~JADE~
I don't even think I remember when the trial started.
No.
I shook my head mentally; this wasn't a trial because there wasn't even anything to try here. This was some twisted judgement-day shit going on. This ceased to be a trial from the moment my own mate didn't even believe me or try to fight for me.
After accepting Hunter's rejection, I walked out of that tiny office space with my heart in the pit of my stomach.
Could it have been naivety because he was the first man I ever loved that I didn't see things I probably should've noticed? Looking back at everything that has happened throughout the two years of our relationship, I guess I was just too naive to see things for what they really were.
Hunter was always territorial and possessive, and one time when I complained about it to my mother because he was being too restrictive, she told me that was normal for Alpha wolves and their mates. She said wolves were territorial, so it made sense.
I used to get all happy when Hunter would become jealous and throw a fuss if he saw me even smile at another man because I assumed it meant he loved me so much and didn't want anybody else to get too near. Having someone dote on me like that made me feel special. He was always breathing down my neck and always wanted to know where I was, who I was meeting, and how many hours I'd stay out. even had a phone tracking app installed on my phone because he wanted to know where I was at all times.
And I was so stupid to think it was because he loved me. I always giggled when he would call whenever I was in town and ask why I was taking so long. I always blushed like a fool because, oh goddess, my mate loved me so much he didn't want me out of his sight. My mate was so possessive, attentive, and territorial that it always made me melt. However, I had been so foolish to see that it wasn't the case.
No, the hard truth that I failed to see then was that my mate didn't trust me; he didn't trust me to stay faithful and loyal to him. So every time I was out of sight, in his head, I could be with another man, and he needed to make sure that I wasn't. I would always tease him about being insecure, but that was only because I loved how flustered he got when I did and his little show of annoyance whenever he tried to rebuff my claim. Then he would go all Alpha mode on me, trying to prove that he wasn't insecure, and then proceed to proclaim how much he loved me. It was entertaining to watch his pale complexion turn a paler shade of pink, and as he babbled on about how much he loved me, I would take advantage of the chance to bring his face down to my level by kissing him on his ginger hair.
Those moments were one of my many happy memories with him, but all those habits of his that I fancied and nurtured weren't because he loved me so damn much he was scared to lose me; no, it was because he never trusted me. And, dear goddess, that stung like a bitch.
It stung so fucking hard, I could feel it twisting my liver, and it felt like someone had a chainsaw to my spine.
"Jade." The sound of my name being called echoed in the far distance, and for a moment I didn't really pay attention. "JADE!" The growl ricocheted off the walls of the hall and slammed straight into my ribcage, successfully pulling me out of my head.
"Yes?" I asked, snapping my head up with slightly wide eyes to look around the room while I tried to hide how unexpectedly shocked I had gotten because of the sudden growl.
"You were asked a question." One of the elders present for my case responded in a pinched voice.
"My apologies if you could please repeat the question again." I prompted, without feeling the need to explain that I was lost in thought and just couldn't be bothered to listen to them while they contemplated my fate.
"We asked if you had a way to prove your innocence." An elder repeated the question for me.
"My innocence?" I asked, blinking rapidly, because I needed to be sure I heard that right.
"Yes. You claim you are innocent, and if you believe you are right against the better judgment of your sister and mate, then can you prove your innocence?" The head elder explained.
Try hard as I may, I wanted to keep my emotions in check, but I couldn't help the mocking snigger that erupted out of me as I took in his words.
Is this a joke?
Are they being serious right now? Asking me to prove my innocence? Isn't that what they should've tried to do for the past few days? Shouldn't they have tried to search for Darren and have him standing here today?
"Did the elder say something funny? Or do you think we're all here for your amusement?" One of the elders barked at me, and I shook my head as I brought my hands to cover my mouth, a failed attempt to stop the sounds coming out of me.
"I'm sorry." I spluttered another round of mocking giggles. "I really am sorry; that was just... I couldn't stop myself." I struggled in between laughs as I replied.
"You want me to prove my innocence?" The scowl on their faces deepened at my question. I sighed, shaking my head. "How? How do you expect me to prove anything at all when I told you some minutes or perhaps hours ago that I do not remember anything that happened after drinking the water my dearest sister offered me? How do I prove something I don't know?"
