Chapter 8 An Unforgivable Accusation

The sky bled into twilight as the sun dipped low over the Black Ridge Pack's territory. Shadows stretched across the forest floor, casting long, jagged fingers over the trees as if nature itself sensed something terrible was about to unfold. Serene stood at the edge of the gathering grounds, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, eyes gleaming with anticipation. Cassius paced beside her, anxious but obedient, like a dog waiting for a cruel master's command.

"You're sure?" he whispered, barely able to keep the tremor out of his voice. "This is dangerous, Serene. If we're caught"

"We won't be," she snapped, not bothering to look at him. "This is the only way. Samantha outlived her welcome. She's already taken everything from my mother's love, my friends, and Derek's attention. I'm taking it back."

Cassius swallowed hard but nodded. It was too late to back out now. The trap was set.

Just moments later, a shrill howl shattered the silence of the forest. Warriors burst from every direction, drawn to the sacred supply chambers near the cliffside where the pack stored their winter food and precious medicinal herbs. The scent hit them first: a sharp, acrid tang in the air that made several wolves gag and recoil.

"Wolfbane," someone muttered, eyes wide. "There's wolfbane here."

Gasps rippled through the gathered crowd as they saw the mess. Crates had been shattered. Dried meat was soaked and useless. Pouches of herbs were torn open, their contents scattered like leaves. A potent trail of wolfbane, the most feared plant among their kind clung to everything, corrupting the air itself.

"This is sabotage!" one elder barked. "Someone has attacked the very heart of the pack!"

And then, as if on cue, Cassius appeared from the shadows with two warriors gripping someone tightly between them.

It was Samantha.

Her face was pale, smeared with dirt and panic. Her arms were pinned behind her back as she stumbled into the clearing, forced to her knees in front of the mess. She didn't understand what was happening why they were looking at her like she was the enemy.

"She did it!" Cassius shouted, pointing an accusing finger at her. "I caught her in the act! She was pouring wolfbane onto the food!"

"Liar!" Samantha screamed, twisting in their grip. "That's not true! I've never!"

A second voice rang out, laced with venom and rehearsed sorrow. "I didn't want to believe it either," Serene said, stepping forward with wide, tear-filled eyes. "But I saw her too. I thought maybe I was imagining things. But now... there's no denying it."

The crowd buzzed with disbelief and horror. Serene continued, her voice trembling perfectly. "She's always resented this pack. Maybe she thought she didn't belong. Maybe she wanted revenge. But poisoning us? That's unforgivable."

Samantha's head spun. The wolfbane stung her nose. The glint of satisfaction in Serene's eyes made her want to scream.

"I didn't do this!" she cried, fighting the guards' grip. "Please someone have framed me!"

"Silence!"

The voice boomed across the clearing like thunder. Alpha Darius stepped forward, his presence swallowing the space around him. His golden eyes blazed with fury as he looked down at the girl before him, the girl his mate had begged him to protect, the girl many still saw as nothing more than a burden.

He didn't speak right away. The silence was worse than any accusation.

Then, without a word, he turned and gestured toward the Council chambers. "Bring her."

Within the hour, the great chamber was filled with the pack's highest-ranking members. Warriors flanked the walls, elders sat in their carved stone seats, and the murmurs of judgment echoed through the cold space. Samantha was dragged to the center, forced once more to her knees. Her heart pounded so hard it hurt.

Serene stood tall beside Cassius, her expression now the perfect mask of heartbreak.

"I wish I didn't have to say this," she began, her voice barely more than a whisper. "But we all saw what she did. We can't ignore this."

The murmurs grew louder.

"Lies!"

Everyone turned as Derek stormed into the chamber. His hair was disheveled, his face pale with fury. "Samantha didn't do this!"

"Derek" Serene began.

"No!" he snapped. "You've been trying to ruin her since the day she got here."

He turned to the Council. "I've seen her. I know her. She's kind, loyal, and brave. She'd never hurt the pack. This is a setup. You're all being played!"

"Do you have any proof?" Elder Myron asked, his sharp eyes narrowing.

Derek faltered. "No. But I"

Cassius scoffed. "Then your words mean nothing."

Before Derek could argue, Alex and Ronan stepped into the circle.

"Then maybe ours will," Alex snapped. "Samantha's been training with us. Preparing herself to protect this pack. She's never had ill intentions."

Ronan growled. "And we all know Serene hated her from the beginning. She's lied before. She'll do it again."

"Enough!" Alpha Darius barked. "This is not a battle of character, it is a matter of fact. The supplies were destroyed. Wolfbane was used. Samantha was found at the scene. Until proof of her innocence is presented, this Council has no choice but to act."

Samantha looked up, trembling. "Please, Alpha. You know me. I would never"

"You have until dawn," he said flatly. "Prove your innocence... or you will be exiled."

The chamber erupted. The word clung to Samantha like ice: exile.

She was thrown into a holding cell more a cave than a prison with thick roots hanging from the ceiling and cold stone at her back. The guards stationed outside didn't look at her. They didn't need to. In their minds, she was already guilty.

She curled into herself, knees to her chest, tears brimming in her eyes. How could this happen? How could Serene betray her so completely?

Outside, Derek paced furiously near the council chambers. His father had refused to hear another word from him. Alex was already tearing through the forest looking for clues. Ronan had gone to check the outer patrols. But time was running out.

Back at the training cliffs, Serene stood beside Cassius, her face aglow in the fading moonlight.

"She won't find any proof," Cassius murmured.

"She won't even know where to start," Serene replied coolly. "By tomorrow, she'll be gone. Just like she should've been years ago."

But what they didn't know was that someone else had seen what happened near the supply chamber. Someone they never noticed hiding in the trees.

And that someone had just started running straight toward Derek.