Amelia POV.

Blood, there was so much blood as I stared at the scene before my eyes that were wide open with shock and a chill that ran down my spine. Her stomach held in it a dagger, the sharp edges barely showing and I knew with certainty that whoever did this made sure she was not rescuable.

I staggered forward, rousing myself from my momentary paralysis and grasped the dagger, hoping against hopes that it was not a silver dagger or she would be beyond saving.

I added pressure on the still bleeding wound, my stomach lurching to my throat in revulsion and her eyes flickered open.

It met mine for the briefest of seconds and I opened my mouth to speak to her.“L-luna, you'll be okay” I tried telling her, my voice croaky and filled with pain and the unnerving thought that this was just a bad dream but she gave me the faintest of smiles.

Like she knew, she knew it wouldn't be okay and her eyes snapped wide open as the smile wiped off from her face as her chest shook under my palms and tears filled my eyes as she slowly fell to the ground.

She gasped for breath as I cradled her head to me, the sounds that left her tore at my soul. This woman was our Luna and she had always been there for me even when others turned against me, she was my second solace.

Her eyes closed up as I watched, powerless to help but I couldn't afford for her to die. I held the dagger and pulled it out, my hand covering up the space where it had been as I prayed for it to stop bleeding and heal.

A minute passed but cold blood still seeped out of the wound continuously and my eyes snapped to the side where I had thrown the dagger only to discover that it was indeed a silver dagger.

“No” I whispered brokenly, turning back to face her and shook her gently. “Wake up” I tried calling out to her with a low voice filled with anticipation but she made no movement.

I bent my ears to her heart and found no heartbeat and my heart stopped as I took my fingers to her nose and with a sudden fear that shook me, I found that there was no air to meet my fingers.

I scrambled backwards with a small scream leaving my lips with fear and sadness rushing into my heart.

Footsteps could be heard from behind me, rushing over to the spot where I was and I instantly stood to my feet to see who it was.

Asher, Mia, My father and three other people rushed to the scene and as soon as they met us there, they all came to a stop.

Gasps filling my ears and a painful wail left Asher's lips as he rushed to grab her and pull her to his body.

“Mother… wake up, mother wake up” he shook her like it was a joke, like he couldn't believe this had happened.

I was still unconvinced that she was indeed dead.

Father and Mia came to my side to hold my arms in comfort but I couldn't stop shaking, I could feel something was going to go horribly wrong.

“What did you do?” Asher's voice filled my ears with a chilling coldness and my heart ached, the bond between us crackling like lightning as I opened my lips to explain.

He gently laid her back on the ground and picked up the silver dagger. “You killed her” I shook my head wildly at his accusation, it cut straight through our bond like the dagger had been stabbed at me like a warning.

“I didn't, you have to believe me. I just came around and found her this way…” I said, trailing off as even I myself did not believe my words. But still I pushed on, trying to make him see reason but his eyes were red and murderous as he turned it back on my face.

All traces of the mate that had accepted me wholely all this months disappeared without a clue, he was convinced that I was the one who had killed his mother.

What sort of game was the moon goddess playing with me now?.

“You dare to quibble. You harmed my mother and you would face the consequences for doing such an evil thing” he yelled, taking steps towards me but father stood in his way.

“Alpha Asher, the incident that occured here doesn't mean that my daughter did it. We need evidence” father tried to reason with Asher but Asher merely laughed before he pushed father to the side and gripped my hands tightly.

“Is this not enough evidence for you, old man?” He asked as he squeezed my wrists so tightly and I stared at my hands to see it streaked with blood from the Luna.

“It wasn't me.. I didn't do that, you have to believe me, I couldn't have” I felt tears rush down my cheeks, hurt rushing through me as his hands crushed my wrists beneath it and I cried out with pain.

His fingers dug into my skin and drew out blood. He did not care to hear what I was trying to say to him. His mind was already made up that I was the one that had murdered the Luna, I wasn't..

“Enough, I will make sure you receive the consequences for your actions today. Murder in any pack is punishable by death and exile” he whispered with hate in his tone and my eyes widened with shock before he roughly pushed me to the ground.

“You can't do that.. I'm your mate. You have to listen to me, I didn't kill you mo-” a sharp sting sent my head turning to the side and pain ignited from my cheeks as a hand grabbed my jaws tightly and raised my head up to face him.

“Y--you slapped me” I couldn't believe it, Asher just laid his hands on me. He made promises that he would never let anyone touch me, or hurt me but why was he doing that to me now?.

“Shut up, you filthy mutt. For the murder of the former Luna, I give you the death sentence” he said, voice final as he squeezed my jaw tightly as if the mere thought of speaking to me made me feel rage and my heart broke.

The bond pulsed wildly inside of me, aching and making me almost crumple with pain at his words.

Why was he doing this to me? I thought…. I thought we were mates and he should be able to believe that I couldn't have done this, he could feel it in the bond.

“Listen to yourself, young Alpha. How could my daughter who is an omega kill a Luna with a wolf far more powerful than hers?” Father tried to reason with Asher but his nose flared and his eyes turned black completely.

“So she had help, you killed her and you want to put me off track.” He began, spewing out accusations that made no sense and my eyes widened with shock and disbelief.

My father would never do such a thing? It sounded preposterous and evil and my father was a kind man at heart and even physically!.

“What..?” Father questioned with disbelief at his reasoning but Asher wasn't listening. He was filled with an anger at the both of us that I was beginning to think did not start today but I had to find a way to convince him of my innocence, of our innocence.

“Execute them immediately. I want them to pay for their crimes.” He said but I rushed forward to grab him.

Still hoping he was playing with me.

“Asher, don't do this. We're still mates. You can't do this to me. You of all people should believe that I'm innocent” I almost screamed when he slammed his hands into my head and grabbed my hair before throwing me to the ground like a rag doll.

Pain ignited from my entire body, I bemoaned as I curled up into myself on the ground unable to move. He had beat me up mercilessly with just a few strikes.

“You just reminded of what I should have done ages ago or none of this would have happened” he began and my brows furrowed painfully as I tried to understand what he was saying.

“I, Asher Blackthorn. Alpha of the crescent moon pack. Reject you Amelia Alexander, as my mate and future Luna” he bent down to my height to whisper it and my heart broke.

The bond shook wildly inside of me and then it snapped into two, there was still a small part trying to hold on but that too snapped under the pressure of the rejection and a wail left my lips as pain unlike anything slammed into me in waves.

“Amelia” Mia rushed to my side with tears in her eyes from the guards that were holding her back, she caught me before I could fall completely and I writhed in her hold as my body tore at me with pain.

“Execute Mr Alexander, Mia Fransesca Williams and Exile Amelia Alexander.” His voice was filled with hatred and distaste, nothing like what had whispered sweet nothings into my ears anytime I had an episode.

Anytime I felt like I needed comfort, I sought him out. Even after all the bullying stopped because of him.

How did this happen.

“F-father” I stuttered as he was grabbed, Mia's eyes filled with unshed tears.

My heart broke into tiny pieces as they were both grabbed from my side.

“No, don't do this” I cried out again, fighting against the pain that tore at me but Asher gave me a sharp look, one that chilled me to the bone and that was when I knew that I was indeed helpless to the whole situation.

And that made me wail loudly with pain.