My gaze travelled among the elders, and if the judgement in their eyes wasn't clear enough, the annoyance on their faces was more than enough evidence of how irritated they were with my presence.
"Are you suggesting that I drugged you?" Arya yelled, springing to her feet. The elders had given her permission to sit down while she was giving her testimony of what happened and what she saw, and the entire ordeal was done with snot and tears all over her face.
Hunter had also given his own statement, and weirdly enough, Arya was the one who raced to our home to call Hunter after she saw me sleeping in bed with her boyfriend. According to my dear ol' sister, she had been too shocked, hurt and scared that her boyfriend would hit her or try to hurt her if she confronted us alone, so she ran to my mate instead.
"Did you?" The bitter smile on my face stretched thin as my gaze bounced back to Arya, who wore a scowl on her face and I wondered if looks could kill.
"You..." Arya began, already sniffing. "How could you?" And then the waterworks followed. "You betrayed my trust, and now you accuse me of doing something so vile." She hiccuped, sobbing hysterically as she blabbed incoherent words that made no sense.
My mom reached out from her seat, patting Arya's back, while the majority of the people at the table turned to her with a look of pity on their faces. Even Hunter couldn't keep the passive expression on his face as he turned briefly in her direction but immediately looked away.
Nice. Once again, I am the bad guy.
How nice.
I sighed, raising my head up to stare at the ceiling while I fought back the stinging tears in my eyes.
"It is a customary rite for anyone being tried to be given a chance to prove their innocence; are you saying you can't prove yours and there is no point extending this rite to you?" The head elder asked, and I dropped my head with a heavy sigh.
"Like I said, I don't know or remember what happened; how do you suppose I prove my innocence? Why is her boyfriend not here if you really wanted to give me a chance?" I asked while pointing at Arya. "Shouldn't he be questioned as well?"
"The delta fled the pack, and all attempts to find him have been futile; however, he isn't the accused, you are. And if you cannot prove your innocence, we are within our rights to proceed with the trial as we deem fit and make a decision based on all the evidence brought here against you today." The head elder responded, and I gave a curt nod.
A few days ago, I was still foolish enough to hope that this trial would prove my innocence, but I had resigned myself to my fate the minute I accepted Hunter's rejection and walked out of that tiny room. I was never a part of this pack, and even if my innocence is proven, they will never see me as one of theirs. I was an outsider when I came back two years ago, and I am still an outsider. Being with Hunter for the past two years gave me a false sense of security, and I was so deluded to think I belonged here.
I watched with a shattering heart as the elders huddled together and whispered amongst themselves. The head elder whispered something to the elder next to him, who in turn whispered in the ears of the next elder, and it continued like that until it got to Alpha Orion, who shifted his attention to Hunter for a few minutes, and it became quite clear that they were having a conversation through the mind link.
My gaze trailed back to the people I thought were my family. Arya was still sniffling and crying, and my parents were fussing over her, patting her back as they tried to console her. She said I was the self-absorbed one who always took everything from her, but for as long as I can remember, it has always been this way.
My parents only agreed that Aunt Diwa take me with her because they believed she would teach me discipline. To my parents, I was the troublesome child, the one who never listened, and that was how I got myself into the mess of becoming Aunt Diwa's ward. It wasn't because I was eager to visit the Philippines, nor was it because I manipulated Aunt Diwa to take me; it was because my parents didn't want me here. They didn't want to deal with my troubles and would rather have their perfect daughter, Arya, who always obeyed and never questioned them.
"It has come to our knowledge that you are pregnant with your mate's pup. Is this true?" My gaze returned to the elders for a moment.
"Jade, are you pregnant and are we to believe that the pup you are carrying belongs to your mate?" The elder repeated his question, and my gaze shifted to Hunter.
Our eyes met, and I stared pointedly at him as I flipped the question over and over again in my mind. Is it true? Is it his pup? Am I really pregnant?
"No," I replied without breaking eye contact with Hunter. "I lied." I declared in one breath, and for some reason, Hunter flinched.
If this is his only chance to ever father a pup, then I will gladly deprive him of the opportunity and joys of being a father.
