TRAITOR!

～ ALINA'S POV ～

As I walked through the halls of the pack house, I could hear the snide whispers and taunting laughter that filled the air. I felt the weight of their scornful gazes upon me, as my eyes shifted from between their hands pointing at me to the ones over their mouths as they spoke discreetly.

I could feel my heart sinking into my stomach. It was as if I was shrinking under their gazes, and I could barely bring myself to look at them. They made me feel insecure and unsafe within. I could feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment and shame, and I wondered what I had done to deserve this treatment.

My hands fidgeted nervously at my sides. Subconsciously and out of fear, I checked my clothes to see if it had a stain or a hole. I was afraid that I looked unkempt or disheveled. I knew that if I did, it would only add fuel to the fire of the other wolves' taunts.

Then, it hit me, like a slap in the face, a sense of reality. Ah, I was a beta! Not just any beta but the most hated beta in the wolfsong clan! —in the whole of the Silvermoon kingdom!

The moment I realized my identity, my mind responded with lightning speed. Suddenly, I could hear their words - their whispers filled my ears like a raging storm.

A voice rang out, harsh and accusing: "She's that beta! She doesn't belong with us!"

Another voice chimed in, dark and suspicious: "I wonder why Alpha Aleksander even let her stay in the pack. Surely he knows about her witchcraft?!"

A third voice joined in, furious and disgusted: "He should have just banished her! She's an insult to the pack! Not just to the pack but to all betas!"

A chorus of voices rose up, angry and afraid: "The omegas are far better than her!"

"It's worse that we all have to live with her! I can't stand it!" another voice said with sheer hatred evident in the tone.

"Never have I been so ashamed of being a beta!"

"Why can't she just leave on her own!"

"I'll never forgive her, not after what her brother did!"

"Witch!' the voices cried out in unison, as if the word itself were a curse.

I felt the pressure from their intense glare increasingly becoming suffocating. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, but I couldn't bear to let them fall. I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to get out of there. My hands were shaking as I reached for my dress, desperate to escape the heavy silence. I picked up my pace, ready to leave when suddenly,

A hand reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me to a stop. I turned to see who it was, and my heart sank as I recognized the face of Daniel, the leader of the pack's hunters. His eyes were dark and cold, and his grip was like iron.

He leaned in close, his breath hot on my face. "Murderer!" he hissed. "You'll never be one of us!"

I couldn't stop myself from asking, even though I already knew the answer. "What did I do?" My voice trembled as I spoke, tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

Daniel's face contorted with rage. "You dare to ask me that question?!" He bellowed. "You know exactly what you did!" His voice was like thunder, and I could feel my heart racing in my chest.

I stood there, frozen in terror, as Daniel's rage continued to build. He took a step toward me, and I flinched, unable to move. I tried to pull away from him, but his grip only tightened. I was afraid of what he might do, but I couldn't bring myself to run. I was trapped, caught in the web of his fury.

I pleaded with them, my voice cracking as I fought to be heard. "For the last time, it wasn't me! I didn't do it! It was my brother who killed Alpha Matthias, and he said it was an accident! He didn't mean to!"

My words were met with stunned silence, and I could feel their disbelief and anger like a heavy weight. The crowd began to murmur, and I knew that my words had fallen on deaf ears.

I felt my resolve slipping away. I had to try one last time. "Please, you have to believe me!" I begged, my voice breaking. "My brother is not a murderer! He made a terrible mistake, but he would never have done it on purpose!"

Tears I'd been fighting back began to flow, and I could barely see through the blur of my vision.

"A mistake?! Are you serious?!" Daniel's voice was filled with fury, and his grip on my arm tightened painfully. "You really expect us to believe that your brother, a member of the rival Moonbound pack, accidentally killed our beloved leader and mentor, Alpha Matthias?! That's a joke, right?"

The silence in the hall was deafening. The only sound that could be heard was the soft sound of my own quiet sobs. It felt like time had stopped.

I was pleading now, my voice shaking with desperation. "I swear on the moon that my brother didn't mean to do it. He is innocent! Please, believe me!" I knew it was useless. No one would believe me.

Daniel's voice dripped with sarcasm as he laughed, his eyes flicking around the room. "Believe you?! That's a good one. That's the funniest thing I've heard all day!" His tone was mocking.

"How do we know you didn't conspire with your brother to plan the killing? How do we know you didn't help him by giving him intel on our pack's activities?" Daniel's voice was rising in pitch as he spoke, and I could see the influence his words were having on the crowd. "How do we know that your brother is even the killer? Maybe it was you all along, and your brother is just taking the blame to protect you!"

The crowd seemed to be swayed by Daniel's words. Murmurs of agreement rose up around me, and I could see the doubt spreading across the faces of those gathered like wildfire. Some were nodding their heads, whispering to each other as they looked at me with suspicion.

I was practically shouting now, trying to get through to them. "I'm telling the truth! I didn't do it! I didn't do any of it! Why can't you all just believe me? Why can't you believe me, Daniel? You are also a fellow beta like I am. Please, just trust me!"

I looked at Daniel, hoping that he might understand. But the contempt on his face was clear.

Daniel's eyes narrowed as he took a step closer to me. He shook his head slowly. "You're just like the rest of them. A self-serving, traitorous, coward!" His words felt like a slap in the face. "You don't deserve to be a beta. It is a shame to me and to everyone else that you are from the same rank as us!"

