章節 8: Chapter 8: The Alpha
Thea's POV
I make my way out of Emma's front door, and the sight that greets me nearly makes me turn around and run back inside. I probably would if Hudson was not directly behind me. Rows and rows of people line the pathway, which must lead to the town center.
Word must have spread fast about a human inhabiting the pack's territory. I hold my head as high as I dare and make my way toward the town center, where the Alpha will decide my fate.
Those gathered to watch this strange procession whisper to each other. Some don't bother to keep their voices down, and I catch snippets of their conversations as we pass by.
"She is dangerous."
"...can't be trusted."
"filthy human..."
I try to block out their voices and continue forward. Fortunately, the further we walk, the thicker the crowd gets, and the noise overpowers any one conversation.
I am thankful that Hudson stays quiet next to me. I do not have it in me to make small talk or listen to false promises. Emma and Hudson are kind to be there for me, but deep down, I know that there won't be much they can do if the Alpha is against me.
The members of the pack continue to stare at me as we walk. Some look on in curiosity. However, the older shifters look at me with unhidden contempt. If this is how pack members feel about me, I can't imagine what I have in store for me when I meet the Alpha.
The rocky path turns to a grey brick, which surely means we are getting close. The town center is a large, bricked square surrounded by different shops. There are gaslight lamp posts around the edges of the square to light the area at night. This place looks like I stepped back in time into the 19th century.
In any other circumstance, I would love to explore this place. At the opposite end of the square is a giant manor house. It is made of a white stone and looks absolutely ancient. The building towers over the rest of the town center, making it seem almost offensively large. It only makes sense that it would belong to the Alpha.
Out in front of the manor house is a platform raised several feet above the rest of the town square. A man with hair as black as the night and even darker eyes stands in the middle of the platform - the Alpha.
I stop dead in my tracks at the sight of this terrifying man. Hudson places his hand on the small of my back, helping me remember to move my feet forward. Before I am ready, I am standing at the base of the platform, looking up at the Alpha. The hate in his eyes sends goosebumps down my arms.
"So, girl. Do you think you can sneak into my territory, break the treaty, and not get caught?"
"Sir...You don't understand... It was an accident." I mumble, but I am not sure if it is loud enough for the Alpha to hear me.
"Oh, I am the one who doesn't understand?" The snarl could be detected in his words.
I lower my head, not daring to look in his eyes. "I am so sorry. It was an accident." I say a little louder this time. I grab the edges of my borrowed dress, trying to keep my hands from shaking.
"I don't believe you. I know that you are lying to me. You snuck in here on purpose. You found out that the barrier opens at midnight, and you thought you could come across the border and expose our kind to the human race." The Alpha responded, staring down at me.
"No, I would never... How would I even find out about the way across the border? I just want to go home."
"LIES!" The Alpha shouts angrily.
I cringe at the Alpha's tone. My hope of returning home continues to get smaller.
"Shall I take your silence as an admission of guilt?" The Alpha smirks as the words leave his mouth.
"No. I am telling the truth. I did not mean to cross the border."
"I still do not believe you. However, whether you are lying or not is irrelevant. The punishment for breaking the treaty remains the same."
The crowd inches in closer. They are eager for my sentence while I am standing here, wishing I could disappear. Hudson stands next to me, his face like stone, with hatred in his eyes as he stares up at the Alpha. He seems to know the words the Alpha will speak before they leave his mouth—Hudson's eyebrows furrow in frustration or possibly anger.
I swallow hard and bring myself to look up at the Alpha and wait for him to decide my fate.
"According to the treaty, there is only one punishment befitting of someone outside of the pack crossing the border."
The Alpha's smile grows wicked.
"Death."
-- 收到的禮物 
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票