"Have her thrown into the dungeons," Alpha Blake's tone was icy and aggressive, daring anyone to raise a voice in protest.
All of the present Pack wolves cowered in submission at the sound of his voice and those standing close to me took quick, subtle steps backwards so they would not be dragged down with me. "Get this out of my sight too!" He barked orders, kicking my Father's lifeless body to the side. His face held no remorse or pity and was unyielding with his determination to mete out appropriate punishment to whoever he deemed a threat to his authority. "No, please, don't," I lurched forward and covered my Father's body with mine. "At least let me bury him. He spent a lifetime serving you, please consider that and allow me to perform the necessary rites." I begged, my voice choking with the grief that was shattering my heart into a thousand pieces. Alpha Blake was never affectionate, he was far from it but I viewed him as an uncle because he was a close friend of my Father. My guts twisted together with expectation as I watched his eyes narrow into slits. "This bastard deserves to be fed to the birds of the fields. He and everyone else who dares to defy me!" His voice boomed loudly, carrying with it an air of authority and domination. My mouth opened and closed, I wanted to protest against this injustice, to defend my Father's innocence but Alpha Blake's look of finalized judgment was all I needed to know that there was no point to all of that now. My Father was dead and a word from him had sealed my fate. "Take her away." He reiterated forcefully and two warriors came over to drag me away. My gaze remained on my Father's closed eyes, the entire world seemed to have stilled, leaving me in a haze of grief and fear. I was led to the Pack dungeon by the two guards and harshly thrown to the grounds of a small cell. It was dimly lit and the walls were extremely filthy but all I could focus on was the emotional pain that engulfed me. "Vile daughter of a traitor!" One of the guards spat at me, his face twisted with disgust. "The Alpha should have just killed her along with her traitorous Father. Who knows what kind of evil machinations she had too, enough to seduce the Alpha's son." My head snapped up at his disdainful remarks, "My Father is not a traitor." I said through clenched teeth. "Hey look," He called out to his mate, "This bitch still believes she is the high and mighty daughter of the Beta." "Listen here, princess. Your Father is dead and gone and you have no backing any longer. Now, you are just a worthless prisoner so I suggest you behave or you won't like what I'm gonna do to you." The other wasn't as patient or he probably disdained to even humor me. His harsh tone brought with it the realisation and clarity of my present predicament. My clenched fist loosened and I fell back against the wall as rivulets of excruciating pain slipped down my cheeks. Life was fickle. One minute, I was at the top of the hierarchy, the proud and exalted daughter of the Beta and the next, I was subjected to the lowest of ranks. Curling into a fetal position, I sank into the shadow of despair and despondency. ************** A stifled sob woke me from the nightmare I was trapped in, which brought with it a lifelike representation of the hell my life was to be moving forward and my eyes snapped open. It took a moment for me to focus and regulate my quickened breaths when Sam's tear-stained face came into view. "Maya, I'm so sorry. There was nothing I could do..." "Sam," I interrupted with disbelief and tears blurred my vision again. "I'm so sorry, I should have come sooner." She mumbled sadly, reaching an arm towards me through the bars of my cell. I took her outstretched arm and slowly got up, my shoulder trembling as she wrapped her hands around me, pressing me against the cold rods. "I'm so sorry Maya," She repeated. We hugged each other for minutes and I relished the warmth of her embrace. The sight and feel of someone who sympathised with me and was on my side made me cry even harder. "How did you get in here?" I asked when we both finally calmed down. "You should leave quickly, it'll be bad if someone sees you here," I added anxiously, beginning to urge her to leave. Just the fact that she had appeared was enough comfort, I could not let her be implicated alongside me. "It's okay, I bribed the guards to let me have a few minutes with you." Her words calmed me down and I exhaled quietly in relief. "Alpha Blake has appointed a new Beta and your house has been given to him. The rest of the wolves who served your Father have been sent away too. I tried to rally support to see if the Beta could be buried secretly but no one was willing to help me." Sam quietly gave answers to some of the questions plaguing my mind. "Those cowards shunned Beta Lucas and repaid his kindness with ingratitude." She hissed angrily. A bland chuckle left my lips, "It's okay Sam, I expected that much from them." No one would want to be associated with a labelled traitor. "Did anyone say the exact crime my Father committed?" I had thought about it for days and realized that I still didn't know the underlying cause of Alpha Blake's anger and the reason he had labelled my Father a traitor. I trusted my Father's integrity and his loyalty to this Pack so I was confused and wanted to know what exactly had gone wrong. Sam shook her head, "No one knows, the only person clear on that should be Alpha Blake." My face fell in disappointment and I bit my lip regretfully. "I think Shawn might know too, after all, he is the Alpha's son." Bitterness filled my heart at the mention of him and then I noticed that Sam seemed to be hesitating to say something. "Did something else happen?" I questioned doubtfully. Sam hesitated for a