Rejected: Found By Another

Chapter 9

LYANNA'S POV.

That night, I couldn't fall asleep. I remained seated in the kitchen even long after I had finished eating, letting my mind run over the events of the last few hours and the major changes they had brought into my life.

In just a few hours, my life as I knew it had become something else, something I had no idea how to deal with or cope with.

I had been accused of murder and rejected by my mate, saved by a dark, mysterious stranger with glowing eyes whose blood apparently healed wounds from silver blades, attacked and nearly torn to pieces by a rogue, only to end up being saved by said mysterious stranger yet again.

Too much had happened in the past few hours with very little explanation, and if I was being honest, I found it really difficult to deal with everything all at once.

I felt a stabbing pain in my heart as my mind wandered to Kaida.

"I can't believe she's really gone," I whispered.

Reyna whimpered in my head at the loss of a friend, someone we both considered a little sister.

"Me neither, Reyna. Me neither."

Amidst all the happenings and chaos, I hadn't really had the time to properly mourn for the innocent young soul that had met her end too soon.

Kaida didn't deserve what had happened to her. She didn't deserve to end up the way she did. She was so young and so full of life. She had a whole bright future ahead of her. She didn't deserve to have her life cut short just like that.

"What do you think really happened to her? I mean, we already know we didn't do it," Reyna said sadly, and I slowly shook my head.

"I don't know."

That was a very good question. We both knew we had no hand in Kaida's murder. We know we didn't kill her, no matter what anyone else chose to say or believe. But the fact still remained that someone did. Or something. No one knows. What I do know is that Kaida didn't do that to herself. There's no way she could have possibly ripped herself open with a silver dagger and pulled out her own heart; it just doesn't make sense.

"Who could it be? It was just us and Kaida out in the forest at the time it happened. If there was anyone else, we would have picked up their scent," Reyna said, and I couldn't help but agree with her.

"If anyone else was there with us, we would have picked up their scent and been alerted to their presence before they got close enough."

"Well, obviously it wasn't just us like we thought, Reyna. Someone else was clearly there with us. I took a hit to the back of my head, remember? There's no way Kaida could have hit me from behind while she was standing right in front of me; that's literally impossible."

Plus, why would Kaida even want to kill herself? She had no reason to want to take her own life, and certainly not in such a painful and horrible way.

"Do you think it's possible this was just a random attack? That maybe Kaida wasn't particularly their target?" Reyna asked, and I silently considered her words.

What if? Could that really be it? A random attack, maybe by rogues?

No. No, that's not it. I have a feeling there's more to this. I can just feel it.

Something deep inside of me just doesn't believe Kaida's death was by chance. If it really had been a rogue attack, then he would have been killed as well. I wouldn't have been left alive.

Honestly, I'm starting to wish I hadn't been. Whatever or whoever it was that did that to Kaida should have just finished the job and ended me as well. Maybe then I would have been at peace right now and not running away from my so-called mate who, for some reason, believes me capable of such hideous deeds.

"What about the dagger? Zarina claimed it was found in our purse, Lyanna," Reyna said, and I scoffed.

"And you believe that witch? We both know she was lying just to get us into much more trouble since apparently, we weren't already doomed enough to satisfy her!"

I could feel my anger rising at the mention of that woman's name. She's always had it out for me ever since Lucien took me as his mate. I wish it came as a surprise that she was so desperate to kick me out of Lucien's life, she had to go as far as producing false evidence.

"But what if she wasn't? What if she really did find it in our purse, Lyanna?" Reyna said in concern, and I frowned in confusion.

"What are you talking about, Reyna? We both know we've never set our sights on that stupid dagger even once! Not even something that looks like it!"

"Don't tell me even my own wolf is starting to question my innocence?!" I exclaimed.

"Are you out of your mind?! Why would I ever suspect you of something like that, Lyanna? Of course, I know it wasn't you!" Reyna said, obviously picking up on where my thoughts were headed, and I let out a breath of relief I wasn't even aware I was holding.

It's bad enough that my supposed mate, together with my whole pack, already sees me as a traitor and a murderer. I don't know what I'd do if I ever ended up losing Reyna due to this issue as well.

"You're not losing me, Lyanna. No one's losing anyone. I'll always be here, no matter what. We'll get through this," Reyna said, and I felt myself start to tear up.

"Thanks, Reyna. I don't know what I'd do without you."

And I completely meant it. If I hadn't had Reyna to always have my back, I have a feeling things would have turned out a whole lot worse for me.

"Do you think maybe whoever Kaida's actual murderer was had purposely kept that dagger in your purse to frame us? That dagger had Kaida's blood all over it," Reyna asked, and I immediately thought she had a point.

On the off chance that Zarina hadn't just pulled that dagger out of thin air to size that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and pin Kaida's murder on me, that is. I still don't believe she got that thing from my purse. But on the slightest chance that Reyna was right and the dagger was really found in my purse, then I guess that must be the case.

"Maybe. It could be, Reyna," I replied.

I just wish I hadn't suggested we take that walk in the forest that day. If only I hadn't come up with that idea, then maybe Kaida would still be alive. My life would still be normal. Well, as normal as it could have been.

If only I could turn back the hands of time. I definitely would have made a different choice.

That night, I made myself a promise. Whoever is responsible for Kaida's murder must not go scot-free.

I'll find them and make them pay, even if it's the last thing I do...