The Treaty

Celine’s pov

*SLAP!*

My cheek throbbed with sudden sharp pain like a spark of electricity, forcing me to clutch my face in shock, pain, and humiliation. The sting of my father's palm lingered, a constant reminder of my failure, no matter how much I had tried.

"How dare you!" my Father yelled, his eyes blazing with anger, betrayal, and disgust as they flashed briefly with those telltale golden eyes that betrayed his wolf's rage. 

The pack members who had gathered for the ceremony stood frozen, witnessing every moment of my humiliation. I felt like I was going to throw up, my stomach churning with nausea and shame. 

The crowd's gasps and murmurs were like a thousand knives stabbing into my already weak heart.

"Despite everything I have done for you! I took you in when your rogue parents were killed, fed you, clothed you, brought you into my pack, and gave you a purpose, yet this is how you repay me? By trying to ruin the alliance I've worked decades to build!"

My father gritted his teeth, consumed with so much anger. Although I knew what was going on, I didn't dare defend myself for fear that I might only make him angrier than he already was.

Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes as I struggled to meet his gaze, that gaze that had always felt like burning flames to me.

I had been battling with wolfsbane poisoning for months now, barely able to shift or access my wolf, but today was a special day. 

The neighboring Bluehills Pack was here to finalize a territorial treaty and trade agreement that I had helped negotiate. I had to be there.

But things had taken a drastic turn during the ceremony. The packs had gathered in our grand hall, the Alpha families showcasing their strengths and offerings. 

The atmosphere had been one of celebration and promise until Alpha Harper of the Bluehills Pack rose to his feet. He was tall and huge, his aura exuding authority.

"This is FRAUD!" he roared, his Alpha command rippling through the air and forcing several wolves to bare their necks in submission. 

The hall fell silent except for sharp intakes of breath. Every eye turned to where he stood, his eyes already shifted to wolf-gold with rage.

"Alpha Harper, what are you saying?" Jessica, who was the biological daughter of my father and next in line asked as she stepped forward gracefully. 

She was dressed in ceremonial robes that marked her as the heir apparent, her natural Alpha aura making her practically glow in the firelight. 

"The treaty terms were negotiated in good faith. How can you stand here and accuse our pack of deception in front of everyone here?"

"I have been an Alpha for longer than you've been alive, girl," he snarled, his wolf rising so close to the surface that his canines elongated. 

"When I smell lies, I know it. These territory boundaries you've marked are fake. You've redrawn the maps to exclude the sacred hunting grounds that were supposed to be shared, The landmarks have been altered. If you want, I can prove it right here before everyone."

There was so much confidence mixed with rage in his eyes. I stood there trying to comprehend what was going on, especially knowing that I had personally drawn those maps and was certain of their accuracy when I began.

Suddenly, my father's hand clamped down on my arm, his fingers piercing into my skin. Before I could say a word, he started dragging me toward the center of the hall where everyone could see.

"Celine! You were the one who drafted this treaty and drew these maps. Go ahead and tell us what this Alpha is saying, is it true?" 

His wolf was so close to the surface that his voice came out as a growl. "More than anything, our pack thrives on honor and truth. I trusted you with this despite your... condition. So go ahead and tell us what the hell is going on here!"

He insisted, his eyes having gone completely gold with barely contained rage. It felt as if given the chance, he would shift and let his wolf tear into me right there.

"Father... I... I have no idea what he's talking about. These maps are accurate, I swear it on my wolf," I insisted. Even as I said it, I could smell the lie in the air. The maps being passed around weren't mine. The territory lines had been redrawn, and those weren't my markings.

"You just heard from my adopted daughter who drafted this treaty herself," my Father announced to the assembled packs, though his grip on my arm remained punishing.

 "She used the surveys and documentation we provided. This is a sacred ceremony, I believe any concerns can be resolved through proper channels."

"You think this is a joke?" Harper bellowed, his Alpha command making the weaker wolves in the room whimper and drop their gazes. "Your pack is trying to steal sacred land and you expect me to let it slide!"

With the entire gathering watching, he strode to where the maps were displayed, grabbed one, and held it up to the light of the ceremonial fire. As the flames illuminated it, everyone could see the erasure marks, the subtle changes in ink color, the evidence of tampering.

"Are these supposed to be accurate?" he demanded, showing the altered sections to everyone. Cameras, yes, even werewolf gatherings had documentation now captured every moment, knowing this scandal would spread through pack networks like wildfire.

"Everyone, please, calm down," my father said, and I watched with my hands trembling. My father lowered his head, let out a deep sigh, and when he raised his head to address the crowd again. There was a deep frown that etched his face.

"My adopted daughter has been battling wolfsbane poisoning for months. It's affected her mind, her judgment. I think... I think she may have altered these documents to try to gain favor, to prove she was valuable enough to keep in the pack despite not being able to shift."

My Father's words pierced me directly into my soul "Alpha Aiden! Are you saying she acted alone, without your knowledge?" one of the pack witnesses asked.

"Our pack has always thrived on honor," he spoke, his voice breaking. "There is no way I would have discovered this and kept silent. Do you realize how much her betrayal is going to cost us? We could lose our alliances, our trade agreements, our reputation!"

"Celine, is it true that you falsified these documents?" The pack witness turned his attention to me, and this time everyone had their gazes curiously pinned on me, some with pity, most with disgust. Jessica drifted closer, leaning in to whisper so quietly that only my weakened wolf hearing could catch it.

“Celine, you can't tell them the truth. This will destroy our pack, and given the considerable effort Father has put into building our reputation, it will break his heart. You've always wanted to be accepted, to be loved like a real daughter, this is your chance. Take the fall for this, and I can assure you that Father and I will make sure you're not completely cast out”

She paused, staring briefly at me as if to make sure that her words were sinking in. Stream of tears kept rolling down, I couldn't tell if the pain in my heart was a result of the poison or the pain from the humiliation that crowed me.

“ We'll find you a place in a smaller pack, maybe. But if you expose the truth, the entire pack suffers, and you'll be omega at best, rogue at worst. If you take the blame, Mother can do damage control. You might finally earn the love you've always wanted."

Jessica’s words made a horrible kind of sense. As much as I was reluctant to agree, I knew this scandal wouldn't just hurt Father, the entire pack's standing would crumble. 

But if I took the fall, it would be easier for him to manage the fallout. Maybe, just maybe, this sacrifice would finally make him see me as a real daughter.

"I did it….." I spoke, my lips shivering, my voice barely audible even to wolf ears. "It was all my idea. I acted alone."

I finally blurted, the words were followed by a loud gasp from the crowd, I could see the rage, hatred, and disappointment in their eyes as they all stared at me as if they would strangle me.

The slap that followed echoed through the hall like a gunshot.