Elizabeth
" And why would he give you evidence if he plans on destroying this pack?" hissed Luna Caliana.
" I don't know. The man honestly seemed unstable in his mind. All he wants now is to stop launching these attacks against us and go back home, but Elizabeth doesn't want that," Even as he spoke, I could tell he believed his words.
My brain was reeling from all this. My hands were clammy. Princeton was setting me up. He was keeping his word.
" There is security footage of his presence in the general's home, Alpha," another man said to Aerys.
" Is this true?" asked Alec.
" Of course not," I whispered.
" Then how do you explain these pictures and the evidence?" I feel tears brimming in my eyes. I'm so shocked by all this. Their aura is swirling around me as though they would attack me any minute now.
" Princeton is setting me up. He wants me to go back home with him," I told him.
" That is exactly what the vampire male said you would say!" The general laughed, and it pierced my heart. However, at that moment, I didn't care about anyone else. I don't care if they believed me or not. I only wanted one person to believe me to trust, I'd never betray him. Aerys. His eyes didn't show anything. I didn't know what he was thinking.
" Is he your fiancé?" he finally asked, his gaze on me intense. I nodded my head,
" Yes, he was,"
I saw all the color leave his face.
" This evidence is unanimous," Jamal sighed. Of course, it is Princeton who fabricated it. He's a psychotic genius.
My mate moved back away from me slowly, unable to speak. He thought I betrayed him.
" I don't know how you can believe me with all this, but it is all lies, I swear," my voice was low. I kept my gaze on Aerys.
" You fooled me. You are engaged to another man." his voice was breaking, and my heart shattered to see him that way.
" I did, but I didn't want to. That is the reason I ran away from home."
" Don't believe her alpha! This evidence is overwhelming. Clearly, this vampire is an excellent liar. It says so on one of the documents, actually," General Yule barked.
" And the mate bond?" Alpha Edward asked through gritted teeth. His dangerous glare on me.
" We don't know."
" It's real. I can feel and see it," Selena said in a quiet voice.
Everyone was having a hard time believing me. I could see it on their faces, even my best friends.
" What Miss Elizabeth Valord did was perfidy. As pack council representative, we will have her in custody, and we can deliberate," the oldest man said. I could scoff, but I didn't have the strength to. My mate didn't believe me. Can I even blame him? The evidence was there on his face.
" Well, it's only us who knows. Is the death penalty necessary?" Suddenly asked Coen. I hadn't even realized that he was there.
" Documents have already been submitted to the whole council, young man. I understand that you were closest to her. Is there something you wish to confess?" General Yule asked, and then his gaze went to Yorna and Tonga. Seeing this, Alec growled and pulled his mate to him for protection. What was this general trying to do?
" No, don't get anyone involved. I lied. It was on me. No one knew," It was on me. I shouldn't have lied from the word go. I looked at Caliana apologetically. I'd never seen her look at me with so much content. I am sorry this happened.
" Take her," the council representative ordered. Two men in military uniform approached me. I backed away slowly, assessing them. I analyzed everyone in my vision. If I fought the two guards, all of them would attack me, thinking I was losing it. I was outnumbered and outmatched.
" No!" Aerys growled. " You're not taking her away."
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, but his next words crashed.
"Get out, Elizabeth, and don't ever show your face here again, or you'll be free to kill," he said, his voice hard.
" Alpha, she was behind the vampire attacks. They want to wipe us -"
" Shut the fuck up before I kill you," he growled. The authority in his tone was undeniable, making the man submit.
" Leave," he looked at me briefly and turned to walk away. I gave everyone one last look and bolted from there.
As soon as I left the gate, I fell to my knees and sobbed like a child. The guards were still watching me with concern. I was so tired of crying, but the torrents of tears didn't stop.
" That's her. Get her!" I heard someone growl. I got on my feet and started to run without looking back.
" Kill her the traitor!"
Huge beasts were hot on my heels, but I was faster. Running through streets and buildings. Why the fuck were they chasing me? Aerys said I could leave unharmed. Did he change his mind? They only stopped after I reached the border and disappeared into the forest.
