3

The Alpha made his way over to the mother and daughter duo.

Bellatrix got off her mom and fell to her knees, pressing her palms together, ignoring the pains that came with this very act.

Her cheeks were stained with tears, her whole being was trembling as she sniffled, staring at his feet, too frightened to see how he looked at the moment.

"Alpha... Alpha, my mom wouldn't steal." She appealed.

"The jewelry was found in her bag." The Alpha coldly said.

"I..." She didn't know what else to say. She wasn't there when her mom was taken away but she believed her mom was innocent. However, rather unfortunately, she didn't have any proof to back up her claims.

"Raise your head, Bellatrix," he ordered.

"Y-Yes, Alpha," She quickly obeyed his demand but his death stare made her wish to be swallowed by the earth beneath her. Unfortunately, hanging her head low was no longer an option, unless he commanded it.

"I believe I gave you a warning?"

This question jolted memories of the dreadful day they discovered they were fated mates.

"Alpha, I didn't disobey you, I swear!" she implored.

"So, the news I caught wind of, who spread it if not you?" he interrogated with a brow lifted.

Then he continued, "And I very well know your mom stole that bracelet because she felt that with you being my mate, I would pardon her crime, for your sake. You two must have celebrated that day and made several plans on how to act once you become the Luna. Am I wrong?"

She frantically shook her head in denial, "Alpha, we did no such thing. I..."

"I warned you that if you disobey me, I'll let my pet snakes throw a party with your body," he reminded her with a hostile tone, "And, I always keep to my word,"

Her face paled even more, "No, Alpha please." She inched forward, wanting to grab hold of his leg but he kicked her chin, sending her backwards.

"Alpha, please spare my daughter. Spare her. She is innocent. You can take my life, you can feed me to the snakes. Let my daughter go, I beg you," Vivian suddenly found the strength to plead with the Alpha.

"Continue," the Alpha commanded the guard and the latter nodded before raising the cane to thrash the weakened woman once more, causing her to scream.

"No!" Bellatrix, crawled over to the Alpha and prostrated, "Please, don't kill her. Alpha..."

"Silence!" he cut her off.

An eerie-looking cage was suddenly brought over with its bars laced with silver. Dwelling inside were two large venomous snakes, both hissing as the cage was being dropped to the ground.

"Spare... my child," Bellatrix's mum managed to say before screaming out her lungs again from the harsh and painful strike of the cane that kept tearing at her skin.

"Step into the cage and I'll let your mom rot in prison." The Alpha ordered Bellatrix.

Having no choice, his mate tried to stand but found herself lacking a tad bit of strength to lift even a finger.

"Throw her in," he ordered with a scowl and Vivian suddenly initiated partial transformation, her hands becoming claws and her fangs becoming prominent with veins bulging on her skin.

Breaking through the restraints keeping her secured on the bench earlier, she rushed towards the Alpha and knelt.

"Throw me in instead, Alpha. Let my daughter live. She's innocent. I was the one who spread the word about her being your fated one. I... I was there that day... I knew about your warning, but I got too greedy. I admit to my crimes. Please, let my daughter go, I beg you,"

"No, mum. Stop lying. You knew nothing about this. You didn't steal. You didn't spread rumors." Bellatrix cried.

"Alpha, don't listen to her. I-I'm her mother. I've not being a good parent. I got her injured this badly, just because of my greed. I regret not thinking things through. It's my fault, Alpha. I deserve to die." Vivian pleaded with the Alpha, cancelling her partial transformation and returning to her human state.

"No, mum. Please, don't do this," A desperate Bellatrix begged, hating herself for being so weak that she couldn't even attempt a partial transformation like her mom did.

After shifting into her wolf form last year when she turned eighteen, she'd been unable to shift after that, no matter how much she tried.

Vivian turned towards her daughter and stared at her lovingly, managing a weak and quivering smile, tears eagerly rolling down her cheeks in streams.

"Be good. It's due time for me to reunite with your dad. I promised to be with him no matter what. Now, I can finally fulfill my promise."

"Mom... don't do this. I'm the one to die in that cage."

"Stop this boring drama and get in woman." The Alpha had grown dreary of their moments of affection.

The guard came over and dragged Vivian towards the cage while Bellatrix cried even more, trying to rise, all to no avail.

"Good bye, Bellatrix. Remember, this smiling face and close your eyes." Vivian said to her daughter as she was being dragged away.

The cage had now been open and shortly after Vivian got thrown inside.

"Look away, Bellatrix. I order you as your mother," Vivian yelled before letting out heart-rending screams of agony.

Bellatrix looked away from the cage and bawled her eyes out as her mom's screams continued sounding in her ears until she could no longer hear anything from the cage other than the snakes hissing.

"Your thief of a mother is gone. She has died for her crimes." The Alpha coldly announced to a despondent Bellatrix, whose eyes were devoid of life.

"You killed my mother..." she mumbled as she turned to look at him. Gone now was that fear of being killed. Her only family was gone now; killed for a crime she knew nothing of.

Newfound strength got infused in her body and she rose to her feet.

"Are you happy, Alpha Aslan Robertson?" she asked, with her hands tightly clenched. "ARE YOU HAPPY?!"

A harsh slap to her face was the response she got from him but she willed herself not to fall this time. She turned to glare at him, "Are you satisfied, you son of a bitch?"

Her words caused many to gasp in shock. No one could understand where she was getting the guts to act like this. Was it because she had nothing left and already died in her mind?

The Alpha turned to leave but she grabbed his shirt and forcefully tore a part of it. Her hands, unexpectedly, had become claws successfully and her blue eyes had turned a glowing gold, with her fangs protruding. "Where do you think you're going, you fucking murderer?"

The Alpha took off his shirt and tossed it at her, "It's yours. You can stare at it while you rot in jail, you waste of space," he then turned to walk away.

"I, Bellatrix Dankworth of Star Light pack, reject you, this scumbag of an Alpha mate, Aslan Robertson, as my mate!" she spat, causing him to stop in his tracks.

"A slave like you has no right to do so." With that, he continued walking away with his Beta following after him quietly while two burly guards came over to drag a raging Bellatrix to the dungeon.

For someone like her who had insulted the Alpha repeatedly, she was to be put in the most secured part of the dungeon meant for hardened criminals.