"What?" Was the only word Olivia could mutter as servants of the Beta's mansion surrounded her.
Sheryl had stormed in without a word. Olivia could swear she heard her blood pounding in her ear.
Her lips were drawn into a thin furious line. Whatever she'd come to do, she knew earlier on that it wasn't for her good.
Olivia felt her skin being too tight as she gritted her teeth and stared. Still unable to believe this was happening.
She'd even lied about being sick just to avoid going to the ceremony and to run away, why did fate have to do this to her.
"She stole my scent!" Sheryl said again and this caused a murmur to ensue within the crowd again.
What did she mean by that and how possible was it that Olivia was guilty of what she was accusing her of.
But Olivia knew better than to believe their disbelieving glances at her.
Sheryl was the beta's daughter. All her life, she'd been raised with the knowledge that she would be one of the Alpha's mate. That she'd be Luna of the pack.
But in a night all that dream had been shattered? Olivia didn't want to imagine what might have happened at the ceremony when she'd discovered none of the princes were mated to her. Only to follow the crowd here to find out that they were mated to someone else? All three of them? And to her lowly servant of all.
"Please, I don't know what you're accusing me of. I never stole your scent, Sheryl"
"Liar!!" Sheryl cursed, her voice rising above her lungs.
" Search her bag! She was plotting to run away wasn't she? Search her duffle and you'd all see that she's telling a lie" she stamped.
If there was anything Olivia had learned in her years of being Sheryl's servant, then it was that omegas should always be weary whenever they got accused by the higher ups.
An Omega's words and testimony, whether true, will never be taken against a beta or alpha's.
Before she knew what was happening, the duffle bag she carried was snatched from her by the servants.
Olivia was no longer bothered by the fact that she had been found out and her plots to runaway ruined, nor was she skeptical about the money she'd stolen being found out.
All she cared about now was for them to search her bag and discover that she stole no one's scent. What would she be doing with it anyway? Sheryl's of all people.
As if being moved by an invisible force, part of the angry mob snatched the bag from the servants who had been searching it.
Their eyes were bloodshot. Olivia was sure she had seen the same emotions she found in the Luna's eyes in theirs.
The Luna's was justified. She'd always hated her since Olivia was grown enough to understand the circumstances of her birth. She didn't know what the reasons were, neither had she asked. She dared not.
So she had made up a reason herself. Her mother. The woman she hated even though she hadn't known her.
She was the cause of all these. Assuming she never cheated on the Alpha, would Olivia had had such a tumultuous and sad childhood?
Thus, Olivia had made do with the fact that the Luna hated her for that. Being the result of her sister's betrayal of the pack's trust.
"Look what I found!" A voice shot across the air and everyone immediately turned to the man who held an ointment jar up in the air for everyone to see.
Olivia scuffed. Was this all they'd found? All they were going to use and accuse her of stealing Sheryl's scent? The ointment jar of the treatment herbs the old chef had given her for her injuries days ago?
They've got to be kidding her.
Was that how desperate they were to prove that she was unworthy of being their Luna? How quick they wanted to take her out of the way as an omega would never be allowed to be their Luna. How ironic! She thought.
A smack landed on her face, snapping her out of her trance once more. She seemed to be getting lost in them quiet often ever since.
She raised her head, clutching her cheek as she stared at Sheryl, her mouth ajar.
What was the meaning of this?
How could they still let her do this?
She was fated to the triplet Alpha Princes, whether or not the bond had been accepted by them, Sheryl no longer had the right to treat her like this as she was supposed to be Luna by traditions, so why were they all, including the elders who are well versed in the tradition all staring and watching?
"I'm so disappointed in you Olivia! After everything I've done for you? You stole my money and my scent?" Sheryl shrieked, her voice getting laced with sobs.
But Olivia knew that it was all fake. The almighty Sheryl to shed a tear? Impossible!
"I don't understand Sheryl, why would I...." Olivia wanted to defend herself. It was true she stole the money they must have found in her bag but accusing her of stealing her scent, that was still an allegation with no head or tail.
However, before she could complete her words, another thunderous slap was landed across her other cheek.
Now clutching both cheeks together, she turned to her side which was the direction the arm came from, as if wasn't Sheryl this time around.
"Still lying before everyone even when the evidence has been found?" The Luna thundered venomously.
From her vile voice, Olivia could tell that she had been the one who slapped her. But for what? Why were they all accusing her of stealing Sheryl's scent with this ointment when it was just a herb for her wounds.
"You've misunderstood Luna, that is just a herb I apply for my wounds whenever I get punished. I will never steal lady Sheryl's scent. Over my dead body will I" Olivia defended herself even though she knew it were futile to do so. Who would believe the words of a omega?
The Luna smirked. Sheryl's face turned into a venomous glow.
"Die you shall then, Olivia!" She blurted, turning towards the Luna.
"I demand she be executed for stealing the scent of an Alpha's daughter! Alpha, I hope you deliver justice to me!" Her shaking voice came to both the Alpha and his Luna.
Olivia noticed that the Alpha was torn on what to do by the worry etched all over his face. Had her mother being faithful to him, she could have been his daughter. The Alpha's daughter.
The Luna noticing the turmoil on the Alpha's face, straightened her dress and took a step forward.
A Luna was permitted to make decisions on behalf of the Alpha, it seemed that she wanted to do just that.
"Luna....." An elder called, steeling everyone's attention to his direction, and away from the Luna.
Even Olivia who was still dumbfounded by everything happening turned to him.
"We all know that she may be guilty of the crime she's being accused of....."
Guilty? Again? Why were they all bent on believing what they wanted and not investigating matters? Olivia's mind was thrown into a tumultuous confusion.
"But Luna, guilty or not, she still has the mate bond with the Princes. If she gets executed as punishment for her crime, we risk them dying alongside her. Like I said earlier, all three of their souls and life is tethered to her".....
Sheryl almost ran mad with rage on hearing that. She gritted her teeth so tightly that Olivia could swear she heard them against each other.
"Alright then" The Alpha cleared his throat and finally spoke after a long while.
"A scent seer should be sent for. We need to verify whether the servant had used this herb concoctions to steal the scent. Until it is confirmed, punishments for her crime will be stalled"
Olivia looked up at the middle aged man and heaved a sigh of relief. If only this man had been her father.... If only.
Her eyes darted across the crowd but not to stare at Sheryl, or the princes who were glaring at her angrily.
Matter of fact, if eyes could kill, theirs would have killed her long ago. But Sheryl's would do so first before them.
She continued scanning her eyes as if searching for someone. Had she been working for Sheryl all along while pretending to be good? Had these all been a trap planned for her to fall into? One of Sheryl's gimmicks to entertain herself.
She needed to know.