**Chapter 5: Beaten Down** *From Sabrina's Perspective* A chill crept through the air, wrapping itself tightly around me as I stepped into the hut, the weight of unspoken sorrow radiating from my parents. There was an unnerving tension that thrummed in the silence, echoing the aftermath of reckless choices we had made. The forest, once our sanctuary, now loomed over us like a dark omen. What had shifted so fundamentally since Jasmine and I last wandered its depths? We gathered in the living room, a disquieting stillness settling over us. The air felt heavy, almost stifling. Flora, my wolf companion, churned restlessly within me. *Something isn't right,* she insisted, her voice a soft growl of concern. “Of course, something is wrong. Jasmine's parents are dead, and we’re powerless to help her,” I replied, my frustration bubbling to the surface. “No, not just that. There’s a deeper pain within her,” Flora urged, her worry palpable. “Is that so? Did you forget for a moment that she doesn’t even have a wolf?” I shot back, irritation brewing as she fell silent—uncharacteristic for my normally sassy companion. My gaze flickered to my parents, deep lines of anguish etched across their faces. “It’s not your fault,” I said, breaking the quiet. Both of them turned their attention to me, surprise mingling with sorrow. “It’s not your fault,” I repeated, my voice firm. “Jasmine and I played in the forest all the time. And now, after everything she’s lost, our foolish alpha and luna dare to cast blame on us?” I felt my fury ignite—especially towards the Luna. How dare she treat us as scapegoats in this tragedy? “Sabrina, please watch your words about the Luna and Alpha,” my mother cautioned softly, the wisdom in her voice mingled with fear. I rolled my eyes, knowing she was right. Our Luna’s demeanor was suffocating, a constant source of oppression. She was a hypocrite, quick to judge, and all I wanted was to shield Jasmine from the harsh reality I’d tried to communicate to her for years. “I feel so sorry for that poor girl,” my father murmured, his eyes glazing over. The alpha had ordered us home, yet he hadn’t explicitly said we must remain there. “I’m going to my room,” I announced, sidestepping the oppressive atmosphere before sneaking out the back. In the dim light, I spotted Tia and Tamera creeping closer, mischief dancing in their eyes. “Oh dear, I wonder if she knows,” Tia taunted, smirking, and I just rolled my eyes. Jasmine was in pain; I had no time for this. I tried to pass them, but they flowed quickly in front of me, blocking my path. “Where are you going, bitch? Off to check on your dead tramp of a friend?” Tamera scoffed, hands on her hips, a cruel grin plastered across her face. My heart sank, dread pooling in my stomach. “What the hell are you talking about? I don’t have a dead friend!” I snapped, trying to push past them again, but they simply laughed and followed me closely. “She hasn’t heard,” Tia said to Tamera, laughter spilling from her lips. “Of course, she hasn’t heard!” Tamera echoed, their taunts hammering at my resolve. I couldn’t take it anymore. “What don’t I know?” I demanded, desperate for answers, already regretting we’d ever been friends with these vile twins. “Darnell, the late beta’s son, freaked out and nearly beat your little friend to death!” Tia cackled, eyes gleaming with delight. “He blames her for his parents’ deaths. The Alpha and Luna were laughing, while Oliver just stood there. Darnell would’ve choked her to death if Oliver hadn’t stepped in!” Her words poured from her like poison, each syllable a dagger to my heart. I couldn’t process her words. Fueled by rage, I pushed past them, stumbling towards where I last saw Jasmine. “Don’t you want to hear the best part?” Tamera shouted, her voice laced with malicious amusement, but I couldn’t stop. They giggled like hyenas, but all I could think of was Jasmine. “She thanked Oliver for saving her,” Tamera continued, pleasure dancing in her voice. “And as he walked away, we whispered ‘asshole’ imitating her voice, which made him kick her unconscious again. She might be—” But I didn’t wait to hear more. I was in full sprint, every fiber of my being urging me to reach her. My heart stopped when I found Jasmine crumpled on the ground, her body a tapestry of wounds and bruises. Flora’s howl of anguish echoed in my mind as I rushed to her side—THIS WAS NOT THE WAY I LEFT HER! Her face was marred by open cuts, some oozing blood, while others bore the remnants of past injuries. I frantically checked for broken bones, scanning the area, aware of the pack members who had witnessed her torment. Anger surged through me, igniting a fierce protectiveness and sorrow. No matter what constraints held us back from shifting fully, my instincts as a wolf surged; my senses honed in on her fragility, driving me to lift her into my arms and carry her to my hut. With a force fueled by desperation, I kicked the door down, startling my parents, their expressions morphing from alarm to horror as they took in the state of Jasmine. They acted quickly, clearing a space on the table in their work area. As pack doctors, they had been trained to face the worst, yet I could see the strain of disbelief in their eyes when they saw her. “How did this happen?” my mother asked, her voice sharp as she worked to stabilize Jasmine, hooking up an IV while my father wrapped a blood pressure cuff around her arm. I relayed the vile tale the twins had spun, and as my parents’ anger surged, they took a moment to breathe and channel their focus back to Jasmine. When my mother carefully cleaned and stitched Jasmine’s wounds, my father placed a hand on my shoulder. “Sport, you need to step outside for this next part.” His tone was steady, yet my resolve stiffened. I had endured so much already; I wouldn't leave her side now. He exchanged a glance with my mother, who understood my unwavering bond with Jasmine—the sisterhood that transcended mere friendship. “If you’re staying, then you need to pin her down,” my mother instructed, her voice full of purpose. “She has a few broken bones that I need to realign.” I nodded, my heart racing as I grasped her trembling arms, adrenaline rushing through me as my mother counted to three. With the snap of bone echoing through the room, Jasmine jolted awake, letting out a scream that tore through me like glass. Her body thrashed against mine, struggling, and I held her firm to the table, battling against the instinct to protect her from pain. “Poor Jasmine,” Flora lamented, and I echoed her sentiments, my heart breaking as Jasmine slipped in and out of consciousness. Every time she awoke, more agony clawed at her, but my parents worked steadily, mending her broken pieces. Finally, they wrapped her wounds, securing her to an IV with morphine and medication to keep her in a deep sleep. As I stood over her, darkness clawed at my insides, an intense hatred flooding my veins for every single one of those in power in our pack. They would pay for what they had done to her. This I vowed with every fiber of my being. Jasmine deserved better. We would come back from this, but I would make sure they understood the price of their cruelty. Count on it.