Burn in the Alpha Princess's Wrath novel Chapter 281

Chapter 281 The Rumor

Leslie’s POV

Just as I was thinking, the phone buzzed again–this time, Astrid calling directly.

+8 Pears

I answered, leaning lazily against a tree at the roadside, keeping clear of the dripping branches

above.

“Leslie, is it true? Don’t tell me you’ve really fallen for Adler?” Her voice was brimming with excitement, sharp with gossip, like she was desperate to dig out some scandalous secret.

I couldn’t help but laugh, my tone tinged with helpless amusement. “It’s just a photo. You all really know how to spin a story.”

I nudged a puddle at my feet with my toe.

“What? Then it’s not true? Then why were you two together in the first place? I thought you were announcing it just to kill Kirby with rage!” Astrid’s voice shot higher, before softening with almost giddy relief.

I arched a brow, teasing lightly. “There are plenty of ways to drive him mad. Why would I sacrifice myself for it?”

Kirby’s tense face flashed across my mind. For a moment, something complicated stirred in me, but I pushed it down quickly.

“Then I’m relieved!” Astrid chirped, clearly itching to run off and spread the word. “I’ll pass it around–get everyone to shut up.”

I let out a soft laugh and ended the call.

The air after rain was cool and damp, fresh against my lungs. Wrapping my cloak tighter, I stood at the corner of the street, trying to gather my thoughts.

With Astrid’s help, the photo storm was finally explained away. I deleted the picture without hesitation. No point in answering every rumor one by one–Astrid’s big mouth would make sure the truth got around.

But still, gossip spun like a storm.

By evening, entertainment media in the Northern Continent had already picked it up, splashing headlines across feeds: “Leslie’s New Romance Revealed” and “Identity of Leslie’s New Flame Unknown.”

I stood beneath a streetlamp, glanced at the notifications, and let out a dry, wry smile.

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9:09 Fri, Sep 19 B.

Chapter 281 The Rumor

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+8 Pearls

The amount of attention and speculation I drew… people in the entertainment industry would kill for even a fraction of it.

When I returned to the castle, the uproar hadn’t slowed–it had only grown louder.

Astrid called again, her voice buzzing like a sparrow. “Leslie, you’re trending! You’re blowing up again, did you know?”

I frowned, my voice calm. “I’ll contact someone to pull the headlines down.”

“No need. They’re gone already. By the time you thought of it, it was too late.” Her tone was playful, smug.

“Who handled it?” I asked, already suspecting the answer.

“Who else? Of course Kirby. With one order, who would dare delay? He shut it down in minutes.” Astrid’s voice was gleeful, dripping with gossip.

I pushed open the castle doors, pulling up my phone. The trending boards were wiped clean, as though the chaos had never existed.

I slipped the device back into my cloak pocket, catching the faint scent of Malach in the air. His pine fragrance was steady but shadowed with tension.

He approached, his steps precise as always, but his face carried not only fatigue–there was a weight on his features, a shadow of unease.

“Leslie.” His voice was low, respectful, yet carrying a heaviness I rarely heard from him. “Alpha Kirby’s condition has worsened. He can’t even keep down food. I fear for him…”

He paused, raising his eyes to mine, a hint of plea in them. “Leslie, are you aware of today’s rumors? Someone spread your photo with Lord Adler, twisting it to slander your relationship. Alpha Kirby feared you’d be troubled by it, and also feared the damage to Rogue Pack’s reputation. So he forced it down, using Crimson Moon’s influence to wipe every trace from the hot searches.”

My brows tightened.

Kirby’s condition… had worsened?