It was a restless night for me and simultaneously a sleepless one for the officers. I was wide awake when the alarm went off, getting out of the bed I walked to the mirror and finally saw myself after spending weeks in hospital then prison.

A pale-skinned girl looked back at me from the mirror. My dyed black and silver hair had grown significantly since I came here, almost touching my waist. The dark circles around my Hazel eyes looked like potatoes and the lack of nutrition was showing on my complexion.

My body structure would be easily influenced by what I eat and in the past three weeks, I haven’t had enough food because of that scoundrel Jack! I sighed looking at my slender figure, my body was significantly slimmed down with the colour of the veins easily distinguishable through the opaque white skin.

This shouldn’t be my concern now! It was Channing, the case didn’t scare me but his promise did. I had never seen someone as childish and pure as him in a position of authority, and that is why it scared me the most. If he was some commoner, I would be a bit flattered by every single thought that rolled out of his blonde head making its way to those loquacious lips; But I have a better experience of becoming the laughing stock between the authorities, so expecting him to be there was the last thing on my mind.

“The Van would be here in 20 minutes, get ready”, one of the officers deflected my attention, breaking my chain of thoughts. I sighed as I knew anything in the fridge won’t be edible now, so instead, I focused my attention on getting dressed.

I didn’t really have a lot of my clothes here, this house was reserved by me only to cover myself when turning back to human form after a run. Looking at a pair of Black jeans and a decent white T-shirt, I put them on and combed my hair up in a high ponytail. Checking myself in the mirror I tucked the T-shirt in and got a belt from the drawer that matched the silver collar on my neck.

It suddenly recollected giving Channing my phone number back in the hospital so I switched on my cell phone that was left here in this house. But there was nothing on it so I just put it in my pocket and got moving outside.

A big Criminal van from the prison was here to pick us up, I would usually lock my bedroom so the main door was never repaired. Van’s doors opened from inside, chief Jack wasn’t there but the face I saw inside made me miss him for a moment.

“YO! I didn’t expect you to be accompanying us, I guess it won’t be as boring a ride”, Zelda said hyped up, but she couldn’t do anything to her bitch face.

I rolled my big Hazel eyes and stepped inside, bracing myself, followed by the two lady officers.

“You look cool with two hefty officers keeping a watch on you, some kind of protection FOR you or FROM you?” Zelda’s eyes squinted mischievously trying to get a reaction out of me. Her lackeys weren’t here so a different side of hers was seeping out.

The van was already on a hill pass speeding towards the capital city, where the court was situated. The cases inside any village usually would be handled by the elders, but the rural court of Adalolpha was built by the royal capital for the five villages to settle cases involving more than one village.

It was a short drive but with an unwanted company, and every passing minute was testing my patience to not rip Zelda’s head off.

“So what is your crime!? Pickpocket? Haha”, She started showing her colours and I internally smiled to myself trying to ignore every little action she did. The flicking of hair, pesky long nails that clicked with her fingers, and that devious smile that crept on her face; I did nothing but ignore it all.

I felt her eyes burrowing a hole in me even if I wasn’t looking at her, “It is rude to ignore your senior newcomer!”

I pretended I didn’t hear her yet again, the voice that followed did have a childish ring to it, but her thirst was what dripped from it,

“Yesterday you earned my respect. What I saw in your eyes looked as threatening as an Alpha wolf commanding me, and to pull that off as an omega!” Her desirous body moved close to whisper, “How did you do it? tell me your secret and I will not bother you for the rest of your life.”

Taking a deep breath I turned to face her only to go back on staring out of the window. What should I even answer her? There is no trick, as an Alpha, I can do that any time of any day. But some things are better-kept secret to protect my identity.

But she just won’t stop. Her attitude loosened up a bit this time, “Hey, don’t ignore me like that!…O..M..G… newbie you have good fashion sense! Your silver collar totally goes with your attire, you should consider buying more expensive clothes. Let’s go shopping when we are out! I’ll pay so don’t worry about the expenses.” Saying this she winked at me.

It finally irked me, “Selene, that is my name, stop calling me newbie and sit quietly where you are!”

“Oh Selene, Such a nice name! The name of the goddess herself” Zelda said totally ignoring my words. Of course, she wanted to witness my threat yet again, or else she wouldn’t waste her time on me. I exhaled my lungs out irritated at myself for even replying, now there was no other choice but to listen to her elated yapping the entire ride.

We finally reached the capital city and a breath of relief escaped my mouth, I always found it funny how the capital of the royal town was outside the main royal city.

As we exited the van, I looked at the freshly painted white court walls, a huge supporting structure holding the high ceiling that said ‘Rural court of Adalolpha.’ There weren’t many stairs but the existing few were very long, extending from this end to that in semicircles.

The first thought that crossed my mind was Channing! I looked around searching for him but my eyes landed on a rather bubbly and acquainted girl who came running towards me, I couldn’t remember her. The first thing she did was hug me as if she has known me forever, “I’m so happy to see you all perfect! We were all worried.”

I pushed her away from me gently and confused asked her, “All? Is everyone from the pack here!?”

“Of course they are all here!” She replied, ” It’s not just the case about John’s death but also for the attack on Channing!”

“Oh! That’s why everyone is present” I said not surprised by her answer, I mean why would they even come for me!? I tried to buy time but her image was still hazy in my head, ‘Where had I seen her before?’

“But that’s not why we are here today!” she chimed, “Today’s trials are only about YOUR crimes, we are here to support you!”

I was a little taken aback by her words, they sounded very odd to my ears. Probably because I wasn’t used to it, “to support me?”

“Yes! The pack always supports each other!” She came close to me whispering in my ears, “We believe you are innocent Selene, John was an asshole. Just that some old members are here to see you sentenced guilty, don’t bother about them okay?”

Her words carried so much care in them, one person to believe in me was enough But the whole pack was here! I looked towards the pinnacle of the stairs where others were standing, half of them waved at me and I waved back.

Carrying my attention back to the girl standing in front of me I finally asked, failing to recollect her, “Thank you… umm?”

“You didn’t recognise me!?” She said pouting which had me raise my eyebrows embarrassed, “I’m Suzan! We met in the prison, remember?”

My eyes naturally squinted trying to retrieve that memory. She was quick to pick up as she gestured specs with her hand making an innocent face, and that’s where it was!

“WHAT!” I shouted in shock which made her giggle, this was that shy looking girl in the prison! She looked way beautiful right now but her personality! It totally flipped!

“I’m sorry Selene, I didn’t introduce myself back then,” her eyebrows creased apologetically, “Actually Channing had asked us to look after you, but since you were kept in prison, I was the only one who could follow you there in disguise.”

“Only you? don’t tell me you committed a crime to be there!” I joked and yet crossed my fingers hoping that wasn’t the case.

Her sweet giggle filled the air as she hit me jokingly, “What are you saying! My dad is the Prison supervisor, I just had to request it.” Hearing that made me release my crossed fingers as I sighed in relief.

She made it sound so casual my heart almost melted, I loved pure souls like her. That made me remember another one, “Is Channing here?”

Suzan beamed at the name and holding my wrist pulled me up the stairs behind her, the officers followed close behind keeping up. Suzan gleamed like a kid saying, “Channing has been waiting for you since morning, come on fast let’s meet everyone!”