I went to my old apartment to pack a bag. I needed to leave this city.
Using the front desk's phone, I called Harry.
" Harry,"
" Yorna told me what happened. Where are you? Are you alright?" hearing his worried voice triggered me again, and I bawled on the phone. I couldn't stop it.
" I l- lost A- Aerys,"
I lost my mate because of lies.
" I- I want to leave this city, Harry. Please get the jet ready for me," I was hiccuping.
The concierge looked concerned about me, but I didn't stop crying.
" Okay, where to?"
" I don't know,"
" I'll be there in twenty minutes,"
I hung up and went back to my apartment. Five minutes later, there was a knock. I got up, eager to see Harry, but it wasn't him at the door. It was a tall woman in a black ensemble. She looked odd, and part of her face was covered.
" Miss, there's a call for you," she said with a bright smile. I narrowed my gaze on her before reluctantly taking it and placing it to my ear,
" Hello,"
" Sweetheart, you are done crying?" his tone was mocking me.
" Princeton," I croaked, " You son of a bitch!"
" Indeed," he laughed.
" I - I," I couldn't speak.
" Shh. When can we meet up? We should go home together. Your parents were ecstatic to hear you are finally going home, Eli,"
" I'm not going anywhere with you, and if I see you, I will rip you apart for what you did," I growled.
The woman in front of me flinched, but still, she maintained a smile. She was under compulsion.
" I thought you might say that. That's why I have a little friend to help sway your decision. Here, go on, little one."
" Elizabeth? This man is scaring me," A small frightened voice spoke, and my heart dropped to the floor.
" Iris,"
Aerys
The council would have killed her. I did the right thing. I did the right thing. I had no choice, I repeated in my head as I walked away. She's a liar and a traitor. I did the right thing. However, as soon as I closed the door to my bedroom, my legs gave up, and I fell to the floor. I felt profound sadness and loss. My mate was gone. She betrayed me. Was she even my mate? Her face played in my mind, and I felt tears build up in my eyes. I fucking cried. It couldn't be helped.
I could feel Aire's despair rolling onto me as well.
I love you, Aerys. Elizabeth said to me. She lied because she had another man in her life. A fiancé whom she planned to attack my pack with. All for what?
Did she sleep with him too? How could she even let herself close to him after everything we have done together? Those pictures can't be denied. That evidence was undisputable, but the look she gave me had me convinced for a minute. Damn, I hated seeing her cry.
I buried my face in my hands. I felt something hot on my face. I hear the door open and close.
" Oh, Aerys. I'm sorry this happened," Comes my mother's gentle voice. She got on her knees and hugged me. I leaned into her, wanting her comfort.
" It hurts,"
" Of course, love sometimes hurts."
My mother suddenly stiffened and got to her feet.
" Iris isn't at the academy," she whispered. I got up, alarmed.
" What do you mean?" I asked.
" The driver went to pick her up, but she wasn't there,"
My mother was worried, so worried.
" Mom, I'll find her, okay?" I assured her. I rushed out of the room and went downstairs. Alec and Coswell were in the living room. They got up as soon as they saw me.
" Where's everyone?"
" They are all out, looking for Iris. Your mother's mind linked them as soon as the driver told her she wasn't in school," said Alec.
" Let's go," I marched out the door.
" Aerys, are you alright?" Coswell asked, concerned.
" I'd rather not speak."
We spent hours looking for my baby sister. An alert had been released to everyone in the pack, and they had their eyes out. However, it was just like she vanished. I was getting desperate when nightfall approached.
After hours of searching, our efforts were futile. Despite having hundreds of cameras in the pack, they were unable to catch anything. My mom and sister were a crying mess. My aunties were comforting them. Dad was talking to the warriors and police who were now searching.
Selena's locator spells had all failed. And I was numb. The police think someone took her for a ransom. I only hoped it was that otherwise, I wouldn't bear what I was thinking.