DAWN’S POV “Speak, girl, that is a huge accusation leveled on you, and you know that consequences associated with such an act of betrayer to the Pack” my father demanded. I have been silent all along and could not muster the courage to defend myself, especially not when the mind of my father is already shown to be biased. All that I see happening to me right now only reminds me of the agony of Scarlet in her growing-up years. I could not help but think of all the torture and maltreatment that she went through in our hands, at the hands of those she considered family, right inside the mansion that should be her father’s house. My father has not listened to me and yet he has already condemned me. Is this a situation of being upright or is there something else attached to his stand? Is there more than meets the eyes in all of this? I guess I would have to wait to find out. While I was silent, my mother spoke to my father on my behalf. “Tim, you don’t find her guilty already, you haven’t heard a word in her defense” “Keep quiet, woman, beta Tim is an upright man, and you cannot close the eyes of justice” a man among the crowd yelled. Before he could finish, another added. “Yes, you think you can manipulate the situation, we are all here to witness. She must pay for her crimes” I listened to all these without uttering a word in my defense. This is just today, and it has barely lasted an hour and I already feel this way. How then was it for Scarlet who had to endure even greater hurt for almost half part of her life? She was never given a chance to explain herself, or even an opportunity to make her choice. At least I am lucky in this situation, Scarlet was never given a trial, and even when there is, she was not allowed in it. “You keep quiet, who are you to talk in this situation...” my mother yelled at them. “Mother” I called. I stopped my mother from going any further in my defense. This is my fight, and I would not want to drag anyone into it, not even my mother. “Dawn” she cried and it hurt so much to see her like this. She has never been this helpless in a situation.“It is okay, mother, I will respond” I appealed. Now I know what it feels like to be up against your father. It is just for one day, but Scarlet lived it all her life at the mansion. It is an emotional moment for me as never had I imagined that my father would turn against me. I would never have believed that he was not just going to sit back and watch me lead to be ambushed, but was going to be the leader of such ambush. All my life, I had boasted that he loves me, but now I can see the fallacy in that too. “Father” I called yet again. Maybe he is mistaken. Maybe I need to draw his attention and make him realize that I am the person before him. Maybe only then would he come to his senses and ask these people away. “Go ahead, and be fast with it” he replied with no hint of emotion. They all praise him and call him an upright man, but this day, would he show some fairness to his own daughter, or will he sit back with his hands folded and allow her to be devoured by the enemies? “Father, I have no idea what I am been accused about, I didn’t and won't betray our Pack” I responded. I never planned to overthrow the alpha or do any act likely to jeopardize the safety of the Pack. All along I have been away and had nothing to do with the affair of Diamond Cut Pack. Now I await the verdict of my father, I want to see how he would turn the state of things around against his daughter, or how he would confirm the innocence of his daughter to the disapproval of her accusers. “You... you are not... guilty?” he stuttered. “No, father. I have been away from the Pack all along and had no dealings with it” I replied. I don’t know why, but I could swear that what I saw on my father’s face were traces of disappointment. But why would that be so? If he doesn’t want me anymore, he can as well send me back to where I came from. I don’t intend to be a worry to him. “Liar, that is what she is. I say she is a traitor and must be hanged” the accuser yelled. “Are you sure about this? Do tell us, what evidence do you hold against her?” my father asked. “She already said she is innocent, what other evidence do you seek, Tim?” my mother challenged him.“Keep quiet, woman, I am still on this” my father yelled in return. This was the first time I am seeing him address my mother in this manner. Truly, so much has changed since I left and I have just realized that I am in for a more rude shock. “Beta Tim, this,” the accuser said and brought out some strands of wolf furs. At the sight of this, the crowd gasped in shock. No one spoke a word, the whole place has become silent like a graveyard as they all waited in enthusiasm to hear more and see where this would lead to. I shivered at the sight of the furs in his hand. I need not be told, it is my wolf’s. Where did he get them from and what does he intend to prove with them? At the moment, I could not stop asking myself questions. I was already frightened beyond words and almost urinated on myself. Aside from having my furs, what else does he have against me? By now, even my mother was looking at me, I could see the expression on her face, it was of disbelief and utmost dismay. “This...” my father took a look at the furs. He should already know that they are mine. The furs belong to me and there is no hiding it. “This is yours right?” he asked me. “Y... yes... father” I stammered. Of what good would lying now do to me? I cannot deny ownership under such glaring circumstances. Who knows, maybe he came across them by chance and decided to use them to prove that I am an enemy, or maybe he already had it long ago. He is a friend of Carl and Hedrick and so must have gotten them somehow. But then, what is the relationship between this and being a traitor? “Speak on,” he said to my accuser. Would I be allowed to speak for myself after now, will I be given to chance to show to everyone that I am not a traitor, can I exonerate myself by so doing or will my father convict me based on his evidence alone? “I got this in Pixolands” he replied. In Pixolands? The crowd gasped in disbelief. Their chatters were deafening. I was stiff and stood like a lamb waiting to be sacrificed. I prayed fervently for the ground to open up and swallow me. How do I explain this to my parents now, most especially my mother?