Chapter 118

Cassie

I stood there, surrounded by my people who were no longer my people and stared. No one made a sound. Everyone was in too much shock for that.

And I was no exception.

I couldn't do anything but stand there and stare at the broken bloody mass that used to be one of the sweetest kindest ladies I had ever met. She had been nice to me. She had welcomed me.

Cathy had been my friend.

And he had ripped her apart from his own mouth. Like a wild feral animal.

He had snuffed out her life like it meant nothing after days and days of unimaginable torture. He had caused pain and suffering to an old lady for no other reason than she had been tried to help me.  Not that Duncan knew that. He thought she was the one to help Julian escape. As if she had the strength to do that. They didn't know it was me.

At my side my fist unclenched and moved towards the knife that was strapped to my thigh.

He had murdered  my friend and for a crime that I had committed.

I would - I would-

A hand closed around my wrist and drew my hand back. I glanced to the side and came face to face with a familiar face.

Scarlett shook her head silently, mouthing. "No."

Goddess it was good to see her. But at the same time I hated seeing her here because if anyone knew we were friends they would go after her and her family next.

My fingers unclenched. She was right of course. I'd been lucky so far not to be seen and recognised but if I made a scene and stepped forward to challenge the monster now I would be killed. I didn't have a chance in hell at beating Duncan in a fair fight. And he would order his guards. I'd be dead within seconds.

Scarlett turned her attention back to the front and I followed suit but her hand was still tight around my wrist. It was almost like she was still warning me.

"Traitors to the one true king will not be tolerated. Rebellion will not be tolerated." Duncan stood on the platform in his human form. Naked, his mouth and chin and all the front of his chest drenched in blood. He stood there and grinned.

"Anyone suspected of aiding him will be taken and-" his grin spread across his face. "Questioned profusely."

I swallowed hard. Tortured! By questioned he meant tortured.

"Now is the time for us to come together as a community. We can be strong again.  I do not want to do this." He held Cathy's head up. "Every loss of wolf life is abhorrent to me but I have been tasked to weed out the traitors.  An that's why I am going to be checking into each and every one of you. If you have nothing to hide and wish to tell me you know of - the pretender-" he swept his eyes across the crowd but he didn't stop and stare at me. I was just a unknown face in the crowd. "So I am asking now. If you have had any relationship with Julian and his wife, any at all. Step forward for questioning now. You can not hide those relationships from us. Honesty really is the best policy here." He laughed. "It will save your life." Again he held Cathy's head up high. Blood dripped from the ropey tendons of her next. But it was on her face that my eyes locked.

She was my friend.

Again my fist clenched.

"Don't do it." Scarlett hissed out of the corner of her mouth. The sound of shuffling muffled her words. "Trust me," she whispered. Confused I stared at her. But I wasn't confused for long. Open mouthed I stared at her as she raised her hand.

"Eyes forward, don't flinch." She hissed again. And I quickly did what she asked me to do. "Trust me Cassie."

"You." Duncan turned his attention to us, his eyes narrowing and I fought back the urge to shrink back under that gaze. "How do you know them?"

"I gave Cassie a job." Scarlett drew herself up to her full height. She didn't make any indication that I was standing right next to her. "At my ballet studio and later she came to my pack and helped us with some of our injured. You spoke to my mate about Julian's visit to us but I didn't know who Cassie was at the time." She took a deep breath and squeezed my wrist. "They did not mention who they were to each other."

Duncan's eyes narrowed. "They deceived you."

"Yes it would seem that way. I have not seen her since."

There was a pause as Duncan glanced around at the other raised hands before settling back on Scarlett. From behind him there was rustling. Like someone was moving towards him unseen.

Megan.

I didn't need to see her to know it was her. If she caught sight of me then this was all over.

"You have done the right thing, come forward."

The smallest of tremors swept through Scarlett's body before she lifted her shoulders and stepped forward. I didn't want to let go on her. I wanted to take her with me to keep her safe. Especially after what had just happened but I knew what she was doing. Scarlett was purposely putting herself in harm's way so I could get out of this room.

She walked forward and all eyes watched as she walked towards what could be her death. It gave me the perfect opportunity to slide out of the room unseen. The moment I did I was running. I ran so fast that it felt like I was flying and the entire time the tears that I had been holding back streamed down my face.

It seemed to take years before I pulled open the door to the secret passage and slipped inside. Darkness wrapped around me. So black that I couldn't see.

My feet slowed as the grief and horror of what I had just seen overwhelmed me.

"Cassie." Strong arms wrapped around me and I screamed. Fighting against him.

"Sssh it's me, it's Ian. What happened?"

I stared up at his friendly face as I collapsed in a heap. "They killed her Ian." I sobbed hiding my face in my hands. "They tortured and killed her."