Chapter 20 Framed
Claire gently supported Addison, guiding her step by step as she limped away in pain. From the outside, it looked like Claire was on the verge of tears—her expression contorted with concern, as if she were the one injured. But Addison knew better.
She tried to shake Claire off, attempting to pry her arm free, but Claire held on tightly, her grip like iron wrapped in velvet. Despite Addison’s efforts, she couldn’t break free from the woman pretending to be her savior.
Then, in a soft voice dripping with faux sympathy, Claire added, "Let’s head downstairs and have the pack doctor take care of your wounds. I heard you’re... wolfless, right? So they won’t heal on their own. You’ll need proper treatment even for something this minor."
Her words, though lightly spoken, hit their mark.
To someone else, it might have sounded like random musing born out of worry—but Addison could hear the quiet cruelty woven beneath them. The implication was clear: she was weak, incomplete, a burden.
That such a small injury required the attention of the pack’s medical professionals; in Claire’s eyes, she was not only pitiful—but a waste of resources, and the doctor’s efforts should’ve gone to someone useful.
Addison didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. Claire’s mockery may have been hidden under layers of concern, but Addison heard it all—and each word burned more than the glass in her skin.
Addison ignored Claire’s veiled mockery, saying nothing as she focused on each painful step forward. But just as they reached the stairs, Claire abruptly let go.
And then—it happened.
A sudden force shoved Addison from behind. There was no time to react, no moment to brace herself. The world tilted violently as her body went tumbling down the staircase.
She barely managed to shield her head as she crashed into the sharp edges of the stairs, the brutal impact jarring through her bones. Pain exploded through her limbs, and she felt something crack in her arm—maybe more than one place.