Skyler’s sudden scream pierced the calmness of the night. The sound echoed through the trees, alerting everyone in the vicinity. Werewolves who heard the screams rushed out of their houses, curious and worried about what could have caused such a loud noise.
Caleb, who was the closest to Grey’s chamber, sprinted towards the source of the scream.
As he approached the door to his elder brother’s room, Caleb’s heart pounded in his chest. He hesitated for a second before pushing open the door.
“Grey! Sky! Sky!!! What’s going on? Where are you both??” He called out as he walked inside the room.
He heard whimpers coming from the bathroom so he made his way there and what he saw inside made his blood run cold.
Grey, his elder brother, lay lifeless in the bloody bath, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.
Caleb’s mind couldn’t comprehend what had just happened. He fell to his knees and tears streamed down his face.
His elder brother Greyson Howler was like his best friend. Grey became crippled and wolfless when a witch attacked Caleb as a child and he got hit while trying to protect Caleb. And ever since then, Caleb owed Greyson his life.
Skyler just stood there, her eyes wide with terror. Her hands were still on her mouth and the look on her face spoke volumes about how scared she was. Her hands were shaking, and she was trembling all over.
Caleb’s rage boiled over as he looked at Skyler. He knew that she had been the only other person in the room with his brother. He stood up, his eyes blazing with fury, and took a step towards her. “You did this,” he spat, pointing at her. “You killed my brother.”
Skyler’s face turned white as a sheet, and she shook her head vigorously. “No, no, I didn’t do it,” she whispered, backing away from him. “I swear, Caleb, I didn’t do it.”
But Caleb wasn’t listening. He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the room, ignoring her protests. He marched her towards the Alpha’s quarters, where he knew his father, Jackson Howler, the reigning Alpha of the ShadowClaws pack, would be.
As they approached the Alpha’s study, Caleb banged on it loudly. “Father,” he shouted. “Open up, it’s urgent.”
The door opened, and Alpha Jackson appeared, looking surprised to see his son there. “Caleb, what’s going on?” he asked.
Caleb pushed Skyler forward, almost throwing her at his father’s feet. “She killed Grey,” he said, his voice shaking with anger. “She murdered him in cold blood. I went into his room and found him lying lifeless in a bloody bath.”
Alpha Jackson looked down at Skyler, who was now sobbing uncontrollably. “Is this true?” he asked her.
Skyler shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “No, I didn’t do it,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I found him dead when I walked into his room, that was why I screamed. I didn’t do it. I would never hurt anyone.”
But Alpha Jackson was already convinced. “Take her away,” he said, his voice cold and harsh. “We will deal with her tomorrow.”
Caleb nodded and a sense of satisfaction spread through him. He would avenge his brother’s death, and he was going to make sure that Skyler paid for it.
Skyler, on the other hand, looked up at him with a look of utter betrayal on her face. She knew that she had been framed, but no one would listen to her. She was alone, scared, and helpless.
Caleb’s face was contorted with rage. “Get up,” he barked, grabbing her roughly by the arm. Skyler stumbled to her feet, her eyes wide with fear. She had never seen Caleb this angry before.
“Ple…ase please believe me. I did not kill Grey.” She cried out, trying to pull away from him.
Caleb dragged her out of the study as though she was a thief. His grip on her arm was so tight that she could feel his claws digging into her flesh. She stumbled along behind him, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to keep up with his frenzied pace.
As they made their way down the dimly lit corridor, Skyler’s mind raced, trying to figure out who would want to frame her. But before she could even form a coherent thought, they had arrived at their destination: the dungeon.
Caleb threw her into the cell and his face twisted in disgust as he looked at her. Skyler landed hard on the cold stone floor, her hands and knees scraping against the rough surface. She looked up at Caleb, her eyes wide with terror, and tried to plead her innocence.
“I didn’t do anything,” she cried. “Please, Caleb, you have to believe me.”
But Caleb didn’t listen. He just sneered at her and called her a murderer before turning on his heel and walking out of the cell, the heavy door slamming shut behind him.
Skyler was left alone in the darkness and her mind reeled with confusion and fear.
Skyler had never felt so alone in her life. The dungeon had become her home for the past few days, but now she was being led out into the cold night. She shivered as the chilly air brushed against her skin.
As she emerged from the dungeon, she was met with a sight that made her stomach churn. The ShadowClaws pack members were all gathered around, staring at her with contemptuous eyes. They wore black attire to honor the dead, but Sky knew that their true intention was just to mock her.
She was dressed in black too, but it was more out of obligation than respect. She knew what was about to happen, and it made her sick to her stomach. She was being forced to undergo the mating process with the corpse of Grey whether she wanted to or not.
Alpha Jackson and the pack had decided that this was the only way to honor the dead, but Sky knew that it was just a cruel tradition meant to shame her. She tried to steel herself for what was about to happen, but her mind kept drifting back to Caleb.
Why had he turned on her so suddenly? What had she done to deserve this treatment? She couldn’t help but feel a wave of anger wash over her as the pack members began to throw questions at her, asking her why she had killed Grey.
Sky didn’t say a word. She couldn’t bring herself to speak in the face of their ridicule. But as the mocking continued, rage overwhelmed her. She couldn’t take it anymore.
“Enough!” she exclaimed, her voice cracking with emotion. “I regret ever loving Caleb. He’s the one who did this to me. I’m not a murderer.”
Her words hung In the air for a moment before the pack erupted into laughter. They didn’t believe her, and they never would.
Caleb’s eyes blazed with fury as he watched Sky rambling on about not being a murderer. He had had enough of her rambling so with quick, determined strides, he closed the distance between them and leaned in close to her ear.
“You need to admit your guilt in killing Grey,” he whispered, his voice low and menacing. “Or else, I’ll make sure your mother pays the price.”
Sky recoiled at the words, her eyes widening in fear. She tried to back away, but Caleb’s grip on her arm was too strong, holding her in place. His breath was hot against her ear as he continued to threaten her, his voice dripping with malice.
“You don’t have a choice in this, Sky,” he hissed. “You’re going to do what I say, or you’ll regret it.”
Trembling with fear and anger, Sky glared at Caleb. She couldn’t believe that he was threatening her with her mother’s life again. She didn’t want to give in this time but the thought of her mother being harmed was too much to bear.
With a deep, shuddering breath, she gave in to Caleb’s demands and admitted to a crime she did not commit.
Sky stood before the pack, her head held low in shame. The pack members watched in silence as Alpha Jackson stepped forward, his eyes cold and calculating.
“Skyler,” he said, his voice carrying across the clearing. “By admitting your guilt, you have been confirmed as feral. And you are sentenced to life in the rogue unit, where you will remain until the end of your days.”
As the pack members began to murmur amongst themselves, two wolves stepped forward to drag Sky away. She stumbled as they pulled her along, her eyes darting around the clearing in search of any hope. And then, she saw Caleb standing there, his eyes fixed on her.
“Wait!” she called out, struggling against the wolves’ grasp. They paused, giving her a moment to speak. “Caleb,” she said, looking directly at him. “Did you ever love me?”
Caleb’s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing as he regarded Sky. “Love you?” he said, his voice dripping with derision. “You were just a weak Omega, Sky. I never loved you.”
Sky flinched at his words, the pain of rejection cutting deep. And then, Caleb said something that made her heart race with disbelief.
“The one I loved,” he said, his voice low and intense, “was Sage. Your step-sister.”
Sky stared at him as he turned and walked away, leaving her to be dragged off to the rogue unit.
As she disappeared into the trees, Sky couldn’t help but wonder what would become of her.