Aria sat in darkness, the cold dungeon stone beneath her. Ryker, Alpha Elijah's trusted guard, had imprisoned her again. Footsteps echoed outside her cell, and the door creaked open.
Lila, the Gamma, entered with a mixture of curiosity and disdain. "Hey, witch!"
Aria met her gaze. "Wolf Lady."
Lila raised an eyebrow, surprised by Aria's response. Usually, Aria ignored her.
Lila sneered. "Wow, you now have some backbone? You think you're worth a pearl for saving my Alpha?"
Aria's voice remained calm. "I know my worth, and a pearl is not my worth."
Lila laughed, incredulous. "You're now worthy of being termed a murderer."
Aria's expression remained steadfast. "I know you doubt that."
Lila's laughter echoed through the dungeon again. "I don't support a witch. A witch is capable of many vile things. Killing someone is not ruled out."
Aria's eyes locked onto Lila's. "I've never stained my hands in blood before, and if I'm to start, it won't be a powerless mother of a sweet girl, Lyra."
Lila's demeanor shifted, her expression softening. She believed Aria, knowing Akira had a little wolf named Lyra.
"Who wants you dead?" Lila asked, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Who have you offended, except the obvious, me? If you're to die by any hands except mine, I'll be pissed for life."
Aria's voice took on determination. "The real traitor wants me dead. My only offense is knowing the face of the killer and saving the child, Lyra."
Lila's eyes widened, intrigued by this new information. She believed Aria.
"Where's Lyra?" Lila asked.
"I brought her to the Alpha," Aria replied. "She's with an old nurse in this palace."
Lila called the dungeon guard, ordering Aria's release.
As they walked out, Lila turned to Aria. "The face of these murderers – you know it, right?"
Aria purposely touched Lila's hand, seeing her past. Lila's loyalty to the pack and Alpha Elijah shone through.
Aria's voice held conviction. "Please, clear my name."
Lila pushed Aria's hands off, unaware of Aria's intentions.
Lila escorted Aria to the courtyard, where the Blackwood Pack's council members gathered. Alpha Elijah sat on a throne made of skulls, his presence commanding.
Lila approached him. "My lord, this witch is innocent. I interrogated her myself."
Alpha Elijah's gaze shifted to Aria, his expression unreadable.
Lila continued, "She's not a murderer. The real traitor wants her dead."
The council members murmured among themselves, skepticism evident.
Alpha Elijah raised his hand, silencing the crowd. "Explain, Lila."
Lila recounted her conversation with Aria, leaving out no details.
Alpha Elijah's eyes narrowed. "Bring Lyra forth."
The old nurse brought Lyra, who ran to Aria, embracing her.
Alpha Elijah's expression softened. "It seems we've wronged you, Aria."
Aria's voice remained calm. "I seek justice, not vengeance."
Alpha Elijah nodded. "We'll uncover the truth. Lila, work with Aria to uncover the traitor."
Lila nodded, her allegiance shifting.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, an unlikely alliance formed – Aria, the witch, and Lila, the Gamma, united in their quest for truth.
Lila led Aria to her rustic cottage, nestled on the outskirts of the pack's territory. The air inside reeked of rum and unhealthiness, reflecting Lila's tough warrior persona.
Aria surveyed the cluttered space, her nose wrinkling. "Not a fan of cleaning, nay?"
Lila shrugged, her expression nonchalant. "Who cares?"
Aria's gaze lingered on the dirt and dust. "Well, I do, if I'm going to be kept in your custody. It should at least be clean. I live in a clean environment."
Lila snorted, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Maybe you should go to your house and get killed by one of your newly found enemies. How's that clean, witch?"
Unaware of Aria's true abilities, Lila saw her as a novice witch.
Lila exited to gather wood, leaving Aria alone. With a swift wave of her hand, Aria conjured a cleaning spell. The cottage transformed: dirt vanished, surfaces shone, and the stench dissipated. She washed and dried the beddings using magic. Before Lila could return, Aria was done and exhausted. Her nose bled from excessive magic use.
Aria took a bath in the tub and donned a beautiful white dress from Lila's closet. Lila wasn't one to wear dresses, so Aria was surprised to find them.
Lila entered, her eyes widening in surprise. "Well, well, the witch does have magic." She scanned the transformed cottage.
Aria smiled mischievously. "Your closet has hidden treasures. You have good taste for a male wannabe."
Lila's expression turned somber, her voice tinged with sadness. "That's my sister's."
Aria recalled her vision of Lila's past. "I'm sorry for your loss, wolf Lady." The sister was killed by a ruthless Alpha of a pack she had lived with her sister. Lila's sister was her only family. When the Alpha had killed her sister, young Lila tried to kill the Alpha but was almost killed. She woke up alone down a cliff. They left her for dead. She had stayed in the woods for years as a lone wolf before she met Alpha Elijah. Elijah brought her home to his pack and later made her his Gamma.
Lila unpacked the wood and made a fire to heat the room. She had brought food from the palace - meat and sauce. Aria helped set the fireplace and warmed the dinner.
As they ate, a knock at the door startled Aria.
Lila reassured her. "Relax, it's the Alpha."
Aria wondered, "How do you know? It could be them."
Lila smiled knowingly. "It's a wolf thing. We know."
Alpha Elijah entered, his gaze locking onto Aria's transformed appearance. The white dress accentuated her beauty, and her nipples hardened under his gaze.
Lila noticed the tension and intervened. "My lord, what brings you here this late at night?"
Elijah replied, "I came to see Aria. We have unfinished business."
Lila cleared the plates, giving them privacy.
Aria called her back. "Come sit down, Lila."
Elijah asked silently if Aria had checked Lila's loyalty.
Aria nodded. "Yes, she is."
Lila sat, observing the exchange.
Elijah briefed them on the investigation. Aria shared her magic, revealing her true abilities to Lila.
"I met Akira," Aria began, "but she was stabbed to death when I did."
Lila listened, awestruck.
As the night wore on, Lila's admiration for Aria grew.
Elijah's expression turned resolute. "Since the two Kaels are both traitors, I want to secretly bring in Kael the soldier and torture him to confession."
Aria nodded. "Let Lila handle that. I'll assist her. There must be something he knows or a leverage we can use against him."
Lila's eyes narrowed. "Or a weakness we can exploit."
Elijah agreed. "That's good. Lila, you're perfect for this task."
Lila asked, "What about Axel? He's your beta, isn't he?"
Aria's gaze turned thoughtful. "I'll need to confirm his loyalty first."
Elijah nodded. "Do that tomorrow, Aria."
An uncomfortable silence fell between them, filled with unspoken tension. Elijah's eyes locked onto Aria's, his gaze burning with desire. Her beauty, accentuated by the white dress, stirred his wolf's primal urges.
After Elijah departed, Lila's expression darkened. "Did you watch me?" she asked, her voice low and menacing. "My past?"
Aria's whisper was barely audible. "Yes, I'm sorry I had to."
Lila's eyes blazed with anger, her face pale. "You invaded my privacy," she growled, her voice trembling. "You made my life public."
Aria's eyes pleaded for understanding. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Lila. I had to know."
Lila's jaw clenched. "You had no right."