Betrayal (Annabelle)

"Zig, she pushed Iris to her death," Ivy said, shock spiraled through me.

What? I shook from fright and my blood turned to ice once more, I opened my mouth but no words came out of his.

"Did you do it or not?" Alpha Ziglar's eyes were red like fire, I felt hot all over. His voice was as cold as ice.

"No, I didn't. I wanted to help her but she jumped on her own." It sounded like suicide but that was what it was.

To make matters worse, four men appeared, Kari hastened to one of them. "Beta Gaius, this is the bitch who pushed Iris. Is she okay?"

Beta Gaius's gaze met mine. He was as tall as the Alpha and fear shone in his eyes as he turned to face Alpha Zach.

"I'm sorry, Alpha but we couldn't find her body. We went on her as you instructed when we saw her fall with a tad but only her coat remained. There is black magic at work."

If her body couldn't be found, then I can't be punished right? Well, everything seemed orchestrated because Kari had a way of digging a grave for me.

"Then it's her, Zach. This bitch drugged you last night and had it not been me, you would have drunk it."

Was that the reason she didn't take the glasses she told me to spike? Alpha Zach froze momentarily, as he gazed at me from head to toe, disgust and confusion clouding his face but with a blink, the coldness returned. 

"You used dark magic in my pack?" His voice was calm and calculated, filling me with unease.

"What? Kari gave me the witch's portion but none of you drank it when I brought it so what are you saying?" I asked, my hope thinning. Kari opened her mouth to speak but Alpha Zach beat her to it, his dark gaze on me.

"So, you mean you indeed put a witch's portion in our drinks?" Did I just shoot myself in the leg?

Kari smiled evilly, and my head spun. "No, Alpha, I didn't know what it was and she slapped me when I questioned it," I tried to explain but Kari instantly brought her phone and gave it to Alpha Zach. Anger showed in his eyes as he showed me the footage.

"What Kari gave you, was just my special flavors but what you poured in my drink was different." The more I watched the footage, the more confused I began.

Why did the bottle Kari gave me, look different from the one I used? No one else had given me anything else.

"Isn't it obvious? She's a witch, using her prepared portion but thank goddess I was too smart for her. Zach, she used less than an hour to prepare the banquet hall in an insane speed. What else could she be if not a witch?"

Could I be a witch? Was that why I wasn't getting my wolf? If I wasn't then how did the two bottles change when they remained in my hand?

"No, I didn't do it. I had no idea of what she gave me."

"But when you failed to get me into your web? You targeted my sister, right?" Alpha Zach's expression was a mixture of agony and anger. "I didn't do it. All I wanted was to help her but she let herself fall."

No one seemed to believe me but if the things I heard about Alpha Zach were true, then he should give me justice right? "You are a just Alpha. You don't make mistakes but if you condemn me, then you are making a huge mistake."

His gloved hand came into contact with my face, I fell hard on the floor. "You, a witch and a liar, have the guts to call me unjust?" Kari was smirking with satisfaction, just as Ivy but I couldn't let the win.

Rising to my feet, I smiled and glared Alpha Zach in the eyes. "Yes, you are weak for believing her over me," I challenged him, another slap sent me to the floor again and this time, I burst into laughter and Kari's gaze darkened.

Yes, if I show them how much it hurts, they will think they won. "Hit me again, Alpha Zach, your punches aren't so strong," I taunted, his gaze darkened and all I saw was darkness.

The cold floor sent a shiver through me and my stomach rumbled from hunger. I never knew for how long I was unconscious but Alpha Zach's slaps were brutal. 

No one ever defeated me in a fight or was capable of sending me to the floor with just a punch and yet, he did so twice and the third one made me unconscious for how long I could not tell.

It was dark but the light from the moon gave me enough knowledge about my surrounding. I was in the Crimson Tribe's deadly dungeon and before I knew it, the metal grills lifted on their own accord.

Seeing it as an opportunity to escape, three men pushed me inside and the grills were locked back. Inside the dungeon was small and cold that their bodies were almost touching mine.

"What do you want?" I asked, refusing to show any sign of fear but as they smirked, the person behind it appeared.

