hate in Hazel's eyes. She covered it quickly, putting on her wounded act again, even sneaking looks at me like she wanted me to defend her. I'd seen those looks too many times. Female wolves often played weak to stir a male's protective instinct. Her acting wasn't bad, but all it did was disgust me. I didn't spare her a glance. My eyes stayed on Thora. She looked at Hazel as if to say, Go ahead, keep performing. I'm watching. My lips curled faintly.Neither of us spoke, and Hazel couldn't keep her pitiful act going. At last, she blurted the question she'd really come for. "Thora, who is this man? Do you know him well?" "None of your business." Thora's flat reply hit like a slap. Hazel's eyes reddened instantly. She turned her pleading gaze on me, desperate for me to take her side. Ridiculous. She was lucky I hadn't already punished her for what she'd done to Thora. And she dared to hope I'd protect her? "Thora, I thought of you as my sister! And this is how you treat me? Fine—I'll never care about you again!" She covered her face and ran off, playing the poor, heartbroken victim to the very end. Only after she left did I ask, though I already knew, "Who was that?" "You mean you didn't look into it?" Thora didn't believe me for a second. Instead, she narrowed her eyes. "Why are you even here?" The fact that she was finally focusing on me again put me in a better mood. I raised an eyebrow playfully. "Take a guess." She frowned, her eyes flicking warily to Carl and Phantom behind me. "Who are you, really?" As sharp as ever. Even without knowing, she could tell I wasn't ordinary. "My name's Darius Blackwood," I said, holding her gaze. I waited for her to press further. But she just turned away. "I need to get to class." She clearly didn't want to spend another second with me. That stung.I followed. "Does it even matter if you go to class?" She stopped, turned back, and said evenly, "Following rules is a basic duty of the pack. It's also the code of a military family." The serious discipline in her voice and stance struck me again. Thora, the girl who used to scrape the bottom of every class, now stood tall, steady, unshakable. Since surviving that fall, she was like a different person. Watching her, one word filled my mind. "She's leaving! We're just going to let her walk away?" Lorcan's voice broke into my thoughts. I stared at her retreating form and said firmly, "I'll pick her up after school." But she didn't even look back. I frowned and called again. "Thora." She paused, turned, and asked coolly, "Do you still need something?" I smirked like I'd won a little game. "No. Just wanted to say your name." She shot me an icy glare and walked into her classroom. I chuckled. "Doesn't she look amazing when she's mad?" Lorcan wagged his tail excitedly in my mind. She looks amazing all the time! I can't wait for after school! "Good," I said. "By the time I finish my business, she'll be done with class."