The baskets slipped from her hands, hitting the floor with a thud. The bruised apples scattered, but they were far from the woman's mind. Her chest tightened uncomfortably, her throat constricted, and a sharp pain shot through her body. "Serena!" A voice called out, panic-stricken. Arms grabbed her, trying to steady her. She knew who it was. Ann, her friend, had rushed to her side. "What's wrong?" Ann's voice trembled. Serena fell to her knees, a scream of agony tearing from her throat as she clutched her chest. Her wolf stirred in her consciousness, recoiling from the pain. What was this agony? "Make it stop," she whispered hoarsely. Tears burned the backs of her eyes, threatening to spill. The ground beneath her grew damp, a cold, gritty sensation seeping through her dress, and her clothes were stained, though it was the least of her concerns. She turned to the other woman with difficulty, pain etched across her face. "Where am I?" Her mind was a whirlwind of scattered thoughts, something lingering on the edge of her memory. She felt as though she knew these things, yet uncertainty clouded them. Each breath brought searing pain. Her wolf's howls grew louder, reverberating in her mind, a relentless echo that refused to fade. The world began to spin, and Ann's frantic yells faded into the background of Serena's consciousness. With the last bit of strength she could muster, she whispered a single name before darkness claimed her. "Cullen." — Cold water splashed over her, jolting her from an uneasy sleep. The sharp chill bit into her skin, soaking her hair and dress. The unforgiving stone floor and iron bars offered no comfort. Serena's eyes landed on the guard lowering the wooden bucket. The look in his eyes made her stomach twist. She knew him, but never before had he gazed at her with such disgust. "Get up. You're being summoned to the council," he said sharply before turning to leave. She knew he would return, likely with someone else to escort her. "Feyra," she called out softly. But to her dismay, her wolf didn't respond. Feyra hadn't spoken to her since that day in the market square. The woman shifted her aching legs, her eyes scanning the cell. This was one of the cells reserved for hardened criminals. Yet here she was, an innocent woman. Serena shivered, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. But this was nothing compared to the isolation she endured: the icy stares, the curt sentences, the suffocating silence. It all felt like a terrible dream. The pain in the market square had ripped through her, and then she had blacked out for days. She wished it had been a dream, that she would wake up in Cullen's comforting arms. Why had no one believed her? Not Ann, not the council, not even the people she'd once called her allies. Had they already made up their minds before she could even speak? Footsteps echoed down the long, winding hallway. The guards reappeared, this time armed. They looked at her as though she were nothing more than a criminal. — Serena kept her head low, blinking rapidly to hold back the tears welling in her eyes. "Please... I didn't do it," she whispered. "Shut up!" a woman's voice rang out, trembling with emotion. Serena flinched and finally looked up, tears spilling down her cheeks. It cut deeply to hear those words from the woman who had once cherished her company. Shaking her head, Serena dropped to her knees. "Mother, please-" "Don't you dare!" the woman snapped, her voice cracking. "Don't you even dare, you evil witch!" Her words turned into sobs, and she broke down crying. Breathing became a struggle for Serena; each inhale brought a crushing tightness to her chest. In that moment, she wished for nothing more than to disappear- to simply drop dead and escape the torment. Before her stood the Alpha of the Silverstone Pack, Alpha Henry, with his Luna beside him. The gamma and his wife were present, and the remaining seats were occupied by the three elders of the Silverstone Pack. One seat remained empty, the one belonging to the Beta of Silverstone... her mate, Cullen. "Serena Crampton," a voice called out, and her eyes widened. They had referred to her by her maiden name, not Serena Brigman. "Save the theatrics. We simply ask for your confession as to why you murdered the Beta of our pack." No matter how vehemently she denied the accusations, they continued to press on. "Forget it. She will never admit it," said her mother-in-law, one of the pack elders. Her voice was laced with disdain. "We found the vial of poison in your room, the very same poison that matched what was found in my son's system. It's a rare substance, difficult to acquire, even among healers. And it requires specific knowledge to activate." Serena gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "What are you saying?" The accused woman shook her head, silent tears streaming down her face. "I have no inkling of what you're accusing me of," she said. "Enough. I've heard enough," the Luna interrupted, her voice heavy with sorrow. "This brings pain to every single one of us. Serena... never, even in our worst nightmares, would we have imagined you could do this... to us..." Serena opened her mouth to respond, but the Alpha silenced her with a raised hand. "Save it. We must rid ourselves of you." A murmur rippled through the room, a wave of agreement washing over the gathered crowd. Serena felt her stomach drop, she knew what this meant. The punishment was clear: public beheading. "But I am bound by an Oath," the Alpha continued, his tone firm. "An Oath sworn by myself and your father to protect you within this pack. That is something I cannot break." "No! My son must be atoned for!" the elder cried out, her voice trembling with grief. "Elder, please..." the Alpha said, his voice steady but resolute. "Since I cannot break the Oath, we must reach another conclusion. Serena, you are hereby exiled from the Silverstone Pack. You will remain exiled until the day you draw your last breath."