The Truth

Bambi

As the rain continued to fall, I found myself lost in thought about my mate.

The other girls had distracted themselves with their phones or a book, but there was no diversion that could make me stop worrying about Ekon.

~“We’ll pick up where we left off as soon as I know you and the rest of the pack are safe.”~

His words played in my mind over and over again.

My body wanted nothing more than to pick back up where it left off with Ekon, but my heart was still conflicted.

We weren’t on the same page—about the investigation…or about Matthias.

If he would just listen to me, then maybe we could…

“Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing!?” Kalindi shouted from outside the door.

There was a scuffle going on outside, and it sounded like Kalindi was resisting someone.

All of us girls instantly huddled together and held hands, unsure of what was happening.

Two Delta guards burst through the door with a furious Kalindi on their tail.

“This is the Luna’s bedroom, and we’re on lockdown!” she said, seething. “You have no right to be here.”

“We’ve been given the right by the Alpha himself,” the guard snapped. “Now move aside, or you’ll be violating the direct orders of Alpha Ekon Jedrek.”

What the hell was going on? Ekon must’ve had a good reason for this intrusion.

I approached the guards, who towered over me.

“What’s the meaning of this? Have you found the culprit that attacked me?”

“No, my Luna, but we’ve discovered something else. A traitor in our midst. Someone who has been leading a conspiracy against you and your mate.”

I gasped, and Victoria joined me at my side.

“Where is the Alpha? And where is my husband, Beta Ryland?” she asked the Deltas. “Why did they send you here to tell us this?”

“They’re at the pack house. We were sent here to make an arrest,” the guard responded gruffly.

My throat suddenly dried up, and I understood what was happening.

“We found a secret research room in the pack house containing covert intelligence on the Alpha, research on dark magic, and restricted materials that don’t have the proper security clearance.”

We were all stunned. There was nothing we could say.

As one of the Deltas pulled out a pair of silver cuffs, I prepared for the worst, but he brushed right past me and grabbed Ela by the wrist.

“Hey, get off me! What are you doing?” she yelled, struggling to break free.

“Get your fucking hands off of her!” Kalindi screamed, brandishing her spear at the Deltas. “There’s no way she has anything to do with this!”

The other Delta drew his own sword and pointed it at Kalindi in a standoff. “Actually, both the storage room and the restricted materials were taken out under your sister’s name. We even have security footage to prove it was her.”

Kalindi’s spear clattered to the ground as she looked at her sister in shock.

“Please, this is just a misunderstanding,” I pleaded. “Let me speak to Ekon.”

“You’re under strict orders to remain here,” he responded.

Victoria and Holly started crying, completely helpless to stop what was happening.

If we said one wrong word, we’d all be dragged away in handcuffs.

As the Deltas pulled Ela toward the door, Kalindi blocked their path.

“Don’t be foolish, Kalindi. You know the Alpha trusts you implicitly, but we have undeniable proof that your sister is conspiring against him. If you intervene, you’ll just make things worse.”

Kalindi looked like she was about to shift and tear the guards apart, but she knew what they were saying was true.

She stepped aside, with tears in her eyes. “Ela, don’t worry. We’ll get to the bottom of this. I know you’re innocent.”

“Kalindi, don’t let them take me!” Ela screamed as they dragged her out the door.

“I’m the Luna, and I command you to stop this at once!” I shouted, hitting the massive guards on their metal-plated backs, but they didn’t even look back.

They took her away, and there was nothing I could do.

~This is all my fault.~

I knew the danger when we started.

I knew that I wouldn’t be held accountable.

And I let her help me anyway.

I dropped to my knees and began sobbing.

“This is all my fault…all my fault.”

Holly and Victoria knelt down on either side of me.

“I understand how you’re feeling, Luna, but this isn’t the time for tears,” Holly said softly.

“We need to fix this,” Victoria said, with a look of determination. I’d never seen her look so dogged. “This is our damn responsibility.”

They were right. Why was I feeling sorry for myself?

I stood up and wiped away my tears. “Kalindi, where are they taking her?”

