DAWN’S POV “Bravo girl, it gladdens my heart to know that I have always underestimated you all through your life” the man that was following me applauded. I tried not to be frightened but escape him. I am in my wolf form while he was not and this should give me some ample advantage over him. But no matter how hard I tried, he was always a step ahead of me. It was as though he already know my next step even before I took it. Everywhere was dark and I could not see his face or anything about him. The dim light of the moon only reflected his shadow. Even his voice echoed as he spoke and so I could not detect whose voice it is. He runs too fast for a human. No human should be able to run faster than a beta wolf except of course the alpha. And now he just said that he has underestimated me all my life, how well does he know me? Or is it the alpha that has finally come after me? Is he behind this whole zombie thing? I was truly foolish to have thought that my father was acting on his own all along. I should have known that the alpha was behind this. But why would he want to kill me, what wrong have I done to him to deserve death? I have known him since I was a child, and have always obeyed him. Never for once have I tried to go against him and even when my father unanimously betrothed me to him I never objected. Or is it that he has found out about Landon and has decided to punish me for going to another? But then he never openly accepted me and I know that he would reject me the moment he found a reason to. “You ever believed you were going to escape from me?” he asked. In response, I growled and added more speed to my running. I have already succeeded in escaping and I am not going to alone anyone take me back there. But even my speed doesn’t seem to make any difference to him as he was already running by my side the next minute. It was quite obvious to me now that he already knew my every move. He could easily detect my next move without trying too hard. “Can't you already see that running is useless, you are making no headway in it” he mocked. This is when I stopped and dared him to attack me. He is my alpha and can say whether I live or die. I am not going to resist any further. Since it was disrespectful to be before the alpha as a wolf, I shifted to my human form and remained unclad before him.He giggled. “See how quick you surrender, I thought you’ve grown some self-will at Pixolands” It was after I had shifted that the voice became clearer to me and knowing who it is now, I exclaimed. “Father” “Yes, Dawn, it is me. You thought you could run away. Now tell me, who helped you to escape?” he asked straight to the point. “No one, father” I replied. “What do you mean no one, how did you manage to escape from there” he growled. “I said no one, father. Who else knows that I was there? At a point I was afraid that you knew nothing about my whereabouts” I replied. “And who released you?” he asked again. He was not buying my story. “I found my way out myself” I replied. There is no way that I will reveal to him that I was released by Gina. If I should do that then I will get Gina in trouble for the good she did. I have to remain firm and maintain my stand. Even I have to believe that no one released me or else he will see through my lies. I must convince myself that I am saying the truth. “How is that possible? How did you escape? The doors were fully secured and the windows had iron bars on them” he asked. He was getting irritated by my refusal to cooperate. I maintained my silence. I escaped and that is it. There is nothing more for me to say to him about that. “What have you become in Pixolands?” he fumed when he saw that he was not getting any response. When I still refuse to reply, he grabbed my throat and started to strangle me with his bare hands. I was choking but I did not try to stop him. What difference would it make anyway, it is either I die by his hands now or I do so later. When he saw that I was not about to put up a fight to be free, he stopped and spat on me. “You swan, I have always thought that you would turn out better” he cussed. “I have done nothing wrong, father, you have not even heard me out yet you choose to condemn me instead,” I said. “There is nothing be heard, traitor. You fought against your own people. You fought alongside the enemies to defeat your people” he yelled.“Is this just because of the fight, father?” I asked, daring him to say the truth. I know this is not because of the fight. In fact, I am sure this has nothing to do with the fight. He is already bent on doing away with me and the reason for that is what I am yet to find out. Now I want him to admit it, and tell me why he so much wants to spill my blood. “To hell with you. You are a disgrace and it hurts to know that you came out of my loins. I will see to it that you die miserably” he threatened. “That doesn’t answer my question, father,” I said. I know that he was deliberately trying to avoid answering my questions. Why is he hell-bent on doing away with me, where is the love that he claimed to have for me all these years? I want answers, and only he can give them to me. “See, I am not indebted to answer any of your questions, girl. And quit referring to me as your father, you are an outcast now” he barked. “I am no outcast, father, at least it would require the alpha to proclaim me as such” I retorted. “I say stop calling me that” he screamed and landed a slap on my face that sent me staggering. “You are not the one to make me an outcast. If I have wronged the Pack, then let the alpha say so” I cried. I know that I am surely going to die, but standing up for myself at this stage is a task that I owe myself. He grinned and laughed hysterically. “You now talk back at me? I see you’ve grown some guts at Pixolands, you ungrateful bitch” He lifted his hand to slap me again but I stopped him. I grabbed his hand tightly and prevented his slap from getting to me. “You...” he was dumbfounded and vibrating in anger. “I am not Scarlet, I will not let you hit me without some fair trial” I warned. “Oh, you want some fair trial. What makes you think that the alpha would want to go against me in deciding your case? And just so you know, you are no different from that weakling. Seize her” he ordered. I was shocked. Who was he asking to seize me? We are alone aren’t we, or so I thought. Before I know what was happening, two men grabbed me from behind. This time, I did not try to struggle with them as I already knew that such an attempt would amount to an effort in futility. He walked close to me, held my chin, and spat into my eyes. “I see you can manipulate your way around the dungeon. This time I will take you somewhere that has been able to hold you captive all these years” he giggled. “Where...” I murmured. “You are truly a daft” he laughed and they dragged me away.