BETRAYED HEART

**Point of View: Lila**

I'm frozen, and my name is Lila. Over Sarah and me, the scarred guy stands with his knife gleaming in the moonlight. My stomach trembles at his rumble. Beside Clara's tent, we are apprehended attempting to retrieve the box containing her fictitious documents. Sarah tightens her fingers and takes hold of my hand. Although my legs feel like jelly, I still want to run.

The man approaches and says, "You shouldn't be here." Like a wolf poised to strike, his eyes are ruthless.

Sarah draws me away. "Leave us alone!" she exclaims in a courageous voice.

His laugh is low and menacing. According to Clara, you're trouble. It's time to leave.

Half-open in the mud, I gaze at the box. The documents, which demonstrate that Clara is lying about me being a traitor, are right there. They must reveal the truth to Ethan. I inhale deeply before lunging for the box. Sarah pushes the man away as he swings his knife. When he falters, I seize a piece of paper and hold on to it tightly.

"Lila, run!" Sarah shouts.

With the paper crinkling in my hand, I run into the darkness. I hear the man pursuing us, but Sarah is behind me. My face is scratched by branches, and my heart is racing. I don't turn around. As the moon illuminates our path, we avoid trees. It's silent in the camp, but I can hear the man approaching with heavy footsteps.

Panting, we slide behind a large rock. Sarah has large eyes. "You got it?" she asks in a whisper.

I hold out the paper and nod. I can read it even if it's crumpled. I'm meeting rogues to harm the pack, it says. All of it is false. The thought of Ethan believing this makes my chest ache.

I say, "We have to find Ethan." "This must be seen by him."

Sarah nods, but fear is visible on her face. "What if he doesn't pay attention?"

That's not something I want to consider. My friend is Ethan. He must trust me. We remain low and sneak back into camp. Most of the wolves are sleeping, and the fire is nearly extinguished. The flap of Ethan's tent is open when I notice it. My heart leaps. I might be able to speak with him now.

As we approach, I hear Clara's voice. Ethan's tent is where she is. My stomach twists, and I pause. I'm pulled behind a tree by Sarah. While hiding in the shadows, we listen.

Clara says, "Ethan, you made the right decision." "Lila isn't beneficial to the pack."

Ethan sighs, and I hear it. "I'm not sure, Clara. She is my partner. She is a part of my heart.

It hurts my eyes. Does he still sense me? Clara, however, chuckles cruelly. She is a traitor. You saw the evidence. I am the kind of powerful person you need.

I grip the page more tightly. Ethan is unaware that it is a phony. Sarah stops me from running in and showing him.

"Hold on," she murmurs. "We must have a plan."

My heart is breaking, yet I nod. Ethan remains silent for a while. "I need to think," he adds. Clara, leave me alone.

With her blond hair bouncing, Clara sighs and storms away. She is not aware of us. I wait for her to go before slinking over to Ethan's tent. Sarah remains behind, keeping an eye out for the man with the scars. I take a look inside. With his head in his hands, Ethan is seated on his bed. He appears depressed, as if he had lost something.

"Ethan," I interrupt in a whisper.

His hazel eyes widen as he looks up. "Lila? You're expected to leave!

With trembling hands, I raise the paper. "Clara is telling lies. This claims that I am a traitor, yet it is untrue. She created it in order to get rid of me.

His face bewildered, he accepts the paper. His eyes are moving quickly as he reads it. "From where did you obtain this?"

I say, "From Clara's tent." She has a man working with her. In order for her to be your partner, they want me gone.

Ethan gives a headshake. "This isn't possible. Clara is assisting the group.

My cheeks welled up with tears. "You don't think I'm real? Ethan, I'm your mate!

His face is ripped as he stands. "The elders gave me evidence, Lilia. Plans, letters. You're with rogues, they say.

"It's all phony!" I exclaim, raising my voice. "Everyone is being duped by Clara!"

He glances at me after glancing over the page once more. "I am unsure of what to believe."

It breaks my heart even more. I step forward and take his hand. "Ethan, feel me. I would never harm the pack, you know.

For a moment, his eyes are compassionate as he examines our hands. Then, however, he withdraws. "I can't, Lilia. My strength is needed by the group.

I back off, tears streaming down my face. "You're going with Clara?"

He merely stares at the ground without responding. My chest hurts so much that I can't breathe, so I turn and flee. Sarah is waiting, her expression anxious.

She asks, "He didn't believe you?"

I cry and shake my head. "He believes that I am a traitor."

Sarah gives me a hug. "We'll figure something else out. Hurry up.

With a sorrowful heart, we dash back to the jungle. Even though the moon is still bright, it seems to be mocking me. We take cover in a dense thicket to gather our breath. The paper is still in my fingers, crushed. It's my only means of demonstrating my goodness.

"Now what?" Sarah queries.

I say, "We have to show someone else." "Elder Mary, perhaps. She is reasonable.

Sarah gives a nod. "All well, but we must exercise caution. There is still that dude out there.

The thought of the scar-faced man's knife makes me shudder. We remain silent as we make our way through the woodland. Even if the camp is asleep, I can feel eyes on it. We approach the tent of Elder Mary. It has flowers outside and is little. She has always treated me with kindness.

I gently tap the pole of the tent. "Elder Mary?" I mumble.

Mary's gentle face emerges as the flap opens. Sleep has left her gray hair disheveled. "Lila? Sarah? What's the matter?

I extend the paper. "Clara is telling lies about me." This is her way of saying, "I'm a traitor."

Mary picks up the paper and reads it with her eyes narrowed. "This is a major matter. Enter the house.

I tell her everything as we sit in her tent, including the phony documents, the scarred man, and Clara's whispers. Mary listens, her expression solemn. She declares, "This is bad." However, the elders have faith in Clara. We require additional evidence.

It breaks my heart. "What should I do?"

Mary gives me a hand pat. "Remain hidden. It will take some time, but I will speak with the other elders.

Sarah gives a nod. "Until it's safe, we'll remain in the forest."

We stealthily return to the trees after leaving Mary's tent. My mind is racing. I'm not believed by Ethan, and Clara is winning. Sarah's eyes are intense, yet I want to give up.

"We're not finished," she declares. "We'll discover more evidence."

I try to be bold and nod. We locate a hollow tree where we can hide. We squeeze in despite the cramped space. It's calm in the forest, but I can hear a wolf howling in the distance. My skin prickles from it. I wonder if Ethan will ever trust me again when I think about him.

When morning arrives, we remain hidden. Sarah emerges. "It's obvious," she states. "Let's find more of Clara's belongings."

My heart is racing as we make our way back toward Clara's tent. I hear wolves conversing as the camp begins to awaken. I spot the box in the dirt as we arrive at the tent. A shadow moves behind us as I grab for it. Clara is there when I turn, her eyes icy. The scarred man emerges smiling as she clutches a rope in her hand.

"Are you going somewhere?" Clara's voice sounds like the hiss of a snake.