Lilith's POV
“I have to quickly report to the alpha as soon as possible! If we delay any longer, the pack will be destroyed without anyone suspecting!” My father, the beta of our Green Forest pack, paced back and forth in our living room. His face pulled into a deep frown while musing over the ominous conversation he had overheard while patrolling the pack territory.
“James, relax! You can always report to the alpha at a later time; right now he is having a meeting with the alpha of the Silver Crest pack,” my mom urged while trying to get him to settle down.
“You don't get it! They have evil intentions! And the Alpha is there alone! Why else do you think those wretched people asked me to leave?! It's because they want the alpha alone, and we can't have that; I should go now!” My father argued with his arms flying around, something he does when he is extremely stressed about something.
“I'm not asking you not to tell him, but considering the people that are with him and the important discussion they are having, you know the alpha would not like to be interrupted,” my mother argued.
“Plus, you only overheard the conversation; you did not have any evidence to prove that what you heard was true. Give it a little time, at least until they leave,” she added, and my father let out a long sigh. He massaged his forehead, his hand slicking back his curly brown hair as he relaxed into the chair with an exasperated sigh.
“I just can't get this feeling—this foreboding feeling—out of my head. I feel something bad is about to happen, and we won't have enough time to react. The pack, the people—I don't want to sit still when I could do something to stop it,” he breathed out in frustration.
“I am sure we will figure something out, Father. The alpha trusts you so much that he will believe you, but we need to be patient until they leave. I'm sure we can settle this as long as they aren't carrying out their sinister plan tonight.” I joined in, and my father nodded. Just as I had finished speaking, a loud knock resounded throughout the living room.
With a start, everyone jumped up, body-tense in alertness, ready to defend against any intruder. As the only child of the beta, I have trained all my life to take over my father's position, and I am hailed as one of the best warriors of our generation, second only to Raider, my boyfriend, who is also the next Alpha of the Green Forest pack.
My father walked towards the door, and I stood behind him, while my mother, who is an omega, stood behind us with an anxious expression. “Lilith, stay back and protect your mother,” my father instructed, and I nodded as I stepped back to stand close to my mother.
Our hesitation must have made the person on the other side of the door impatient, because the next moment they began kicking the door with force, causing the house to shake violently. “Is the pack getting attacked right now? Oh, goddess, what are we going to do? What about our people? Is the alpha okay?” My mother rants.
As my father pulled open the door, four of the pack warriors barged in, followed by an angry-looking alpha. He sneered as he saw my father standing before him with a confused expression. “Is there a reason for this visit tonight?” My father asked, confusion laced in his tone as the Alpha's sneer got even more sinister.
“You could have sent for me through the pack link; there was no reason for you to come here on your own and with the pack warriors. Did something happen? What about the people from the Silver Crest pack? Are they gone?” My father asked.
“Seize him!” Alpha River ordered without replying to any of my father's questions. My mother stepped forward, placing herself between my father and the pack warriors.
It was a law in our pack that no omega should be rough-handled, as they are the weakest of our kind, and they needed to be protected. However, seeing the dark look on Alpha's face, I can tell the rules in the situation do not count.
“Seize them all! Bring them out!” The alpha ordered and turned away. I watched in horror as my mother crashed against the guards that had roughly grabbed her, while my father remained silent and cooperative as they dragged us out of our home.
We were dragged to the pack's square, where all pack meetings usually take place. Upon our arrival, we immediately noticed all the pack members were gathered, each one of them facing different emotions.
Some were angry and hurt, some were pitiful, and others were indifferent.
My mind went blank, unable to fathom what exactly was going on.
Why were we being arrested?
Why are the pack members looking at us with so much hate?
Since when do we need to be pitied?
These thoughts churned in my head as we were forced to kneel in the middle of the whole pack as members gathered. “What is going on?” I breathed out, knowing my father could hear me. Instead of answering, my father's jaw ticked, and he looked away from my mother and me. Even then, I could see the negative emotions swirling in his eyes and the tears brimming in them.
I got an idea of what was happening, but my brain refused to register it. I just didn't want to believe it. I turned to the Alpha, trying to see what the reaction was, but all I saw in them was hate directed towards my family. I shut my eyes, scared of what would happen to us.
I couldn't bear to listen to my mother's sobs. She had probably figured out the situation too.
“Beta James Arthur, you have been charged with treason against the Alpha and the pack!” The alpha announced it, and I froze. I looked from my father to the alpha in shock and unbelief.
There is no way!
There was no way anyone would believe my father, the most loyal person in the Green Forest pack, would betray the pack, but as I looked at the faces of the people around us, I knew they had all been brainwashed.
“My husband would never betray the pack! He was falsely accused!” My mother screamed while trying to reach the alpha.
“We all know how loyal my father is to the pack; there is no way he would betray the pack! Please recheck!” I pleaded.
“Then explain this? Explain why the Silver Crest pack found your father's beta crest in the Nightingale pack. The beta crest, as we all know, is a symbol of authority, and it does not leave the owner's side at any time unless you have given it out,” the alpha announced.
“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” The alpha demanded, and my father sighed.
“I stand by my word to always protect the Green Forest pack, and I will never betray the pack. I do not know how the crest got to the Nightingale pack, as it was still with me even tonight while I was on patrol.” My father announced, and the Alpha scowled angrily.
“Are you calling me and the Alpha of the Silvercrest, who seemed to be secretly visiting the Nightingale pack liars?” Alpha River growled, and my father shook his head.
“I could never call you a liar, but I believe you should know what I would or would never do. But seeing how you are right now, I know nothing I say would ever go into your head.” My father replied firmly. Despite the situation we were in, he maintained his composure, wavering under the alpha's intense gaze.
My father's eyes flickered at the alpha of the Silver Crest pack, who had been standing quite quietly behind Alpha River. My eyes followed his, and I saw the man snicker, looking down at my father with a gloating look of triumph.
With a shake of his head, my father turned back to the crowd and paused his life. “I'm saying this one more time because I know that very soon you all will look back on today and realize what a great mistake you have made. I have never and will never betray the Green Forest pack.” My father roared, and a tear slipped down my face.
Even in the face of death, he chose to swear his loyalty to the pack. The Alpha stepped forward and raised his hands, ready to declare judgment: “This time tomorrow, James Arthur, the former Beta of the Green Forest pack, will be executed alongside his mate!”
“And their daughter is hereby demoted to the rank of an omega,” he declared.