“Probably to…to the dungeons,” she said, her voice breaking. Her normally confident demeanor had shattered, and it broke my heart.

“Then that’s where we’re going,” I asserted.

Ekon

What I’d seen in that room shocked and disgusted me.

Detailed research on my past and my war history.

Articles and photos of grisly, gruesome rogue attacks.

~The Great Book of Witches~, one of my mother’s priceless heirlooms, which I’d made highly restricted.

And Matthias…

His name was fucking everywhere.

I couldn’t believe that this treachery was going on under my own nose.

And worse, by one of my mate’s closest friends and the sister of my trusted Gamma.

What was her endgame? Was she behind the attack on Bambi in the woods?

I didn’t understand her motivation, but I was sure as hell going to find out.

I stamped down the dark corridors of the dungeons, past countless iron cells. Each cell was several feet thick, with shackles as an extra precaution.

It could take a lot to restrain a werewolf, and we were prepared for anything.

Ryland was waiting for me outside Ela’s cell.

“Are you ready to do this, Alpha?” he asked, anger seeping into his tone.

His mate was also close with this girl. He must’ve been just as furious as me.

“Let’s get this interrogation started,” I growled.

We entered the cell where Ela was chained to the wall.

I didn’t even have to let my wolf out to see. It was already crouching on the surface, ready to let loose and tear something in half.

Her face was tear-stained, and her wide eyes were frightened. She certainly didn’t look like a cold-hearted, cunning bitch, but I knew looks could be deceiving.

There was no doubt that she was connected to the collusion that went on in that room.

I leaned down and got close to her face, and she whimpered in fright, no doubt scared of my half-shifted appearance.

I was surprised by how much she looked like Kalindi, but not even her familial relations could save her now.

“What…what are you going to do with me?” she cried.

“That’s entirely up to you,” I growled. “If you answer my questions truthfully and tell me what I want to know, it would be in your best interest. But if you’re difficult…”

I slashed the wall beside her with my claws, causing her to scream.

“You don’t want to find out what happens when you’re difficult.”

Bambi

I ran through the pack house lobby as fast as I could, with Holly, Victoria, and Kalindi right behind me.

I knew what Ekon was like when he was angry, and right now, he had to be furious. We didn’t have a moment to lose.

I couldn’t just sit back and let Ela take the fall for something I was responsible for.

I kept my investigation from Ekon before because I knew he wouldn’t listen, but now I didn’t have a choice.

He’d have to listen, but I’d also have to deal with the consequences.

As we hurried down the stairs into the damp and dark dungeons, I wondered if I’d be finding myself in one of these cells before the night was over.

Angry shouting immediately signaled me to Ekon’s location.

“Fucking tell me why you’re researching Matthias! And who are you working with?” Ekon roared.

“Please, no one. It was just me. Only me,” Ela sobbed.

I couldn’t believe she hadn’t given the rest of us up. If I was interrogated by Ekon, I’d probably crack instantly.

Kalindi raced in front of me and threw open the cell door, running in and kneeling next to her sister, who was drenched in a nervous sweat.

“Kalindi, what the fuck is the meaning of this?” Ekon thundered.

His wolfish appearance faded slightly as he scented me, standing in the doorway.

Ryland looked just as shocked to see Victoria down here.

“Bambi, why are you here? I told you to stay in your—”

“I’m here because you’ve arrested my friend and you need to release her immediately!”

Ekon paused for a moment, and then his intense, deep voice let out a warning. “You need to think about what you’re doing and back down,” he growled.

“No, you need to back down!” I yelled in response, summoning every ounce of courage that I had. “For once, you need to stop and listen to me!”

“Bambi, this is for your own damn protection!”

“Ekon, what we did… it was for ~your~ protection! And for the protection of the realm!” I shouted, fighting back tears.

He went stiff, and his eyes clouded over. I knew he couldn’t see me anymore.

“What…what did you just say? What do you mean ~we~?”

“I was the one who asked Ela to take those restricted files. And I was the one who was researching Matthias,” I said defiantly. “So, if you’re going to punish someone…it should be me.”