It would be bearable to have everyone hate you, but not your father. Seeing how he cared less about my life was the greatest torture my heart felt. His hatred for me knows no bounds, and the worst part was that he was treating Aurora nice.
In my vision, Aurora was the one who killed my mother. There was no difference, and it is now so clear to me that she was here for a dangerous mission which might bring this pack to extinction.
But who the hell would listen to me and believe my words when I tell them that Aurora isn't who they think she was? The most hurtful part was seeing her pretend to be loyal to my father. Those deceitful looks when she bows to him or massages his back send shivers down my spine.
"We are waiting for you, and you keep wasting time. Are you afraid she will hurt you for spilling the truth?" I heard Aurora speak out, and my heart burned in rage as it became damn clear that she was the mastermind of everything happening.
"Hey, Eric, are you joking around with me or what? You've been staring at me for over a minute and haven't said anything! Don't tell me you are afraid of her!" The Alpha yelled in support of Aurora.
" I am sorry, I can't do this!" He mumbled, sending a quick glance at me.
"You can't do what?!" Aurora fired sharply, rising to her chair, leaving everyone surprised at her reaction, which she noticed and sat back with a deep sigh.
"You can't do what?" The Alpha asked, peering at him.
Eric's POV
"Aurora wants me to lie against her, but I don't think it is the right thing for me to do. Ava didn't kill him. He might have fallen or had an accident. There was no way Ava, who was in severe pain from that torture, would be able to kill a hefty man like him." I let out and could see the shock in everyone's eyes as they stared with their jaw dropped.
It was so clear that they never expected such a turn of events, but I can't risk my family's life. If Ava dies, that Lycan will destroy my life and everything I have. Even as I hated Ava so much, I couldn't allow my family to die because of her.
At first, I planned to state it clearly that she killed him, but recalling the warning from that Lycan, recalling how mean and scary his voice was, I knew better than to put Ava in danger.
After Dan, the bald royal guard, died, I knew I was in trouble, especially when I couldn't tell who killed him. It was clear I would be the one to be questioned when his dead body was found. The worst part is just that I can't say who did it.
I had to leave the body there so it would look like his death was caused by himself, because hiding him would make everyone believe he was killed.
The maids and cleaners were too lazy to clean all the rooms the next morning and didn't check that room. It was just a few hours before the stinking smell of his body began to diffuse from the room.
"Aurora came to me just when the dead body was found and asked who killed him. When I said I had no idea, she told me to claim it was Ava. She promised to pay me some money and also told me she would coax the Alpha to promote me and increase my salary!" I exposed the whole truth.
"You are a bloody liar!" Aurora shouted aggressively, rushing over to me for a fight, but at the order of the Alpha she was held back.
"Are you sure of all this you are saying?" The Beta queried, with confusion written all over his face, even the Alpha was speechless as he gawped at Aurora.
"Ava killed no one, so she shouldn't be turned rogue. She had been in the clinic since we left this place yesterday. Dan might have died of something else, or someone else who we don't know killed him," I added, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves.
I didn't plan for this. I never thought I would defend Ava at this point, as my initial plan was to make sure she got banned, but I don't think I have the courage anymore. I must keep my word and ensure her safety as Lycan instructed.
"Shut up your shitty mouth, you bastard!! She must have charmed you!! Eric is lying! He told me Ava killed him and now he just twisted it. Ava must have done something to him!" Aurora kept yelling as she was being held by the royal guards .
I darted my gaze at Ava and saw her smiling at me with her eyes glinting with tears of joy.
"Thank you for saying the truth." Her voice came out softly and filled with excitement, but I looked away with a silent hiss.
I hope she doesn't think I care about her. She is just one of those lucky girls that gets a chance to live on even when death keeps chasing after them.
"Eric, what have I done to you that you're lying against me? What has come over you?!!" Aurora bawled, playing the victim card as she faked out tears.
"Alpha, I never told him to lie against Ava. He told me that Ava did it, but he was afraid that she might hurt him if he said it. I only...."
"Shut that stinky mouth!!" Alpha Sean roared in a very furious voice that shook the ground with its intensity. Everywhere became dead silent as fear gripped us all. There was this danger in his voice that could be felt by everyone.
