Chapter 2 FRAMED

Tahira's POV.

"Your sister ran away, she left you to die." The large wolf sneered at me.

Without warning, he lifted me from the group and flung my body across the forest. I hit a tree and fell to the ground with a loud thud and a rib cracking sound was heard.

I closed my eyes in pain and spat out blood.

I clutched my chest tightly, fighting for my life.

I crawled onto the forest floor, my dress was soaked with blood and my left arm was numb.

"Help... help me!" I cried out for help.

I tried to stand up, but that was made difficult cause of my injuries. I looked around me, searching for anyone or anything that might help me.

But the forest was quiet and its air was still. The only sound was my occasional whimpers and the thunder rumbling at a close distance.

I looked up, the sky was pregnant and the rain threatened to pour down in sheets anytime soon. The trees were dark and foreboding.

As I surveyed the forest around me, I realized that no one was coming to help me. I was completely alone and this realization made me feel a mixture of anger and hatred. I hated Twyla for abandoning me all alone in the forest, leaving to me die, and I was angry at myself for trying to save her. I was afraid of what might happen to me if I could not find help.

I managed to stand on my feet and keep walking, but the pain in my neck and left arm was overwhelming. Every step was agony and I felt dizzy and lightheaded.

As I walked, it felt like my energy was being drained from me, as the blood seeped from my neck and left arm, soaking my clothes.

With every step I took, 8 felt my legs shaking and I knew I could not keep going much longer. My vision soon became blurry and distorted, and I could feel my heartbeat slowing down.

My legs gave up on me and I fell to the ground. I struggled to remain conscious but my breath came in short gasps. I heard voices in the distance.

I could not make out what the voices were saying, but I could hear the urgency in it.

The voices got louder and I was able to make out what they were saying.

"Twyla!Twyla! Come out we know you are hiding in here." A voice screamed.

"Twyla ..oh no. What trouble has she gotten herself into?" A voice in my head asked.

"There She is!" A guard said and ran towards me, soon his colleague followed and surrounded me.

"Take her to the dungeon." A large guard screamed.

The realization suddenly dawned on me, they mistook her for me.

"No! I am not Twyla. Please believe me, this is a misunderstanding." I cried out in a low voice that was barely above a whisper.

One of the guards lifted my chin with two fingers and looked at me with disdain. "You thought you could get away from us? Really? You stole from the alpha and ran into the forest. How stupid."

I tried to speak but I could barely breathe.

" I. I did. I did not... I ...I am not. I am not Twyla ." I gasped, unable to get words out.

The guard however ignored me and called out to the others. "Take her to the dungeon. If she does not admit the truth, let her rot there."

I tried to stop the guards and resist them, but they grabbed me and dragged me away. I felt myself being lifted and carried. Soon we reached the palace and I was taken down a dark path, and before I knew it, I was thrown into a small dark cell.

The door slammed shut behind me and I was left alone in total darkness. I tried to call out but the words got stuck in my throat.

I managed to sit up, blood seeping from my wounds and my whole body aching.

After a while, I heard footsteps approaching my cell. The door opened and a guard stepped in with a torch in his hands.

" I will ask you one more time, where is the alpha's ring!" He asked, his voice cold and hard.

I stayed quiet, unable to muster up the strength and speak but my throat was too dry and I could not get any word out.

"Fine then, since you refused to confess to your crimes. You will stay here and rot in this cell!" The guard scowled at me and slammed the door shut again, leaving me in darkness once again.

Time seemed to stop as a second felt like an eternity, and my fear and desperation began to grow. I thought about all that I had been through and the unfairness of my current situation.

I felt my eyes stinging with tears, I have never felt so alone and helpless.

I was unable to take it anymore. I have always been the scapegoat for Twyla, she goes out and messes with someone, and I always bear the brunt of her actions.

Millions of times, I was turned into a punching bag by those whom Twyla offended. I was sick and tired of always being the scapegoat. I can not take it anymore.

Then I heard the door to my cell opening again. I braved myself for the guard's return.

"What is he going to say now? Are we going to be turned into a palace slave? Will we be banished from the pack? Will we be killed?" A voice in my head asked.

I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, trying to gather myself and appear composed.

I mentally prepared myself for the guard's harsh words.

The sound of footsteps alerted me that someone was in my cell. I opened my eyes and to my surprise, it was not a guard but a woman, her face was hidden in the shadow.

"Who are you?"