05

Sonya~

My cell phone beeped, and I pulled it out to see who had sent me a message. All the weird things happening around me were causing my hand to tremble as I swiped the phone screen and unlocked it; then the message came into view.

‘Alpha Seth?!’ I thought and tucked my hair behind my ears. 

He had never sent me a message before. Instead, he sent his beta to get to me the message he wanted to relay. So what could have triggered this?

[Sonya, you left the hospital when things were getting worse, just to prove the testifier right.]

Testifier?

I rolled my eyes to both sides, trying to understand what he meant. Was this message really for me? Had he gotten drunk? I wasn't supposed to sleep in the hospital, so what was this? 

A step forward, I heard someone call me from behind, “Luna!” and I halted my steps. I looked backwards, and he was a royal guard, so I waited to hear him out. “Your presence is needed in the throne room,” he announced, and my brows furrowed. “Alpha King will be there in no time.”

I wanted to ask a lot of questions, but I bet he would ignore me as the beta did, so it didn't make sense if I went ahead. But I managed to say to him, “You can see that I'm holding a lot of things here. Can I go up and drop it?”

He nodded, “I'll wait here…” he responded, and I went ahead into the palace building. 

My mind wandered from one thought to another. I felt my wolf becoming tense from the sudden announcement of entering the throne room for the second time after our coronation. What could have happened? I wouldn't just be wanted there without a reason.

‘Best that we go find out. Please walk faster, or should I…

‘No!’ I cut my wolf short and hastened my steps. 

My heart was throbbing. I wished I had the power to read minds; then I wouldn't need to ask questions. 

After dropping the handbag and washing my hands, I went back downstairs to meet the guard waiting as he said. He led the way to the throne room, while I walked with my palms tightened on my dress and feeling my chest pounding. He entered the throne room and, standing in the middle of the pack councils and elders, said to me, “You will have to stand here…”

My lashes lit up, “Why? Shouldn't I sit? Is it until Alpha shows up?”

He nodded and quickly left me to be alone.

The eyes on me were devouring, so I didn't dare to look around for their faces. I hadn't ever appeared in a meeting with Seth, so I felt so anxious. At that moment, the only thing I could hear clearly was the ticking of the clock. The room was as though a graveyard except for that sound, and my feet were stiffened to the floor.

Time passed, and I guessed it was almost thirty minutes of standing there without saying a thing or talking; then the whole person in the room all stood to their feet. 

I inhaled the peach scent of Seth's wolf, and the bond pulled so much like this was our first time meeting.

“Welcome, Alpha King!” The men all chorused before grabbing their seats again. 

I managed to look in the direction his scent came from, and he had settled down on his throne, twisting the lead of the water bottle he was holding. His alpha aura was so domineering that I barely looked at him for so long, especially since he was shooting me a glare.

“News has spread around the pack about the loss of the Head Luna, and so much evidence is pointing at your Luna for being responsible for her death. Alpha, we insisted that this gathering hold because we cannot have a traitor among us. A murderer can't be Luna!”

This could be a dream, though. They must be mistaken.

What do they mean by the Head Luna is dead and I am the suspect? Was it possible to murder someone that I hadn't seen for months now? So many weird things all happening in the same day. Since Neve showed up in this palace, my life has become worse, and I get to hear about something strange each day.

They all murmured, and when I looked towards Seth again, he still had that darkened look over me, a scowl that could take my life if possible. 

Another council member added after some time, “The camera footage shows that she's the culprit, and there's a housekeeper who witnessed it happen while she was hiding. Your father is on a rampage, so we have to act fast.”

“Your majesty, are you going to interrogate her yourself or should the Minister of Justice do that?”

Alpha Seth cleared his throat. He adjusted his seat and leaned his arms on his thighs, eyes pinned on me. “Sonya!!” he called out, his voice hoarse. “You heard everything right now, so I'm going to ask you by myself.”

So this was true? I hadn't been hearing things from these men?

“Why did you do that to my father's Luna?” he asked, his brows knitted, and his palms clenched. “If you waste so much time, I will deny you the freedom to defend yourself. Answer me promptly; why did you murder my father's Luna?”

I shook my head; my lips began to tremble. “Alpha, I don't understand anything.”

“What is it you don't understand?”

“Everything! Nothing is making sense to me. What do you mean by that?” I was fidgeting, just fighting so hard not to begin stuttering. “For months now, I hadn't set my eyes on the Head Luna, and that is since she left the palace.”

Silence.

He didn't take his eyes off me as he stood from his throne. 

I wanted to step back, but that would be the worst mistake to ever make. 

“There is evidence that you murdered my father’s Luna. Why are you still denying it?” he asked again, sounding like he would shred me apart if I didn't admit to the crime. “Sonya, just say it. Just tell me why you did it.”

“I didn't do anything!” my voice rose before I could get back myself. “She's an alpha, and I am an omega. How could I have hurt her when she could rip me apart? I never met her again since she left the palace; why is it so hard to understand? An evidence? Where did it come from? Who said that I did such? Don't you see me in the palace every day? Do I smell of blood? I am so innocent and don't understand what you are saying!!”

Oh Selene! I didn't realise how loud my voice was until I said the last word, which echoed in my ear.

My wolf…she was losing it. She had taken over me, and I raised my voice before them. 

“First, a suspect does not stand while interrogation is going on.” He took two steps forward, and then let out a growl that made me flinch. “Go on your knees!” he ordered, gesturing to the floor, his expression much colder than I had ever seen.