few more minutes then sighed in resignation, "I didn't know if I should tell you this but you will find out anyway." "Tell me what?" My heart began doing flip-flops in chaos as I peered at her anxiously. "Shawn and Rhea are getting married."Light seeped in through the small window of the cell, its rays falling upon my face and providing a little bit of warmth that did nothing to thaw my frozen heart.I gathered my dress around me, trying to cover myself up even more with the tattered and torn fabric.Stretching my arms out in front of me to shield my face from the light, my thoughts began to wander."Why can't I feel you?" I exhaled loudly, It had been days since my first turning but I still had not felt a connection to my wolf.According to what I had been schooled on, we were one entity but currently, I was as lonely as a fish on land and I hated the unease that accompanied it."Hey, get up!" A voice barked suddenly and I turned my head slightly to the side.It was the guard manning the dungeons, the one who loathed my presence and never ceased to remind me of that."Are you deaf? Stop lying there like a pile of bones and get the hell up."Slowly
I didn't believe I could be degraded further than I already was but tonight showed me that was a possible feat.Forced to watch the affectionate display of love Shawn and Rhea were putting on as well as the disgusted and contempt-filled gazes on me, I was at my wit's end and I was only a minute away from breaking under the pressure of it all."Maya, I didn't think you would make it," Rhea said, all smiles like the despicable white lotus that she was.Why didn't I notice it earlier? All the signs were there but I was too blind to see it.Alpha Blake finally noticed me as well, his gaze on me scrutinizing, "I see you are doing well?" He mumbled casually as if he had not subjected me to a lifetime of pain and humiliation."Yes Alpha," I forced back the lump rising in my throat and tried to force myself to remain composed but my shivering hands betrayed my emotions."It's evident Maltida has done a great job teaching you," Lucia, Alp
I had no idea where I was headed but North seemed like the right place to go, so North I went.Far away from the Southlands of the raging Flame Pack where I would never have to lay sight of the people who had caused me pain again.Why was I fleeing? I wondered that, I should be seeking revenge, trying to find out the truth behind my Father's death but I did nothing of the sort, not because I had no desire to but because I knew exactly what lay behind it. I could not possibly walk up to Alpha Blake and demand the truth from him right?He would kill me and my Father's effort to preserve my life would have been in vain.During the length of my journey, I rode in a horse-drawn carriage, the only mode of transportation available to the lower class in the advent of time when automobiles were starting to gain prominence.It was available only to the upper echelons of society, one I once belonged to."Where's the largest Pack u
"It's Comet night, summon your excitement." I tugged boisterously on Sam's arm, my eyes lit up with a smile just like the starry night sky few feets from my view."I really don't get why you're so excited, you could get your hopes dashed just like mine." Sam pointed out, a blank expression on her face."Sam! Don't say that." I pouted, my smile widening even further.To werewolves of other pack, it was just a regularly seen night when the moon was at its peak and werewolves at their strongest but it was a special night for me and every other werewolf of the Raging Flame pack that was as excited as I was.My dream of getting married to Shawn and being the Luna once he succeeded the Alpha was finally happening."You should not be so pessimistic, I just know things will go well." A smile crossed my lips and I patted my chest confidently.Sam glanced at my reflection through the mirror then kept on brushing my hair, "I hope it does to
"That's enough!" Alpha Blake's voice thundered loudly and a hush fell over the crowd.His face was stern and I shivered when his gaze passed over me.My Father on the other hand looked worried but he still smiled comfortingly at me, "It'll be fine." He mouthed softly and I felt myself relax.Right, I may have turned out different and disrupted the Pack's special traits but it didn't matter.Dad was here and so was Shawn, they would keep me safe."We may have just witnessed a never before seen occurrence but I believe there is no reason to fret. The rituals will proceed as planned..." Alpha Blake stopped speaking when someone interjected him and glanced disapprovingly at Shawn who had interrupted him."Will Maya still partake in the mating ritual?" Shawn asked, making me glance hopefully at him.Sure enough, he was still thinking of me in this situation.Alpha Blake went silent, seemingly deep in thought before n
My steps were brisk and soon I found myself before a cottage."Rhea, Get out here!" I yelled loudly, my hands wrapped tightly around the doorknob, it was locked.I felt a pull from the inside and let go, my lips pursed in anger."Maya!" Mrs Landon seemed pleasantly surprised to see me and she let me in quickly."How did the mating ritual go?" She asked curiously, gesturing for me to sit, I didn't."Where's Rhea?" I ignored her question and asked, I couldn't be nice to her, not after what her daughter had just done to me."Rhea? I thought the both of you would be out together, she hasn't returned. Is something wrong?" It seemed she finally noticed something unusual about my look."I will take my leave now." I stood up to continue my search for the two wolves who had betrayed me.That was a fancy way of describing the awful pain I was feeling right now.I checked everywhere, everywhere I thought Rhea and