CLAIMED BY THREE: THE HYBRID'S TRIALS

CHAPTER 2 - SENTENCED TO DEATH

RACHEL'S POV

I couldn't believe it at first.

My hands were shaking violently, and my pulse was racing. I had just slapped the Alpha in front of the whole pack!

Alpha Stephen couldn't believe it either. He glared hard at me, with his left hand cupped across his now reddened cheek. His eyes were burning red, a mixture of shock and fury.

"You slapped me."

I couldn't tell if that was a statement or a question, but I knew better than to reply to it. However, I was in no way prepared for Alpha Stephen's antics.

"The red witch!" He cried, his finger pointing accusingly at me.

A whisper went up among the crowd immediately, and I knew why. Over the years, our pack had been plagued by the presence of a witch. She had cursed our land to remain barren before disappearing and a bounty of ten thousand gold coins had been placed on her head by the Alpha.

If he could get the pack to believe that I was the witch, then I would be in big trouble.

"The red witch!" He cried again. "I have her! She confessed to her evil and tried to kill me."

Alpha Stephen was not very good at acting, but that didn't stop his guards from seizing me immediately.

Two burly guards grabbed me by my arms and the next minute, I was eating dust on the floor.

"It's a lie," I cried, tears streaming down my cheeks. "I'm not a witch!"

But my tears were never going to save me. The guards bound my hands and feet so tight that I could hardly move. Then, they dragged me up to my feet and started ripping my gown into shreds.

I fought back with all the energy I could muster, but there was very little I could do against two huge men. In a matter of seconds, I was stark naked in the middle of the marketplace.

Men cursed at me. The women spat at me, and the children hurled rotten tomatoes and fruits all over my naked body. I was paraded through the market like a criminal for a full hour before I was brought back to the center of the market.

By then, the crowd had gone wild and were demanding for my head. Alpha Stephen had made them believe I was the cause of the pack's recent misfortunes, and now they were not going to rest until my blood had been spilled. My eyes darted through the crowd, in a desperate attempt to find my friend, Lizzy. She was the only person that could save me now. She was a popular figure among the traders in the pack's market and if she could somehow convince everyone that I was not a witch, there was nothing Alpha Stephen could do. Much to my dismay, she was nowhere to be found.

I bowed my head to the ground and wished for the earth to swallow me alive. Death was a far better punishment than the humiliation I was forced to face.

"Still got to see you naked, didn't I?" Alpha Stephen hissed at me, amidst the uproar in the crowd.

"Please," I cried. "Don't do this to me. You know that I'm innocent."

He assessed me for a few seconds and I could still see the desire burning in his eyes, but just then, he chuckled.

"There are many ladies more beautiful than you are," He said. "With fuller breasts and more rotund buttocks."

His eyes darkened and he inched closer to me.

"You will pay for your actions with your life."

My heart sank to the bottom of my chest at his words. It was almost certain now. I was going to die.

"What shall we do to the witch who plagues our pack?" He cried.

"Her head!" came the response from the angry crowd. "We want her head on a stake!"

Alpha Stephen's eyes darted over to me and he grinned devilishly.

"It's the people's wish for you to die. There's very little I can do to save you now."

Immediately, he ordered the guards to take me away and lock me up in the dungeons, pending my execution.

I didn't bother struggling with them as they led me away. There was nothing I could do to change my fate now.

In a matter of minutes, we had gotten to the dungeons. I was taken to a dark cell at the far end of the dungeon and thrown inside like a rag doll.

"I'll be back for you," the first guard said. He chuckled and threw an old gown at me before walking away.

The sound of his chuckle reverberated through the dungeons and I felt a knot tighten in my chest at the realization of what he planned to do to me. I was still a virgin at the age of 21 and the mere imagination of a burly brute forcing himself on me brought tears to my eyes.

I lay down on the cold floor of the dungeons and tried to force myself to sleep, but it was pointless. Haunting images of a guard with a huge grin on his face and a large sword in his hand, prepared to behead me, permeated my thoughts.

Was this really how I was going to die?

The hours dragged on forever. From my dark cell, it was difficult to keep track of time.

After what seemed like an eternity, I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock and I scrambled to my feet. A bright light pierced through my eyes and I squinted, as I stared up at the prison guard who held up the light.

"Too bad I didn't get to ravish you before your trial," He grunted.

I rose to my feet at once, the sound of "trial" sparking up some hope in me. If I was having a trial, it meant that there was someone who was ready to testify on my behalf. Then, a final judgement would be passed.

I said a quick prayer to the moon goddess as the guard ordered two others to come in and drag me out. This time, I didn't fight back. They dragged me out of the dungeons, pulling and shoving me all the way to the pack square.

I could see Alpha Stephen sitting on his golden throne at the far end of the pack square. A handsome young man was sitting on a silver throne just beside him. He had long golden hair and there was a bored expression on his face, like he couldn't wait for the show to be over.

"Great wolves of the Oakridge pack!" Alpha Stephen cried. "We are all aware of the evil that has plagued our land in recent years. Our people have suffered endless hardship, all because of one red witch!"

His dark eyes fell on me and the crowd went wild in a mad frenzy.

"Her head!" Everyone cried. "Her head!"

"But justice will always prevail!" Alpha Stephen continued. "That is why we are having a fair trial for the accused. Is there anyone who can speak for her? Anyone?"

Now was my chance. I glanced at the angry faces that were staring down at me as I searched for Lizzy. If only she could speak for me. Sadly, she was nowhere to be found.

"No one," Alpha Stephen thundered. "But there is one who can testify to her evil deeds surely?"

My breathing slowed and my heart pounded in my chest. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Lizzy make her way to the center of the square.

Surely, she had come to testify for me.

"I have known Rachel for a few years now," Lizzy started.

"Yes," I muttered. "Tell them."

"- But I have only just discovered that she is not who she says she is," Lizzy continued. "Just a week ago, I overheard her whispering with someone - something about dark magic and causing more havoc here. It would be unwise to spare her life, my King."

At that moment, I felt like a flaming sword had been driven through my chest. Tears flowed freely down my cheeks as I saw my world crash before my very eyes. It was over. There was no saving me now.

"Marcus!" Alpha Stephen roared.

The chief executioner stepped forward, his huge sword gleaming in the sunlight.

"I want the witch's head!"

Immediately, four guards came forward. They pushed me to the floor and held me in place as Marcus prepared for the final blow.

"Liar!" I cried as I struggled to break free from their grip. "I am not a witch! I am innocent!"

I struggled with all my might, but with four trained guards pinning me to the floor, my situation was hopeless.

And it was there and then, in my final moment, that the tantalizing scent of cinnamon hit my nose. My mate! He was there in the pack square!

I looked up one last time to see that the handsome golden-haired stranger was standing on his feet now.

And as he walked slowly towards me, the scent got stronger.

It was then that it hit me - he was my mate.

He looked like an angel, with his long golden hair and piercing sea green eyes, and I quickly decided to spare myself the torture of staring at his handsome face right before I died.

I lowered my head to the ground and stared at the shadow of the sword coming down in full swing at my neck.

But it never came.

And when I looked up again, I saw that the handsome stranger was standing before me. Marcus' sword was in his hand now.

And the world had stopped moving.