THALIA
Sage grabbed my hand stopping me from relentlessly hitting his chest and when I looked at his face I realized what I had done, his jaw clenched and his green eyes had turned even a shade darker.
He raised my hand, pinning it to the wall, and he leaned so close to me that I thought I would pass out. "Save your wretched tears, witch!"
"Everyone knows how evil you are!" He seethed and I gasped.
"Even this morning you had tried to hurt Lena again, how could you give her something that hot? Are you angry she is back again when you had tried to kill her over the years?"
What?
It felt as if I was sinking into an endless void, one I would never be able to save myself from.
"N-No," my lips quivered.
Why does everyone keep thinking I had tried to kill Lena? My blood sister?
Eleven years ago, I couldn't recall what had happened in the forest, no matter how hard I'd tried. The only thing I could remember was being found wet by the riverside. Lena and I never had issues or arguments that could have resulted in us fighting or me attempting to kill her.
Then why—
A sharp cry emanated from my lips followed by excruciating pain, Sage was pressing the burned wound on my chest with his index finger and I grabbed his wrist trying to stop him.
"Pl-please stop, you're hurting me," I choked.
"The next time you ever think of hurting Lena or making her feel any discomfort at the slightest, I will make sure you feel pain far worse than this." He threatened, and it was just not any threat, Sage meant every word he said.
He pushed me to the ground and I fell on the broken glasses I had picked earlier in Lena's room, and intense pains shot through my palms and legs.
I began to sob, my fragile heart smashed beyond repair. Before Sage left, he gave me one dreaded stare and threw something at me then walked away.
I wailed and cried, my eyes were starting to hurt from the amount of tears I've had in the past few days, my nose flared in agony and I began to hiccup, clenching my bloody hands against my chest to calm myself.
Why does the universe have to be against me?
My eyes drifted to what Sage had thrown on me before he left, and out of curiosity I picked it up.
My heart paused. It was an ointment tube for burns. My eyes lifted in hope to the direction he had walked through, but he was no longer in sight.
Had he gotten this for me? Could there be a part of him that still cared for me?
*
My hands stung ceaselessly as I soaked my hands in soapy water while doing the dishes. I winced and pressed my lips in a tight line, trying to suppress the pain I was feeling due to the multiple cuts on my palms and wrists as I set the ceramic plates carefully on the kitchen counter.
I sighed, using my right arm to wipe the beads of sweat that formed on my forehead when two guards suddenly barged into the kitchen. My heart skipped a beat when I met their cold gazes and stern faces.
They approached me without a word and each one grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the sink.
"What happened?" I asked, taking turns to look at their faces for an answer, as my heart thumped loudly against my ribcage.
They didn't say anything, instead they dragged me out of the kitchen.
"Where are you taking me to?!" I screamed, fidgeting against them as they held me without a budge.
Panic settled into me, wondering what I'd done wrong.
"Pl-please...wh-where are you taking me to, I-I didn't do anything wrong," I begged desperately and my blood ran cold when I realized they were taking me to the Alpha's courtroom, and it could only mean one thing.
Trouble.
Tears sprang in my eyes as I looked at the guards, desperately, kicking my feet against the ground as they pulled me.
"Please!"
"Please, what did I do?"
The guards stationed at the entrance to the courtroom opened the door as soon as they saw us coming, and I was pushed forward. I stumbled, losing my balance, and tripped, falling to the ground.
I swallowed the bile in my throat as I scrambled to sit on the floor and glanced around. I saw other maids on their knees, whimpering and I tilted my head wondering what was happening.
Even the other maids are here too?
Up ahead of me was the Alpha seated on his throne with a deadly stare as our eyes met, and I looked away immediately out of fear.
My eyes darted to the side and I saw Father and Mother staring scornfully at me, My eyes drifted to the left and I saw Lena and the quadruplets together, and they didn't spare me from their vicious look either.
My eyes caught hold of Sage in particular, staring at me with a blank expression, my eyes lingered with his green ones for a while and his handsome countenance creased into a frown when he figured I was staring too long.
I blinked, tearing my gaze away.
What was I even thinking? That he cared because he threw an ointment tube at me?
I scrambled to my knees, lowering my head before the Alpha as my throat went dry.
"It has come to my notice that one of you has been stealing in my household of recent," Alpha Logan began, and I gasped.
Stealing?
"And you all know the punishment for stealing is severe," he said ruthlessly.
My palms became sweaty... who had dared to steal from the pack?
"Which one of you stole the diamond bracelets I had gotten for Lena?" He demanded, his gray eyes shooting daggers at us when I looked up briefly.
Did he say diamond bracelets?
I can remember the bracelet he was talking about, he had gotten it as a gift for Lena a few months back and Lena didn't fail to show it off whenever she could.
Who had the guts to steal such an expensive item?
"You wretched fools had better speak before I cast my wrath upon you all," The Alpha roared, and I trembled, my hand shaking for no reason even when I wasn't the one who had stolen the bracelet.
I glanced stealthily at the other maids, who were muttering to themselves.
"Lena dear, come here," Alpha Logan gestured towards her, and she marched forward while swaying her hips in the designer body-con gown she was wearing.
She climbed the few steps gracefully before standing next to the Alpha and turned to face us. She looked mad.
"Tell us who you suspect and might have stolen the bracelet," the Alpha suggested.
"Thank you, my dearest Alpha, for tabling this matter, I was so restless when I found out the bracelet went missing," she expressed sadly.
"I suspect all these filths, but my sister was the last person to come to my room, she might have taken it when I asked her to clean my room when I was with Mael and Ryder," she spoke, and I raised my head speechlessly, my jaw dropping to the ground.
What?
"I—"
"Guards!" Alpha Logan called loudly and the door opened.
I shook my head in defiance.
"There has to be a mistake, I-I didn't steal your bracelet, Lena," I tried to get on my feet.
How could she blindly accuse me without any evidence?
She folded her arms across her chest, "Oh, really?"
The guards walked in, grabbing my arms, and I tried to fend them off me.
"I didn't steal anything!"
"Please, there has to be a mistake, I didn't steal your bracelet," I cried.
"Fine!" Lena intoned, rolling her eyes.
"If you didn't steal the bracelet..." She turned to the Alpha. "Please, can you have the guards search every room of the maids? I can't afford to lose such a precious gift you gave to me," she flapped her lashes at the Alpha.
Alpha Logan nodded, smiling at her, "Such a wise decision, as expected of the future Luna of the pack," he regarded.
The guards let go of me, and I stared unbelievably at Lena, how could she think I would ever want to steal from her? Was she treating me badly as her sister wasn't enough say from her?
Was that how much she hated me?
"Search every room of the maids and get back to me once you find the bracelet," Alpha Logan ordered, dismissing the guards.
"Yes, Alpha," they bowed their heads in response and scurried out of the courtroom.
My legs were starting to get weak, but I did all I could to stand upright while I breathed hard.
My eyes and those of Lena's met momentarily, and she scoffed, looking away.
Everyone waited for the report of the guards.
I hope Lena was proven wrong, as she impatiently tapped her left foot on the floor... The door opened and one of the guards ran forward with a shiny object in his hand.
"Alpha, I've found it," he announced, and everyone looked eagerly at him.
Lena beamed.
He raised his hand for everyone to see.
It was the diamond bracelet.
Relief rushed through me, at least it has been found.
"And where did you see the bracelet?" Alpha Logan asked with a raised brow.
"In Thalia's room, Alpha, she hid it in a small box inside her drawer near the bed," he revealed, and my knuckles turned white.
I couldn't breathe.
What?!