Her Video Is Fake!

••• Arabella’s POV ••• Now it was my turn to testify, and of course, I had to show everyone the evidence of Abigail trying to play victim and slander me. Lina and Shawn’s expressions turned ugly when they heard I also had a video. I smiled at them provocatively and took out the USB drive from my pocket. “The video is on this USB Drive. Please play it,” I requested. “She’s lying!” Suddenly, Shawn stood up abruptly and roared in anger. “That video must be faked! It must be a fabricated piece of evidence prepared to smear Abi’s name! Bella, stop it! Abi has apologized to you! Stop making things difficult for her!” I sneered when I saw him fuming. Who was trying to smear whose reputation? Was he blind? But he looked so scared… Did he know what Abigail had done then? “Take the USB Drive and play it,” one of the Elders ordered a younger committee member, ignoring Shawn’s anger. I handed the drive to the young committee member and let him play the video for everyone to see. Shawn’s expressions shifted through many emotions while Lina appeared shocked, her eyes burning with fury as she glared at me. As the recording came to an end, Shawn stood still in disbelief. Seeing him frozen, I wondered if he didn't know what his fiance had done or if he was shocked because everyone now knew Abigail had been lying all this while. “Abigail faked her so-called miscarriage?” “She used fake blood?” “Goddess, how can someone be so shameless?” “She’s the mistress, yet she still wants to slander Princess Arabella!” The crowd began murmuring again once the video finished playing, and I was sure everyone could hear those murmurs since we all had werewolf-hearing abilities. Abigail, who had been frozen by the Elder’s magic ever since I handed the USB Drive, finally regained her senses. Seeing her plot to slander me was exposed in the courtroom in front of so many important werewolves, she became frantic - her face turned pale, and she was trembling uncontrollably in her seat. I was about to tell them about the blood she used, but I received a mindlink from Mom. “Ari, don't say anything about the blood stain for now. We still need to investigate why the police and doctors thought the blood was real blood.” “But why?” I replied with confusion. “The police and doctors have their own findings,” Mom said. “Okay, Mom,” I agreed after thinking about it because what Mom said made sense. Even if I told them about the blood, even if Uncle Nate, the renowned doctor, testified for me, the police and doctors could provide evidence of their own tests, which might backfire on me. “Based on the evidence Princess Arabella has provided, we, the werewolf committee, hereby cleared Princess Arabella of all charges!” the Elders announced. I let out a breath of relief and smiled at Mom, Dad, Uncle Nate, and Max, who looked relieved as I went back to sit next to Max. “Abigail is suspected of alleged fraud, and Lina and Alpha Shawn Evander of the Battleclaw Banes Pack will undergo investigations for their parts in helping Abigail,” the Elders added. “I know nothing of Abi’s plan!” Shawn roared. “I’m innocent!” I sneered at him and said, “Abigail is a member of your pack, the Battleclaw Banes Pack, and she is your Luna. As her Alha, you should take responsibility for her action.” He started at me with an evil look and then turned to look at the werewolf committee. “Elders, I am innocent. I have nothing to do with Abigail’s plan, and I can break my relationship with her to prove it!” Shawn said with reddened eyes. What a coward… He let go of his true love the minute he was implicated. I felt more fortunate that I was now with Max. Lina began to scream hysterically and accused me, “Her video is fake! She can't even tell us why she suddenly got mad and grabbed Abi’s neck and slammed her to the wall!” I frowned when I heard her accusing me. How did she know that I lost control? Did Abigail tell her? But how did Abigail know? She shouldn't know about it. My action then was just like someone getting mad and letting Iris take control of my body. Or… Did Abigail and Lina have anything to do with how I lost control? The Elders seemed to hesitate and asked me, “Princess Arabella, do you have anything to say about this? Did you really lose control of your wolf?” Max stood up and was about to say something to defend me. “Max, I can handle this. Don't say anything. Please…” I quickly stopped him and begged through our mindlink. After consideration, I told the Elders, “I didn't lose control of my wolf. I was just infuriated by Abigail’s provocation.” “Provocation?” the Elder asked. The surveillance videos didn't have sound, so they didn't know what we talked about then. “Abigail badmouthed my mate, Alpha Maximillian Vestvertine,” I explained. “As his mate, I think it is understandable for me to get angry at her because of it. I won't allow anyone to badmouth my mate. But I didn't plan to hurt her or her baby.” “Princess Arabella couldn't control her wolf!” Lina insisted. “She’s not qualified to be an Alpha Princess if she can't even control her wolf!” I could feel Max trying to control his anger; even Dad let out a snarl because of Lina’s words. I quickly held Max’s hand and squeezed it. “Calm down, Max,” I mindlinked him. After hearing Lina’s accusation and my defense, the Elders were now having a discussion among themselves. “The trial outcome will be announced in three hours,” one of the Elders finally said before they left the courtroom to discuss it further. Mom, Dad, and Uncle Nate came to us while we waited for the final verdict. “Ari, are you okay?” Mom asked and hugged me. “I’m fine, Mom…” I hugged her back. “That Abigail,” Dad snarled. “We have treated her nicely all this while, and this is what she gave back.” “If not for her trying to save Aurora back then, we would have banished her when you found out that mutt Shawn was cheating on you with her,” Mom, who usually was more easy-going and understanding, snarled too. “Ari, did you really lose control of Iris?” Uncle Nate asked. I hesitated to tell them. “You know you will always be our little princess no matter what, Ari,” Mom said gently. “I… I did,” I finally told them. “But I don't know why.” “That was the second time you lost control,” Uncle Nate pointed out. I furrowed my brows again. Uncle Nate was right. That was actually the second time. The first was during Abigail and Shawn’s engagement party. “Did you smell any perfume off Abigail during the incident?” Max mindlinked me. Did I? “I’m not sure…” I answered. I was too scared and anxious at that time to notice anything. “Do you think her perfume was the cause of me losing control?” “There’s no concrete evidence yet, so we can't conclude it,” Max replied matter-of-factly. “Max,” Dad nearly grew out Max’s name. “Is this how you protect Ari? Is this how you show us you are worthy of our daughter?” “Dad, it wasn't Max’s fault!” I quickly defended Max. “He wasn't there when it happened. If he were there, he would’ve stopped me from doing all those things, just like during the engagement party.” “Alright, calm down, Hayden. Ari is right. We all know Max wouldn't let hurt anyone,” Mom hugged Dad and let him smell her scent to calm himself. “This is our daughter we are talking about, Lottie,” Dad mumbled against Mom’s neck. “I won't let anyone strip her of her title since she didn't do anything wrong.” “I know, Hayden,” Mom said helplessly. “I’m sure the werewolf committee wouldn't be reasonable.” “They don't have enough evidence that shows Ari losing control of Iris,” Uncle Nate pointed out, confidently saying, “They won't strip her of her title.” “Nate is right,” Mom agreed with Uncle Nate. “We should all calm down and wait for the verdict.” “If they punish Ari, we can still use the blood stains as evidence,” Uncle Nate added. “Yes, we can let the police and doctors retest the blood on Abigail’s dress,” Dad, who seemed to have calmed down, said. “We still don't know why the test results differed,” Mom frowned. “It will make the case bigger and more complicated, but we can let the werewolf committee help in finding out the truth,” Uncle Nate said. “Only if the verdict is not in my favor,” I told them. “I don't want Abigail to know that we’ve discovered it. She will destroy any evidence, and we won't be able to uncover the truth if it happens.” Mom, Dad, and Uncle Nate shared a look, and they all agreed with me. “Let’s wait for the final verdict for now, then,” Mom said.