002: The Price Of Loyalty

HANNAH’S POV

As soon as they took me away, I was locked up in a dark, cold cell, waiting for morning to be judged according to the pack's rules and traditions. The heavy iron door slammed shut behind me, echoing through the narrow hallway, and I was left alone with my thoughts.

My heart pounded within me as if it were trying to escape my chest, and I couldn't sit still. I began pacing the length of the small cell, my feet shuffling against the rough stone floor. Every time I reached one end of the wall, I spun on my heel and hurried back to the other, trying to keep my mind occupied.

But it was no use. My thoughts kept drifting back to whatever fate awaited me and Coby. I had asked him to come, begged him even, but as the minutes dragged into hours, my anxiety gnawed at me like a restless beast.

"Where is he?" I whispered to myself, my voice trembling. "Why isn't he here yet?"

The more time passed without him making an appearance, the tighter the knot in my stomach grew. My hands started to tremble, and I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I couldn't take it anymore.

I crumbled to the cold, hard ground in a dark corner of the cell, pulling my knees to my chest. The tears I had fought to hold back all night finally spilled over—hot and salty—streaming down my cheeks as I wondered if he had changed his mind about me.

But most importantly, what would Cecilia and Vivian think of me now? Would they believe I was capable of such murder? The thought of them hearing the news filled me with dread. My breath hitched in my throat as I tried to comfort and calm myself, but it was no use. The fear was too much to hold in.

Suddenly, I heard the faint sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway. I quickly wiped my tears and scrambled to my feet, my heart racing with hope.

“Please let it be him," I thought desperately. The footsteps grew louder, and then I saw him—Coby. Relief washed over me, and I nearly collapsed again. He came, even though he took so long, he still came. That was enough.

The guards unlocked the cell door, and Coby stepped inside. Without thinking, I ran to him and wrapped my arms around him, holding him tight. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. "Thank you for coming."

Coby pulled back slightly, his expression serious. "Why did you do it, Hannah?" he asked quietly. "Why did you take the blame for me?"

I hesitated, searching his eyes for any sign of doubt, but all I saw was confusion and sheer disbelief. "Because I love you, Coby," I said, my voice trembling. "And you said it yourself—if they found out it was you, you'd never become Alpha. But if it was me...you could still become Alpha and get me out."

He said nothing, only staring back at me in silence, and my heart sank. Fear crept back in, gnawing at the edges of my resolve. "Coby," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "You will get me out, right? Once you're crowned Alpha?"

He nodded, finally speaking. "I promise. I'll do everything I can to get you out."

A wave of love and relief washed over me, and I hugged him again, clinging to the hope his words gave me. "Please," I whispered against his chest, "tell my family not to worry too much. I don't want them to suffer."

Coby nodded and kissed me softly on the lips before pulling away. "I'll send them a message," he assured me. Then, with one last look, he turned and left the way he came.

As the door closed behind him, I felt the weight of my decision settle heavily on my shoulders. The choice I made would be a bitter pill for my family to swallow, but I had to trust Coby. He would get me out, and then I could explain everything to Cecilia and Vivian. But for now, all I could do was wait.

That night, sleep was far from me. The cold, damp floor offered no comfort, but it was my racing thoughts that kept me awake. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the judgmental glares of the pack elders and heard the whispers of my supposed crime spreading through the pack like wildfire. My only hope was that Coby would do what needed to be done.

As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the small opening in the cell, I knew the time had come. My stomach grumbled, a clear reminder that I hadn't eaten all night, but hunger was the least of my worries as I heard the steady footsteps approaching once again.

The cell door creaked open, and the guard entered, his face stern as he bound my hands with silver shackles. The cold metal bit into my skin, and I winced, but I said nothing. Wordlessly, he began to lead me outside the pack prison. The bright sunlight outside assaulted my eyes, and I squinted, trying to shield them, but the guard was impatient.

“Keep moving,” he shoved me hard from behind, and I stumbled, my knees hitting the ground with a painful thud.

Wincing in pain, I looked up and saw a pair of black boots stop before me. My heart leaped with hope, thinking it was Coby, but when I raised my eyes, disappointment crashed over me. It was only his Beta, Andrew.

Andrew’s face was filled with pity as he offered me a hand. I took it without hesitation, and he pulled me to my feet with surprising gentleness. “I’ll take it from here,” he said to the guard, who nodded curtly and walked away.

I exhaled in relief, grateful for even a small kindness. “Thank you,” I murmured, but before I could say more, Andrew growled low in his throat, startling me.

“Why are you doing this?” he demanded, his normally warm brown eyes now flashing with anger.

His sudden shift in demeanor caught me off guard, and I blinked in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Andrew stepped closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Why are you taking the blame for something you didn’t do?”

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut—he knew. Andrew knew I wasn’t the real killer. But why was he angry? Wasn’t he Coby’s best friend? Shouldn’t he be grateful that I was helping him secure the Alpha position?

I took a shaky breath, struggling to maintain my composure. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Please, just take me to the judgment hall.”

Andrew’s grip on my arm tightened, and there was a desperate edge to his voice as he pleaded, “Don’t do it, Hannah. Don’t take the blame for his mess. You’ll only regret it.”

I stared into his eyes, weighing his words carefully. Fear churned in my stomach, but I pushed it aside just as quickly. “If I don’t do this,” I said quietly, “I’ll regret it even more.”

Andrew’s face fell, his expression shifting from anger to resignation. He released my arm and nodded, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he took two steps back and away from me. He said nothing else as he led me through the pack grounds and into the judgment hall, where the pack elders and members were gathered in their numbers.

The judgmental stares of the crowd didn’t faze me; I was more concerned about what my family would think. My eyes scanned the room, searching for Cecilia and Vivian. My heart ached when I couldn’t find my sister Vivian among the faces. Had she been too heartbroken to come? Had my situation driven her away?

Too many questions ran through my mind without any answers, but I had already made my choice. Now, all I could do was face the consequences and hope that somehow, I would find a way to explain it all to the people I loved.