Chapter 2

RUBY.

“Father!”

I rushed to his side in an instant but Dawn pushed me aside, causing me to stumble.

“What's wrong with you, Dawn? Can't you see the alpha is lying still?” I exclaimed, anger coursing through me.

Whispers filled the hall.

Dawn shot me a frigid glare, but I had no time for her. I pushed her aside and shook my father, panic gripping me.

“You can't leave me like this, father. Please, tell me this is just a joke,” I whispered to myself.

Dawn collapsed beside him, tears racking her body. I grabbed his hand, only to find it limp. Pushing Dawn away, I pressed my ear to his chest, searching for a heartbeat.

Nothing.

A guttural cry escaped my lips, and I clutched my head. “Father, you can't do this to me. You promised... no, you can't!”

I sank to the ground like a thud of cement. My chest constricted as pain struck me. I never knew such agony existed.

The pack members screamed and scattered, but I remained on the floor, tears streaming down my face.

“Father no! You can't do this, no you can't.” Dawn screamed. “Someone tell me this is all a dream please. I know I will wake up to realize that this was all a nightmare. Arghh! Why are you not waking me up? Someone should pinch me hard please!”

What could have happened to him? He was completely alright when I went to see him earlier so what now?

He would have said something to me if there was anything wrong with him when I went to see him, right? What's happening, goddess?

I sobbed hard, rolling on the ground with my eyes shut.

“Everyone, calm down!” A commanding voice boomed, and all sounds suddenly ceased. I looked up to see Beta Alvin, stern and authoritative. “As we all know, the alpha has passed away.”

The crowd hummed in response.

“And he died right here in front of us.”

Once more, the crowd echoed in agreement.

“But I don't think it was coincidental,” his voice dropped to a dangerous tone as his gaze flickered on me, “he was murdered.”

It felt as if someone had stepped on my chest, the pain filling my heart. Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to process the beta's words. Murdered? My father was murdered?... Who could have killed him?

“How?... He was such a good man so who could have wanted him dead?” I stared him right in the face. “My father was such a good man that everyone in the pack praised him! He was… loved by all. Just how?”

“You killed him!”

Dawn sprang to her feet, venom in her eyes as she advanced towards me.

Slap!

I felt pain race up the side of my cheeks as her palm made contacts with my face.

I was on my feet in an instant, returning her slap. “The next time you lay your filthy hands on me again, that'd be the very last time that you will make use of your hands.” I warned through clenched teeth.

Rage flashed through her eyes, her chest heaving. “I will make you regret doing this!” She turned away from me and faced the crowd.

“This bitch right here killed our beloved alpha.” There were murmurs. “She had the alpha killed, believe me everyone.”

“That's enough!” The beta’s voice cut through the uproar.“You should know better than to falsely accuse anyone, especially the late alpha's daughter.”

“Adopted daughter!”

“Whatever! The alpha never saw her any less his daughter so you must address her as such!” Beta Alvin growled.

Dawn stormed her foot. “But she killed the alpha and that, if you have forgotten, is a crime that has death as a punishment according to the pack law in book 203!”

Her words were welcomed by screams from everyone. Even I felt my legs go weak. Why was she accusing me of killing the alpha? What made her think I could do such a thing?

“Silence!” Everyone suddenly kept quiet. “And what evidence do you have to prove that she killed the alpha?”

What's going on? Is he buying her bullshit? How can I kill the alpha?

“Find out for yourself.” Was her response. She faced me with so much animosity in her eyes. I always knew she hated me, but to go to this length… isn't this too much?

Looking at the beta, I could see his eyes turning white, which meant he was mind linking someone. I didn't wait to find out for long because two of the alpha's guards came running towards us, and soon came in the doctor as well.

“Take the alpha to the medical room inside.” Beta Alvin commanded. They lifted the alpha's body, wincing a bit as they carried him inside. When the alpha was alive, he had set up an emergency hospital room in the pack house. Who could have known he would be using it at his death?

“You know what to do.” The doctor nodded once before disappearing inside as well.

“You all will soon find out I was right.” Dawn huffed angrily.

“And you will say no more words until the doctor is done with his examination,” Beta Alvin warned.

I didn't know how many minutes or hours passed by, but the wait was over when the front door opened, revealing the doctor with a sullen face.

My heart picked up a race. Was Beta Alvin right about this being a murder?

“What is the result of the examination, Doctor Peters?” Beta Alvin fixed the man with a cold look.

“The alpha was poisoned.” The hall was suddenly silent that even a pin dropped on the floor would make a sound. “The alpha seemed to have taken a poisonous milkshake.”

“I said she killed her!” Dawn jumped, pointing accusing fingers at me. “You finally succeeded in killing the alpha. Why be so evil, eh why? Wasn't he such a good father to you that you had to kill him?”

Realization dawned on me and I found myself falling to the ground. Milkshake? How.. How was that possible? Could it have expired? No, that couldn't be the case… I made sure that the kitchen was always packed with good products so what happened?

“I—I didn't kill the alpha. There must be some misunderstanding.” I protested, tears blurring my vision. “He was my father. I loved him!”

“Everyone knows how the alpha brought you to the pack, that you had been doing things to please him, that was why you took over giving him milkshakes each morning.”

“How could you be this evil? He took you in when you were nothing and adopted you! What did you do? You paid him back in such a painful way!” Beta Alvin spat in anger. “For what you did, and as the beta of this pack, I hereby—”

“Kill her!”

“She's evil, have her stoned to death.”

“She doesn't deserve to live after what she has done.”

“I can't believe she's such an ungrateful thing.”

“What can you expect from a Lycan after all! Pigs that should never have been taken in!”

The crowd's chants echoed in my ears, their once adoring faces now twisted with malice. Tears welled up in my eyes as I gazed upon those who had once cherished me as their princess, now baying for my blood at the behest of the alpha's beta, falsely accused of crimes I did not commit.

As accusations flew, I pleaded with the moon goddess for salvation.

“What's going on here?”