Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 23

Betrayed by Blood~

"Found it."

Avery’s heart stopped, her body going stiff as color drained from her face. Martha lifted up a gold pouch, her smile widening viciously. She opened the pouch, and right in it was the diamond necklace.

"This," Martha started, holding it up for everyone to see, "was stuffed under the bed," she announced loudly.

"W-what? No...no...I didn’t..." Avery stammered, her knees weakened, almost giving away as she stumbled forward. "That’s not mine, I didn’t put it there," she whispered brokenly, shaking her head rapidly.

Carol’s face burned with anger, her hands clenched into tight fists. She stormed over to Avery and grabbed her arm roughly to face her. She slapped Avery on the face harshly, making Avery stagger.

"You filthy little liar!" Carol spat out, her face filled with disgust as she grabbed Avery’s hair and yanked her forward. Avery latched onto the woman’s hands, tears already leaking from her eyes, her scalp felt like it was on fire from how hard Carol was pulling.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pleaded, "Please, I didn’t take it. I have never seen it before. Please believe me—"

"Shut your lying mouth," Carol snarled just as Kendra stepped forward, scowling at her. "You really are the lowest of the low, Avery. Stealing? I thought you’d at least be better than that, but of course, you’re just a rotten liar and a thief. Do you think we’re stupid? You didn’t steal it, but it somehow ended up in your room and in your bed?" Kendra scoffed, shaking her head.

"I didn’t do it. I’ve never stolen anything. I would never. Someone must have put it in there. I wouldn’t—"

Carol laughed humorlessly, "Oh, of course, someone must’ve framed you! Spare me your pathetic excuses," she snarled and shoved Avery roughly, sending her crashing to the floor.

Martha stepped forward, a mocking smirk on her face. "Shall we punish her properly, Lady Williams? Should I get the whip?" she asked.

Carol glanced at Martha with a smirk on her face. "I ought to whip her a thousand times for this, but now her punishment should be more severe," she paused for a second to look at Avery. "I want everyone to know just who they have roaming freely in this pack. I want everyone to see what happens to rotten, disgusting thieves such as Avery," she spat out and once again grabbed Avery by the hair, dragging her down the hall.

Kendra rushed after her mother. "Mother, where are you taking her?" she asked and Carol glanced at her with a smirk.

"The main hall. Alpha Cain had a meeting there, but just how lucky are we that they just concluded the meeting. He’ll give the right punishment to her," Carol replied.

The commotion drew attention from every corner of the pack house. By the time they reached the main hall, a crowd had gathered.

Cain, Lydia, Xander, and Callum were all in the hall. They had just concluded their meeting when the large doors burst open with almost everyone pouring into the hall.

Carol released Avery with a final shove, sending her collapsing to the floor before the crowd.

"What’s going on here?" Cain asked, his voice thick and hoarse, his gaze fell on a wrecked Avery, and behind her was Kendra’s mother, Carol, and Kendra herself.

Carol had been out of the pack for some weeks and was due to arrive yesterday. Cain had been too busy and hadn’t seen her, not until now.

"Alpha Cain, this thief," Carol started, pointing at Avery, "has stolen my diamond necklace—a priceless family heirloom. I demand that she be punished according to pack law," Carol said, her voice loud and sharp for all ears to hear.

Cain’s gaze hardened, Carol’s words echoing in his ears. A thief? His gaze flicked down to Avery, who trembled on the floor, her tear-streaked face turned away, and his jaw clenched.

"A thief?" He repeated.

Carol nodded, her face scrunched into a nasty scowl. "Avery here stole my diamond necklace," she repeated with even more confidence.

Cain’s gaze strayed towards Kendra, his eyebrows raised. "Is that so, Kendra?" He asked, and she stepped forward, arms crossed over her chest. "Yes, Alpha. Avery stole my mother’s necklace and our family’s heirloom." The hall went silent at this.

Cain stepped forward to Avery, he stopped right in front of her, and she shakily looks up at him. "What do you have to say to the allegations leveled against you?" He asked, and she opened her mouth to speak while trembling.

Carol stepped forward, "I’m sorry, Alpha, but these aren’t allegations. These are facts. She stole from me, and I want her punished according to the pack laws."

Lydia stepped forward, her eyebrows furrowed. "Lady Williams," she began carefully, "Pack law dictates that the accused has a right to defend themselves before any punishment is decided. Have you considered the possibility that she might be innocent?"

"Innocent?" Carol scoffed, her voice rising. "Are you blind? The necklace was found in her room—under her bed, no less! Do you think it just magically appeared there? She is guilty, Lydia. There is no room for doubt!"

