Banishment

Vera's POV

It's been a week since my parents' unexpected demise. The images of their shredded bodies haunted me day and night and I couldn't bring myself to eat nor sleep. I languished in a corner of my cottage, crying day and night.

Revenge burned inside of me like burning embers of coals, but my misery was eating me up. Realising I had to get back on my feet, I pushed myself up. I took a bold step out of my cover and the sun rays bathed my damp body.

My strength was gone and I took baby steps until I could manage to start erect. My stomach burned with hunger and I clutched it tightly. I wished I could defy nature and burst out on an empty stomach to fix my mess, but it was all a dream, I needed to eat.

I dragged myself into the pack house. Remembering that I must not be caught, I avoided the palace.

"I can do any kind of work, please hire me," I muttered, knocking at every door but I got nothing. Everyone shut their doors as soon as they saw me. Tears fell from my eyes as I realised my plight. I had lost all, no one wanted to be seen with the daughter of traitors.

After trying hard, a kind lady agreed to hire me. "Can you work in this state? You are too feeble," she complained as she looked at me from head to toe. 

I fell to her knees, begging in fear. I was afraid that she would also turn me away.

"Come in and have some rice…" she said and my heart lit up with joy. After eating a bowl of rice with chicken I gained some strength and began to work.

I scrubbed everywhere in her house until my strength failed me. She let me go when she realised that I was too worn out to continue working 

"If you need another bowl of rice, come back tomorrow to work for me," she said as she finally cast me out. My eyes widened in shock. I couldn't believe that a bowl of rice was the wage for all that I had done.

I dragged myself back to my cottage in tears. 

The next morning I returned to her and worked. After working for a few days, my body adapted to the work and the food she offered. It became my saving grace and I looked forward to it. 

Today, I left her house earlier as there were just a few chores to fix. Of course, I had my bowl of rice before leaving.

My sight darted around and I decided to sneak into my previous house. I needed to prove my parents' innocence and I needed evidence. Our home was the best place to seek out evidence.

I made my way stealthily, into the compound and just like I had thought, all the doors were locked.

I had lived there since I was born and I knew my way around. I knew secret passages that no one knew. Rounding a corner, I disappeared into a lobby and burst out into the living room. A faint smile painted my lips but it vanished immediately- memories of the life I had led with my parents and their last day flashed through my head.

I shook my head out of my delirium and broke into my father's bedroom. I had two places in mind, his bedroom and his study.

A journal was lying open on his bed. He was supposedly reading it that morning until he heard my greetings in the sitting room. Looking around, I could still perceive his scent faintly. It's been weeks now and everything seemed to be normal, except me.

I cleaned my tears and began to search frantically for possible evidence. First, I checked in between the leaves of the journal but found nothing.

My eyes caught a chest right behind my father's big wooden wardrobe. I jumped down from the bed and picked up the small-sized chest. I shook it vigorously and it made a light rustling sound. Something was definitely inside. My eyes lit up in hope but after examining the chest, I realised that it was locked with some passcodes.

I tried a few codes but nothing worked. I was still examining it when I heard footsteps approaching. 

I sprang to my feet and hid away but nobody came. I must have heard wrongly, I said to myself and made my way out of the compound with the chest I had found. 

It felt like I was being followed. I looked behind me repeatedly but I found no one suspicious. Well, I was the intruder here, I must not be caught visiting the Beta's house. I told myself as I walked away hurriedly.

Back in my cottage, I cradled the chest I had found and again tried to open it, but it was all a futile effort. 

The next morning, I went to work for another bowl of rice and when I was done, I returned to the Beta's house again.

Just like the previous day, the compound seemed empty. Swiftly, I rounded up towards the secret entrance. Just as I stepped into the living room, my heart flew into my mouth and I took several steps backwards. 

Sitting in the middle of the living room was no other person than Alpha Simpson, behind him were some guards and Blake. I couldn't look up. I fell on my knees, trembling.

“What are you doing here?” Alpha Simpson asked with a dangerously calm tone that made the hair on my body stand erect.

With trembling lips, I tried to speak but I only stuttered.

“I asked a question!" He yelled in his Alpha tone.

“Your…” I quaked, trembling like a leaf in the wind. 

My eyes widened as a sword flashed close to my neck. I fell flat on the ground, shivering.

"Speak!" Alpha Simpson commanded.

“I am guilty, I defy your order…" I rushed, almost biting my lips as I trembled.

"Why are you here!?" He asked in a more serious and deadly tone.

"I wanted to prove my father's innocence…I came to search for evidence…"

A derisive laughter filled the air and my heart sank, I knew I just dug my own grave and I might not come out of this alive. Alpha Simpson did not believe that my parents were innocent. Looking for evidence is like going outright against him. Despite his kindness, he was power-driven and always squashed anyone who went against him.

Time seemed to stop for me as I knew my fate was already fixed, I was going to be killed. Suddenly, the guards gripped my arms and pulled me off the floor. I locked gazes with Blake and his scornful sneer burned into my soul. How could he? He was happy that I was going to be killed! My heart was shattered a thousand times and I sighed in pain. 

My eyes caught someone and I shook my head until the person came to focus, it was Laura. I couldn't believe that she was brought down here to witness my humiliation. My body rocked with anger and I felt bile in my throat. I felt like ripping her throat apart.

I growled and shook violently, but I couldn't break away from the guards who held me down. Laura snickered and laughed at me.

"I didn't believe it when Laura told me that she saw you snuck into this building yesterday… I didn't expect you to defy my orders. How dare you!? I pronounced your parents as traitors but you want to prove their innocence! I should not have made you live!" Alpha Simpson finally spoke up.

What!? That bitch! She was the one who reported me to Alpha Simpson. I looked her way again and she rolled her eyes. Blake held her tight in the middle and pecked her lightly. That bastard! 

“You are banished from the Shifters Pack!" Alpha Simpson ordered and the guards threw me out.