No One Believed Me

​POV: Vaelith Nyxmoor

​The floor of the holding cell was freezing against my skin, but I barely felt the cold because my eyes were glued to the small television screen mounted on the wall outside the bars, where a news reporter was standing under the lights of the palace press room.

​"We are tracking the developing story of Vaelith Nyxmoor, now widely called The Bloody Luna across all social media platforms," the reporter said, holding up a tablet that showed a leaked photo of my ruined white gown, "who police say single-handedly killed the prime witness in the Alpha corruption case, effectively destroying the massive investigation into the high-ranking noble families before the grand jury could even convene this morning."

​"Turn that garbage off, she doesn't need to hear your lies," a familiar voice barked from the end of the booking hallway, and I scrambled to my feet as Caedric came rushing around the corner, his tie completely loosened and his face pale from running.

​"Caedric!" I gasped, rushing toward the front of the cell and grabbing the cold bars, my fingers trembling as I looked at him, desperately waiting for him to tell me that he was going to open the door and take me home.

​"Vaelith, thank the moon goddess you are okay," he said, reaching his hands through the bars to cup my face, his palms hot against my cold cheeks, "but the guards told me the unit found your fingerprints all over the silver dagger, and the traffic cameras recorded your car parked just two blocks away from the archive building."

​"I didn't drive any car last night, Caedric, you know I don't even have the keys to that vehicle," I said, tears spilling over my eyelashes as I stared into his golden eyes, "and someone dragged me into that alley after I ran out of the palace, you have to believe me because I would never kill anyone."

​"I know you didn't do this, Vaelith, I know someone is setting you up because that witness had documents that could ruin half the royal council," he whispered quickly, looking over his shoulder toward the main intake desk where three heavily armed guards were watching us, "but my mother and the elders have already signed an emergency order, and they are moving you to the high court for immediate sentencing at dawn."

​"At dawn? That's less than an hour from now, Caedric, they aren't even giving me a proper trial or letting a lawyer look at the files," I screamed, my voice cracking with absolute panic as I pressed my body closer against the bars, "why aren't you stopping them, you are the future Alpha King, you have the authority to suspend the transfer until we find out who planted that evidence!"

​"The council used the emergency security act, Vaelith, and if I try to physically block the guards right now without proof, the elders will strip my title and take over the entire investigation themselves," he explained, his jaw tight as he looked down at his watch, "I need you to stay strong for just a few hours while my team goes through the camera footage down the street, I promise I am doing everything I can."

​"You came too late, Caedric," I whispered, stepping back from his touch as a horrible weight settled deep in my stomach, because I remembered the way Isolde had been holding onto his jacket just hours ago, and his delay felt less like a search for truth and more like he had chosen his family's safety over my life.

​"Vaelith, please don't look at me like that, I swear I am not abandoning you," he pleaded, reaching through the bars again, but before his fingers could touch my sleeve, the security doors at the end of the hall flew open with a loud buzz.

​"Visiting time is over, Prince Caedric, the transport team is here to move the prisoner to the armored van," Commander Vance announced, walking into the room with four high-court guards who were carrying heavy tactical shields and energy restraints.

​"Give us five more minutes, Vance, that is an executive order," Caedric demanded, turning around to face the commander with his shoulders squared, his Alpha aura flaring slightly, but the older man didn't back down even an inch.

​"The Queen Mother signed the warrant, sir, and the royal council overrides personal requests when it involves a capital treason charge," Vance replied smoothly, nodding to his men, who immediately stepped past Caedric and unlocked my cell door.

​I didn't say another word as the guards grabbed my upper arms, dragging me out into the hallway while Caedric stood perfectly frozen, his fists clenched at his sides as he calculated the political cost of fighting his own guards in the middle of a police station. 

I instinctively crossed my arms over my middle, using my body to shield my stomach from the rough movements of the guards, knowing that I was completely on my own now and that my only priority was keeping my secret baby safe from the people who wanted to destroy me.

​They marched me out the back exit of the station where a large, black armored transport van was waiting with its engine running,while a dozen reporters shouted questions from behind the metal barricades.

​"Get inside and keep your mouth shut," the driver muttered, pushing me onto the metal bench in the windowless back compartment before slamming the heavy reinforced doors shut, leaving me in total darkness as the vehicle lurched forward onto the highway.

​The van accelerated down the winding mountain road that led toward the high court capitol, the tires humming loudly against the asphalt while I sat in the dark, gripping my stomach and praying that I could survive whatever sentence the council had already planned for me. Suddenly, a massive, deafening blast shattered the quiet night, and the floorboards beneath my feet ripped wide open as a giant fireball tore through the front cabin, sending the entire armored vehicle flipping wildly through the guardrails and down into the dark ravine below.