SWNOVELS Chapter 2
Chapter 2 Jeremy walked toward me and I stood frozen. He was smiling at me and I just stared back, my own smile strained as I tried to hold it. Would he be able to sense that my wolf was gone? I could hardly sense the bond between us now. How would I explain that? He was about to announce me as the next Luna and I couldn’t even feel our mate bond anymore! “Come on out, Nora,” Jeremy said, motioning for me to join him on the stage. I clenched my hands nervously and stepped out on the stage. Suddenly, a huge s o b and loud cry erupted from the crowd. I looked out and saw Helen’s head bowed. S ob s were coming from her as her whole b*dy shook. She had friends around her, all trying desperately to console her. The rest of the pack took notice too. I looked at Jeremy and he grabbed my hand. His expression changed slightly but he didn’t say anything. He pulled me from the stage and we went to Helen. Jeremy’s father was close behind us. One of Helen’s friends jumped up and pointed a finger at me. I stopped dead in my tracks, wide-eyed. “You’re a thief!” she shouted. “How could you? Helen was so nice to you and you took everything from her!” “Wh-what?” I asked, looking help Jeremy. I had no idea what she was talking about. “You’re nothing but a fake soon-to-be-Luna and now everyone will know it!” Helen’s friend cried, her face red and nostrils flaring. She dropped down beside Helen and comforted her. “Nora?” Jeremy asked. “I don’t know what is going on,” I said, looking around desperately for a sign as to what is going on right now. “Everyone, the convention is over,” Alpha Albert said, waving everyone away. He pointed to Helen and her friend. “You two, stay here.” As the pack cleared, Jeremy dropped my hand and moved closer to Helen. Why is this happening right after my inability to feel Clara and my mate bond with Jeremy? It’s as if I’m trapped in a stampede with no where to go and zero clue about what is going on. Everything was happening so fast. Alpha Albert pulled a chair up and sat right in front of Helen. “Tell me everything,” he demanded. Helen sniffled and shook her head, wiping away tears. “Can’t you see she’s upset?” Helen’s friend asked. Alpha Albert held a hand up to her. “I’ll ask you to leave, too, if you keep interfering,” he stated. Helen’s friend bit back her retort and bowed her head. “Now, tell me what has you upset and why you’re accusing Nora,” The Alpha demanded. I chewed my lower l*p and looked at Jeremy. He had his hands in his pockets and he looked really uncomfortable. He wouldn’t meet my eyes. But the next second, I was not paying attention to him anymore. “It’s Nora who stole my wolf.” What I could only heard, was Helen’s crying out. “Nora stole my wolf before I turned eighteen. She stole my mate bond too! Now that she’s eighteen, Jeremy thought he was mate bonded to her. But it is me! I’m supposed to be the next Luna,” Helen wailed with tears streaming down her face. “What?” I asked in disbelief with my heart thumping in my chest. I looked at Jeremy and his father, wondering if they’d believe her. “I never did anything like that. I don’t even know…” I trailed off as Helen burst into tears again. She hid her face in her hands and continued to wail and s o b. “You do know that Nora is a trusted friend to my family, don’t you?” Alpha Albert asked. “That is a serious accusation. What is your proof?” “I’m supposed to be mated to Jeremy. That means my wolf is really strong. Nora couldn’t control her for that long and that’s why she returned to me now. I didn’t realize Jeremy was my mate until just now,” Helen said, continuing to s o b and cry. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I’d never stolen anyone’s wolf. I’d stopped feeling my wolf’s presence right before Jeremy was going to announce me as Luna… Frantically, I tried to contact Clara again but she was gone. I couldn’t sense her or my bond to Jeremy anymore. “I thought that as soon as my wolf returned, Nora would give up trying to steal my place as the next Luna when my stolen wolf left her and came back to me. Then Jeremy brought her on stage,” Helen continued. I looked at the Alpha and Jeremy. I couldn’t figure out if they believed Helen or not. I’d known them nearly my whole life. I hoped they wouldn’t believe Helen’s lies. “She’s too selfish and ambitious,” Helen accused, pointing a finger at me. I swallowed hard, my throat tight and clenched. I coughed a little when I couldn’t swallow and put a hand on my stomach. This couldn’t be happening! Last night I had my whole life ahead of me and everything was perfect. Now, I was having horrible accusations thrown at me. “Helen, you’re wrong. Nora wouldn’t do that. She’s my mate. I trust her,” Jeremy said. He reached for my hand again. I sighed in relief. At least he wasn’t turning on me. “You’re too gullible. I don’t even know if you deserve Helen,” Helen’s friend snarled. Jeremy scoffed and dropped my hand again. “I won’t believe it,” he insisted, crossing his arms. “Can’t you feel your bond to Helen? Now that she has her true wolf back, you should feel your connection to her,” Helen’s friend. “I…” Jeremy’s brow creased. My heart sank. I knew he wouldn’t be able to sense our bond, just like I couldn’t sense him. That was probably the reason behind his strange reactions to me.
