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*Lyra*

The chains bite into my wrists as I’m led from the holding cell I spent last night in. The sun is so bright, I have to squint, fighting to stay oriented as two guards lead me down the path away from the jail to the common area.

I have no idea what’s going on. Last night, the Alpha’s guards burst into my home, waking me from a dead sleep, and arrested me. They refused to tell me what I was being accused of. I struggled, of course, which earned me a fat lip, which I’m still sporting this morning. Now, about twelve hours later, I still have no idea what’s going on.

All I know is that Alpha Kaelen, who has never liked me, has finally come up with a way to get rid of me, and the idea that he might actually have the upper hand has my wolf itching to break free and my soul ready to do whatever it takes to make this right.

I haven’t done anything wrong.

It’s Spring Solstice, so the entire pack is present when we make our way the short distance to the common area. The celebration will last all day. Children are already running through the tall green grass, likely looking for candy-filled eggs hidden by their parents and the other elders. Groups of people my age dot the picnic tables and gazebo, their smiling faces inclined toward one another as they chat and carry on. Families sit on blankets enjoying the lovely weather, eating breakfast together.

And as I am led closer to where the Alpha sits on a dais preparing to address everyone, all heads turn toward me.

One of the heralds announces that Alpha Kaelen wants everyone to gather, and the merriment ends for a moment. Like zombies, the pack moves toward his location, though many of them are still staring at me.

I stumble a few times, the heavy chains around my legs making it difficult to keep up with the guards who are tugging me along unburdened by such bindings. I’m wearing the shorts and tank top I went to bed in last night, my feet bare, and my hair likely sticking up all over the place. The closer I get, the more people recognize me, the louder the whispers become.

I know how they feel because I’ve been a part of the crowd before when a prisoner was led out on a solstice holiday. That man, only a few years ago, had been accused of burning his neighbor’s house down. He’d been banished from the pack. I’d always thought he was innocent, just someone Alpha Kaelen felt threatened by. Now, here I am, standing in his place, and everyone is looking at me as if I am a leper.

The guards come to a halt in front of Alpha Kalen and move aside so he can see me. I look up into his dark eyes, defiant. I have no idea what he thinks I did, but I will prove him wrong. I was home all night last night. Granted, I live alone in a small hut on the edge of the pack village, so I have no one to prove I was there. My parents died when I was a little girl, and I’ve been on my own ever since. Still, no one can say they saw me do anything because I never left my house.

“Gather around, members of Running River Pack!” the Alpha shouts. “For I have some tragic news to share with you. I wanted you to hear it from me first.”

The crowd goes silent, and my forehead crinkles. What tragic news?

Once he’s certain everyone is listening, Kaelen continues. “I’m sad to have to tell all of you on such a beautiful holiday morning that we have lost one of our own.” Whispers erupt through the crowd, and heads begin to turn as people try to assess who is not there. 

Alpha Kaelen gives them a moment. I believe I see a small smile beginning to form in the corners of his mouth. He’s enjoying this. His brown hair flutters in the breeze, and his handsome face cracks into a forced frown. “Last night, our dear pack member Arica was murdered!”

“What?” someone cries, and then the whispers are shouts of disbelief and tears. People are asking what happened, where is her family, how can this be.

My mouth drops open as this is news to me as well, and I am stunned. I always had a great deal of respect for Arica, one of the trainers for our warriors. She was a few years older than me, but I’d trained with her. She was strong and brave. Now, he’s saying she’s dead.

And I can only infer that he’s about to say I am the one who took her life!

“You can imagine my grief as I had to give the news to her parents this morning.” Behind him, a couple climbs the dais. Arica’s parents clutch one another, her younger brother who is only a child standing in front of them. All of them are crying–and glaring at me.

“When I heard who the culprit was, well, I broke down again,” Alpha Kaelen says. “To think that one of our finest warriors, someone whose family died defending our great pack, could do something so vile, so heinous. Well, it is another tragedy, that is for certain.” His eyes lock on mine, and he slowly shakes his head. “What do you have to say for yourself, Lyra Melody?”

Everyone goes quiet as they all turn to stare at me, most of them with mouths agape. “It’s a lie!” I shout. “I didn’t leave my home last night! Not until I was dragged out by the guards. I have great respect for Arica, and I am so very sorry to hear of her death. But it was not by my hand or paw!”

“I thought you might say that,” Kaelen replies. “That’s why we shall now hear from someone who would never say she saw you commit such a heinous crime unless it was true. Your very best friend in the world, Lyra.” He extends his hand, and I watch, dumbfounded as Tessa Tanner joins him on the dais.

Tessa, my best friend since we were four years old. If it hadn’t been for the help of her and her family, I wouldn’t be here. They helped me so much when my parents died.

Now, with tears streaking her pretty face, she stands next to the Alpha and says, “I saw her! I saw her running through the forest with blood on her paws. When she was gone, I went into the woods and found Arica’s body!”

Everyone gasps and turns to look at me. I can’t believe my ears. Why would she say such a thing? How could she lie like that? She knows my wolf better than anyone. No one else in the pack is silver like me, so… if she says she saw me, they will believe it.

I don’t know what to say. I am stricken with grief at the loss of someone I loved so dearly, the pain of betrayal even more devastating than the certain death I’m certain I am about to suffer for such an atrocious crime.

“Alpha Kaelen,” Arica’s father, Benson, begins. “We loved our daughter very much. We are grief stricken at her loss. But our Arica was a good, kind woman, and she would not want another person to lose their life over this. We respectfully ask you not to take the life of her murderer, Lyra Melody. Instead, we ask that you banish her instead. Let the rogues take her or our enemies, but we do not want the pack to lose another young life. Not today.”

Alpha Kaelen’s eyes bulge from his head. He was clearly not expecting that. I can barely process it myself. I’m still trying to understand Tessa’s betrayal.

“It is customary for murderers to be killed,” Alpha Kaelen reminds the family.

“We know,” Arica’s mother, Connie says. “But we ask for your mercy on her poor pathetic life. Let her live the rest of her days alone in the forest, thinking about what she’s done.”

The crowd begins to chant then. “Exile! Exile! Exile!”

Alpha Kaelen looks pissed. I’m certain that he’s arranged this murder to cast blame on me to have a reason to kill me, to get rid of me. “Very well,” he finally says. “Lyra Melody, you are hereby banished from Running River Pack! Guards, take her out into the forest, and leave her for dead.”

The crowd erupts again, but I can’t understand what they’re shouting at me. Instead, I lock eyes with Tessa for a moment. She looks away. I hope she pays for what she’s done. Kaelen, too.

The guards lead me away. They drag me through the crowd. My shoulder collides with someone, and I look up to see tear-filled blue eyes. Familiar ones.

“It’s not true,” I whisper before I’m tugged away again.

“I know,” Bram, another of my best friends says, and that’s the last thing I hear before I’m escorted into the forest. I don’t turn my head to look at my pack members. From now on, I am on my own.

Alpha Kaelen is going to regret this.