Alpha Marcus narrowed his eyes and circled me slowly. You want us to believe that a mere Omega, a girl the Moon Goddess herself has cursed from birth could overpower and kill a warrior’s daughter?”He stopped directly in front of me. “Ariana, do you take us as fools.”
He was right, my story sounded absurd. But I had made my choice, I had to see it through.
“Yes,” I repeated, trying my best to look as convincing as possible though I could feel sweat trickling down my face.“I did it.”
He shook his head slowly and turned to a warrior standing nearby. "Bring forward the body."
The warrior nodded and left through a side door. Moments later, he returned with two others carrying a covered stretcher. They placed it in the center of the room and at Alpha Marcus's gesture, they removed the sheet.
The sight of her made my stomach turn. not because of the violence but because I knew who had really wielded that knife. I forced myself to look away, focusing on a spot on the wall behind the elders.
"This is the result of your actions, Ariana," Alpha Marcus said grimly. “You're….”
Suddenly, a cry broke through his words. "YOU!" Mara's brother, Lucas pushed through the crowd. Before anyone could stop him, he ran forward and reached out to grab my throat. "You worthless omega! You killed my sister! You cursed, good-for-nothing creature!" Lucas's fingers squeezed around my neck, making it hard to breathe. I gasped and struggled for air, and my vision began to blur.
Two warriors quickly intervened, pulling Lucas away. He struggled against their grip but his eyes was still fixed on me. “My sister! You took her from me! Your family has always been cursed, bringing nothing but misfortune to this pack!” He spat on the floor near my feet.
“Enough! This is a matter for the Alpha to decide.” The Alpha commanded by raising his hands. The hall fell silent, the only sound was the heavy breathing of the warriors holding Lucas back.
“This… this act cannot go unpunished,” Alpha Marcus announced. “This crime… this stain on our pack… it must be cleansed.” He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. “Ariana will be held until after the coronation. On that day, under the light of the full moon, she will face her judgment. Her execution will serve as a cleansing for our land, a reminder of the consequences of such heinous acts.”