Then he looked at Helen and he coc ked his head to the side. I covered my mouth with my hand when I saw a spark in his eyes. “I feel it,” he admitted, smiling softly at Helen. “I wouldn’t have sensed it before she turned eighteen, but if her wolf was stolen before then, I wouldn’t sense it when she came of age.” “That is true,” the Alpha said, looking between me and Helen. Jeremy grabbed my arm and glared at me. “Are you lying to me!?” he snapped, his mood switching suddenly. “No!” I cried, shaking my head. “You know me. You’ve known me forever. I don’t know what Helen is talking about. Stolen wolves and stolen bonds… I’d never do anything like that.” “I…” Jeremy looked back at Helen. “I don’t know what to think,” he said. He shook his head and released my arm. “Jeremy, You know these two women better than anyone. I need you to tell me what you think is true,” Alpha Albert demanded. “Please, Jeremy, you know me,” I pleaded. “I’m your mate. I know you can feel it,” Helen argued. Jeremy looked back and forth between us, too confused to make up his mind. My heart broke in my chest. He wasn’t going to believe me. I covered the charm bracelet on my wrist. I hadn’t taken it off since he gave it to me. Tears pri cked my eyes. What could I say or do to convince him? “Why would Nora do this? Why would she lie?” Jeremy asked. “Because she’s a spy!” Helen cried. She jumped up and glared at me, putting her hands on her hips. “What!?” I asked, confused by the accusation. “I’m not a spy. I grew up in this pack. I’m a member of this pack.” “That’s a lie! I’ve seen you meet with people from a rival pack,” Helen argued. “So have 1,” her friend jumped in. “That’s not true,” I insisted. I was so shocked by everything that was happening that I couldn’t even form a full thought. Helen and her friend were framing me. I wasn’t a spy. I would never betray my pack. I’d always been close to the Alpha family. They’d been good to me. There was no way I’d ever betray them. “You can’t lie anymore, Nora,” Helen snapped. “We all know the real “Now Jeremy sees you for who you really are,” Helen’s friend scoffed. “Enough, all of you!” The Alpha snarled. He stood up and the rest of us cowered. “This is a very serious situation. Nora, you have been accused of stealing another’s wolf, stealing the mate bond to become Luna, and being a spy for a rival pack. I don’t want to believe it but I can’t show you preferential treatment. I have to treat you like any other pack member.” I looked down at my feet and sniffled. I couldn’t believe all this was happening. In just a few days I’d seen my entire future, now it was being taken away from me. “H-How can you believe her over me?” I asked, holding back my tears. “I won’t form an opinion until I do a thorough investigation. However, in light of the potential threat you pose, I can’t have you running loose. You’ll be detained until I can get to the bottom of this.” Alpha Albert strode away and motioned for two guards. “Now you’ll get what you deserve,” Helen snarled at me. “Helen, that’s enough. I want to talk to Nora alone,” Jeremy said. I looked up, hoping that he was finally seeing Helen for who she really was. He had a stern look on his face, though. Helen smiled brightly and put her hand on Jeremy’s arm. “Anything for you, my love,” she said. She gave Jeremy a seductive look. I felt sick to my stomach and looped my arms around myself. The feeling got worse when Jeremy smiled at Helen. The same way he’d smiled at me when he found out we shared a mate bond. Helen and her friend walked away leaving Jeremy and me alone. “Jeremy,” I gasped. He shook his head to keep me from saying anything else. “I trusted you, Nora. I thought you were my mate. What happened?” “I am your mate,” I insisted. “Helen is framing me or something. I don’t know what is going on.” “I wish I could believe you. I feel so strongly for Helen, and now, I don’t know who to believe,” he said. “Believe me,” I pleaded, wanting to desperately reach out and touch him. “I’m not a spy. I’ve always been loyal to you and Moonery.” “Then why would Helen and her friend say those things? You were always friends with her. Why’d she turn against you?” he asked. “I don’t know,” I exasperated, throwing my hands in the air as frustration soured through my veins. “I’m sorry, Nora. None of this makes sense,” he said, shaking his head. The guards the Alpha had been talking to walked over. They each put a firm hand on my shoulders. I looked at Jeremy pleadingly, wishing he’d see the truth in my eyes. He gave me one last look and then turned his back on me. He went straight over to Helen and her friend. Helen didn’t waste time wrapping her arms around Jeremy and snuggling up to him. He hesitated for a moment and then hugged her back. I looked down at the bracelet on my wrist. It had been a symbol of our future before. Now it was meaningless and burned the skin of my wrist. The guards tugged on me, leading me back to the pack house. I bowed my head as they pushed me through the halls. Pack members were staring at me but I didn’t look around. As the guards pulled me through the hallways and down to the dark and dingy dungeon holding cells, I couldn’t ignore my heart slamming against my chest nervously. What was going to happen to me?