Rejected and Claimed by her Alpha Triplets

Chapter 312 - a traitor

312

~Belinda’s POV

"You’ve caused us pain, shame, and humiliation beyond repair. You should look at yourself, Belinda. Look at the way that guard spoke to you just now."

I blinked through my tears.

"You used to be someone people respected," he continued bitterly. "Guards used to bow when you walked past. Wolves used to lower their heads when they heard your name. But now..." He stopped, his throat tightening. "Now they look at you like you’re dirt. Like you’re nothing."

"Father, please..."

"No, let me talk!" he snapped, his voice rising before breaking into a shaky tone. "You brought this upon yourself, Belinda! You brought this upon all of us!"

My chest burned. I couldn’t breathe properly. "I know I did wrong, I swear I know," I said, my voice shaking. "I didn’t mean for things to go this far. I was scared, and Richard...he said..."

"Richard?" my father roared, slamming his hand against the wall weakly. "Don’t you dare mention that name again! That man destroyed you! He used you!"

"I know!" I cried. "I know he did! But I thought he cared."

He laughed bitterly, his eyes glistening with tears. "Cared? You call that care? The same man who convinced you to betray your pack? To raise a weapon against your own people? To kill?"

I shook my head violently, tears spilling. "I didn’t mean to kill their baby! I swear I didn’t mean to! It was an accident!"

He froze. Then he looked straight at me, his voice trembling with disbelief. "An accident? You killed the Alphas’ heir, Belinda! You took the life of the future of this pack! You think that’s something you can just say was an accident?"

"I didn’t plan it!" I sobbed.

He looked away, covering his face with his bruised hands. "Moon Goddess," he muttered, his voice cracking. "What did I do wrong as a father? How did I raise my child to become this?"

I reached for him, but he pulled his arm away. That hurt more than any slap could have.

"Father, please, don’t say that," I whispered.

He sighed heavily, the kind of sigh that sounded like giving up. "Do you know what they did to me because of you?"

I looked up, confused. "What do you mean?"

"They dragged me," he said bitterly. "The guards. In front of everyone at the market square. They tied my hands and threw me down like an animal. People laughed, Belinda. Laughed." His eyes filled with tears. "The Beta of the pack, humiliated like a thief, all because of his daughter."

My stomach twisted. I felt sick. "No," I whispered, shaking my head. "No, they didn’t..."

"They did," he said sharply. "And you know what hurts most? I couldn’t even fight back. I couldn’t say a word because they were right. You did this."

"I’m sorry," I whispered again, over and over. "I’m so sorry. I never wanted this. I never thought they’d hurt you. I just wanted—"

He slammed his fist weakly on the ground. "What did you want, Belinda?!" he shouted, his voice breaking. "Power? Respect? You already had that! You had everything, but you let greed and lies blind you!"

I shook my head. "No, I wasn’t greedy, I swear—"

"Yes, you were!" he snapped. "I told you countless times—power doesn’t come without a price! You never listened! You thought you could play games with dangerous people and come out clean!"

I started sobbing harder. "I thought I could control it... I thought I could fix everything before it got out of hand..."

"But you didn’t," he said quietly. "You lost control. And now look where we are."

He looked around the cell—at the cracked walls, the damp floor, the small window with metal bars—and then back at me. "Look where we are, Belinda," he repeated, softer this time. "Is this the power you wanted?"

I couldn’t answer. I just kept crying, cursing myself under my breath.

He rubbed his face tiredly. "You know, when I saw them drag you in, I thought maybe the Moon Goddess would show mercy. That maybe you’d be spared because of who you are. But after everything you’ve done..." He shook his head slowly. "I doubt it now."

My heart stopped for a second. "You think... they’ll kill me?"

He looked away, his voice low. "I don’t know. But if they do, it’ll be justice in their eyes. You killed the heir, Belinda. You took part in treason with Richard. Those aren’t small crimes."

I covered my face and screamed into my hands. "No, no, no! I don’t want to die! Please, I didn’t mean to! Please!"

He didn’t move. He just sat there, watching me cry. His eyes were red, and for the first time in my life, I saw tears rolling down his face, too.

"You should thank the Moon Goddess that you’re still breathing," he said quietly. "If it were up to the council, you’d already be gone."

I couldn’t stop crying. My voice cracked with every breath. "I’m sorry," I kept saying, over and over like it could change anything. "I’m sorry, Father. I’m sorry for everything. I wish I could take it all back."

"Sorry doesn’t fix it," he said softly. "Sorry doesn’t bring back the innocent baby you killed. Sorry doesn’t clear my name. Sorry doesn’t heal the shame we carry now."

I looked up at him desperately. "Then what can I do? Tell me, please! I’ll do anything to make it right!"

He shook his head slowly. "You can’t make it right. Not this time."

"Please..." I begged. "Don’t give up on me. Please, Father."

He looked at me for a long time, his face full of sorrow. Then he said quietly, "I’m not giving up on you, Belinda. I’m just... tired."

Those words shattered me completely.

I crawled closer again, ignoring the pain in my body. "You can’t be tired. You’re all I have left," I said through sobs. "I’m scared, Father. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I can’t face them alone."

He sighed deeply and looked away. "You should’ve thought about that before you chose your path."

"I didn’t choose this!" I cried. "I was used! Manipulated! Please believe me!"

He looked back at me slowly. "Belinda... even if that’s true, you still made choices. No one forced your hand when you raised that weapon. No one made you keep secrets. No one told you to follow a traitor."

I dropped my head, sobbing quietly. "I wish I could go back in time," I whispered. "I’d never have met Richard. I’d never have listened to him."