IT WAS NEVER ME

CHAPTER 004

Claudia’s POV.

It wasn’t possible; Luna couldn't be dead. How was that possible? I had only spoken to her a few hours ago.

She couldn’t… no.

I drew back in order not to let the guards spot me as they continued their conversation, pressing my hands against my lips to cover my breathing and not get noticed.

I needed to know what could have possibly happened to Luna Eloise. She was fine when I left her this morning to finish up on my chores. How could she have died so suddenly, unless...

“The pack is on lockdown for the time being until we can get to the bottom of this, and the Alpha is furious,” one of the guards said.

I guessed that someone had invaded the pack and must have gotten to Luna. However, that would also mean I was in harm's way, as I had only left Luna moments ago. Whoever must have killed her was still in the pack; hence, the lockdown.

With this thought in mind, my heart shivered. I ran back down to the basement as if I shouldn't have been outside at that time. It was too risky. What if I had been caught and killed as well? Not like anyone would notice if I were gone in the first place.

There was an ominous feeling deep in my heart as I frowned at the situation. Who would want to murder Luna? She was the nicest, sweetest person there was in the pack. I tried not to ponder on it too much, as there wasn't an answer that came up.

I was passing the minutes with the little books I had, but my mind thought differently. However, it always brought me back to the incident and the knowledge that Luna Eloise was no longer alive.

Time passed by, but my nerves barely subsided, and neither did my grief. I loved Luna Eloise; she was like a dear mother to me, one I never had, and now she is gone. I hope they catch the scoundrel that had murdered her in cold blood and make them pay.

Just then, my door was busted open, and I flinched, the book I held in my hand falling in shock. My heart raced as I watched the three warriors barge into my room. My eyes frantically followed their movements as they came to stand on either side of my cot and at the foot of it.

“What’s going on? What are you all doing here?” I voiced out, trembling as I thought I had forgotten to get something done and they were here to punish me. But if I remember correctly, I didn’t leave any errand unanswered.

My brows knitted in confusion as I gazed at the door and watched an angry-looking General Tucker stride into the room, seething and furious. “You murdering b****,” he spat, pointing a crooked accusatory finger at me, which only further confused me.

What was he talking about?

“Take her to the alpha. She will answer for her crimes,” he barked out, and the warriors carried out his orders swiftly, dragging me along while I silently begged that I hadn’t done anything wrong. But when had they ever not hurt me, even when I remained in the basement?

He had called me a murderer... What exactly was he talking about?

After being dragged to the alpha, I was thrown on the floor of his office, and my hair flipped over, blocking my vision. Pushing it aside, I noticed the alpha glaring at me intensely, causing a shiver to run down my spine. I wanted to be anywhere else but right in front of him. In fear, I bowed my head low.

“A...a...a...l...ph...a,” my voice barely above a whisper as I stuttered.

“Why did you do it?” His voice was deep and low.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came forth. I was in too much shock to form a coherent sentence. I wanted to tell him I was innocent. That I would never kill the mother of my mate. That I would never kill his mate. But the words stayed stuck in my throat.

All of a sudden, he roared, making me flinch back and tremble. “WHY DID YOU KILL MY MATE?” Flipping his front desk out of the way. In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of me, his hand wrapped around my neck and lifting me above the ground as I choked. The next second, I was lunged into the door, shattering it into pieces.

Coughing up blood, I peeked out of the corner of my eye in confusion as Tucker’s voice rang in my ear. “I knew she was a traitor from the start. She betrayed us and was working for the Sunstone Pack. It would have been the only reason they let her go.”

I shook my head, trying to refute his words, but he continued. “There was no way a weak and pathetic omega like her could have managed to escape by herself,” his voice filled with so much bitterness. “She was just waiting for the right time before she would strike.”

“That’s not... true,” I coughed more blood, trying to pick myself up, but someone’s foot pushed me back down.

“Isn’t it? You were the last person with Luna before dawn,” Janet’s familiar voice taunted. “And you attacked Luna after finding out that your mate was Raegan. When he rejected you because you were not capable of being the Luna, you killed our precious leader. How dare you?” The more she spoke, the more her shoes pressed me further down.

My body screamed in pain, and my heart raced. This must have all been a setup. I would never connive with the enemy to fight the pack I belong to. I would never murder a woman that I would practically call my mother. But no one wanted to believe that, and I didn’t have the energy to defend myself as I cried through the pain.

Janet continued. “After being rejected, you thought a proper way of revenge would be to end the current Luna to prove a point, huh?” Her voice trembled as though she was about to tear up.

All while I screamed in my head that I didn’t do it; I couldn’t have done it. The tears streamed down my face, either from the pain that spread across my body or my heavy heart, knowing I wasn’t going to get out of this that easily.

“The results from the lab will be back, and we will be able to know how she died. How she was killed,” Tucker informed the furious Alpha David, who appeared as though he wanted to rip my head from my body.

Once again, he stepped up to me. I felt the foot on my back lift at the same time. I tried to inch away from Alpha David but only got so far as he squatted low to my height, grabbing me harshly by the jaw and forcing me to face him.

My teeth chattered from fear, and beads of sweat rolled down the side of my face, mixed with my salty tears. The taste of metallic liquid lingered at the corner of my mouth as I faced the angry beast in front of me. His fingers, which shifted into long claws, pierced my skin, making me want to yelp in pain, but I knew that would only make things worse.

“When the results come out, and I find out you did this, I will make sure you and Sunstone Pack have something in common,” Alpha David threatened. His next words stilled my heart. “You will all be dead.”

“This is an act of war,” he roared in my face. “And I shall respond.”