Tamed By My Alpha Step Brother

Chapter Seven

As they marched me through the pack house, down to the council hall, the wheels in my head continued to turn endlessly. It felt like I was having a fever dream.

Tristan's backpack and shirt was definitely planted in my room. But by who?

The question left me confused as hell.

Who hated me so much that they would frame me for the murder of my dead mate?

Who----

My thoughts were interrupted when Jax suddenly gave me a hard shove, and that was when I realized that we had arrived at the council hall. Marcus shut the hall's heavy oak doors behind him and bowed his head in greetings.

I raised my head to look in front of me and saw that we had audience, pack elders, warriors and even some betas were seated in the hall. Then right in the middle, on the raised pew meant for the Alpha, sat Damon. His dark unreadable eyes fixed on me and I saw the faint smirk tugging at his lips?

What the f**k was he smirking for?

Beside him stood my father, looking grim and disappointed, that was not a surprise, he always had that on his face whenever he was looking at me.

When did he even return back from his journey?

Then that was when I saw her. Lila, she was standing in the corner of the hall. She was giving that mischievous glee that told me she was up to no good.

"You little---" I hissed under my breath as they pushed me forward. "What the hell did you do?"

The men forced me to my knees in the center of the hall, holding me down to the floor. Damon rose from the pew and stared at me blankly for few seconds before he spoke. "Harper Matias," his voice was smooth and calm as if he could not be bothered by whatever was going on right now. "Do you know why you're here?"

When I didn't answer immediately, Marcus hit my head hard, "You answer when the Alpha asks you a question!"

I threw Marcus a death glare before I answered Damon, "No, actually. I'm very confused on why my room was barged into at six in the morning and was dragged into the council hall like a criminal, without even been given a chance to brush my damn teeth." I had to pause and take a deep breath. Regardless, he was the Alpha and losing my temper on the Alpha was the last thing I needed right now.

Damon gave me an amused look and stared at me for another few seconds before speaking again, "Did you say you were dragged here like a criminal? Oh, Harper. You were dragged to this hall because you are a criminal. A criminal who brutally killed her mate." He casually announced.

"I didn't do it! I did not kill Tristan!" I shouted, rising to my feet despite Marcus's grip. "This is a setup! Damon, you know---"

"Silence, Harper!" My father barked, his face was filled with disappointment. "Don't you dare raise your voice before the Alpha and the elders! You disgusting---"

Damon held up a hand, interrupting my father and he immediately swallowed whatever cuss he was about to throw at me.

"You didn't do it? Then how do you explain the missing backpack and shirt, which were blood stained by the way, that was found in your room?"

He was so calm and emotionless that I couldn't tell if he believed the allegations or not. He was so damn hard to read. That was pissing me off but his question got me even more pissed. How dare him even ask me that question??

I glared at Damon, my wolf stirring angrily inside me. I was about to lose my s**t. "Explain? How about you explain why I smelled Tristan on you last night? Earthy, pine, metallic--- his exact scent. You killed him, didn't you? To make me mateless, so you could claim the Alpha position! You killed him and tried to pin it on me!!"

Loud gasps and murmurs immediately filled the hall from every corner.

"What?!" "Did she just accuse the Alpha?!" "She's crazy!"

Yes, I was crazy. I woke up to being accused of killing my mate, of course I would go batshit crazy. Anyone would.

I knew straight up accusing Damon like that was like begging for death, but I wasn't thinking straight anymore at this point.

My father's face dropped and he looked like he just saw a ghost and was two seconds from collapsing while Damon, on the other hand, still maintained his calm demeanor. As if I didn't just accuse him of murder.

"Damn, those are strong accusations, stepsister. That's very bold of you" He said sarcastically. "However, accusations without proof are nothing but desperate lies. The pack, however, have witnesses against you."

I frowned. "Witnesses? What witnesses?"

He nodded toward Lila. "Lila, step forward."

I scoffed bitterly as she sauntered up, her hips swaying dramatically. This crazy ass b***h. I knew she was up to no good.

"Can you repeat everything you told the pack investigators?"

She nodded and gave a sweet smile that I wished to wipe off her face, "Alpha, I saw it with my two eyes. The night Tristan disappeared, I was feeling stuffy so I went out to the woods for fresh air when I heard Harper and Tristan arguing. She was yelling and screaming at him because he rejected her. Then.... she attacked him...."

"You f*****g liar!" I screamed and lunged toward her, but Marcus forcefully yanked me back.

I swear to God, when I lay my hands on this lying b***h.

Lila feigned a gasp and started shaking visibly, "Why would I lie? I saw her shift, she brought out her claws and slashed him. Then she dragged him off deeper into the woods. I was too scared and shaken to follow, but I heard.... I heard growls and snarls, then silence. And the following morning, there was news that Tristan was killed."

She dropped her head and wrapped her arms around herself, feigning fear and horror.

What the f**k?

I just stared at Lila in shock. I know she didn't like me and the feelings were mutual but what does she stand to gain from all these?

I was already too exhausted to say anything else. The whole pack was now looking at me with disgust and contempt. Even my own father.

Meanwhile, Damon,

"Lila, are you sure of everything you just said? You witnessed Harper kill Tristan?"

She fake sniffed before replying, "Of course, Alpha Damon. I'm very sure. I saw everything."

Damon was quiet again for a second before he walked down the pew and stood in the center of the hall. "And who did you tell this story to after witnessing it?"

"At first, I was shaken and very scared for some hours before I gathered enough courage and reported to Jax."

Glynn and I saw this fucker last night and she was anything but shaken and "very scared".

"Jax, did you check if the story was accurate before arresting Harper?" Damon turned to Jax.

Okay, what the hell was his point? What was he going on about? Was he doing this to torment me??

"Yes, Alpha, and we confirmed that Lila was telling the truth, she was indeed in the woods that night." Jax said with confidence.

"And what if the whole story turns out to be false and Harper did not kill Tristan?"

"We will--- what?" Jax was as taken aback and confused as everybody else in the hall, including me.

"What if I already caught Tristan's killer and you all are just here, lying shamelessly through your teeth?" Damon added animatedly.

Wait, what? He caught Tristan's killer?!

"Jax, I'm going to give you one last piece of advice as your Alpha. If you are going to frame someone for murder, at least f*****g do it right, be good at it. This.... was so sloppy, lame, annoying and time wasting."

Then he suddenly grabbed Jax's neck, "You see, there's not a lot of bullshit I can tolerate, but there's one that I just can't stand. Incompetence." His fingers had already shifted into claws, including the ones on Jax's neck. "And as we all know, the wages of sin is death."

And just like that, with a snap, Jax's head came off his body and his headless body dropped on the floor with a thump. Damon held the head in his hand, with a satisfying glee on his face, before dumping it on the floor.

I couldn't tell if the screams that filled the hall included mine, but my chest started heaving up and down as I stared at the sight in horror. I could feel the bile in my stomach rising to my mouth.

It was when he sped towards the door that I realized that Marcus and Vincent had let go of me and tried to escape. Before they could say a word, he dug his claws into each of their chests and they dropped to the floor with their hearts in his hands.

"Grab her and throw her in the dungeon. I have some questions for her." He ordered the guards, nodding towards Lila who looked like she already pissed herself.

Then with his usual composure, he strode toward me and crouched to my eye level, "Now, dear stepsister, what did you say about me killing Tristan?" He said with a smirk, wiping his face with his bloodied hands.