Chapter 2: Painful Betrayal

~Zenaida~

The pack guards brought me out of the room. Worst of all, they threw me inside a dark and lonely dungeon. The place where criminals were thrown out. It hurts because I didn't deserve this kind of place. I do not belong here because I am not a criminal.

This will never happen if it's not because of that red-eye man who killed Alexander. I won't be accused if it's not because of him. Whoever that red-eye man is, he must go to hell!

“Don't you dare plan to escape or else you will be dead right before your execution!”

One of the pack guards shouted at me after he pushed me. I fell to the ground, knee hurting after it hit the ground. Teeth gritted out of pain but I immediately hid it away, so they won't think that I'm such a crybaby.

“I swear I didn't kill your Alpha. I'm not a killer!”

Despite my explanations, they all laughed. One of them suddenly grabs my hair that pushes me to stand up. It hurts but I have to endure it.

“It's too late for your explanation. We already see it in our own eyes. You cannot deny what you did and we firmly believe that you are capable of doing that because you don't like the alpha. You were just arranged to him and because of that, we will make sure that death could only be your escape place.”

And he hardly pushed me again. I fell to the ground, face hitting the ground. The pack guards left me still laughing because of what happened to me. Out of frustration, I punch the ground, tears falling from my eyes. I am so anxious right now because they don't want to believe me. It is easy for them to say that I was the one who killed Alexander because I am holding a gun. 

Heart filled with sorrow as I think about my future. I don't know what my life could be like after this. Knowing the rules of the pack, they would probably kill me but I know my family will save me. They will take me out of here and I still have hopes deep inside. I still hope that I have a chance to escape from this. My family will help me and the only thing I can do right now is to wait for them. To wait for my family because they are the ones who are capable of taking me out.

I hope so…

But waiting for my family took one day already. No faces of my family showed up to visit me. I had started to lose hope, crying that I might end up being killed just like what happened to Alexander. It worries me that maybe my family would also leave me. But those worries disappeared when I saw them coming. My mother, father, and my sister. They are walking in my direction and seeing them lift me up from the dark.

“Mom, dad…”

As they walked inside the dungeon, I noticed that they weren't smiling. Their reaction didn't even change as they saw me.

“What did you do!?”

My father's voice echoes inside the dungeon. I suddenly felt my legs tremble because I know my dad is mad.

“Believe me, I didn't kill him, Dad. I can't do that to Alexander. Someone trapped me and—”

PAK!

Just before I could continue my sentence, I felt my dad's hand against my face. The impact of his slap almost blew me away. I can't imagine that my father will do this to me. 

“The evidence was strong against you. It was proven that you killed Alexander. You shamed this family, Zenaida. I can't believe that you will ruin the family's name!”

I felt my body weakened when I heard the painful words coming from my father. Coming from the man I first love. I am their daughter and if there's anyone who knows me, it should be my family.

Damn.

“I told you, Dad. Zenaida can't be trusted. If you just allow me to marry Alexander instead, this wouldn't happen. This brat always failed us. She's a failure in the family.”

Head turned to my sister. My heart hurts when I hear those words from her. I know she won't defend me because we've never been close. She would probably laugh at me because she's not treating me as her sister and it hurts. It hurts because it seems like my family were taking the side of the enemies who accused me of the crime I won't do.

But despite that, I still have hopes that they will do something for me. I still hope that they believe I can't do it. They are my family and my family will help each other. A family will protect each other but to them, I never felt it.

“Dad, please, I need your help. I can't stay here. I can't die, please help me clear my name. The Moon Goddess knew I was telling the truth.”

I tried to beg them but they distanced themselves from me. As they do that, it seems like they think I am the dirtiest being they have ever known and it hurts. 

“We have done our part. You already shamed the family. I won't tolerate what you did and if they want a death sentence, we will let them do that. Your sister is right. You're a failure in this family, Zenaida. Don't hope that we will help you because we condemned what you did. We have no killer from the family.”

I cried from my father's words. The thing that my family did is a painful betrayal to me. They betrayed me. I am their daughter but the way they give up on me is an unforgettable betrayal. They hurt me so badly. I wanted to cry but it was enough. Knowing my father, words are meaningful to him. It can't be changed.

“It's so funny to think that you guys had forgotten about my sacrifices just to make you all proud of me. It has never been enough and now, you will just allow me to die. Well, it is okay. At least, I won't suffer anymore but the three of you should remember this day where all of you betrayed me.”

My parents just shook their heads at me. My sister on the other hand just smirks. I know she was celebrating this moment because when I die, she would have everything that our family owns. She will be dad's successor while I am his failure. I can't deny the fact that I was dad's greatest failure in life and that hurts so bad.

Tears don't want to stop from falling while watching my family getting away from me. My sister stayed for a moment because I know what she will do.

“Goodbye, Little Sister. After this, you will be executed for what you did. Don't worry, if dad and mom can't visit you in your grave, I will. But for now, prepare yourself because you will have a bloody end. See you in hell.”

I grit my teeth when she winks at me. She followed my parents, leaving me alone in this dark place again. They didn't know how much I tried not to beg them. I don't want them to think that I am weak but deep inside, I am. My family abandoned them. They took the side of the enemy who pushed to execute me. They had no difference from them and I will never forget this day.

I was alone in the dark, and had no one to lean on until the time arrived. The scary time that I've never wanted to come. 

The pack guards entered my cell, forcing me to stand up. They made me suffer by punching me multiple times that almost made me collapse before they told me that my time had arrived.

“Please kill me now. I can't… I can't wait to rest.”

As I requested that, they suddenly hit me making me lose my sanity but before that, an unexpected word came out from my mouth before it totally passed out.

“Someone, save me, please…” I uttered and dark covered my senses.