Lenora arched a brow, recognizing immediately that this was only the beginning. The weight of Hailey’s unspoken request thickened the air. Hailey hesitated, biting her lip before looking up at her through lowered lashes.
“I know it’s not mine,” Hailey said carefully, her tone threaded with feigned humility. “But… could I maybe keep it for a short while? Just to… inspire me?”
Lenora’s wolf bristled at the audacity. Inspire her? This award wasn’t a trinket to be borrowed—it was the culmination of years of loyalty, strategy, and sacrifice. The request alone was insulting.
A sharp, dangerous smile spread across Lenora’s face, her voice slicing through the air. “You really are something else. If you want one, Hailey, earn it. Join the division. Work for years, bleed for it. Then, maybe, you’ll understand what this means.”
She extended her hand, fully expecting Hailey to surrender the plaque. But instead, Hailey clutched the box tighter, her face twisting with mock hurt.
“Why are you so cruel?” she whispered, eyes glassy. “I wasn’t stealing it. I just… I just wanted it nearby, as a reminder of what I could become.”
Lenora’s patience shattered. She stepped closer, her palm outstretched, her voice low with warning. “Give it back. Now.”
But Hailey only hugged the box to her chest. The tension snapped, and in their struggle, the box slipped. It hit the floor with a hollow crack.
The plaque splintered into glittering fragments, scattering like broken ice across the floor. For a moment, silence reigned—until Hailey gasped dramatically, clutching her leg where a shard had nicked her skin, a thin line of blood trickling down.
The door creaked open. Evan and Raymond entered, their expressions shifting instantly from confusion to horror at the sight before them.
Evan’s face darkened as his gaze fell on Hailey’s shallow cut. He dropped to his knees, gently lifting her hem to check the wound, his eyes hardening with unspoken blame as he looked up at Lenora.
“Hailey, are you alright?” Raymond asked, leaning toward her, his attention fixed solely on the girl.
Without waiting for an answer, Evan swept Hailey into his arms. “I’m taking you to the healer,” he said firmly, ignoring her weak protests. Together, he and Raymond hurried out, leaving Lenora staring after them.