Chapter 5: my fate (II)

Exalia's POV

“No, I didn't!” I screamed on top of my lungs, my eyes feeling achy as hot tears started rolling down.

"You were forcing yourself on him, it was so clear,” the lady who I didn't know continued.

“Impossible! I would never do such a thing; what would I gain? He tried… he tried…” I failed to explain as I burst into more tears.

Immediately, the door slammed open, and five guards stormed into the kitchen.

With two pulling my arms, I didn't know how to react; it was happening just too fast.

“Exalia! What have you done?” one of them, the pack gamma, asked.

“Nothing! I swear! He tried to force himself on me and… and I didn't do anything, just a push!” I cried out as more tears threatened to fall from my eyes.

“Don't lie to us! We have the evidence, and there's a witness!” Mike the gamma exclaimed harshly, pointing at the alpha's body and the unknown lady.

Hitting his hand on his forehead, which was something he'd always do when angry, he looked at me.

“What? No! I didn't force myself on him, how is that even possible! I would never do such a thing, you know me! Please let me see Alpha Jake,” I protested.

“Save it for the trial! You're arrested for murder!” Jesse said, the other gamma we never got along, so I understood, but Mike? He knew me well enough to know I wasn't going to do such a thing.

They tightened their grip on my hands and dragged me out of the room, ignoring my pleas and cries.

“Alpha Jake, dad, dad, please wake up!” I kept screaming, only he could save me, only he could.

“Shut up, you bitch! You kill him! You kill our alpha!” The lady yelled.

“No! No! I didn't do anything! I didn't!” As tears kept rolling down my face, I protested.

“Liar! Traitor! Witch! You'll pay for what you did!” A guard spat.

I felt a surge of shock and despair as the guards dragged me until we were in a dark and damp dungeon.

I barely registered the sounds and sights around me; all I could hear were my sobs and the clang of the rusty bars snapping shut behind me.

“This must be a nightmare.” I kept nodding my head with my eyes closed, trying to wake myself up.

“How did this happen? This can't be real.”

Opening my eyes to my reality, I whispered, replaying the events in my mind, and realized the horrible truth. I couldn't ignore it anymore.

“Ah!! Why me?!” I collapsed on the cold floor and sobbed uncontrollably as I remembered everything.

“But why? Did Maria really do this to me?” Why did Maria always betray me? We were like sisters, no! We were f***ing sisters, then she had sex with Jake even though she knew I had feelings for him.

Things became too complicated when she became Jake's girlfriend and started treating me as trash.

Days turned into weeks, and yet I didn't see Maria, my dad, Joel, or even Jake around the dungeons. They had not come to see me yet; why?

“Please, can you tell me about my dad's condition? Is he fine?” With worries itched on my face I asked a guard on patrol.

“I still respect you, exalia, so I'm going to answer once. The beta's condition is getting worse, and no healer is attending to him, so I heard,” I fell backwards. I sat on pins and needles. I longed to see my dad, but I knew it was too impossible.

“Can you please allow me to visit the Alpha? I promise I'll be quick,” summoning my courage, I called out to the guard on patrol.

Once again, he approached me, but he remained motionless, as if he didn't hear a word I said.

Weeks ago, my words were treated with respect, but now I am no longer the daughter of the beta of the pack, I guess.

My status in the pack had shifted from being the daughter of the beta of the pack to being a criminal.

“How lucky am I?” I gave a bittersweet smile. I understood the guard's silence and couldn't blame him.

“Please, I am begging you. I just need to see him real quick. Thereafter, I'll leave immediately,” I continued to plead desperately.

“I'm sorry, but I cannot grant your request,” I could see it in his eyes, and though the cell was dimly lit, he didn't believe I would truly do what I was accused of.

However, his personal opinion held no weight against the evidence they had, right? Funny.

“I truly need to see him, please." I went on my knees, desperately looking up at him.

"I can't let you do that Luna… giving you access might only add to the accusations against you,” the guard was worried about me and I smiled at that, but it was evident he wasn't telling me something.

“The accusations against you are more than you can imagine,” my heart sank, and fear gripped me. I could feel a thousand knives being pierced into my heart.

“Tomorrow is your trial, Exalia, I'm sorry. And Exalia, I didn't want to tell you… but we've been under attack for weeks now."