Chapter 57: Chapter 57

CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN

KARA

I was in the garden peacefully picking flowers for my bedroom since the one I had before had withered, when two of the Alpha’s guards approached me. “Kara,” one of them said, his tone stern, “the Alpha needs you in his office.”

Surprised, I glanced up at them. The Alpha rarely summoned me. “I'll be there in a minute,” I said, trying to steady my voice. But before I could move, they grabbed me roughly by my arms and began to haul me away. It felt like déjà vu— like the last time I was dragged by the guards, accused of a crime I didn't commit.

As we reached the Alpha’s office, my heart pounded so loud I was scared it would burst right out of my chest. The guards shoved me inside, and I stumbled, falling at Ryker's feet. He looked down at me, his eyes filled with cold anger. “Alpha you sent for me,” I said, my voice trembling.

Ryker nudged me with his boot, signalling the guards to hold me down. Sweat trickled down my face as he pulled out a cleaver knife, its blade glistening in the light. He held it before my eyes.

“You know what this is, don't you?” He asked.

I swallowed.

“Answer me,” he snapped.

I gulped and nodded my head. “It's…it's a chef's knife.”

He smiled in satisfaction. “You work in the kitchen so you must know its uses.”

Fear gripped me as he kept waving the blade in front of my eyes.

“First of all, I want nothing but the truth. For any lie you tell, a part of your body goes for it. So be careful with me.”

I swallowed hard, my mouth dry. “I promise to tell the truth of anything I know. But I'm confused Alpha, what is this about?”

Ryker's expression darkened. “Roxanne regained her memories. You knew she was attacked didn't you?”

“Six months ago, right? Did it tamper with her memory, Alpha?” I was bewildered.

“Do not ask me questions,” he warned.

I bowed my head. “My apologies Alpha. We were all interrogated so I heard about the attack but I never knew it cost her her memory.”

“She regained it and she was able to remember what her attacker looked like.”

And how did any of this have anything to do with me?

“She remembered her attacker having white hair and not only that, her physical features match you.”

My heart sank. “Roxanne? I didn't—”

Ryker snapped, his voice rising. “Don't play games with me Kara! Why did you attack Roxanne?”

“I didn't hurt her! I wasn't even present when it happened!” I protested, pain rising in my chest.

In a swift, brutal motion, Ryer brought the cleaver down again, severing my hand. I screamed, watching in horror as my hand fell to the floor, blood spurting everywhere. I looked up at him, tears streaming down my face.

Why did it always have to be me?

“I'm going to ask you again,” he said, his voice icy. “Roxanne saw your white hair that night before she passed out. She knew it was you. So tell me, why did you do it? Or, who asked you to do it?”

I had heard about Roxanne's incident but how was I to prove to the Alpha that I was innocent? I was in excruciating pain as I pondered on what to say. I was a suspect once and now again, it was going to be tough. “I swear it wasn't me.”

Ryker's face twisted in anger and he brought the knife down on my arm. The guards flinched and I cried out in agony as blood spewed from the wound and coated the Alpha. “Every lie you tell is as important as your body parts,” he hissed.

I stared at the blood pooling around me. “If…if only–” The pain was white and hot. It ran through my veins and altered my movements.

“Alpha, if only I could make you believe me. I care for Roxanme. I will never hurt her” I whispered, my voice breaking.

“You know what, it's fine,” the Alpha said, grabbing my hair roughly. He lifted the cleaver, aiming for my neck. I backed away and threw my hands up in final plea. “Alpha please don't kill me. I'll confess.”

***

ROXANNE

I woke up again to the sound of hushed voices. My eyes slowly opened, and I saw Ryker talking to Kara in the corner of the room. Kara's face was pale, her expression

worried.

"Kara?" I called out weakly.

Both of them turned to me immediately. Ryker moved to my side, his hand finding mine. "How are you feeling?" he asked again, his voice filled with concern.

"Better," I said, my voice still shaky. "Kara, come here.”

