Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 96

Scarlett

hapter 96

Lucian’s POV

Scarlett had torn us apart in ways I couldn’t have imagined. She had done the unthinkable—she poisoned the water supply of Redcape, using the same toxic

mix she had been accused of using on us.

Half the pack lay dead because of her, and all our efforts to clear her name were suddenly, tragically, for nothing.

As I looked at her, bound and helpless before us, I felt a twisting in my chest–a mix of anger and sorrow so deep I could hardly breathe. How could she have

done something so reckless, so cruel?

I wanted to believe in her innocence; we all did. But now, the doubt was consuming me, and I could see it in the faces of my friends too. Perhaps Bianca’s

accusation had been true all along.

For months, we’d been chasing Gregory, hoping to force a confession from him that would finally clear Scarlett’s name. We had tracked him relentlessly, planning to torture him for answers and make him confess, even if it meant banishing him in secret. But despite our best efforts, he eluded us. Every time we got close, he slipped away, leaving us with no proof, no solid ground to stand on.

Our parents had left the elders in charge during the war, trusting them with the pack’s safety. But that decision had given the elders unchecked power, now, because of that power, we could do nothing for Scarlett.

and

Watching her stand trial, defenceless, was torture, yet Bianca’s confession had turned the tide against her. We had all doubted Bianca’s story at first, and in our desperation, we decided to flog her, hoping she would finally break and admit she had lied about Scarlett. But Bianca stood by her accusations, unflinching, even through the pain. The elders and the people of the North believed her without question, and we were left powerless to stop them.

And now Scarlett had done the unthinkable, making forgiveness feel like a distant, impossible dream. I glanced around at the crowd gathered before us- mothers who had lost soms, fathers grieving for mates who would never return. Each face in the crowd held the same pain, the same betrayal, staring back at us, accusing us for the failure that led to this devastation. Clay was on the verge of breaking, tears streaming down his face because we knew there was no recovering from this. The law was clear: Scarlett’s crime demanded death. But how could we kill her? She was our mate, a part of us we couldn’t sever, no matter what she had done. We loved her; our hearts clung to her despite everything. Yet our people wanted justice–no, they needed it. And they looked to

us to give it to them.

So I did the only thing I could. I gave the order to strip her, a public condemnation of her actions. Clay and Maxwell looked at me with worry in their eyes, but they knew as well as I did that we had no other choice. I had a plan, one I prayed to the goddess would work. This act would be our way of condemning her, a temporary sentence, a show to appease the crowd. Later, if the goddess granted us he mercy, we would help her escape, send her somewhere far away,

somewhere safe.

Scarlett’s voice trembled as she pleaded, her dignity stripped bare along with her clothes, leaving her in nothing but her undergarments. “It was a mistake, please. I just wanted to escape. I didn’t mean for this to happen,” she cried, her voice choked and broken.

She turned to Clay, her eyes desperate, her voice pleading, “Please, Clay.” And in that moment, my heart shattered. She thought we hated her. She thought this was all an act of retribution, not understanding that the pain of her betrayal cut deeper than any punishment ever could. Clay was crying openly now, his face streaked with tears, knowing, as I did, that we couldn’t change what had been done. Scarlett’s actions had claimed the lives of innocent people, and there was no going back.

And so we stood there, the crowd’s accusing eyes piercing us as we struggled between love and duty, torn apart by the weight of what Scarlett had done and

the love we still bore for

her.

11:28 am

Opp

Chapter 96

The guard stripped her bare under the cold, unfeeling eyes of the pack members. As I looked around, I saw satisfaction glinting in their eyes, a twisted sense f justice that made my stomach turn. They wanted this–wanted to see her humiliated, broken down, her dignity torn from her just as lives had been ripped

from Redcape.

Without another word, we turned and walked away, leaving Scarlett tied to the post in the chilling night air. The crowd slowly dispersed, satisfied, but Tiger

howled in my head, his pain echoing my own.

I kept walking, pushing down the urge to turn back, to shield her from the cruel gazes, from the judgment and hatred of those who were once her own. I

couldn’t do anything, and that knowledge broke me.

Back in the office, my composure crumbled. I sank into my chair, feeling the weight of it all press down on me, and I broke down. It was too much. The helplessness, the pain, the sense that I’d lost something irreplaceable.

Clay paced, his face pale and panicked.

“She won’t last out there alone. She has no wolf to protect her, and she looked… so unwell,” he murmured, his voice trembling with worry.

I took a deep breath, pulling myself together as best I could. “We just need to wait for people to clear out, and then Maxwell can help her escape. We’ll take her to Hallow in the South. She’ll be safe there. No one knows her, and she could live a quiet life… maybe even a happy one.” The words came out steady, but the thought of sending her away cut me deeper than I cared to admit. “One day, if we can overthrow the elders, maybe we can bring her back. It might not be here, not Redcape, but somewhere she can belong again. Time will help people forget.”

Clay nodded, wiping his eyes, clinging to the faint hope I’d given him. “That sounds like a plan,” he said, his voice stronger, though I could see the torment lingering in his gaze.

The minutes dragged by as we paced, silent and tense. My mind raced in circles, and it felt like every second we waited was an eternity. I could barely think, my heart pulling me back to where we’d left her.

Comments

Michele Gremillion

1 Comments >

this is heartbreaking for Scarlett, her mates and people who lost loved ones because of her. Scarlett had a reason to escape but she killed half the pack to do it. I don’t think she thot the water would kill anyone.

7 days ago

✩ 3

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