Chapter 2

DACIANA'S POV 

Her body had gone pale and white fumes were coming out of her mouth, already. 

"Get the healer! Get the healer! My mate has been poisoned." Howard yelled, in panic and I was thrown into total shock again. 

The fact that Howard addressed her as his mate sent invisible arrows deep into my heart. 

Also, I was thrown into a state of confusion as well at the fact that Moana had been poisoned.

The hall was thrown into an uproar as the healer was brought in. 

Ava was shouting all around, in panic while they laid Moana on the bare floor while the healer checked on her. 

However, I was still standing at the same place. 

Though I hated her, I wouldn't want her to die. I just wanted to embarrass her a little but then I never expected this. 

I was torn between showing care for someone who hated me or just walking away. 

As I was still contemplating what to do the healer's voice boomed out.

"I'm sorry, Beta, but she is dead!" The healer announced and I gasped, in shock.

"No!! No!! Moana is not dead! How?" Ava screamed and I also had the same question. She had just been standing there and now she was dead! How?

"Her drink was poisoned. The bane's poison was used and the result is death, paleness, and the white fumes around her mouth." The healer explained further. 

The hall was thrown into a state of devastation. Ava fell to the floor while the Beta, my father, balled his hands into tight fists. 

Howard continued to hold onto Moana's body, in shock. On the other hand, I didn't know what to believe. At this point, I realized my hatred toward Moana was uncalled for. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't see Ava marching toward me like a wrecking ball. 

"You murderer!" She yelled and swiftly, she slapped me across the face. My eyes widened in shock as my head whipped to the side. 

The force from her slap was so great, I got a whiplash and there was a metallic taste of blood in my mouth. 

"You killed her! How could you do this!" Ava yelled, in anger, and her voice filled with so much pain. It depicted how wronged she felt about the whole thing. 

This was the point that everything registered in my mind. 

Ava was accusing me of killing Moana. 

I couldn't believe it! My lips quivered as I turned slowly to look back at me. 

"I..." I started to say, shakily while I looked around. Everyone was looking at me with eyes filled with disgust.

"I didn't kill her," I said, shaking my head from left to right. My voice was shaky, betraying my resolve to prove my point. Tears pooled in my eyes and dropped as I shook my head, continuously. 

"Shut the fuck up, Daciana! You are a liar and murderer! How could you do this to me? After everything?" Ava yelled while she banged against my body. 

I had gone weak and I couldn't even steady myself. My body was being swayed by Ava while I was in disbelief. 

"I didn't... I swear, I didn't do it." I said, with my voice raising a notch higher. 

"You killed my daughter! After all the love I showered on you." She said, pointing at me, weakly. 

I was tempted to shout back at her. She hadn't shown me any love and had no right to demand a good attitude from me. 

But then I knew I had been thrown into the spotlight and any wrong move or word would cost me my life. 

"I didn't! I didn't!" I yelled, trying to prove my point.

"I would never hurt Moana. Believe me." I said as I cried along with Ava. 

But my words were put on deaf ears. 

"She is a murderer!" The guests all around started to point fingers at me. 

"Who knew she wanted to kill the sweet Moana when she suddenly wanted to bring the sweet girl down." I heard another say and I was filled with so much regret at my earlier actions. 

Before Moana collapsed, I yelled about bringing Moana down. Now, my words had come to bite me in the back. 

Ava was still holding onto me, wailing loudly while the whole hall was in an uproar. Tears were flowing from almost everyone's eyes but I was dumbfounded. 

"Guards! Arrest her!" Alpha Howard's pained and deep voice suddenly boomed in the air and my head snapped to look at him. 

I realized he was the only one who could save me. I didn't care if he had called the guards on me. 

I was quick to push Ava away and dashed toward me. 

"Howard! Please, believe me, I'm innocent. I would never kill her!" I said, in a pleading tone as I knelt before him. 

He hovered over me, stoically and I shivered, in fear. 

