HER RETURN: REVENGE OR LOVE?

Scarlette’s POV

“We are here this morning to oversee and study the case of Miss Scarlette Cross!”

The toneless words ring in my ears but I was too anxious to react to it. I can’t even stand to speak my thoughts out loud. How I wished I could rage against Full Moon Pack’s Council of Elders, who I was sure cared nothing about a helpless and wolfless Omega like me. After all, I’m already 18 and still wolfless after almost a year of waiting. Worse, all my childhood friends have already manifested their wolves, while mine has yet to make an appearance.

For the past few months I have asked – no, begged – my wolf to respond. However, there wasn’t even a whispered reply to any of my countless daily pleadings. At the same time, I also prayed to the moon goddess that I be gifted a wolf and if I already do have one, for her to finally speak to me. But it is all for naught. Until now, I have nothing to show for it.

Worse, my bullying friends are now being supported and even emulated by the other members of the pack. Just yesterday as I was going to the butcher to get my weekly meat ration, three young adolescent boys began to call me names like “Useless pack member!” “Mute wolf!” and “Wolfless Omega!”

Ignoring them, I swiftly entered the butcher shop to get the meat allotted for me. However, as I stepped outside, there were more people now and even adults. Unfortunately, they held overripe tomatoes and other rotten vegetables. In a matter of minutes, I was soon pummeled by a rain of disgustingly putrid veggies.

“You’re not welcome here, you freak!”

“What are you good for anyway, you wolfless weirdo?”

“Just stay away if you know whats good for you, you freaking nutcase!”

After I had returned to my tiny room at the packhouse attic, I realize that I was hit by stones in a number of spots on my body and were then starting to swell and several of then have already turned into deep violet and bluish patches. And of course, since I don’t have a wolf, these bruises will take time to heal. Regrettably, my capacity to heal is only slightly faster than a human being.

After dressing up as many as I can of my body’s dark blotches and taking a shower along with a change of clothes, I soon found myself visiting my auburn-haired mate, Rick. I realized that he hasn’t rejected me yet, which I’m still thankful about. However, if my wolf doesn’t appear soon, he will be forced to reject me in favor of someone else. After all, he is the Beta of our pack and he can’t afford to be stuck with a weakling without a wolf like me.

Not that I don’t know who he plans to replace me with…

That would be, Blaire, for sure. Especially since Rick had already invited the curvaceous red head he to live with him in the Beta’s suite. And even the whole pack was considering the possibility thinking this with end with Blaire, ending up with my mate. Ironically, the three of us have been close friends since we were just kids…

“Rick, can I ask for some of the ointment that you use on your injuries during pack training?” I timidly requested once he had already let me in his three-room quarters.

He turned around and walk back inside the living room area of his suite while yelling out his orders, “Blaire, can you get my ointment from our bedroom’s bathroom then let Scarlette use some of it?”

My ears perked up at the words “OUR room” but decided to ignore it as I followed Rick inside.

“Why, what happened to her, anyway?” was the haughty girl’s flippant query.

“Oh yeah, what do you need it for, Scarlette? You aren’t part of the elite Delta warriors…”

“There were a few people in the plaza that mobbed me and some threw rocks at me,” I admitted with slight embarrassment as I took a seat in one of the armchairs in the parlor. “The thing was, I only realized that they weren’t throwing just rotten vegetables at me until I got home.”

“Well, you deserve that for not standing up when they bully you,” the amber-eyed Beta reminded me with a sneer then looked behind him. “Right, honey?”

Honey? I feel myself slightly bristle at my mate’s words. He’s not even trying to hide it from me, anymore!

“I agree with you, love. And you should really be more active in helping the pack Scarlette. That way they won’t think you as useless or insignificant,” Blaire, who was wearing a contour red mini-dress, said as she sexily slinked towards me with the small jar of cream in her hand. “Would you like to try and help out the pack with a small secret mission?”

I opened the glass container that my green- eyed “rival” has handed to me and began applying some on the marks on my arms. “What secret mission?” I asked curiously.

It took Blaire thirty minutes to tell me the details of what she needed me to do. She also assured me that it will help the pack go against the vampires who are attacking our Full Moon’s property and packhouse. The helpful ginger even promised to tell everyone how I helped the pack.

The instructions were simple. I was to go outside our boundaries and look for a cottage near the woods. There I will find an elderly couple and deliver a note that Blaire has written. I am instructed to never open the letter and to keep it a secret.

And as an ever the gullible and trusting friend that I am, I followed what I was told to the letter, with no questions asked. Imagine my surprise when I was arrested a few hours later for treason based on the testimony by an anonymous witness.

Which is why I’m now here…

Up until now, I have not been informed on who my accuser is. No worries, I am sure to meet this deceiver during my trial. She is the prime witness, after all.

“Scarlette Cross you have been charged with the crime of treason,” the oldest member of the council droned tonelessly. “How do you plead?”

“Not guilty, Elder Nicholas,” I stated.

“Bring in the first witness!”

I looked with surprise at the head of the council… First? So there are more?

The supercilious red-haired woman seductively entered and took her seat near the elders. I could not believe my eyes…

“Blaire? What the hell are you doing here?”