Xena''s POV


    My world shattered in that single moment. Penelope? The Peneloped trusted with everything? My thoughts scattered like ss fragments, betrayal cutting through my heart like a knife. How was this possible?


    I stared at her across the room, watching as she deliberately avoided my gaze. Logan stood near her but made no more to touch her. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, pain and betrayal tangling together until I could barely breathe.


    "Penelope?" I called softly, my voice carrying a tremor I hadet interced


    She lifted her head, tears glistening in her eyes-those eyes I''d trusted sopletely how seemed like they belonged to a stranger. "I swear I didn''t know anything! You know I''m an orphank You even und me in the forest!" she pleaded, desperation saturating her voice. ''I don''t even know who my family is!


    My chest ached like I''d been stabbed. Deep down, something told me she was telling the truth, but the DNA evidence was right there in front of us. How could I deny what was staring me in the face?


    "The DNA shows a parental match ratio," Alpha Benedict exined, his voice measured and cold. "This means it was her father who shot at you both." He turned to me. "How did you find her?"


    "She was in the orphanage where I volunteered," I recalled, memories flooding back of that stubborn, brilliant girl I''d first met. "She was a teenager then... about fifteen, already getting into trouble. Sneaking out, stealing things."


    "I stole books! It''s not like I was some junkie!" Penelope defended herself, hurt shing in her eyes.


    "They were advanced books. Nobody cared what books she took, just that she was stealing. I noticed the content of those books, so took responsibility for her. Had her do tasks for me. Once she earned some trust, showed me what she could do, I started paying hen Not much, but enough for clothes and food. Eventually, Dad helped her get into a youth housing program to get her out of the orphanage." The words came mechanically from my mouth as memories washed over me-all those moments with Penelope, one of the few people I truly trusted, and now... I couldn''t bear to finish the thought.


    "I don''t remember any family. I swear! All I remember is the orphanage!" Penelope''s eyes brimmed with tears, her desperation breaking my heart despite the warnings my brain was sending.


    "We found her as an infant at the edge of our territory. No one imed her, so we put her DNA in the system in case of any matches. Until now there weren''t any." Dad stared at the paper like it was some alien object. His expression made my stomach twist.


    "Logan, is she lying?" Alpha Benedict asked.


    "No. She''s telling the truth. You canmand her if you want to." Logan gazed painfully at the ceiling. This had to be excruciating for him, torn between loyalty to his sister and loyalty to his mate. I could feel his struggle, and it made me want to step back.


    "L-Logan?" Penelope looked at him, heartbreak and shock painted across her face.


    "Have you ever lied to us?" Dad asked severely, slowly releasing his Alpha aura until it enveloped Penelope.


    She immediately copsed to the floor in submission. My heart pounded violently in my chest, watching my friend being treated this way sent a wave of indescribable pain through me.


    "No!" Penelope answered through tears, her yoice, shaking.


    "Have you withheld anything from us?" Dad continued.


    "No! I love X, I would never betray my only sister!"


    Hearing those words, I almost fan forward to hold her. Ryder''s hand troked my back, giving me a small measure offort.


    Dad looked around the room. Only when everyone shook their heads did he relent. Logan had moved to Penelope''s side, offering his


    hand.


    Penelope pped away Logan''s outstretched hand, refusing his help


    "I thought we were attacked by Rogues?" I asked, trying to make sense of everything.


    "We were, but we haven''t traced who wanted to take your We assumed the Rogues at the pack boundary and the ones at the car ident were the same group," Dad exined.


    "So we still haven''t found who killed Samuel. I struggled to keep my voice steady as his name passed my lips.


    "Did you find that phone?" Ryder asked.


    "Yes, it''s still being analyzed. They''re tracking the IP address. Everything''s encrypted," Dad sighed.


    "So we have nothing, and now Penelope''s DNA has triggered a match It''ll be visible to everyone now, letting her family know where she is." I processed the situation, fear crawling up my spine like ice.


    "What we know is that Penelope''s father was there," Alpha Benedict stated.


    "But we don''t know if the Rogue who fired the gun was her father?" I asked. "We don''t," Dad said.


    "So we might have already killed him. Where are the bodies?"


    "You know we burned them," Dad frowned at me.


    I knew it was true, but I''d hoped I was wrong. My heart ached for Penelope, who must be more confused and hurt than anyone. Slowly, I walked toward Penelope and sat down in front of her. I needed to tell her that no matter what happened, I still believed in


    her.


    "Please believe me. I didn''t know. I would never betray you," she whispered through her tears.