"Daciana Whitemane, you are guilty of committing treason against the Alpha's family as well as the Beta's. You shall serve the punishment alone. You will be cut into a thousand pieces!" Alpha Howard passed his judgment and everyone was in support. 

However, I gasped in shock. I was paying for a crime I didn't commit. 

Before I could say anything, the guards took hold of me and dragged me across the hall. 

"No! Please! Hear me out! Please!" I yelled as I struggled against them. 

In the next second, I saw Ava rushing toward me and she slapped me across the face, again. 

I went still as pain radiated through my body. 

She moved closer to me while the guards held me down. 

"My daughter took the fall for my mistake. It's no big deal if you die for my mistake as well." She whispered in my ears and for a moment, I couldn't process her words. 

The guards continued to drag me as Ava's words registered in my head. 

___

The continuous sound of dripping water was torture to my soul as I lay in the darkness. My whole body was wet and weak. 

I was thrown into the dungeon for days while Moana was being mourned. 

However, I cried myself to sleep every day. I was wrongly accused and now my existence was a bane to the Pack. 

No one wanted to hear me out. After all, I had been gone for two years and no one knew if I had allied with other Packs. 

"Moon Goddess, please save me." I cried out, as I lay on the bare floor. I was stark naked and there were whip marks on my body. 

Aside from being thrown into the dungeon, I was beaten up every day. 

I would always try to plead with the guards that I was innocent but then no one wanted to hear me out. 

My father had also neglected me. I had no one to turn to since he hated me so much. 

"Hey, prisoner!" The guard's voice boomed out as he banged against the metal bars of the dungeon. Immediately, I jolted up, in fear and shock. 

From being addressed as Beta's daughter, I was now addressed as a prisoner.

At this point, I wished I had never come back to the Pack. 

My life outside the Pack was dangerous but then I was able to live freely and on my own. 

As I thought about my regrets, I felt like turning back the hands of time but I couldn't. 

I needed to take the pain, anguish, and guilt of everything that had happened. 

I had gone so deep into my thoughts that I didn't notice the guard had gotten into the dungeon. 

Instantly, I got a kick in my stomach and my body went flying across the space. My back banged against the wall and I could hear my bone cracking, slightly. 

"Ahh... hmm..." I groaned, in pain as I coughed out blood. 

My fingers dug into the ground as I tried to find balance but I couldn't. I was a mess and pain radiated through my whole body. 

"Now, you will learn to listen to me, while I speak." He hissed at me and I nodded my head slowly. I needed to be submissive to whomever, or else I had the risk of being maltreated.

"Now, get up and have your last meal!" He declared and my eyes widened while my blood-filled mouth gaped open. 

My last meal? I was going to die! A reality that I thought was far ahead was staring at me, right in the face.

"P.. please, don't kill me. I'm innocent." I said, in a low and shaky tone as I tried to crawl toward the guard. 

My naked body had become dirty and I didn't care if he leered at me, lustfully, knowing he wouldn't be able to take out his desires on me. I just wanted to get out. 

"You can say that to the Moon Goddess when you are finally out of here! Slut!" The guard spat at me and in the next second, a tray of food was thrown at me.

For the first time in days, I got to see and smell food. The smell was too enticing and my stomach rumbled, relentlessly. 

I tried desperately to avoid the temptation of eating but then I was too weak. I knew I needed strength for what was to come. I was alone and even my wolf had deserted me. 

Without thinking twice, I grabbed hold of the bread and whatever was on the plate of food. Stuffing food into my mouth was an amusing sight for the guard. 

I looked like a dog before him but I had no time to care. 

An hour later, I was dressed and in chains. I was escorted by two guards out of the dungeon. My mind and body were at alert and my strength had been rejuvenated. 

However, I still felt pain around my body. 

As they escorted me down the hallway, I could hear the shouts of the Pack members. 

"Kill her!" They yelled. 

"She is a murderer!" They yelled. 

It was finally time to die and my heart shook for the fear of death.