Guilty

The announcement rang out in the hall, met with a stunned silence that quickly gave way to murmurs of disbelief.

"What?!" Alpha Duel's voice rang across the room, his eyes wide with incredulity. "Are you telling me that Cole, who couldn't even manage to bring back a single kill in the final round, is the winner?"

"Right! How did Cole win?" Alpha Michael's voice rose above the din, doubt dripping from his words. "Alexander had the most impressive kills! How could this be?"

Alpha Ashur's brow furrowed in confusion, his gaze darting between the gathered alphas. "I... I don't understand. From our naked eyes, the statistics should clearly favor Alexander. How could this be?"

"He's right!" Alpha Gabriel's tone was laced with frustration. "Alexander's kills were unmatched. It doesn't make sense."

Alpha Ashur's brow furrowed in confusion, his gaze darting between the gathered alphas. "Gatherer leader, explain your statistics. Why did you give such a skewed report?"

The gatherer leader, a bead of sweat forming on his brow, shuffled nervously under the scrutiny of the alphas. "I-I... it was because of the number of kills counted for Cole by one of the gatherers," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Which gatherer?" Alpha Thomas's voice cut through the tension like a knife, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

The gatherer leader hesitated for a moment before pointing a shaky finger toward one of his subordinates. "Him. It was him."

With a nod from Alpha Ashur, Immediately, two burly wolves stepped forward and seized the accused gatherer, dragging him roughly to the front of the hall.

Alpha Thomas leaned forward, his expression thunderous. "Explain yourself," he demanded, his tone like a whip cracking in the tense silence.

"Why did you falsify the statistics?!" Alpha Hale added, his voice booming across the hall, his eyes blazing with anger.

The gatherer shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact with the alphas. "I-I was paid to do it," he admitted, his words barely audible.

"Paid by whom?" Alpha Ashur's voice was like ice, cutting through the tension in the room.

The gatherer glanced around nervously before finally mumbling, "Cole. He promised me a share of his wish if I helped him win."

Gasps rippled through the crowd as the revelation sank in, followed swiftly by whispers.

"Arrest him and bring him to me." Alpha Ashur commanded the gammas.

The atmosphere in the hall was thick with tension as Cole, now firmly held by the gammas, was dragged to the center for questioning. 

"Why would you stoop to such deception, Cole?" Alpha Duel's voice was sharp, his eyes boring into Cole's with intensity.

Cole's eyes darted nervously around the room, his expression a mixture of raw confusion. "I didn't do it, I swear! I didn't pay anyone to falsify the statistics. For years, I have earned my victories fair and square!"

Alpha Michael's brows furrowed deeply as he stared at Cole, his disbelief evident. "You expect us to believe that? The evidence is against you."

Alpha Ashur's gaze was piercing as he leaned forward, his voice low and dangerous. "If you're innocent, then who would benefit from framing you?"

Cole's jaw clenched as he struggled to find an answer. "I don't know... But I didn't cheat. I always earned my wins through hard work and skill."

"While are we judging a general base of a pleasant word? For all we know, he could have been paid to frame Cole." Alpha Hale's calm words rip through the confusion as he gives a dull stare at the other alphas.

Alpha Gabriel's expression softened slightly as he studied Cole, a hint of doubt flickering in his eyes. "He's right. Every year, we have watched his victories. With his skills, why would he do something like this? Perhaps there's more to this than meets the eye," he mused, turning to his fellow alphas. "We shouldn't rush to judgment until we have all the facts."

The alphas exchanged glances, a silent conversation passing between them as they weighed their options. Finally, Alpha Thomas spoke up, his voice firm but measured. "We will conduct a thorough investigation into this matter. If you are truly innocent, then the truth will come to light."

"Our last kill was the Bengal tiger. Cole and I... We both caught sight of the tiger. I charged at it, but he ran off. We all saw how I returned to the camp, wounded and bloody. As the general, why didn't he take on the challenge, but instead ran... Maybe he knew that he already had the win in the bag and didn't want to risk it." Alexander suddenly blurted out, earning the nod of agreement from several of the alphas and guests.

Alpha Ashur's gaze hardened as he turned back to Cole. "Is this true? Why did you flee from the tiger?"

"Because my loyalty lies with the pack. I allow Alexander to have the kill out of respect for the pride of my Alpha." Cole answered, his tone unemotional.

As a look of disbelief crossed Ashur's face, he lashed out, "How dare you use me as a cover for your sin! Guards!! Drag him to the dungeon now and chain him! Until proving innocent, we will treat him as guilty."

Alpha Ashur's command was swift and decisive. The guards immediately tightened their grip on Cole, and the hall was fraught with tension as murmurs erupted among the gathered alphas. Doubt lingered in the air, uncertainty clouding their judgment.

Alpha Ashur's eyes blazed with fury as he gazed at the doubtful faces in the hall. "This betrayal will not go unpunished," he declared, his voice echoing through the room with authority, and the other alphas exchanged troubled glances.

"Damn it! I am innocent!" Cole shouted, and then his eyes rested on mine as I hesitated, holding my breath without breaking contact with his. Should I let him go as he did to me?