"Draw her blood for me." 

One of the men removed a syringe but I hit it, it fell. With my blood sample, she might know exactly what I was but also, it could be used for other things I didn't want to think of.

"You will have to kill me first," I smiled at her, her anger burned. As someone who loved to see me suffer, it ached her whenever she saw me smile.

"Boys, have some fun first," she instructed, they licked their lips but before they touched me, I blocked them with the elbow, kicked one in the groin, and the other in the face.

These three were no match for me and in less than a minute, they were groaning on the floor. It wasn't because they weren't tough but I was just something I had no idea of.

Picking up the syringe, I stabbed them in the eyes, Kari screamed and the grills lifted.

More crimson warriors came in but this time, it was to retrieve the injured warriors.

Taking the opportunity, I grabbed Kari by the arm and threw her against the wall, following it with four slaps but she was lucky for the man who entered.

Since she framed me for murdering Iris, I could as well add her to my punishment. A Man entered and grabbed my arm before the grills closed again. 

"Gamma Reid, she almost killed me," Kari cried, earning a hysterical laughter from me.

Gamma Reid or whatever his name was, stared at me as if I had gone crazy. 

"You killed the Alpha's sister, drugged the Alpha, and now, you are trying to kill his fiancé? Annabelle, I never thought a fatuous omega was so bold and in fact, your life doesn't matter. Just to let you know, the brazen bull is being prepared for your execution."

As much as I tried, the smile froze on my face as Kari smiled and clung to Gamma Reid. "Is it true that Zach is going to give her a painful death?"

Her excitement was evident as Gamma Reid replied. "All the evidence point at her so she can't escape. Alpha Zachary makes no mistake."

"What bullshit," I yelled, unable to hide my anger any longer. "I am innocent."

He shook his head and responded indifferently. "That's what they all say."

As he led Kari away, she turned around with a proud and satisfied smile on her face. 

"I forgive you for your attack on me but I can't save you from the brazen bull. In case you haven't heard, once you are trapped it, no one opens it until the next three days and the fire never goes out. Your ashes will be cast into the lake, so you'll never find your way in the afterlife."

The sound of their steps faded in my ears, as I lost hope in Alpha Zach. Why does all the evident point at me when I did nothing?

The brazen bull was used in ancient times as a means of execution. Carved out of bronze, the culprit would be locked inside with a fire set under. The culprit would eventually die from the heat and even his corpse would turn to ashes. 

Such practices were outdated but Alpha Zach must hate me so much that he was relying on it.

"Annabelle, tell me you didn't do it," I heard Jack's voice echo through the walls of the dungeon before he reached me.

It was cold and smelly, as prisoners kept here had to pee and poop in the small hole created. It wasn't big enough to allow anyone to escape and though the dungeon seemed deserted, it still held the stench.

"I didn't do it. I went to help her when I heard her scream but she jerked and fell from behind," I said to jack through the grills, he stared sadly at me. 

"I believe you but Kari and Ivy are finding all evidence against you. I don't know why she hates you so much. Tell me, what did you do to her?"

The question left my mind blank. "What did I do to her, you are the one who introduced me."

He drew nearer to the grills and my stomach rumbled once more. "Jack, before I die, you should get me some food," I pleaded he shook his head and gazed pitifully at me.

"By the Alpha's order, no one is supposed to show you kindness. If you eat, you will gain strength and cause more trouble," he revealed, my heart sunk. "You don't believe I'm innocent, do you?"

His expression hardened instantly. "Where is the man you slept with? He should come and save you." His words numbed me. For a moment, I thought someone cared. Jack, especially but turned out he never really did.

"Get out," I let out, he scoffed. "What? What can you do? I told you to behave but you didn't. Because of your stubbornness, I won't get promoted any time soon. You are worthless to me."

The pain of his words got into me because of how much I trusted him but that was my mistake. I should have never trusted him in the first place. The sound of his retreating steps was all I heard, neglect and loneliness swept through the walls of the dungeon.

I laid on the floor to sleep but was awakened by multiple footsteps that seemed to halt at the entrance of the dungeon but the person I didn't expect, entered.