"You are making a big mistake, young lady."

"The big mistake I made was going on this mission in the first place. My uncle was right." I said this as the confrontation I had with my uncle before I left home replayed in my head.

"About?" she asked, her brows raised.

"This whole thing is stupid. I need to get out of here. I'm going home."

"So you would let Mascot's sacrifice be in vain."

"No actually. On the contrary, I am honoring it. He gave his life to protect me.

"I am protecting myself right now."

"Both of us know you are wrong in that conclusion of yours. This isn't just about you. This also concerns the whole society as well as your beloved family."

Why doesn't she get it?

"Right now, I don't see you addressing all those people you spoke of. You are talking to me, so this really is about me; if not, you could easily go pick another person."

"Tasha, you are making a big mistake." She repeated. "Eden is gathering his strength in earnest, and very soon, it would be too late to stop him."

There she goes again.

"That doesn't really concern me right now. I think you chose wrong. I am not the right person for this task."

"You have no right to decide that."

"But I am right. Alright, enough of all this talk. I need to get back home. I no longer have a mate, so I have to go back." I stated turning in the direction I believed will lead to my uncle's house.

"Tasha, don't do this."

Am sorry.

"Goodbye Sarah."

***

As I inched closer home, I couldn't help but get this eerie feeling that something was wrong.

As I got closer, the stench of blood permeated the air, raising my alarm bells. What's going on here? Rushing towards the house, the scene in front of me had me stopping in my tracks.

Oh, my God. The door was ajar, and blood was everywhere.

Gingerly walking into the house, I saw, to my horror, the mangled bodies of my uncle and his wife.

They died a gruesome death at the hands of someone far stronger than them. Who must have done this?

Tears I didn't know I had for them fell down my cheeks. This was the only home I had, and now it has been taken away from me. Where do I go now?

Almost immediately, a group of pack enforcers appeared at the house. Before I could react, they already had me surrounded.

"Tasha McCann, you are under arrest for the deaths of Paul and Rachel McCann."

"What!?" "But I didn't...."

"You have the right to remain silent or else you receive immediate judgment without trial. Come with us," their leader said, cutting me off.

"I am not going anywhere with you. I didn't kill them." I insisted.

What really is going on here? Who could have done this and framed me?

"Don't make this any more difficult for us. You can either come with us quietly or by force. Your choice."

"And I said, I am not..." I was cut off by a sharp pain at the back of my head.

Before I could react, my vision gradually blurred as I fell to the ground. "Next time, don't waste your time arguing with a killer."

Wait. That voice. The voice was familiar. What is she doing here? But why is she calling me a killer? I wanted to protest that I had no hand in the deaths of my family, but darkness enveloped me.

***

As consciousness returned, I found myself in a dimly lit, dank cell.

The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air, and the cold, hard floor beneath me sent shivers through my tired body. The events leading to my arrest replayed like a nightmare. Mascot's sacrifice, Sarah's warnings, and now the cruel twist of fate that left me accused of murdering my own family.

Desperation clawed at my chest as I struggled to make sense of the chaos that unfolded.

Alone with the haunting echoes of accusations, I paced the small confines of my cell.

The weight of grief and injustice pressed upon me, threatening to crush what little hope I had left within. Hours passed, marked by distant howls and muffled sounds from outside the cell.

What is going to happen to me now?

All this time I have been here, nobody has come to see me. Not like I have anybody, but... This is really complicated.

The uncertainty of my fate gnawed at my sanity, yet amidst my despair, I felt more determined than ever to see this through. I couldn't allow myself to be consumed by this darkness. Mascot's sacrifice demanded more than surrender; it demanded resilience in the face of problems.

As I contemplated my next move, a familiar face appeared at the cell bars. Sarah's eyes held a mix of concern and urgency.

"Sarah? What are you...?"

"Tasha, listen carefully. You are in grave danger, not just from the accusations but also from the dark lord.

"We have established that fact already" I stated.

"This is different. Eden's influence extends even within the pack, and you must tread carefully."

"What do you mean? Do you have any idea why I'm being accused?"

"Eden has woven a web of deceit, manipulating the circumstances to turn the pack against you. They believe you are a pawn in his game, and we cannot let him succeed."

So that is what all this is about. That explains so much.

"What can I do? I'm trapped here."

"There is a way. You must discover the truth behind your family's death and expose Eden's deceit. But be cautious; the shadows have eyes, and not all within the pack can be trusted."

"Wait Sarah. I can't do this alone."

"Like I said before, you are not alone, Tasha McCann. Trust your instincts." With those heavy words, Sarah faded into the shadows, leaving me to unravel the mysteries that had entangled my life.

As the cell door creaked open, I braced myself for the crazy journey that lay ahead, determined to confront this act of betrayal and find out the truth behind all these games.