Chapter 4 CHAPTER FOUR: THE ACCUSED LUNA

Aria POV

"Aria of Tauris Pack, you are arrested for the poisoning of the Lycan King's sister."

The soldier's voice echoed through the parlor. My eyes widened, my breath catching in my throat as the words sank in.

"W-what?" I stammered, stumbling backward. "Poison? I didn't poison anyone. I don't even know his sister!"

Natalia and Victor stepped away from me as if I carried a disease. Victor's face was pale with shock, his eyes wide and uncertain as he stared at me. Natalia's eyes gleamed with fake surprise, but I caught the subtle smirk hidden beneath her hand.

"We do not want a fight here," the soldier said, his voice cold and unyielding. "If you struggle with us, you will be punished severely."

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" I shouted, my voice cracking with terror and confusion.

To my shock, Victor stepped forward, positioning himself between me and the soldiers.

"What is this nonsense?" he demanded, his voice trembling. "How did Aria poison the princess? You cannot just barge in and demand she be taken away without proper evidence."

I stared at him, stunned. Victor was defending me? My brother, who had always resented me, who had always favored Natalia, was standing up for me?

The soldier stepped forward, his hand resting on his weapon. "We have found clear evidence, and it points to her. We will not hesitate to remove you if you defend her."

Natalia moved quickly, grabbing Victor's arm and pulling him back. Tears streamed down her face, her performance flawless. "Victor, please. Do not get involved. We do not know what is happening. You could be hurt."

Victor looked conflicted, his gaze shifting between me and Natalia. I could see the war in his eyes. Loyalty versus fear. Family versus survival.

"Victor," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Please..."

He looked at me, and for a moment, I saw something flicker in his eyes. Guilt? Regret?

Then he looked away.

My heart shattered.

I fell to my knees as a sense of hopelessness washed over me. Then a voice boomed from behind, and Logan walked in.

"What is the matter here?"

Logan froze when he saw the soldiers at our parlor. The armed force under the King. His eyes swept over the scene, taking in the soldiers, the weapons, and me on my knees.

"Luna Aria is to stand before the King for the killing of his sister," the soldier announced. "If anyone stands in our way, your pack will suffer the consequences."

I looked at Logan, waiting for him to speak.

Waiting for him to tell them they had the wrong person.

But he said nothing.

Before anyone could speak, the soldiers descended on me. Hands grabbed my hair, twisting my wrists behind my back. I struggled, screaming for them to let me go, but they shoved me hard onto the stone floor. My face scraped against the rough surface, pain shooting through my cheek.

"I didn't do anything!" I yelled, twisting my wrists as they manhandled me.

I looked around at the servants watching, at Victor's pale confused face, at Natalia's smug expression, and finally at Logan.

Logan looked confused, his brow furrowed. But he didn't step in. Instead, he walked forward, his voice cold. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do any—"

"Shut up." Logan snapped, turning to the soldier. "She is not the Luna of this pack anymore. So please refrain from calling her that."

For a moment, I couldn't understand what I was hearing.

He wasn't defending me.

He wasn't even asking what evidence they had.

He was only correcting them. He just didn't want them calling me his Luna anymore.

"Logan, please," I begged, my voice cracking. "I didn't do this. I don't know anything about poisoning. Please, just give me a chance to prove my innocence."

He looked at me with cold, empty eyes. "I don't know what you have been doing while I was away, but now I think I do," he said, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Logan, no—"

He turned away, taking Natalia's hand and sweeping her from the room. "Come with me. You are pregnant. You may stress the baby."

"Aria?"

I looked up to see Victor still standing there, his face pale and uncertain.

"Victor," I whispered, desperate. "Please. You know I didn't do this."

He opened his mouth to speak, but the soldiers yanked me to my feet, dragging me toward the door.

"Get up!" they yelled harshly, shoving me into the courtyard.

I fell hard onto the stone floor, the rough surface scraping my knees.

I looked up and saw everyone in the pack gathered in front of the estate. The commotion had drawn their attention. The royal army's crest on the wagon had drawn their curiosity. Families watched in stunned silence as their former Luna was dragged through the courtyard like a criminal.

"Aria!" Mira's voice cut through the chaos, and I saw her running toward me, her face twisted with panic.

But before she could reach me, the soldiers shoved me into the back of the wagon. I hit the wooden floor hard, the air rushing from my lungs.

The door slammed shut, plunging me into darkness.

I lay there, broken and bleeding, as the wagon lurched into motion.

Tears streamed down my face.

I didn't know what was happening. I didn't know why my life had become such a mess.

---

I spent days in the back of that wagon, jostled and bruised with every bump in the road. They fed me scraps at irregular intervals, but I barely touched them. My clothes were torn and filthy, stained with dirt and dried blood. The bruises on my face had turned purple and swollen, throbbing with every heartbeat.

When the wagon finally stopped and the door creaked open, I was hit by a blast of freezing air. Snow swirled into the wagon, biting into my exposed skin like tiny needles.

I shivered violently, my thin rags offering no protection against the cold.

The soldiers stood before me, wrapped in thick fur cloaks. Their faces were cold and indifferent, as if I were nothing more than cargo. They didn't spare me a glance.

"Please," I begged, my voice hoarse from days of silence and crying. "Please, I need warmer clothes. I'll freeze to death in these conditions. You can't expect me to survive this."

They didn't respond. One of them grabbed my arm, yanking me out of the wagon. My bare feet touched the snow-covered ground, and I gasped at the searing cold.

I was dragged through the massive fortress and down a series of narrow hallways. Finally, I was thrown into a dungeon cell, the iron door slamming shut behind me.

The soldier stood over me, his face cold and unfeeling.

"In a few days, you will be punished and executed in front of everyone for your crime."

My eyes widened, tears streaming down my face. "No, please. You can't just kill me. Let me explain myself. I didn't do anything. I swear I'm innocent."

He turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing down the corridor until they faded completely.

I was alone.

I looked around the cell, taking note of the damp stone walls, the thin layer of straw on the floor and a small barred window high above, letting in a sliver of gray light.

I stiffened in disgust when I noticed rats scurrying around the cell.

I curled into the corner of the cell, avoiding the rats, pulling my knees to my chest.

Tears streamed down my face, freezing before they even fell.

Maybe this was my fate. Maybe the Moon Goddess had decided I was meant to suffer. Meant to be betrayed. Meant to die alone in a cold dungeon, accused of a crime I didn't commit.