CHAPTER 4

She cried for what felt like hours, tears streaming down her face as she rocked back and forth in her corner. She was alone, and there was nothing she could do to clear her name. She was stuck in the dungeon, accused of a crime she didn't commit.

Eventually, Mia's tears dried up, and she was left with nothing but a dull ache in her chest. She was hungry and thirsty, and the cold was making it hard for her to think straight. She tried to push thoughts of her brother and her father out of her mind, but they kept creeping back in.

Suddenly, there was a loud creaking sound, and Mia looked up to see the door to her cell opening. She scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding with fear. But it wasn't Noah who had come to see her.

It was a guard, a rough-looking man with a gruff voice. "Come on, girl," he said, gesturing for her to follow him. "You've got a visitor."

Mia felt a flicker of hope inside her. Maybe it was someone who could help her, someone who could clear her name. She followed the guard down the hallway, her heart pounding with anticipation.

They reached a small room at the end of the hallway, and the guard gestured for her to go inside. "Sit," he said, nodding towards a wooden chair in the corner.

Mia sat down, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She could feel the guard's eyes on her, and it made her feel uneasy. But she tried to stay calm, to keep her thoughts focused on the possibility of help.

Suddenly, the door opened again, and in walked Noah. Mia's heart dropped. She couldn't believe he was here again, after what he had said and done to her.

Noah didn't even acknowledge her presence, instead walking straight towards the guard. "I need to speak with my sister," he said gruffly.

The guard nodded, then left the room, closing the door behind him. Mia and Noah were alone together.

Noah didn't waste any time, his words coming out like a cold, hard slap. "Mother is dead." 

Mia's heart sank. "Why? What happened? She was fine!" 

Noah's face twisted with rage, "you killed her! Just like you killed dad! She died of blood loss." 

"Please believe me Noah I'm innocent." She reached for his sleeves but he landed the hardest slap she had ever received on her cheeks, causing her neck to twist in the opposite direction. 

Some guards quickly rushed towards him. "Don't ever touch me, you murderer." Were the last words he said before he left. 

Mia sat at the center of the council chamber, surrounded by the wolf council, the highest governing body of the werewolf community. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked around at the somber faces of the council members. The room was silent, except for the rustling of papers and the occasional cough.

Mia's lawyer stood at her side, a tall, imposing figure with a stern expression on his face. He wore a sharp black suit and a thin tie, and he looked every bit the part of a skilled defense attorney.

The proceedings began, and the council members took turns asking Mia questions about the night her parents were murdered. Mia told her story, explaining how the rogue wolves had attacked her family, and how she had fought bravely to protect her parents.

But the council members were not satisfied. They pointed out inconsistencies in her story, and questioned why she had been found with blood in her mouth, standing over her father's corpse.

Mia's lawyer was quick to respond. He argued that Mia had been defending herself against the rogues, and that the blood on her mouth was the result of a struggle with one of the attackers.

But the opposition was equally quick to fire back. They pointed out that Mia had been found close to her father's body, and that there was evidence suggesting she had been the one to kill him.

Mia's lawyer asked why she would want to kill her own father, especially during an attack by rogue wolves. The opposition argued that Mia was on the side of the rogues, and that she had been working with them to set up her parents.

It was then that Mia's brother Noah was called to the stand. Noah was one of the first to arrive at the scene of the crime, and he testified against his own sister. He said that he had seen Mia at the scene, with blood on her mouth, and that she had acted strangely when he had asked her what had happened.

Mia's lawyer asked Noah how his 10-year-old sister, who had only recently shifted into her wolf form for the first time, could possibly have been strong enough to kill their father, who was a trained warrior.

Noah hesitated for a moment before answering. He said that Mia had caught their father off guard, and that she had been working with the rogues to set their parents up.

Mia felt a wave of shock and betrayal wash over her. She couldn't believe that her own brother would accuse her of such a heinous crime.

The council members conferred amongst themselves for a few minutes, before the leader of the council spoke up. "Mia Rodgers, based on the evidence presented and the testimony of your brother, we find you guilty of the murder of your parents on the night of the rogue attack. But we understand that the first shift can be very intoxicating, and anything could go wrong, so on that basis and on the basis of you being a minor, you will face no consequences other than being stripped of your position in the pack, henceforth, you're nothing but a slave." 

Mia's heart sank as the verdict was read out. She felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes as she realized that her life was over.