Lydia doesn’t back down, "With all due respect, Lady Williams, the evidence could have been planted. Avery has no history of theft, and punishment under pack law should not be carried out based on circumstantial evidence alone."

Carol’s eyes flashed with anger, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Are you insinuating that I’m lying? That I would frame this wretched girl for stealing my property?"

"I’m suggesting," Lydia said calmly, "that fairness should prevail. If we punish someone without proper investigation, it undermines the laws we all live by."

The crowd murmured in agreement, but Carol wasn’t done. She turned back to Cain, her face filled with rage. "Alpha Cain, this girl is a disgrace to your pack. She has shamed the Williams name by taking our family heirloom. Everyone knows just how important the heirloom is to the Williams family. Nobody would’ve dared to steal it, but she did so all because she helped me with my bags when I got here. If she is not punished, what kind of message does that send? Will you allow thieves to roam freely in your territory?"

"Enough!" Cain’s deep voice echoed through the walls of the hall, and everyone went silent again. His gaze shifted to Avery, who flinched. "Stand up," he commanded.

Avery hesitated but slowly rose to her feet, her body trembling.

Cain’s tone grew colder. "Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

"I didn’t take it. I swear on everything—I didn’t take it," Avery said, her tone barely louder than a whisper.

Carol rolled her eyes, but Cain raised his hand, silencing her. He stared at Avery for a second more then shifted his gaze to Martha, who stood behind Kendra. The head maid stiffened at the weight of his eyes on her.

"Martha, You were there when this happened, I presume?" Cain said, and she nodded. Avery squeezed her eyes shut; she was truly done for now.

"What do you know about it?"

Martha glanced at Avery for a second, "Avery stole the necklace, Alpha. I found it in her room while we searched her room. Everyone was there when it happened," she said.

"See, I wouldn’t lie about this. She stole my necklace," Carol gritted out, her gaze on Lydia. She then looked at Cain.

"I want her punished by the pack laws. Avery didn’t steal any random thing but the Williams heirloom. She should be hanged for this."

Avery froze, tears leaking from her eyes again. This had to be a nightmare. A sick, horrifying nightmare she was never escaping.

A gasp rippled through the crowd at Carol’s words. The pack laws did say that anyone caught of heinous crimes would be hanged. Theft wasn’t a heinous crime, but the weight of what was stolen did put it in that box.

"That’s preposterous, Carol! Hanged for theft?" Lydia snapped angrily.

"That’s right, I agree with Lydia. That doesn’t seem fair," Callum said too.

"Fair? Is it fair that I had to panic so hard from the fear of losing the family’s heirloom? Or the hundreds of servants I had running around to find it? The emotional stress caused to my daughter and I. None of that is fair. I want her punished accordingly," Carol gritted out.

Cain raised his hand again, cutting off the rising argument. "Theft is a serious accusation," he began, his gaze roaming around the room before settling on Carol. "But I won’t tolerate chaos in my hall, nor will I hand down punishment based on circumstantial evidence and panic." He turned to Lydia, his expression unreadable. "You believe she’s innocent?" frёeωebɳovel.com

Carol bristled, but before she could speak, Cain’s voice cut through the air again. "And you, Lady Williams, claim to have irrefutable proof of her guilt?"

"The necklace was found in her room, Alpha Cain. What more proof do you need? She—"

A sharp glare from Cain had her shutting up, Cain’s gaze landed on Martha, "You said the necklace was under her bed. Who else was in the room during this search?"

Martha hesitated, casting a wary glance at Carol and Kendra. "I was there, along with Lady Williams, Kendra, and two of the other maids."

"And did anyone see her take the necklace or place it under the bed?" Cain pressed, his voice low.

Martha fidgeted. "N-no, Alpha. But it was in her room. That must mean she—"

"It means nothing," he snapped, cutting her off harshly. "There will be no hanging today," he announced, "This matter will be investigated properly, and until then, Avery will be remanded in the dungeon under close watch."

Carol’s face lit up in even more anger. Dungeon? She didn’t go through all this drama for the dungeon. "Alpha Cain, you cannot be serious! She—"

"I said enough," Cain growled, "You dare question my judgment, Lady Williams?"

Carol flinched, her bravado faltering under Cain’s glare. "O-of course not, Alpha. I only meant—"

"Then be silent..." his gaze flickered to the guards who had now stormed forward, grabbing Avery’s arms roughly even though she doesn’t protest to it. "Lock her up," Cain ordered, and Avery is dragged out of the hall. Xander watched on, his jaw clenched hard.

"This meeting is over. Return to your duties."