Kara's POV
"She's lying!" Kara shouted, jumping to her feet. Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest. Everyone in the room stared at her. "Sasha, tell them the truth!"
Sasha's blue eyes never left Kara's. Her smile made Kara's skin crawl.
"Why would I lie, sister dear?" Sasha asked, her voice sweet as honey but cold as ice. "Everyone deserves to know what really happened that day."
The room erupted with sounds. Some people yelled at Kara. Others demanded Sasha explain. Kara's father sat frozen in his chair, his face white as snow.
"QUIET!" Zane's voice boomed through the hall. Everyone fell silent.
Zane stood up, his cold eyes moving between Kara and Sasha. "This changes everything. The council must meet secretly to discuss this... development."
"But my testimony—" Sasha started.
"Will be heard," Zane cut her off. "But not like this. Not with everyone screaming."
Kara couldn't breathe. Her sister—her dead sister—was living and accusing her of attempted murder. This couldn't be happening.
As the crowd began to leave, talking and pointing at Kara, Caden appeared at her side.
"Come on," he whispered. "Let's get you out of here."
Kara let him lead her away, her legs moving on their own. They ended up in the kitchen, away from curious eyes.
"How is this possible?" Kara gasped, grabbing the counter to steady herself. "I saw her drown. I tried to save her!"
"I don't know," Caden said, giving her a glass of water. "But Sasha coming back now, right when you're supposed to become Luna... it's not a coincidence."
Kara took a sip, her hand shaking. "What do you mean?"
"Things have changed while you were gone," Caden said, checking to make sure they were alone. "The pack is split. Some back your father. Others want Zane's father to take over."
"And making me Luna would help my father keep power," Kara realized.
"Exactly. But if everyone thinks you tried to kill your sister..."
A horrible thought hit Kara. "Wait. If Sasha's living, where has she been all these years? And why would she lie about what happened?"
Before Caden could answer, the kitchen door swung open. Lena walked in, her green eyes gleaming with happiness.
"Well, well. The murderer and her guardian," she said. "Enjoying your last moments of freedom?"
Kara stood up straight. "I didn't try to kill my sister."
"Save it for the council," Lena smirked. "Oh wait, they probably won't believe you either."
"What do you want, Lena?" Caden asked.
"Zane sent me to fetch the accused," Lena said. "The council is ready to hear from both sisters."
Kara's stomach turned into knots, but she nodded. "Let's go."
As they walked to the council room, Kara noticed pack members watching her with fear and anger in their eyes. They had already decided she was guilty.
The council hall was a small room with a round table. Kara's father sat with the other council members. Zane stood by the window, his face blank. Sasha sat in a chair to the side, looking cool and confident.
"Sit," Zane told Kara, pointing to a chair opposite Sasha.
Kara sat down, her heart racing. This felt like a battle.
"Sasha," Zane said. "Tell us what happened the day of your... disappearance."
Sasha's smile faded, replaced by a sad look that Kara knew was fake.
"Kara and I went to the river to play," Sasha started. "Our father had told us not to go there, but Kara insisted." She stopped, her blue eyes filling with tears. "We were skipping stones when we started fighting. Kara was always jealous of me—of my skills, of how everyone loved me."
"That's not true!" Kara stopped.
"Silence," one of the council members snapped.
Sasha continued, "She pushed me into the deep part of the river. I couldn't swim well. As I struggled, she just watched. She didn't try to help until she heard someone coming."
Kara couldn't believe what she was hearing. This wasn't how it happened at all.
"When I went under, I thought I was going to die," Sasha said, a tear sliding down her face. "But someone pulled me out downstream—a woman from another pack. She took me in, kept me safe. She told me Kara and our father had declared me dead without even searching properly."
"Why didn't you come home?" Kara's father asked, his voice breaking.
"Because I was afraid," Sasha whispered. "Afraid of Kara. Afraid you wouldn't believe me."
"This is insane," Kara said, standing up. "I didn't push her! We were playing, and she fell in. I tried to save her!"
"Then why did you run away?" Zane asked, his eyes boring into hers.
Kara failed. "Because... because everyone blamed me. Because Dad couldn't even look at me without seeing Sasha. Because I blamed myself too."
The room fell silent. Kara could feel tears burning in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
Finally, Zane spoke. "The board will decide what to do. Until then, Kara will be confined to her room."
"What about my duties as Luna?" Kara asked.
A small, cruel smile flashed on Zane's face. "Under the circumstances, I think it's clear you are not fit to be Luna."
"But the prophecy—" Caden started from where he stood by the door.
"Speaks of the Alpha's daughter," Zane finished for him. "We have two of those now, don't we?"
Kara's blood ran cold as she looked at Sasha, who smiled back with triumph in her eyes.
Two guards led Kara back to her room. As they locked the door behind her, Kara sank to the floor, her mind rushing. Everything was falling apart. Sasha was living but hated her. The pack thought she was a killer. And now Zane was saying Sasha should be Luna instead of her.
Hours passed. Night fell. Kara paced her room, trying to make sense of everything. How had Sasha survived? Who had saved her? And why come back now, with these terrible lies?
A soft tap on her window made Kara jump. She looked out to see Caden on the roof outside, motioning for her to open up.
"What are you doing?" she whispered as she let him in.
"Getting you out of here," he said quickly. "The council has made their choice. Zane's father is taking over as Alpha, and Sasha is to be named Luna tomorrow."
"What about my father?"
Caden looked away. "He's stepping down. He believes Sasha."
Kara felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. "He thinks I tried to kill her?"
"I don't know what he thinks. But it gets worse," Caden said, his voice dropping even lower. "I overheard Lena and Sasha talking. This was all planned. They've been working together for months."
"But why? What do they gain?"
"Power. With Sasha as Luna and Lena as her assistant, they'll control the pack. And..." Caden paused.
"What?" Kara demanded.
"There's something about a rite. Something they need you for."
A chill ran through Kara. "What kind of ritual?"
"I don't know. But after the reveal tomorrow, they plan to take you to the Forbidden Forest. And Kara..." Caden's eyes were full of fear. "I heard Lena say they won't need you alive afterward."
Kara's blood turned to ice. Her own sister was planning to kill her.
"We have to leave now," Caden said, pulling her toward the window.
As they climbed out onto the roof, a howl split the night air. Then another. And another.
"They've discovered you're missing," Caden said. "Run!"
They jumped down and raced for the trees. Behind them, more howls rose into the night. The hunt had begun.
As they reached the edge of the forest, a figure stepped out from behind a tree, blocking their way.
Kara skidded to a stop, her heart nearly stopping.
"Going somewhere, sister?" Sasha asked, her blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight. In her hand was a strange, ancient-looking knife. "The ritual can't begin without you."