Alpha's replacement bride is destined mate-Chapter 148 I Do Not Believe Thou Art a Traitor
The interrogation rooms are situated within the prisons of the Green Forest Pack, each designated for specific prisoners. The prison at the Green Forest Pack is a repurposed, disused barn, and the prison gates appear so worn and decrepit that they seem to have been in use for ages.
When Emily arrives outside the prison gates, she happens to witness Carl arguing with the two Alpha Warriors.
"Let me in," Carl shouted.
"Nobody enters the prison without an order from Alpha," an Alpha Warrior in a black uniform pushed Carl aside, "Move out of the way."
"I’m Beta from the Green Forest Pack, and I need to see Miss Susan. What have you done to her?" Carl brushed off the Alpha Warrior’s hand and, as he attempted to force his way in, he was simultaneously blocked by both Alpha Warriors with their bodies.
"Carl, stop," Emily hurried forward to prevent a fight.
"Luna," Carl exclaimed, feeling like he’d seen a savior upon spotting Emily, "They’ve locked Susan inside. Please save her."
"I was just about to go in and see her," Emily told Carl, "You go back first."
"But..." Carl hesitated.
"That’s an order," Emily insisted.
"Yes, Luna," Carl hung his head and, instead of leaving immediately, stepped aside.
Emily confronted the two Alpha Warriors guarding the prison door and declared, "I’m Luna Emily. Let me in."
The two Alphas exchanged glances, uncertainty filling their eyes, but they didn’t treat Emily the way they had treated Carl. Just then, Marx emerged, and upon seeing Emily, he immediately addressed her respectfully, "Luna, what brings you here?"
Upon hearing Marx call Emily Luna, the two Alpha Warriors immediately saluted her, "Please forgive us, Luna."
"It’s alright, not everyone knows me," Emily said calmly, "Marx, I’d like to go in and see Susan."
Marx nodded, "Let me take you in."
The prison was dark and damp, with an aura of decay. The walls were mottled and covered with green creepers, and the faint light seeping through the narrow windows couldn’t dispel the deep gloom.
Emily furrowed her brow slightly; the oppressive atmosphere made her feel a bit uneasy. She walked cautiously, the ground beneath her feet being wet, and occasionally, there was a slight "pop" sound, the noise of water dripping.
Marx led the way, his figure barely discernible in the dim space. Emily followed Marx, and the farther she went, the more unease grew in her heart. The air seemed to become heavier, and there was a nauseating smell of decay.
As they approached the area where the traitors were being held, a pungent odor of blood assailed their senses. Emily winced slightly, fighting off the discomfort within. She saw the small cells, with their rusty bars, as if whispering the grim tale of what had transpired here.
In one of these cells, the dying traitor lay. His clothes, long soaked in blood, hung in tatters. His face was as white as paper, bloodless, his eyes closed, and his breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible. The wounds on his body were appalling; some still slowly oozing blood, creating a sickly, fishy smell in the dark, damp confines.
Emily arrived at the prison where Susan was being held, her footsteps making a slight noise on the wet ground.
Marx opened the cell door, and the "crunch" sound was particularly harsh in the prison’s silence. The door slowly swung open, revealing the figure of Susan.
She was tied to a chair, her short hair disheveled, some strands clinging to her pale cheeks. The once proud eyes were now dull, filled with weariness and pain.
Susan had been wounded in a previous duel with Emily, and though the wound had been treated hastily, it was still shocking. Blood had dried on her clothes in dark red patches. During the inquest, she was tortured again, her body now covered in fresh scars, with blood still oozing from some wounds.
"How can you torture her?" Emily rebuked in a low voice, "She’s just a girl."
"I’m sorry, Luna. Alpha ordered us to torture all traitors. That’s what we’ve always done," Marx replied.
"I’m going to take her to the hospital," Emily said to Marx, "Now."
"But she’s a traitor. No one is allowed to take prisoners away without Alpha’s orders," Marx objected.
"I’m Luna, and I believe I have the same power as Klaus," Emily said in a commanding tone, "Do as I say."
Marx hesitated for a few seconds before responding, "Yes, Luna."
...........
Hospital
Emily called Klaus outside the room, informing him that she had taken Susan to the hospital. Klaus listened and acquiesced in her decision.
