~Lily~
"Get up, Lily! This is not the time to sleep!"
I heard the familiar high- pitched voice of our housekeeper.
But I was too tired to move my bones.
Subconsciously, my ears were picking up loud smashing and screeching sounds. I also felt it. That something was going on. But I just couldn't bring myself to get up.
No thanks to the alcoholic drinks my best friend, Lucy, smuggled in last night.
It was worth it though.
"Your father is getting dragged away!"
Hearing 'father and dragged', I jumped out of the bed, my bones suddenly agile.
"Dad…what…who's dragging Dad away?"
"The Alpha's guards are here! They are dragging him away!"
Every hair on my body stood erect. Panic and dread shot through me.
"Mom…where's Mom…"
Before she could answer, I dashed out of my room.
Getting downstairs, I could not recognize my house.
The living room had been turned upside down. The cushions overturned. Important artifacts lying around in pieces. Dad's favourite war portrait dangled loosely on the wall.
Then it fell and shattered.
"Mom, what's going on…"
"Lily…your dad…" She choked on her tears as she tried to speak. Her eyes were puffed and swollen from crying.
How long had this been going on and why was I just waking up…
I looked towards the door. Two of the Alpha men held my Dad roughly. It made my fists curl.
My father is a warrior Gamma. Head of the Pack warriors. One of the finest of the Pack. He'd led warriors to battles and brought victories to the pack. He would never do anything to tarnish his image. Never!
I immediately tried to go to him but was shoved back by the Alpha's men.
Sneering, I charge at the guards, my wolf gingering to be let out. I may be a seventeen year old girl but I wasn't weak. Neither was my wolf.
"Why are you taking my dad? He's done nothing wrong!" I sneered.
"The Alpha is the best to answer that question, young lady. We are only doing our duties."
"I'm not letting you take him! Let him go right now!"
"Or what?" A cold voice sliced through the air, instantly silencing the room.
Behind the house pillar, three most pretty boys emerged.
The triplet Alpha heirs.
The most handsome trio of them all, yet the most terrifying.
My body stiffened.
What were the Alpha triplets doing in my house?
But my head answered the question before I could finish thinking.
In the absence of the Alpha himself or his Beta, the next in command is mandated to carry out the Alpha orders.
And they were no one else but the Alpha triplets.
"Take him away and lock him up. His fate will be decided soon enough," Ryan, the youngest of the triplets snarled.
"Can I at least know what he's done…" I demanded, boldly.
I wasn't about to back down and watch them take my father away. They may be the Alpha heirs but he was my father and I trusted him with my life.
Riley, the second of the triplet, chuckled mockingly. "You wanna know what your father did?"
"Your father committed murder…he murdered my father's important guest!" Ryan growled, his eyes fiery.
Murder…Dad…that's impossible.
"And not just that…he collected bribes too. Damn greedy traitor," Riley added with a sneer.
I was shown the wraps of hefty sums they found in our living room.
"No way. My dad would never…he would never…" my lips trembled as I shook my head vigorously in disbelief.
My eyes swung towards Dad. His eyes met mine and for a moment, I could not find the right words. A feeling of helplessness washed over me.
Grinding my teeth, I focused back on the triplets.
"What will happen to him…"
"His crime is punishable by death," Riley sneered. Like he was enjoying the whole thing.
"Please…my father would never kill anyone…it could be a mistake…"
"Are you calling us fools?" Rowan, the eldest of the triplets spoke for the first time since they walked in.
His voice was chilling–resembling the very first voice that echoed before they appeared from the pillar. The tone alone was murderous! And the way he looked at me, it was as though he wanted to murder me on the spot. As if he had something against my very existence.
"I–" My throat clamped.
"And henceforth, you are nothing but a mere Omega," he added with a grit that was laced with nothing but venom.
They started to drag Dad out of the house.
As they left, Riley and Ryan had a smirk on their faces. Like they had just fulfilled a goal.
And Rowan…he had this expressionless yet deadly look on. He was always like this. Mysterious and the most ruthless of the three.
But why would the Alpha triplets personally come to watch me get humiliated?
I had never wronged them. At least not in any memory I had.
My only crime was having a crush on one of them. But I haven't even confessed yet and was planning on confessing in the upcoming bonfire night.
Only my best friend, Lucy, knew about it.
But now I guess it was never going to happen again.
Blinking back my tears, I walked over to my mom.
"Mom, we need to do something. We can't watch them take Dad away. We need to talk to the Alpha. Dad has been a loyal Gamma to him. He can't abandon him now. I have to meet him–"
"No Lily… don't do anything…" Mom mumbled, sobbing.
"But we can't just sit here and do nothing…dad would never kill anyone. You know he won't!"
"There's no need, Lily. Let us allow nature to take its own course. Let the moon goddess fight for us and vindicate us."
"How could we leave everything to the moon goddess? We should at least do something…"
"Ma'am–" A voice interrupted.
I turned to see our housekeeper and the two maids. Luggages in hand and a feeble attempt of pity plastered on their faces.
"I'm sorry but we can't work here anymore," the housekeeper said.
I was too weak to move. It had only been barely one hour.
Mom shuddered a sad sigh and asked me to get her purse.
"You don't have to pay the severance payments," the housekeeper interjected.
Although it was painful to watch them leave, almost immediately misfortune befell us. But I couldn't blame them.
Soon everything Dad worked hard for would be taken away. And we would be left with nothing to survive on, let alone retain domestic workers.
In a nutshell, we would not be able to afford such luxury anymore.
It was the law. The moment a man in such a position as Dad's was condemned. Everything he owned was automatically reversed to the Alpha.
And his family status demoted to Omega, the lowest rank in the Pack.
As I stood in the middle of the ruins our living room had been left off, a new wave of rage overtook me.
I couldn't bear to just watch and do nothing.
"Mom, I'm going to the pack house. There has to be an explanation to this."
"Lily! I'm telling you to do nothing!" Mom yelled.
My whole body vibrated. I spun and stormed upstairs.
Minutes later, my best friend, Lucy dashed into my room.
"Lily!"
As soon as I saw her, all the toughness I'd held in melted and I gave in to my tears.
"How could they be so mean!" She fumed as she pulled me into her arms. "Those damn triplets! I should kill them and end their lineage!"
"Dress up, let's cheer you up. We are going to the bonfire," she suggested.
"I can't go," I muttered, swiping my palm across my face.
"But you wanted to confess your feelings tonight?"
"What's the need? I can't confess my feelings to him now. Not after what happened. Right now all I care about is getting my dad free."
"Wait…" I faced Lucy, an idea coming to me.
"Your dad is one of the pack's Gamma warriors too. He can bear witness to my dad's integrity. Can he talk to the Alpha for me, please?"
Lucy pondered for a moment. "I'll try and talk to my dad, but for now, let's get you back on track."
"I really wish I could go with you but I can't. My mom won't let me go. I can't lie to her."
"It'll be just for today and besides, the Alpha triplets will be there. I'll go talk to them for you. They'll free your Dad and you get to confess your feelings too. Trust me, they are not as bad as they seem."
"You think?" I asked, even though I was finding it hard to believe the latter part. Considering the many rumours about them.
"Yeah, of course."
"You are the best. Thank you so much, Lucy."
"Anything for you, love."
I knew it was stupid to go for the bonfire night. Especially after what just happened.
But I also thought that maybe Lucy was right. This may be my only chance to free my Dad and confess my feelings to my Alpha crush.
But that same night I woke up in the middle of the woods, a blooded dagger planted in my palm.