Kara approached cautiously, her eyes filled with guilt. "I'm so sorry, Roxanne." she whispered. "I never meant for you to get hurt.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked weakly, glancing from Kara to Ryker.

“She confessed,” he said.

I frowned, confused. "What do you mean?”

Kara glanced at Ryker, then back at me. "I... I knew about the attack," she confessed, her voice trembling. "But I was too scared to tell anyone. I didn't think they would actually go through with it. I thought it was just talk.”

My heart pounded in my chest. "You knew?" I repeated, shock and betrayal in my voice.

Kara nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I didn't know they would hurt you like that. I should have warned you. I should have done something but i didn't because i was scared i could die which is really selfish i know.”

Ryker's grip on my hand tightened, his anger barely contained. "Why didn't you tell us?" he demanded.

“Alpha, what is she talking about? Who is she talking about?” Confusion overwhelmed me.

"I was afraid," Kara admitted. "Afraid of what they would do to me if they found out I had betrayed them. But I realise now that my fear doesn't excuse my silence. I am so sorry, Roxanne.”

I felt a mix of emotions—anger, betrayal, sadness—but I also saw the genuine remorse in Kara's eyes. She had made a terrible mistake, but she was trying to make amends.

Kara's jacket dropped at that moment and the gruesome sight made me jump out of bed. Instantly I forgot my own problems. I rushed to her in a hurry and stared at her amputated hand. “Oh my…what happened to you? Who did this to you?”

She backed away and picked up her jacket. “I'm fine,” she whispered and sniffled. I gazed at her. She looked scared and it hurt me. “I just came to say I'm sorry and I know it won't fix things but I really mean it.”

“You're sorry she's hurt or you're sorry you got caught?” Ryker demanded as his eyes darkened.

I shook my head, unable to process what was happening. I squeezed Ryker's hand. “Please slow down, she's hurt. Kara, where's your hand? What happened to your hand Kara? Who hurt you? Why do you look so scared?”

“It's me,” Ryker said in a firm voice and came to stand behind me.

“What?” I demanded as fear ate me up.

“I had to make her talk. She kept denying it, saying it wasn't her until she was tortured but she won't reveal who was behind it. She keeps using ‘they’.”

“What if I was mistaken? What if it was a coincidence? You shouldn't have hurt her,” I yelled.

Ryker pulled me into his arms and I sobbed. “Please go away,” I said.

“She wouldn't confess, Roxanne. She hurt you and I must have taken it too far. I'm sorry.”

“White hair isn't evidence,” I whispered.

“It's enough evidence. Kara is an archer which explains the arrows that pierced your skin and she has white hair. What more evidence do you need?”

I pulled away from him and stared at kara. She couldn't meet my eyes. “I've failed you and I'm sorry.”

“Did you really do it? That night it wasn't you, right?”

Deep down I wanted her to say ‘of course it wasn't me’but she just shook her head in disagreement. “It was me.”

It felt as though a dagger was driven through my chest. I shook my head in disbelief.

I was heartbroken and mad at her and Ryker. Tears streamed down my face, and I couldn't even pinpoint why I wasn't more upset about my scars. All I felt was a deep sense of betrayal.

Why would Kara do this to me? It suddenly made sense why she had been so surprised when we met, talking about how she didn't know I was alive and well.

The frustration gnawed at me more than any sense of peace. Kara had been unwilling to give any more information, leaving me in the dark. I asked Ryker to leave me alone for a while and, turning to Kara, I spat out, "I hope you suffer a fate far worse than mine.”

“I will ensure that,” Ryker said.

“Please don't touch her.”

“She'll die anyway,” he said. “It would be more of a mercy killing.”

Kara kept apologising, her voice desperate and pleading. As the guards dragged her away, she whispered, "If I wanted to hurt you, it would have been the first day. I wouldn't let anything happen to you, believe me.”

Her words hovered in the air and all I wanted was to be alone. Ryker kissed my forehead before leaving the room. I didn't know what to believe anymore.

The people I thought I could trust had shattered my world, and I was left to pick up the pieces alone.