SLOANE: BALLERINA OF THE GHOST KING

POV: Sloane Waylon

I wasn't supposed to be here but I was anyway. I had been summoned for a final blessing by Elder Caelum, the most respected voice of the council. Just a formality before the official Luna crowning. Something even more surprising because this has never been done before.

The door to Elder Caelum chambers was slightly opened which was a goal for me to get in but as I stepped into the Elder's chambers, my world shattered.

“Alora?” I whispered out, shock written all over my face.

My sister, Alora was kneeling over him, the dagger still buried in his chest, both hands soaked in blood. Elder Caelum’s eyes were wide open, frozen out of fear with his mouth spitting out blood.

Alora jerked around, her eyes settling on me in shock and disbelief. “Sloane….oh gods, I didn't mean….”

I stood frozen in the doorway, shaking my head. “What did you do?!”

“He….he tried to touch me!” She cried, stumbling to her feet. “He was trying to….he said things. He said he wanted to do things to me. I panicked, I ... .I grabbed the dagger, I didn't mean to kill him ....”She blabbered, breaking into a sob that didn't reach her dry eyes which felt off.

“He tried to touch you?”

It felt so hard to believe. Elder Caelum wouldn't even do such a thing.

“W…why do you sound like you don't believe me? You don't believe your sister?” She asked, coming closer to me with her eyes holding onto my gaze.

“No. It's just so hard to believe. He had called for me for a final blessing and he couldn't have called you as well. And here you are…with a dagger…and he is lying lifeless on the floor…”

“That's the reason you should have seen that he called me here too. He called me here late in the evening.” She snapped, tears slowly slipping down her face. “You have to believe me.”

I shook my head, my hand slowly massaging my temple as I tried to unseen what I had just seen.

“It still didn't justify your actions, Alora. There is no proof to show that he was trying to do anything with you. You could have called for help….I …mean you sh…”

“Is that all you have to say to me after I tried to defend myself? This was only out of defense. I can't hurt a fly and you know that.” She choked out.

For some minute, I could see the fear in her eyes- it didn't look like a remorseful fear, but it looked like the fear that she was being caught.

I took a step back, instinct curling hot in my gut as I forced out the words. “You have to tell the council.”

“What?” Her eyes widened in disbelief.

“Yes, Alora. That's the only thing I can suggest at this point. You have to tell them you tried defending yourself.”

“No!” She surged forward and grabbed my wrists, eyes wild. “If they find me here like this, they will never believe me. You know what they'll say. That I seduced him. That I wanted it. And you? You are the Luna-to-be, they listen to you. Just …just let me go get help.”

My mind raced at her last words. This didn't make sense. How can she come up with this?

“I’ll go with you,” I said.

“No!” She shook her head quickly, too quickly. “If they see me like this…like this…they’ll assume the worst. But you, they’d never think you did it.”

“What are you saying?” I whispered, still not getting where her plan was heading to until she dropped the bomb.

“Let me borrow your cloak,” she said softly. “Let me switch clothes with you. Just for a moment. I will go get help and tell them what happened. Please. You trust me, don't you?”

I stared at her in utmost disbelief.

“Alora. This doesn't make any sense at all. Why should you want to switch clothes when I can go out to tell them myself?”

“Because I will be able to explain to them myself. You might be too soft hearted and I don't want to ruin this for me. They can't think I killed him intentionally.”

I stood there, staring at my baby sister. I loved her more than I could ever explain and seeing her in a situation like this. She wouldn't kill someone without any tangible reasons.

I stared down at her rumbled dress. It was indeed true. Elder Caelum had done something despicable to my own sister.

How come?

And I handed her my cloak.

∞∞

It took only a few minutes. I removed the Luna-white cloak perfected with gold trim and she peeled off her blood-soaked robe. I wrapped it around myself with trembling hands as the cold blood made me shiver.

“Don't move,” she whispered, adjusting my braid. “I will be right back.”

She turned and sprinted down the corridor while I stood still, numb, the blood cooling on my skin. The blood of a man who molested my sister.

I couldn't even stare at him.

A few minutes passed and I started to hear them. Footsteps thundering closer. I expected warriors. Council members.

What I didn't expect was the crowd.

They flooded in- my mother, pale and sharp-eyed; my father, the Gamma of the Alpha King, with a face filled with shock. My fated mate, Kade, the Alpha's only son, stormed in behind them like a storm, followed by guards and pack members.

And beside them, perfectly clean, perfectly innocent-looking-Alora. No blood in her hand.

