Betrayed Bonds

Sentenced To Death

The next few days, I was thrown in the dungeon cell, left alone in the damp darkness. The cement floor is wet against my skin, and the overwhelming damp stench assaults my nostrils. I curled my knees to my chest and rocked back and forth. Tears stung my face as I lay there, humiliated, and completely alone.

No one was coming to my rescue. No one even believed me. I couldn't understand how the people that had known me my whole life could turn on me so quickly. Spies were a major threat in the pack, but I wasn't a spy. Clark was one of my best friends, and I'd sat with him when we learned of Xavier's death. He'd died as a result of spy intelligence. I would never hurt Clarkson like that.

I couldn't remember how many times I was beaten these two days. Every time I was almost dying, the guards would call the healer to heal me. And then a new round of torture began.

I once tried to let the torturer feel the pain I had endured - I opened my mouth and spit at him. The wad landed right on his cheek. The torturer growled and pulled his hand away to wipe my spit off him. With another snarl, he slapped me hard across the face. My teeth rattled, and I bit my own tongue. Coppery blood filled my mouth, and soon my vision went blurred.

"Don't let her die! I heard that the Lycan king was...".

I didn't catch what they said later, but the taste of that torturer's blood gave me the first sound dream in the cell. And I had a feeling that when I woke up this time, I was going to face the harsh reality.

And I was right.

The moment I opened my eyes, I immediately realized that I was not in the dungeon anymore. The blinding light and the loud murmur of voices around got on my nerves for an instant.

I knew where I was, and that fact made my heart sink deeply.

"You're awake," a deep voice echoed in the werewolf council.

I spun around, my neck twinging again. I winced and rubbed my neck harder. My whole body hurt. When I finally turned around, I saw Clarkson and the leader of the werewolf council standing over there.

"Clark-ah!" I gasped, but before I could finish my words, two guards pinned me to the ground ruthlessly without hesitation.

"It's time to face the werewolf council," Clarkson uttered, his cold words stabbing at my heart like a knife.

"The investigation is over. Aurora Rays, you have the last chance to confess your sin."

"Welcome, Aurora," one of the council members said. "We're here to decide your fate."

My torturer was standing nearby. He had an ugly smile on his face.

"I'm not a spy. I was tortured for days for nothing," I could feel my lips quivering.

"We don't need to hear your testimony," another council member said, holding up her hand.

"Our interrogator has already told us what we need to know," another member said.

That was it. They'd already decided everything. I was not even going to get to defend myself.

I looked at Clark, hoping he'd vouch for me but he wouldn't look at me.

"Clarkson Rays, what is your statement in regard to Aurora?" another council member asked.

"I considered Aurora a friend," he paused, "Now that I know she was involved in Xavier's death, I'll never be able to look beyond that. If she was capable of causing my best friend's death, then I believe she's capable of stealing my MATE's wolf."

The moment he mentioned "mate," he held Esme's hand more tightly. The way she smiled at me was like a blunt axe, killing me slowly.

"And that is why we take precautions when they are made," the council said. "Aurora, you've betrayed the pack. You've been responsible for the deaths of pack members, and you've hurt individual pack members by tampering with their wolves. What do you have to say for yourself?" a council member asked loudly, drawing everyone's attention to listen to my 'guilt.'

Among all these eyes, I could sense those whom I was familiar with since childhood, though I'd already lost my wolf. Disgust. Sorrow. Gloating. The strong emotion in their gaze almost overwhelmed me. Misery, and then came the anger. The towering rage.

"I'm not guilty! I'm not a spy! And I didn't steal anyone's wolf!" I snarled, but just then, a heart-struck whimper cut my words.

"Not only did she steal my wolf, but she also snatched my mate!" Esme threw herself into Clarkson's arms, sobbing.

"You've enjoyed things that didn't belong to you, Clark," glared at me, "all these years!"

My eyes widened at the harsh words from my lover and my friend. I lost my words. I didn't remember what happened then clearly. They condemned. They judged. And they sentenced.

"We can't risk you endangering the pack anymore."

I raised my head impassively, feeling all the eyes from pack members on me like needles.

"You are sentenced to death."

"-which should be, but," one of the council members ordered with a slight disgust, "Plan has changed though we don't want to. Just consider yourself does not deserve to die here, dear."

"You are to be exiled to the Rogue Zone forever. Now, warriors, get her back to the dungeon."

Lying on my back, I stared up at the dungeon ceiling. I was starving, but I was glad that at least they weren't torturing me anymore.

The council member's words still echoed in my mind. What did she mean "plan has changed" and "not die here"? It seemed that I should have been executed, but something or someone had stopped it. If yes, what would that be?

I closed my eyes for a very long blink. When I opened them again, Esme was standing over me. Her hands were on her hips, and she had a cruel smirk on her lips.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice cracking. I couldn't remember the last time they'd given me water.

"Gloating," Esme said, licking her lips. "Get out," I narrowed my eyes and hissed. She couldn't help but let out piercing laughter, as if she was greatly entertained by my miserable state.

"Finally. We all get what we deserve, Aurora," Esme snorted. "I'm from a prominent family from another pack. I've lived here to keep the peace between the two packs. That should earn me status here. Instead, I'm just a face in the crowd. But you, a small orphan, dear. What you got is too much than you are granted. Not anymore, though," she said, laughing maniacally.

Everyone knew that Esme wasn't born to Moonery. She'd come to live here so her home pack wouldn't attack Moonery again. However, even though she had to grow up in our pack as an outsider, no one had ever thought badly of her or ignored her.

"And that was my fault?"

"Well, I wanted Clark, and you got in my way," she said with a cruel look, "Isn't that simple enough?"

"Congrats. At least one of us got what you wanted." I sneered weakly, didn't bother to look at her anymore.

But what she said next cleared my sleepiness for an instant.