“I am no traitor!” Ikrus yelled as different guards rushed up to him to capture him.
A guard next to the Alpha yelled.
“The Alpha was attacked tonight and the captured traitors declared that they were receiving orders from you, Gamma.”
“That is a lie!” Ikrus spoke up, enraged.
Aniya looked from father to son. The tension that grew thick in the air felt suffocating. She could feel her hope spilling through her fingers like sand.
“To the dungeon.” The Alpha ordered and this time when the guards took Ikrus away, he didn't fight them.
Not once did Ikrus look at her while he was taken away to the dungeon.
Oana begged for her father to stop them but he didn't listen.
While Aniya watched all this, everything suddenly became a distant echo and a realization washed over her like cold water.
This was a trap, one that the Alpha made for his son. He didn't want him to participate in the hunt because he knew he would win, and he didn't want him to win because he knew he would request for something that he didn't want to give him.
Now that Ikrus had been taken away and it was clear that her father wasn't going to change his mind, the Princess turned to her father, furious. “You did this, didn't you? Why do you hate him so much?!”
“Oana.” Her mother warmed but she was too angry to listen.
“You know he is innocent, you just don't want him to take part in the Hunt. I can see through your lies!”
“Another baseless accusation against your father and you will face dire consequences,” his voice was calm, like he was bored of her. “Sit down.”
Oana balled her fists and with one last angry look at her father, she turned away and left the Stone Bleachers.
Her friends went after her immediately, but Aniya was still so shocked at how things had turned out, she remained standing.
Ikrus reminded her too much of Belladonna and the father she was staring at reminded her too much of her own mother.
The hatred that existed between them and how differently she had been in a place that Oana seemed to occupy in this Realm.
“Oana!” The Luna tried to call her back but the Alpha held his hand up.
“Let her go.” Then he signaled to the Announcer who nodded.
“Let The Selection continue!” The Announcer declared.
A cheer filled the air and Aniya ran to catch up with the Princess.
___
___
Aniya could see Oana some distance away and she ran to catch up with her, moving through the tents.
When she came within hearing distance, she heard Oana snap at them to leave her alone.
“Go back!” Oana snapped at her friends and they came to a halt. When she started walking away again, the only one that followed was the one with blonde hair and now Aniya who had joined them.
“I will not warn you again!”
The blonde-haired female stopped. “I shall speak to you soon.”
Then she left but Aniya still followed.
“I said—”
“I heard and I’m so obedient that I shall listen to you.” Aniya rolled her eyes.
Oana balled and unball her fists, then she took a deep breath.
“He told me this would happen but I just didn't think that our father would—” she let out a shaky breath of anger. “He disregarded his honour. He shamed him and disregarded his title!”
She wiped her tears away.
“But I am most apologetic to you.”
Aniya's heart went cold, and something flickered in her eyes as she watched the Princess.
“I gave you hope where there was none. Forgive me.”
Before Aniya would reply to that, a woman leading some ladies in their direction called out to her.
“Princess Oana!”
Oana turned away to fix her face.
“The Moon Guardians in training,” she said before Aniya would ask her who they were, as she used to.
Then she turned to them and they started exchanging pleasantries. The woman leading the Moon Guardians in training, presented each Lady to the Princess and each lady presented a gift to the Princess.
They were about twenty, dressed in blue long, flare gowns, with round necklines and long sleeves.
They had blue scarves tied around their hair that revealed only a little of their hair. They barely had any jewelry on, except earrings, like this lady that was presenting her gift to the Princess.
“It is an utmost honour to meet you, Princess. My name is Ula.”
When she stepped forward to bow, Aniya had a better view at her earring and it hit her like a rock.
That was the same rose-shaped earring she had found in Ikrus' room after the attack!
“You must pay your respect to my brother's mate too.” She said in reference to Aniya. “Her name is Aniya and she is of high importance.”
Aniya blinked, and flashed her a smile but all she could think about was the earring.
Were the earrings connected? If the earrings weren't a rare type, this could be stupid thing to think of.
After the introductions were over, the Princess said something that confirmed all her doubts.
“Such pretty and rare jewelry you have there, Ula. You must have done something mighty to acquire it.” Ula smiled, she was quite chubby and her rosy cheeks raised to the occasion at the compliment. She had the most . “Saved a person’s life perhaps?”
Ula only smiled but that did nothing but raise Aniya's suspicion.
Maybe the attack on the Alpha was real. Maybe the attack on Ikrus on that day wasn't from the Alpha.
Maybe there were enemies within this place that wanted to kill the father and son and Ula was one of them.
Her heart was racing but she tried to stay calm. If their hearing was good, they would be able to hear that and she didn't want them to know anything, especially Ula who just might be a killer in disguise.