Aurora was frozen in shock as she stared at the Alpha in bewilderment. It was clear she never expected him to yell at her that way.
With a slow but threatening move, the Alpha stepped out of his throne and strode over to Aurora, who was still perplexed as she peered into the Alpha's eyes. She never expected him to yell at her that way.
"This is the third time you are pulling a stunt against her by lying to me, even after I told you I hate lies and detest liars. Are you fucking playing around with me?" He snarled, clenching his fists and growling in anger as he peered at her with bloodshot eyes.
"You believed Eric and not me?" She whined, not afraid to look the Alpha in the eyes; she just seemed surprised and dissatisfied.
"Who are you that I should believe your lies? Wait, who the hell do you think you are to me?!!!" The Alpha, who was becoming more enraged, thundered, and before anyone could see it coming, his left palm lashed across Aurora's cheeks in a hot slap that snapped her face to the other side, the sharp sound resonating into everyone's ears.
"Alpha, please take it easy on her. She must have allowed her emotions to play the bigger part. Afterall, Ava deserves every punishment she gets." The Beta's mate cut in, and the Alpha sent a sharp glare at her.
"I don't care about both Ava and this common Omega here. I hate lies, and anyone who spits lies on me should be ready for my wrath! This is the fucking third time. Ava is nothing to me and anyone can treat her anyway, which I don't care about, but why the hell would she lie to me!!" Alpha
"You slapped me?" She sniffled, clutching her already red cheeks as tears rolled down her eyes.
"And I'll do it a second time if you don't stop being a bitchy ass fool! The first time you lied that you saw her, you stole my bracelet. Secondly, you lied that she was a demon spy after finding that weird scroll, which led to her being almost tortured to death. Now, in not less than 24 hours, you came up with this! Are you mad?" He roared in exasperation and irritation filled his eyes.
"I am sorry, Alpha, all this is a misunderstanding. I was trying to be of help..." She mumbled, as more tears flowed down her eyes, but as she flashed a glance at me, I couldn't help shuddering at the evil laced in it.
Those eyeballs were exuding danger and giving me that foreboding feeling that she would come back at me for betraying her.
"You know nothing about my mate who Ava killed, but you seem to be her greatest hater, wanting her to suffer terribly and even die. It makes me fucking suspicious of you, woman! I keep believing your lies, and in the end, I will always be the fool." Sean roared, banging his fist on the table before scoffing as he headed back to his throne.
Aurora fell to her knees in front of him as she pleaded for mercy while crying.
"I think I have been stupid to let you around me, not to speak of listening to your words. Get lost! And you, Ava, take your stinking self out of here. Get that corpse buried and you are all dismissed!" Sean grunted before leaving the throne and heading out of the room with his face contorted in a deep frown.
Four guards took away the corpse and the Betas left, leaving just me, Ava, and Aurora with a few other guards who were guarding the palace.
Ava sprang up from the floor and ran into me with a tight hug.
"Thank you so much for saving my life again! You are a blessing to my soul," she squeaked with a whoop of joy.
"Get your body off me!" I grumbled, trying to push her away, but she held me tight. This girl might be deaf if she didn't hear my reason for helping her ass from trouble. It could never be my intention to help her.
I could also see that Aurora had a lot to tell me, as she stood at the spot staring intently at us with pure resentment on her face .
"Eric!" She called out impatiently, and Ava broke the one-sided hug as we both turned to her.
"You know, we really have to talk, smart boy..." She smirked.
"We have nothing to talk about. Just let this slide. " I shrugged and she chuckled in a lecherous way that left me confused.
"If anything happens to him, everyone will know you did it. The Alpha suspects you now, so you better stay low or you will regret it. Maybe you'd be the one to turn rogue. " Ava cut in with a taunting smile at Aurora.
"I don't talk to a cursed and evil child who killed her mother and brother at birth." She snapped disgustedly at her.
"And don't think I don't know her real killer. She will soon be exposed and it will be a big shock to everyone who she is." Ava lashed back with a sarcastic laugh, grinning at Aurora, who looked stunned and dumbfounded.