Punishable by death

The smirk on Lyra's face faltered for a moment, a flicker of uncertainty betraying her composure.

 "You dare to do blasphemy as well? Aren't you accused of enough crimes as it is?" Lyra retorted with a disdainful edge. "How dare you accuse me that my pregnancy is fake. It was confirmed by the doctor."

I held her gaze, unyielding. "A doctor you paid. You are the liar, Lyra, not me. You fake everything about yourself."

Lyra growled, the veneer of composure slipping. "Careful, Nadia. My wolf is stronger than yours. I have power that you would never have. I have Alpha Lucian in my palms... while you... have nothing."

The tension crackled in the air as our words became weapons, each accusation a strike in the battle for truth. 

As the verbal sparring between Lyra and me escalated, a sudden commotion outside the prison cell caught our attention. The low growls of approaching wolves reverberated, heralding an unexpected intrusion.

Intrigued, I glanced at Lyra, a silent question hanging between us. Before either of us could react, the cell door swung open, revealing a tall figure with intense blue eyes and an air of authority. His broad shoulders was noticeable from his clothes as he crossed his arms against his chest. 

The newcomer was Vance, the Alpha of a far away pack, who was known for his kindness had been visiting Lucian pack for assistance a while ago, he surveyed the scene with a mix of curiosity and concern.

"What's going on here?" Vance demanded, his gaze shifting between Lyra and me. 

Lyra, quick to compose herself, seized the opportunity. "Alpha Vance, Nadia is making baseless accusations against me. She's claiming my pregnancy is fake."

Vance studied us both, his expression unreadable. "Interesting," he mused, clearly intrigued by the unexpected drama unfolding before him.

Vance's entrance was unexpected as his gaze were fixed on me. 

He looked at me  with clouded eyes, that made my heart skipped a bit, still his discomfort was obvious. Before he could respond, a voice cut through the charged air from behind him.

"Alpha Vance, I can't imagine what you're doing here," Lucian's voice resonated, breaking the uneasy silence. He approached with Kura by his side, his hand resting on her shoulder.

"Love, why are you here?" Lucian questioned with genuine concern etched on his face.

Lyra, seizing the opportunity, hummed with a coy smile. "I came to check on my friend, to ask her why she was lying about her pregnancy when Alpha Vance walked in."

Alpha Vance chuckled, breaking the growing tension. "Do not put me in this petty position. I was taking a walk when I heard noises, so I came to check." He didn't look upset but he looked like a no nonsense person. "I  apologize for my intrusion; besides, I am just here for a visit. Your personal matters do not concern me."

The air shifted as Vance clarified his presence, offering a glimpse of neutrality in a situation fraught with personal conflicts.

  He gave me one last look, before walking out . 

As Vance left, a heavy silence settled in the room. Lucian turned his attention to me, his gaze unyielding. "Your punishment is tomorrow," he declared with a cold finality, leaving me with the weight of impending consequences.

He then placed a comforting hand on Lyra's back, addressing her with a tone of indifference. "Come, love. No need to show care to the best friend who doesn't care about you."

As they walked away, leaving me alone in the dimly lit prison cell, I sank to the floor. A profound sense of loss and regret enveloped me. Gently patting my stomach, I whispered, "Darling baby, I am sorry you have to go through this."

In the solitude, the faint voice of my wolf echoed, assuring me, "We will survive." Though the reassurance was weak, it carried a glimmer of hope.

Regret laced my next words as I spoke to my wolf, "I am sorry you are weak because of me." 

The burden of guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders as I contemplated the repercussions of my actions on the life growing within me.

I didn't know the time I fell asleep, the cold floor beneath me serving as an uncomfortable bed. When I awoke, disoriented and weary, my senses were met with the harsh reality of a dimly lit prison cell. However, any fleeting comfort from sleep vanished when my arm was abruptly seized, and I was roughly pulled to my feet.

Confused and alarmed, I questioned the guards dragging me, "Where are you taking me?" The response was cold and succinct: "Time for your judgment."

As they escorted me out of the cell, the corridor stretched before me like a daunting path. 

The weight of uncertainty hung in the air as I was led to a destination unknown, my fate looming on the horizon. 

The guards remained stoic, offering no answers to the questions that echoed in my mind.

The tension thickened as I was brought into a larger space, where an audience had gathered. The eyes of the pack members bore into me, curious, accusatory, and some filled with pity. At the center of the assembly stood Lucian, his expression cold and unforgiving.

He pointed a sword at me, the glint of steel reflecting the severity of the situation. "She has tried to kill my heir while attempting to get my attention with a fake pregnancy," Lucian proclaimed, his voice resonating through the hushed air. "Treachery and blasphemy are punishable by death."

The weight of his words hung heavily, and the gravity of the accusation sent shockwaves through the onlookers.

The air became charged with an eerie stillness as the reality of the impending judgment settled upon me. 

The silence was broken only by the whispers of the pack members. 

"And yet, I plead not guilty," I declared, my voice steady despite the turmoil within. The weight of the accusation bore down on me, but I refused to succumb to the facade that had been woven around my actions.

Lucian growled, the intensity of his anger palpable. "You dare to decline such when it's obvious what you did," he seethed, his words dripping with contempt.

Suddenly, a voice from the crowd shouted, "Enough, Alpha Lucian!"