Chapter 1- The Verdict

It was in The Silvermoon Pack: she wore the same rag she had been wearing in the last five years - slept in a chamber that should never be hers.

Nyssa opened her eyes.

Her mouth opened as she let out a yawn, reality dawning on her for the umpteenth time.

As she sat up, rays of sunlight reflected.

Although she was used to this life - she wished all of it was a dream. This had been her routine since the mad man who ruled the pack, took over.

Things would not be the way they are if her Parents, Alpha and Luna Ashvale, were still alive. And they would have been alive - if The Heartless Alpha had not started a war that took their lives.

Her life would not change - not for a moment.

The Silvermoon Pack didn't even do a thing. According to the story, The Heartless Alpha sent a letter to Alpha Ashvale, her father who ruled the pack at that time - asking him to surrender or die. And Alpha Ashvale wasn't going to surrender - not when he put his all into the Pack's growth.

Luna Ashvale, her mother, asked him to talk one-on-one with The Heartless Alpha who may consider him, but he refused, training enough men with the assumption that they would win.

And what happened?

No one could win. No one was stronger than The Heartless Alpha. It was like a curse.

People did say the man was cursed.

They said he never lost a battle - no matter how strong whoever he fought with - against, was.

Another thing they said about him was his inability to keep a mate. While so many people referred to him as The Heartless Alpha Zevran, some called him The Mateless King.

It was his fault that she was treated like shit.

After the war happened, The Heartless Alpha still didn't claim the pack. It became obvious to them - he wanted war - and he thought Alpha Ashvale was the right person to visit. But that moment became the beginning of Nyssa's struggles.

Alpha Duskryn, who used to be her father's Beta, took over the Pack. She assumed things would get better, but nothing got better. He changed from being that loyal Beta to a wicked Alpha - stripping her off her Princess regalia and handing it over to his daughter, Emilia, who was Nyssa's enemy.

Sworn enemy.

Emilia took it out on her at any given opportunity, with support from her parents who ruled the Pack her father used to rule. A pack that was once hers.

A pack that used to be her home.

Or maybe things would have been better if she weren't an Omega wolf. She would fight back Emilia whenever she came at her - or even start a war that would take out Alpha Duskryn and his mean family. But again, how can that happen?

She was even weaker than a regular Omega wolf.

“Nyssa Ashvale!”

Snapping out of her thoughts, Nyssa looked at the door. “Talk of the devil.” She muttered, recognizing Emilia's wicked voice. Wasn't it too early to fight?

“Nyssa!” Again, the voice came.

She wanted to ignore it, but she couldn't.

Emilia will do things and she will end up regretting not answering on the second call.

“I'm on my way, Princess.” Nyssa muttered as she got off the bed, leading her way to the door.

“Good morning, Emilia.” She opened the door.

As she walked out, Emilia hit her face - one time, two times. “Are you deaf? Didn't you hear me knocking on the door? Don't you know your name? How many times do I have to call you before you answer?!” She shouted at the top of her voice.

Of all the things to expect, not this.

All these years of being humiliated and insulted by Emilia who never ignored an opportunity, none was as serious as it was. “Why did you slap me?” Nyssa lifted her face, both hands soothing each side. “Do you realize this is early in the morning? I could be sleeping when you called me, Emilia.”

“Are you saying the Princess of The Silvermoon Pack doesn't know what the time is?” Emilia chuckled. She looked around - guards and maids were going about their day - minding their business as scenes like this weren't new to them. “And who cares if you're sleeping? Why should you be sleeping at this time? Don't you see what your fellow maids are doing? Can't you see them?”

“What do you want?”

“What do I want?” Emilia stepped closer.

“You called me. Tell me what you want, Emilia.”

Had she known, she would move away. Emilia hit her in the face again, twice at once, shocking Nyssa who made a risky decision at that moment.

Before Emilia would say a word, Nyssa caught up with her. She hit her in the face, so hard that the blow landed her on the hallway floor.

“How dare you, Emilia?!” She screamed at the top of her voice, shocking guards and maids who moved closer to help Emilia up. “What did I do to you? Why do you always treat me like shit?!”

“Are you okay, my lady?” Officials asked Emilia who found it hard to believe what happened.

“I want my Father!” She screamed.

“Oh, now you want your father.” Nyssa mocked. “How come you didn't want him when you bullied me? You've been doing this shit for five years!”

Some other officials held her. It's not as though she planned to hit Emilia again - she knew already there would be punishment for this one she did. But what was the worst that could happen?

Getting starved for days.

“Alpha Duskryn—” The head guard interrupted, announcing the Alpha's presence.

The mad man, as Nyssa called him, looked at his daughter. He looked at Nyssa, anger in his eyes. “What happened here? I need to know the truth.”

“Nyssa, Father!” Emilia cried. “She hit me.”

“No, that's not true, Alpha Duskryn—” Nyssa defended. “She hit me first and I hit her back.”

He didn't speak for moments. And when he did, he commanded. “To the meeting hall, all of you. Gather everyone in the Pack, immediately.”

***

At the meeting hall, members of The Silvermoon Pack were present. The guards and maids were not left out - as well as the Alpha and his Luna.

Emilia was seated while Nyssa was asked to kneel. Members didn't understand what was happening, but they waited and watched.

Someone cleared his throat.

Alpha Duskryn.

“Emilia. What happened back there?” He asked.

“Father—” Emilia adjusted on her chair. She looked at the faces present with her in the hall before facing the Alpha. “I had gone to Nyssa's room to speak with her about the things she'll do for me today. She took long to open her door, and I complained about it, only to be slapped twice.”

“That's not true!” Instantly, Nyssa screamed.

The Alpha faced her now. “What happened?”

“I was in my chamber when someone knocked. I walked out to see Emilia—”

“Princess Emilia.” Luna Duskryn corrected.

“I walked out to see Princess Emilia. Before asking why it took me so long to answer, I was hit twice in the face. I did my best, trying to explain why I took so long but the Princess hit me twice again.”

“Father, she's lying.”

“How can I confirm this?” Confused Alpha Duskryn asked. He was still thinking when two women wearing uniforms walked closer.

“My Lord—” They each greeted with a bow. “We were around the scene from the time when Princess Emilia knocked on that door, till the time you graced the scene with your presence. Anything we tell you is nothing but the truth.”

“Speak—”

“Princess Emilia is right. Nyssa was the first and the only person to attack. The Princess did not make a move on Nyssa at any point, but Nyssa was the first to hit her in the face. Two times.”

The words the maids spoke didn't make any sense. Hell, they weren't even there when she walked out of her room to answer Emilia.

Did she plan this?

“Wait—” Nyssa cried. “Did you plan this, Emilia?”

“Did I plan what?” The Princess mocked, soothing each side of her face with two hands. “Did I plan for you to hit me in the face without offense?” She cried and looked at the Alpha. “Do you see now that I am telling the truth, Father? She did it.”

The hall was silent.

All, including Emilia, were waiting for the Alpha to speak. Unlike other times when Nyssa knew the worst that could happen was getting starved, she was scared it could be more than that.

In the midst of silence, Alpha Duskryn adjusted. He looked around the hall, especially at Nyssa who didn't take her gaze off his face. “There are certain punishments for certain actions, Nyssa. And I have made up my mind.”

“Wh—what do y—you mean?”

“You are expelled from The Silvermoon Pack.”