Chapter 4 - Evidence of her crimes

Mina POV

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Dread pooled heavy in her gut. Mina turned to Owen, desperately taking a step towards her friend. He took a step back.    

   

“Owen?” Her voice cracked, her hand reaching for him, but he jerked away. He was pale, a sickly colour, his eyes flitting between her and his father. Oliver must’ve mindlinked him the contents of the letter while she read it. “It isn’t true. You have to believe me.”    

   

She went to take another step towards Owen, but his father blocked her path. “Yet the only wolves who could verify that are either dead or unconscious.” He stepped towards her. There weren’t many wolves that Mina would retreat from, but the head of the Hayre family was one of them. “You got here before everyone else.” He stated, stepping forward again.   

   

“I couldn’t sleep.”    

   

“You’re covered in the Luna’s blood.”    

   

At the mere mention, her fists clenched, her stomach turning at the sticky heat coating her palm. “I was trying to save her.” Mina’s voice shook.    

   

“She screamed your name.” He wasn’t questioning her, but his brow was furrowed like he was slowly piecing together a puzzle.    

   

“She was panicked.”    

   

“Of course she was, you were about to plunge a silver dagger through her heart.” He laughed, but the sound was dark, twisted.    

   

“I... I didn’t. The man...”   

   

“The window is locked, Mina. There was no man.”    

   

“There was. Please believe me.” Tears welled in her eyes, hot and heavy.   

   

“Why are you crying? Is the guilt already eating at you, or did you not expect to be caught in the lie?” Mina tried to answer, she did, but he cut her off again, his voice booming against the whispered pleas. “You were the only one here, the only one left to tell the story, and you had a motive.” He stepped forward as he ticked off each reason, prowling towards her like he was stalking his prey. “You killed the Clear Blue Luna.”   

   

“No. I didn’t.” Mina finally found her voice. “She’s my mother, I would never...”     

   

“You don’t even look alike.” He growled.    

   

The sound sent a shiver of fear down her spine, and she dropped her gaze to the floor. It was true, she didn’t look like her mother. The Luna had the typical colourings of a Clear Blue wolf, brown eyes, brown hair. Beautiful, but just like the others. Mina didn’t. Her hair was as black as shadows cast in the night, her eyes pale blue. They couldn’t be more different, yet she couldn’t believe the note was true.  

“Please, Oliver. You’ve known me since I was a pup.”    

   

“Actually, no one met you for two weeks after birth. The Luna wouldn’t allow it.” He snarled like the final piece had clicked into place. “You’re not hers. You aren’t a part of the Skye Legacy. You aren’t our Luna.” His gaze was piercing as it narrowed on her. “When did she tell you? Today after the choosing event when you showed your false heritage by choosing the wrong wolf? Our sweet Luna was trying to protect the pack, to continue the Legacy line, but when you proved yourself incapable again, she told you the truth. There was always something wrong about you. A weakness no title could fix.”   

   

Mina flinched. To hear such venom stream from his lips cut her deep, slicing vicious wounds into her heart.   

   

“You lorded your so-called position over the pack, but when that position was threatened, you killed our Luna. You almost killed Sam.” He yelled, arm flinging back, giving her a brief glimpse of her brother still lying on the floor. “And for what? Power?”    

   

Mina’s body snapped against the wall, allowing Oliver to close in. She cowered, curling in on herself as fear thundered in her veins. She waited for a blow. For him to shout at her some more or strike her down, but nothing came. A thick silence wrapped around the pair, spreading through the room like a disease.    

   

Finally, he spoke again. “Look at you.” His voice was weighted and low, quiet but dangerous. “You’re no Luna.”    

   

A sob burst past her lips, assenting to his words.    

   

‘I, Oliver Hayre, head of the Hayre family, protectors of the Clear Blue pack, reject you, Williamina Skye, as my future Luna.’   

   

Something in her soul cracked.    

   

The air knocked out of her, like the pack-wide mindlink had been a blow to her gut. The weight of his declaration pressed heavy upon her chest. It constricted, needing to breathe but not allowing her lungs to expand. She clutched at it, fisting her t-shirt, her fingers digging into her skin. Her eyes were blown wide, staring at Oliver, praying to the Moon Goddess that it was some cruel joke, but the hate bleeding into his gaze wasn’t something someone could fake.    

   

He finally turned, releasing her from his glare. Mina collapsed to her knees. She sucked in a lungful of air, wheezing. Her eyes stayed trained on Oliver. In a matter of moments, he had gone from a friend to a threat, and there was no way she’d dare to look away from him. He was at her mother’s side, cradling her bloody body to him. A warrior who failed to protect his Luna. His hand cradled her face, a tear sliding achingly slow down his cheek. Pain etched into his features as his hands tightened on her, drawing her to his body.    

   

“You were like a daughter to me...” His whisper trailed off, any lingering softness within him hardening as he hugged the corpse closer. “I’m not going to kill you, Mina, but get off my territory, before the other warriors decide to not give you the same kindness.”   

   

He couldn’t be serious. Clear Blue was her home, her pack. She had nowhere else to go. Mina dared a look at Owen, pleading for him to intervene. He couldn’t meet her eye. He didn’t believe her, and why should he, when she was covered in her mother’s blood? Should he jump to her rescue because he was her friend? It wasn’t enough in the face of his dad’s orders.    

   

“Go.” Oliver roared; his patience gone. “Or I’ll kill you myself.”   

   

Mina bolted.