“There she is!” She cried, pointing at me with a trembling hand. “I found her standing over Elder Caelum’s body. She killed him!”

My jaw dropped and my eyes widened in shock.

Wait what?

No. This must be some sort of joke but with the disgusting reaction from everyone, I knew it wasn't it at all. It was at that moment I realised it. The turn. The twist.

“No…no, Alora, you told me he….” I turned to my mother, reaching out. “She told me he tried to….she said she stabbed him…he tried molesting h…”

A slap cracked across my cheek before I could finish my words.

My mother's eyes blazed. “How dare you? Blame your sister for murder?”

I staggered, hand to my face.

“Mom, please…I only did what she asked ... .I thought I was protecting her, I thought she needed….”

“She's lying,” Alora choked out in tears, clinging to father's arm like a fragile dove being cheated on. “I was on my way to see you when I heard a sound…then I saw her stab him. She didn't know I saw her. I ran for help and I somehow knew she would blame it on me. How despicable.”

My breath caught in my throat as I gasped in disbelief.

Kade stepped forward, his face void of emotions. “Tell me the truth, Sloane. Did you do this?”

I turned to him, blood on my trembling hands. “Kade, you know me. I would never. She's lying. I was only….she tricked me…” I couldn't even put words together.

He recoiled like I had just hurt him in his ego.

“You disgust me.”

His words didn't come out loud but I felt it in my bones. His hateful voice.

I reached for him, tears starting to gather my eyes. “Kade, please…..I told you about this before coming. I told you Elder Caelum called for a final blessing and then…and then… You can't do this to me!”

He snatched his arm back like I carried a disease. “Don’t touch me with those filthy hands of yours.” He spat, his eyes holding nothing but anger. “How could I? How could I have ever thought you were worthy of standing beside me? How could I have ever thought of giving you that Luna title?”

“I didn't…” My voice broke. “I didn't do this. I swear, you have to believe me. She did. Investigation should be done on this matter. You have known me for years and I might not be good but….”

“You're not fit to be Luna,” my father said flatly like I meant nothing to him. “A murderer does not lead our pack. I am so ashamed to call you my flesh and blood.”

I looked over at Kade, last hope in my eyes but his next words shattered my soul. “I, Alpha Kade of the Clanfang Pack, reject Sloane Waylon. You will no longer be addressed as Luna-to-be.”

“Ah” I gasped, my hand slowly clutching the side of my heart. I could feel the snap, the rejection and the whimper of my wolf, Tia.

Guards closed in around me as the tears I was keeping in, streamed down my eyes.

“No…no, listen….LISTEN TO ME!” But they didn't. They yanked my arms behind my back while I stamped on my foot.

“I didn't do this! She did! Alora did! Alora,” I yelled, turning my face back to her. She had a cunning smile on. That proud smile. “Alora, please, tell them you did this. We will find a way around this for sure. Tell them you did this. Tell them how he tried molesting you. Tell the…”

The crowd roared, too loud to hear me.

“Liar!”

“Murderer!”

“You killed your brother too and now you killed Elder Caelum.”

“You want to frame your sister?”

“Curse her!”

“She deserves to die.!”

“Death to traitor's!”

I thrashed on the floor in their grip, my heart pounding, screaming in tears until my throat gave out. I killed my brother ? Was that even the truth? I watched as Alora sobbed on my mother's shoulder…perfectly believable while Kade turned his back on me.

My wolf whimpered inside me,powerless. Something had slipped into my wrists that couldn't make me shift into my wolf and fight.

The blade was brought forward.

The executioner stepped up with no hesitation.

“By decree of the Elder Council and command of the Alpha line,” he intoned, “Sloane Waylon is hereby stripped of all titles and sentenced to death.”

I fell to my knees. My eyes wide opened in shock.

Not that I didn't know about this. Not that I didn't know there was no punishment for murder except death. But I had trusted my sister. I wanted to be of help. However, I had forgotten what she was the last time I helped her. How she turned it all on me.

Moon goddess, I have been stupid.

“Mother,” I sobbed, locking eyes with her. “Please. Tell the truth. I know you know I can't do this. Alora did. Why have you all decided to ....”

But she blinked slowly and looked away.

The executors tied my hand up, the blade pointing toward my direction. “Please, don't do this. I am innocent. Investigat….”

The blade slid into my heart before I could complete my statement, blood choking out from my mouth as tears rolled down my cheeks.

“If I was given a second chance…. What would be the plan?”