Chapter one! Framed

“Please, believe me, Phaedro. I didn’t push her,” Emaline pleaded as she got another lash on her back from the stony-faced guard holding the thorny brown whip.

Before her, was a tall, well-built shirtless man with shoulder-length curly black hair with a golden diadem adorning his forehead.

His green eyes had a sinister glint as he watched the guard relentlessly hit the crying female who was on all fours before him and shivering uncontrollably.

“I didn’t push Luna Nadia! I’m innocent!” she kept crying out loud amidst the bouts of pain coursing violently through her veins due to the effect of the skin-tarnishing whip currently kissing her bare back harshly.

“So you mean to say that my dear Nadia fell by herself and wanted to frame you. Emaline, you’re saying that a five-month pregnant woman would deliberately cause herself to have a miscarriage, huh? Especially when she’s carrying my heir?!”

“I really didn’t push her, Phaedro…” at this point, Emaline’s voice was not above a whisper, tears incessantly streamed down her cheeks.

Her bare back had become bloodied and unsightly but the guard showed no sign of stopping nor did he reduce his force.

“Take her to the dungeon!” the black-haired Phaedro suddenly ordered, causing the dark-skinned guard to pause his actions.

“Phaedro… Please…” Emaline called out weakly, her eyes pleading for him to rethink his decision.

“It’s Alpha to you. Don’t ever dare to call me by my name again. You are unworthy, you disgusting bitch!” he raged.

“Alpha, please investigate a bit more. I really didn’t do it!” Emaline cried as she was pulled away by the guard by her ankle-length red hair that was in a single braid prior to this moment.

The pains she was enduring made her eventually fall down but even then, the ruthless guard still dragged her by her long braid. She had no strength to scream or resist and could only let him do as he pleased.

Soon, he took her to section F of the dungeon where she was put in solitary confinement as if she was a hardened criminal.

She crawled slowly to the gate and held the bars. She had no strength to attempt shaking them; it wasn’t even possible, especially since these bars were laced with silver. The burning sensation made her withdraw her hands and sit on the damp floor rather.

“Please… I’m innocent…” her shoulders racked with sobs as she watched the guards walk away. Now she was all alone in the dark, squalid cell.

“I didn’t do it; I didn’t push her. Why’s no one believing me?” she muttered sorrowfully.

Hours passed, she couldn’t tell whether it was day or night. She just sat in that cell wondering if she’d ever see the light of day again.

Emaline was a slave bought by Luna Nadia’s father at the young age of 8. She was treated poorly by her masters and even other servants.

She had often comforted herself that when she got her wolf, she would then find her mate. And if her mate wasn’t a slave, then he could take her into his home because her slave contract would be no longer valid.

According to the werewolf law, a slave mated to a freeman could no longer retain the identity of a slave but that of a freeman.

However, when she turned 18, she didn’t shift, turning her further into a laughing stock and even a punching bag for many to release their stress or frustrations on. And she could never resist back then because she was a nobody.

But she got her wolf two years later in the woods and found the next week, that she was mated to the Alpha’s son who’d just returned from abroad.

She thought he would reject her but to her surprise, he didn’t. He even saved her from being beaten by a fellow slave and claimed her with many pack members present.

But he never had intimate relations with her. He said that he’d only do that when he becomes the pack's new Alpha. Since he treated her kindly and her life had changed because no one dared to bully the future Luna, she didn’t worry too much.

She felt he wouldn’t betray her and would fulfil his promise. He finally made love to her a few days before his coronation and she felt that she’d surely become Luna because he was gentle when he deflowered her.

But on the day he was crowned Alpha of Silver Glow Pack, much to her despair, he actually crowned Nadia, her former master’s attractive daughter as his Luna.

Emaline had never shown anyone her wolf form and everyone assumed that since she was a former slave she was a mere Omega werewolf. Whereas Nadia was the former Beta’s daughter and also a Beta wolf with a pure bloodline.

Emaline was in a quandary on what decision to take back then but her mate told her that she could serve as his concubine.

Though it was a degrading position, she still accepted it, not because she didn’t want to go back to the life of being a bullied servant. It wasn’t because she had pride and preferred a life of luxury either. It was because she was pregnant for her Alpha mate.

However, she refrained from telling him because she feared he might deny it and have her terminate the pregnancy.

So, for her child’s sake, she agreed to be his concubine, even though he never visited her quarters. He only cared about his chosen Luna, whereas she was only a bit higher than a slave.

At one point, even the royal servants didn’t respect her accordingly. They said demeaning things to her, especially whenever she went to get food in the kitchen as they felt too superior to serve her food.

She was called a useless tree by some of them because since the Alpha never paid her an ounce of attention, she would never produce any offspring for him.

She endured everything for her child’s sake. Luna Nadia would also pretend to be nice to Emaline outwardly but in private, she always threatened or made mockery of Emaline.

Then came yesterday, when she was asked by Alpha Phaedro to take his beloved Luna Nadia to her chambers as he had to preside over a scheduled meeting with the elders of the pack.

Her personal maid, Lola had been sent an errand and since Emaline was available, she instantly became the suitable person for the task and she couldn’t say no.

However, as she was helping Nadia go up the stairs slowly, the latter suddenly fell backwards and let out a shrill scream that caught the attention of the Alpha who tried to save her but failed to reach her on time.

Emaline was even bewildered at why such a thing happened because she clearly didn’t push her.

Before Nadia keeled out after seeing blood flow out from between her legs and stain her white gown, she actually questioned Emaline on why she would push her when there was no bad blood between them.

The enraged Alpha then ordered Emaline to kneel outside his residence and pray nothing happened to the child. Unfortunately, the child didn’t make it and Nadia entered a comatose state.

So, a furious Alpha Phaedro came out this morning to meet her. By this time, she was already weak and sick because rain fell heavily last night but because of the Alpha’s order, she didn’t dare take shelter for fear of instant demise.

And when he questioned her on why she pushed Luna Nadia, she was struggling to speak with a parched voice and that fuelled his anger to new peaks, causing him to order that black guard to hit her without mercy.

And now here she was all alone in a depressing cell with a bleak future. She feared that if her fated mate ordered for her to be brought out, it wouldn’t be because he realized she was telling the truth. It would be for the purpose of sending her to the afterlife!

“Goddess, is this how I’m going to end? Why did you let me come to life then?” she whispered, tears incessantly rolling down her eyes.