Chapter Two

The guards came and dragged me away. All my struggles and screams for them to let go of me were all in vain.

I heard someone laughing in the background. It was Sara taunting me over my misfortune.

I wanted five minutes with her so that I could wipe off the smirk from her face.

I was taken to a cell where the pack kept criminals who were sentenced to death.

This confirmed what I suspected: I might not leave the cell alive.

I tried opening it with my strength, but the walls kept burning my skin.

The first person who visited me was my mom. Her eyes were cold and sunken.

"Child, stop hurting yourself," she touched my arms.

"Calm down, Mira; your temper will always get you into trouble. You are just like your father, strong but always ruled by his temper."

"Hurting myself, you say? Easy for you to say; you had me locked up here," I screamed.

"I don't have a choice. Mira, you killed a pack member, and you buried him without telling me. You know the consequences of that," she chastised. 

"I didn't mean to; I lost control, I screamed.

"That is still not an excuse for covering your ass. You were supposed to lead the pack, which means having control. Owning up to your mistakes. Putting their needs first before yours."

"We can't afford any mistakes, Mira. I don't think you are fit to lead." 

My heart was broken to hear that from her. I thought she would console me and help me find a solution to this.

"What is going to happen to me, mother? Would I be freed?" I asked.

"I will do all I can to help you."

She turned to leave. "What do they mean by fairy?" I questioned her.

"It is rare. A fairy witch cursed your father to be like them, an abomination to the pack and an enemy to the fairies."

"Your father after the war, the curse started manifesting in him, hid it till the day I found out," she said to me.

"Was the healer you called able to cure Father?" I asked her so that I could know my fate.

"No, the curse killed him."

"Does that mean that I will die too, just like him?" I questioned.

She looked at me with pity, something she had never done before and walked away.

I held the door once again, hoping that the way it was burning my fingers. I will get angry enough to break the door.

I was still contemplating how to get out when Austin walked in holding a plate of food; he looked worried.

"Mira, Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

I was so glad to see him that I wanted to cry.

"Austin, it is so good to see you; I am so glad you are here. How were you able to get in?" I asked him

"Anthony let me in, but he made me promise not to do anything stupid."

" Anthony your friend?" I asked him

He ignored my question.

"I brought you food; I figured with everything that happened, you must be hungry."

He was right. I collected the plate and devoured it quickly.

"Thank you for not rattling me out to your mom," he said to me, watching me with pity.

"Austin, there is nothing to thank me for. I dragged you into this mess. It won't be fair if I exposed you when you were just trying to help me."

"I heard your mom visited you, Mira. What did she say?"

"The usual, I answered disinterestedly.

"I need to get out of here; can you help me find a way?"

"I don't know, Mira, maybe you should wait first. Your mom will find a way to get you out; she won't let you die."

"Let's not make any drastic decision. After the trial, then we will know what to do," he said to me.

"Austin, do you think that the elders would let me live? It is obvious that they are going to kill me."

"Your mother won't let them," 

"I won't rely on that. I never asked for any of this to happen," I cried.

"I am counting on you to help me," I asked him with my puppy eyes.

"Always, Mira, he smiled at me.

"I will find a way to get you out, but before then don't do anything stupid."

"I will try not to," I smiled.

****************

I woke up because of a sound I heard from the window. Someone was here.

That was weird because no one came here around that time.

"Hello, surrender yourself; I have a gun," I faked being a guard, drawing back.

This isn't where I wanted to die. I contemplated screaming, but what if it was Austin that came back for me? I will be putting him in danger.

"Austin, is that you?" I asked.

"Lower your voice before you wake up the entire pack."

"I brought the keys. Let's get you out of here."

He started opening the cell gates. I heard the sound of flesh sizzling. The wolfsbane is hurting him.

"Come on out; let's go. We don't have much time before Anthony gets back."

"He gave you the keys?" I asked 

"No, I stole it from him; he will be here once he discovers that his keys are gone."

I heard the door rattle. Austin quickly closed the outside gate while we both lay down on our stomachs.

"Who is there?" the guard asked, sniffing the air.

I quickly masked my scent while Austin did the same.

He searched around; immediately he noticed that the cell was open; he ran out.

I knew that he was going to alert the pack that I had escaped.

"Run!" I said to Austin as we dashed out. I ran from the east direction while Austin ran from the west. I summoned my wolf, Vina. I could sense her lurking around, but she refused to come out. She must still be ashamed of me.

I increased my pace, praying in my mind that I could outrun them, which was impossible since they were faster in wolf form.

I kept on running and pleading with Vina to come out; I could sense them closing in on me.

I got to a bridge and jumped over. I was dragged down and pushed to the ground by a strong arm.

I felt a sharp claw slash my face while blood gushed out and a rope around my wrist. The knot was tight and burned me.

A familiar voice spoke out.

"I have been longing to do that. Good to see you again, Mira. I was waiting to give you the same gift you gave to me," he smirked.

"Phillipe? Let go of me, you psycho!" I thrashed him with my legs.

He held my legs together.

"Quit doing that, you bitch, or I will hit you. You are lucky I don't hold grudges; I would have killed you."

"Just because you are our Alpha's daughter, you think you can get away with anything."

"Luna said to bring you back unharmed; if not, I would have slit your throat right here and watch you take your last breath, you brat," he threatened, holding my face and squeezing it too hard.

"Bite me," I spat on his face.

He hit me for doing that and carried me bridal style like I weighed nothing. I kept praying that they wouldn't notice or find out who helped me.

In no time, we arrived back at the pack.

I was tied to a tree and beaten till I passed out. When I awoke, I was placed back in my cell, but this time around, the rope that was used to bind my wrist was tied to the chair, burning me.

I kept hearing whispers among the pack members about why I was still alive.

My mother sent one of the guards to remind me that the trial would be held tomorrow.

The next morning, I was awoken with a splash of cold water. Before I could be fully awake, I was dragged like a criminal to the arena.

Mom was seated in her seat, which meant that she would be the one to pass the judgment.

The four elders, plus some of the pack's important members, were all there.

The Elder John started with his speech.

"Members of the pack! I welcome you all to the trial of Mira Constance, daughter of our Alpha, Richard, and Luna Kayana."

"Mira, You have been accused of murder. You killed an important member of this pack, buried his body, and hid it from us. You hid the information about the fairy curse that poses a great threat to the pack members; therefore, it is considered treason, and you tried to escape judgment."

"How do you plead to all the charges, child?" he asked with a straight face.

I looked at my mother for directions.

She nodded at me with a smile.

"I plead guilty to these charges, Elder John. I apologize for the harm that I have caused.

I am ready to accept my punishment, I said quietly.

"Then our Luna shall pass our judgment to you on our behalf."

My mother stood straight, avoiding my eyes.

"Mira, after much deliberation between the elders and me, we have decided to sentence you to death."

"You shall die unfailingly tomorrow by any method we choose."

I was shocked and heartbroken to hear that from her. I thought she would protect me.

I looked up to her face, just in time to see her tears, and her mouth moved;

"I am sorry, my child; please forgive me," she said and ran out of the trial, leaving me defeated and destroyed.