The pack arena lay behind the pack house in the middle of the jungle and that is where the tournament was to be held. The games were about to begin. Vera walked over to the throne room which was where the Alpha and the Luna took their places surrounded by the werewolf council. Generally it was the least crowded part of the arena but not so today. The throne room led to the gallery where alphas and dignitaries from the nearby packs sat to witness the tournament. There were no guards because everyone was busy guarding against rogues outside. Vera walked in only to remember that she was no longer the future alpha and thus should not be sitting here. As she was about to turn about however she heard her name being spoken to. Curiosity got the better of her and she hid behind the door straining to listen to the voice she knew belonged to her cousin.
"Uncle Mason, is this entire charades really necessary? No one suspects a thing. Xavier's death is seen as a sacrifice for the pack. I am sure Vera can continue in this pack. There's no need to send her away." Samson said.
"You do not understand. Xavier's sister was your father's second mate and as such did not have a child to tarnish your bloodline. We need a strong bloodline to dethrone the beast and creatures like Xavier and Vera make us weak. Look at her now. She hasn't got her wolf even now. We did the right thing by removing Xavier and no one even suspects that it wasn't the rogue that killed him but the wolfsbane we injected in his blood when he was in the infirmary that prevented his wolf from healing. I have made arrangements for Vera to be taken to the Lucius pack. It is a little known fact that they practice prostitution in that pack and care would be taken to ensure that Vera is never pupped or marked. She is to be kept on a leash and used till her body gives away. Then we will be free of the tarnish of the bloodline and by that time the Beast would be removed from his position as well. We are going to be the new gods of the werewolf world." he snickered.
Vera couldn't help the sob that left her. Her father's murder and the conspiracy against her were too much for her to take. She wanted to rush out of there but found her path already blocked by a young werewolf whom she had not met before.
"What have we here? Did no one ever teach you that it is bad to eavesdrop on others, especially your alpha?" the boy sneered.
"Who is it?" Elder Mason shouted, alarmed at having a witness to his confession. The boy dragged Vera by the arm and presented her before the powerful wolves. Vera struggled to look into their eyes given how much of her trust was just broken.
"Vera..." Samson began but was cut short by elder Mason. "How long have you been standing there?" he asked.
"Long enough to know that you are traitors and murderers." She lashed out.
"Such a fierce little werewolf," Mason mocked. "Oh, wait, she isn't even a wolf yet," he laughed.
"What are you going to do with her now? She knows." Samson said in a worried tone.
"Luca," Mason addressed the young boy. "Let's say that the werewolf heiress failed to keep her nerves after her father's death and had gone missing in the forest despite not having her spirit, can you guarantee that the rogues won't kill her like they did her father?" he asked.
"You really think I will just walk away from all this. I will tell everyone. You killed an alpha. You used wolfsbane. You plan to dethrone the king. You will get a death sentence for any of them. Take your pick." Vera shouted.
"Ah well Luca. Why don't you call your other friends from the Lucius pack and just dispose of her as you wish. You know that we hold a secret which if revealed your pack could be simply dismantled. Prostitution is prohibited by all supernatural law, not just werewolf law. So be a good boy and rid of this trash."
"With pleasure," the boy sneered.
Vera tried to break free but without her animal she was just too weak to make a run for it. Even if she could break free she could never outrun a group of teenage wolves. A hand soon covered her mouth as she was dragged away from the arena and into the dark of the forest.
Once the trees were dense enough to guarantee that they were far from the pack grounds was she allowed to walk on her own. The moment she was released she fell forward and cut her forehead.
"The poor princess is hurt," an unknown voice sounded. In the darkness she could barely make out their silhouettes.
"Come on Zane, let's not play with our food." the boy named Luca warned.
"Let me go. You will never get away with this." Vera warned again.
She felt a warm hand trail down her spine and pull her shirt off in one swift movement. The cool forest air hit her back which was barely covered by the sports bra she was wearing. She felt a sloppy kiss placed on her shoulder and she jerked away from it.
"Come on love. This is the first and last chance you have of experiencing pleasure and do you want to be uncooperative. You will be dead soon. Do you really want to die a virgin?" another unknown voice spoke from the direction she was earlier standing in.
"She won't die a virgin Dan. We are here to make sure of it. She will just die unmarked." Zane snickered. The others joined in.
"What makes you think I am a virgin?" Vera dared. She had to distract them somehow.
"You are forgetting that we are wolves. We can't smell another wolf on you." Luca said.
"What if he is not a wolf?" Vera questioned. She lived in a werewolf pack. Of course it had to be a wolf. She was just stalling for what she had no idea.
"You wouldn't dare it with a shaman. Wait your shaman has a young son right. Oh, now I see. You found a way to deceive your future mate, you sneaky little thing," Zane murmured. "Come here now. Let's see what you have got." he invited.
The talking has allowed Vera to close in on a particular sandy patch of the forest floor. Vera kicked some of the sand into their eyes as she made a run for it she knew not where. She tumbled through a patch of mud on the way to mask her scent and made use of the tree cover. Soon she heard the sound of the ripping clothes and knew that they were in their wolf forms. She carefully ran towards the sound of running water expecting to make a quicker getaway if she could reach the river. As she neared the river though there was suddenly an open area in front of her. Vera tried to make a run for it but a wolf shot out swiping its paw at her shoulder. Vera fell on the ground a few feet from the river with a dislocated and bloody shoulder when another wolf sprang on her and bit off a piece of flesh from her stomach.
One of the wolves changed back before her. She hadn't seen him before and guessed that it was Dane. "You shouldn't have ran. Now all that we are going to do is eat you and then toss your bones in the river. The perfect proof for a rogue attack. When your bones wash up on the shore everyone will feel insecure in the presence of this phony king." he said solemnly before changing back and stalking towards her.
Vera was bleeding profusely both from her shoulder and the gaping hole in her stomach. As the wolves cautiously stalked towards her she inched closer towards the river. "Elements give me strength," she whispered as she pushed herself into the water.