"I am a beta, just like you, and yet I could never do what you did. I would never betray our pack the way you did. You took everything away from us, and for what?!" Daniel growled at me.

"I have always done my best to help our pack, to protect all of you!' I protested, my voice shaking. "I would never betray you all. I would never betray Alpha Matthias!"

But it was no use. I could see it in their eyes. They had already made up their minds. I was a traitor, a murderer, a disgrace to our pack. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make them understand. I had lost them all.

Daniel's voice was a growl as he released his grip on me, his finger pointing accusingly. "Alpha Matthias was like a father to us, always there for us, no matter what. He was a leader we could count on to guide and protect us, no matter what we did. And you... you took that away from us. You and your brother killed him, and I will never forgive you for that." His words were like a physical blow, hitting me hard.

The words reverberated in the space between us as Daniel's gaze swept the room. I tried to stifle my sobs, but I couldn't help but feel wounded by his accusation. I looked around at the others, hoping to find some sign of support, but instead I was met with looks of betrayal and hurt. It was clear that Alpha Matthias had been a beloved leader, and I was not the only one grieving his loss, yet, I felt utterly alone.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice as I wiped my tears away. "I'm sorry if I've ever hurt any of you, but I can't admit to a crime I did not commit. I still stand by what I said, my brother killed Alpha Matthias, I never had a hand in it and he is currently paying the price for his actions."

Daniel's expression was cold and full of disdain as he fixed me with a steely gaze. "You think we'd forgive and accept you after what you've done? After what you've said?" he asked, his tone icy.

"You're nothing but a traitor!" another voice called out from the crowd. The venom in the words was palpable, and I could feel the anger and resentment emanating from the others around me. I felt hopeless, like there was no way to repair the damage done.

All eyes turned to the speaker, and I saw that it was Lucas, the omega. He was usually a kind and gentle person, but now his expression was fierce, his eyes narrowed in accusation.

Daniel looked back at me with a smug grin, as if he'd been proven right. "You heard him," he said, gloating. "Even Lucas thinks you're a traitor. There's no coming back from that."

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. What was there to say? How could I possibly defend myself against this barrage of accusations?

"I'm not a traitor!" I finally found my voice, my words ringing out with surprising force. The room fell silent, and I stood there, breathing heavily as I looked around at the faces of the crowd. There was a mixture of disbelief, anger, and confusion on their faces, but none of them spoke. The silence felt heavy, oppressive, as if it were pressing down on me. I waited for someone to say something, anything, but no one did. Then suddenly,

"Traitor!" Lucas cried, his voice echoing through the room. The others took up the cry, their voices swelling into a deafening roar. "Traitor!" they screamed, stamping their feet and shaking their fists. "Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!"

The shouts and accusations seemed to pierce my heart like sharp knives. I tried to cover my ears, but the sound was overwhelming. Daniel's gaze was cold and unyielding, and I felt like a helpless victim under his scrutiny. The crowd was bearing down on me, their voices growing louder and louder, and I felt like I was going to collapse under the weight of their condemnation.

I began to tremble, and my steps faltered. As I looked up, I saw the pack members advancing on me, their hands raised in anger. I turned and ran, my heart pounding in my chest. I was afraid that if I didn't get away, they would tear me to pieces. I ran blindly, not caring where I was going, just desperate to get away from them. My breathing was labored and I could feel my legs starting to give out. But I forced myself to keep going, knowing that if I stopped, I would be lost.

I heard the shouts of the pack behind me, getting closer and closer. I was losing my strength, my body aching from the exertion. But I knew that if I gave up now, I would never be free.

Finally, I reached the edge of the forest near the pack's territory, and I stumbled into the trees, grateful for the cover of the dense foliage. I ducked behind a large tree, panting and gasping for air. I could hear the pack approaching, the undergrowth crunching beneath their feet. I held my breath, praying that they wouldn't find me.

Seconds turned into minutes, and I slowly began to relax. I was still shaking from the ordeal, but I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe I had escaped. Maybe I was finally free.

It was quiet for a while, the forest still and peaceful. I finally felt safe, and I decided to step out of the bushes, my heart still racing. I took a few deep breaths, trying to regain my composure, as my eyes searched frantically to see if any of them were still hiding but I saw none. I rested my hands on my knees due to exhaustion.

The forest was still as if it were holding its breath along with me. The only sound was my own ragged breathing, which slowly began to calm. In the silence, I felt like I was finally at peace. The forest felt like a haven, far from the hate and contempt of the pack members. It felt like a refuge from the pressure of the pack life. For a moment, I felt like I could breathe again.

But just as I began to relax, I heard a rustling in the leaves behind me. My heart pounded in my chest, as I turned around slowly, my breath catching in my throat as I saw a pair of brown eyes staring back at me.

They belonged to a wolf, who was slowly moving closer, growling angrily as it approached and I stood frozen in terror. As the wolf came closer, it began to change, its fur receding as it morphed into a man. I was stunned to see who it was:

Aleksander Stormgaze, leader of the Wolfsong clan!

Aleksander's eyes were cold as he regarded me, his expression unreadable. I shivered in fear, knowing that I was in big trouble. I am the last person he would ever want to set his eyes on in the Wolfsong clan, and I had just seen something I wasn't supposed to. I could only imagine what Aleksander is going to do to me!