Emily hung up the phone and entered the room, where Susan was lying in a hospital bed receiving an infusion. Susan didn’t change her expression when she saw Emily, who had already brought her to the hospital.
"Why did you bring me to the hospital?" Susan’s tone was weak and cold.
"Because you need treatment," Emily replied, walking to the bed and naturally sitting down in the chair.
"Why do you have to take all the blame?" Susan asked.
"I don’t understand what you mean," Susan turned her head to the side, avoiding Emily’s gaze, "I was the one who led the incitement of the pack members to revolt against you, and it was because of me that those people attempted a coup d’état. Shouldn’t I be blamed?"
"I don’t believe that an underage girl could plan this coup d’état on her own," Emily said, accidentally noticing a clot of blood on Susan’s head. She had suffered so much in prison that she didn’t want to betray Dyson. What was she afraid of?
"Who told you that I don’t have a wolf?" Emily asked, summing it up quickly. After all, she had only an evening to spare.
Susan frowned slightly, then said after a moment, "I haven’t seen you transform into a wolf, so I thought you didn’t have one."
"That’s why you dared to incite the pack members to rebel against me for such uncertain reasons?" Emily’s tone was filled with doubt, "Did you plan this a long time ago? If I didn’t have a wolf, you could have kicked me out of the pack. But if I had one, you would choose to fight me in a duel. Susan, I admire your courage, but you’re not smart enough to be taken advantage of like this."
Susan turned her head to look at Emily, her eyes stubborn and filled with hatred. "Nobody took advantage of me," she declared.
Well, she’s angry, Emily thought to herself. At least she had gotten a response.
"Is Dyson teaching you all this behind your back?" Emily asked, getting straight to the point. "Was it him who told you I don’t have a wolf, and egged you on to duel with me? Did he also promise you that if you won me in a duel, he would apply to the king, on behalf of the royal family, to make you the alpha of the pack?"
Susan lay flat, her eyes gazing at the ceiling. After a brief silence, she said to Emily, "Since I failed, I’m willing to bear all the consequences. Just please don’t punish the others; they were just following my orders."
Emily felt anger welling up as she watched Susan’s decadence. How could this girl give up so easily on her life?
"The alpha has ordered the execution of all those involved in this matter," Emily lied. "Including Carl, who has been defending you, has also been implicated because of your reckless decisions that hurt those who once cared about you. Is that the outcome you want?"
"I didn’t think I’d implicate anyone else," Susan said, sitting up abruptly. The sudden movement caused her wounds to throb, and her face twisted in pain.
"What made you think you were going to win?" Emily asked rhetorically.
"I..." Susan slurred her words, her eyes troubled.
"To be honest, I didn’t come to see you because I liked you so much. On the contrary, your first impression of me wasn’t a good one," Emily said. "You were so unkind to me that you even left the pack without permission. The boys who threw bombs at my house—I investigated, and they were your schoolmates. Maybe they were doing it to get back at you, or maybe you were secretly directing them. Either way, you’re breaking the pack’s rules. I had a reason to punish you, but I didn’t."
Susan glanced at Emily, a sarcastic smile flickering across her pale face. "Are you showing me your kindness now?"
Emily stared at Susan for a moment. "Because of your father," she said.
"My father?" Suspicion flickered in Susan’s eyes.
"I got to know your father before I came to take over the pack," Emily explained. "Your family wasn’t originally from the border. But your ancestors volunteered to stay here because they had led troops against the enemy on the border. Since then, your family has kept watch over this place. Your great-grandfathers, your grandparents, including your father, fought in different campaigns. They were loyal and tolerant people. But you—you’re simply so much worse than they were."
Tears rolled down the corners of Susan’s eyes, and she wept silently.
"I can understand why you rebelled against me to hold onto the land, but your actions were just too stupid," Emily said, a hint of reproach in her tone. "Not only have you lost the power to guard the pack, but you’ve also become a burden to the others. I won’t force you. If you’re not willing to tell me the truth, that’s fine."
Emily got up and pretended to leave. Just then, Susan stopped her abruptly.
"Wait," Susan paused for two seconds. "It’s Dyson. He planned it all."
