NAIDIRA POV

It felt like I had stabbed in the guts, panic flashing in my eyes for a second.

"What?"

Alpha Orion didn't say anything, he simply held Calanthe close, stroking her hair.

I looked round the small group. "You can't do that! I'm telling the truth!"

His mother stepped forward, hand raised as though to hit me across the face but Alpha Orion's voice snapped through, disrupting the moment. "Enough. Mother, don't put your hand on her."

She froze, palm still raised but she huffed, taking a step back while still glaring at me.

Tears were already rolling down my cheeks without ceasing. "Alpha Orion ㅡ"

He straightened, still holding Calanthe close but his gaze softened for a second. "Do you realize the magnitude of what you're accusing the Luna of?"

I nodded rapidly, sniffling. "Yes. I know. I'm telling the truth, the baby isn't yours."

"If your words turn out to be false, you will be banished from this pack, Naidira." He warned.

Calanthe looked up at him, eyes wide. "Are you even serious right now? You're trying to give her a chance to lie even moreㅡ"

"Silence."

A crown was beginning to form, people muttering under their breath with hushed voices while they pointed to me, glaring at me with accusation clearly written over their faces.

"I agree." I tilted my chin.

I wouldn't go down this time. They would call the seer and the doctor and they would find out about the child's true origin. I wouldn't be the sister who was the bad egg. Wouldn't be wrong again. Maybe they would finally see Calanthe's true colors.

They had to.

***********

"What?!" I shrieked, feeling like I had just heard the most shocking news ever.

The doctor shrugged, straightening as he addressed the court, barely paying me any attention. "The child belongs to the Alpha."

No. Something was wrong.

Calanthe looked smug from where she sat by Alpha Orion and people broke into hushed whispers, nodding solemnly to themselves like they knew I was lying.

But I wasn't!

I sprang to my feet, knees knocking together as I looked at Alpha Orion. "Alphaㅡ something is fishy here. I swearㅡ"

He looked tired. Almost defeated as he pinched his nose bridge. "I've done everything I could. Given you the benefit of doubt and had the doctor come in. And now what? You still want to accuse the Luna of adultery?" His voice rose at the last sentence.

My heart cracked a bit and my gaze darted to spot my mum and dad in the crowd, faces blank.

"MumㅡDad..." I whispered. Praying that someone would believe me. That they would understand.

Mum glared at me and Father simply looked away. Like I wasn't here begging them to trust me just this once.

"I didn't lie," I whispered hoarsely. "I wouldn't lie about something like this."

The crowd murmured again, louder this time. Their voices were filled with Demonization. Condemnation. Judgment.

Alpha Orion straightened slowly, the weight of the pack pressing down on his shoulders. "Bring the seer."

Hope flickered weakly in my chest. The seer would come and debunk what the doctor said in front of everyone.

The old woman was ushered forward moments later, her dark eyes sweeping over the court before settling on Calanthe... then on me. She inhaled deeply, fingers twitching at her sides. "The child's bloodline has been obscured," she said slowly.

What? What did that mean?

A ripple went through the crowd and I sucked in a breath. "You see? That means-"

Before I could finish, Calanthe suddenly let out a broken sob. "I knew this would happen," she cried, clutching her stomach as if it still housed the child. "I told you she would do this!"

She turned to the crowd, tears streaming freely now. "She's been spreading rumors for months-telling servants lies, poisoning minds. She hates me because I have everything she doesn't. A mate. A child. A future."

"That's not true!" I shouted, my voice cracking.

Calanthe shook violently in Orion's arms. "She tried to hurt me earlier. She grabbed me-pushed me. If you hadn't come-" Her voice broke. "I don't feel safe with her here."

The words slammed into me like a physical blow and I felt my vision swim.

That wasn't- She was twisting everything.

Alpha Orion's jaw clenched and he looked away.

The seer hesitated, then bowed her head. "With the scent muddled, I cannot contradict the doctor's findings."

The verdict was already decided.

"Enough." Alpha Orion's voice rang out, sharp and final. "Naidira has accused the Luna of adultery without proof. She has disrupted the court and endangered the peace of this pack."

I shook my head wildly. "Please-please don't do this. I swear on the Moon Goddess, I'm telling the truth!"

Silence. Like they had already chosen what they wanted to follow.

His eyes met mine one last time. "Naidira," he said, his tone stripped of warmth, "by the laws of this pack, you are found guilty of false accusation and treasonous intent."

The words echoed in my head, bouncing off the walls of my skull.

"You are banished."

A gasp tore through the crowd and I felt my heart deflate.

No.

"Effective immediately," he continued. "You will leave our lands before nightfall. If you return, you will be executed."

Something inside me shattered completely as guards moved toward me.

"No," I whispered. "No-wait-please-"

Hands seized my arms, rough and unyielding. I stumbled as they dragged me forward.

I searched the crowd desperately. My parents didn't move. Calanthe didn't even look at me. Only Malia did.

She broke from the crowd, tears streaming down her face. "Naidira!" she cried. "I'm sorry-I'm so sorry!"

Her sob was the last kindness I received. Nobody cared. They sneered, watching me lose everything.

The guards shoved me through the gates, hard enough that I fell to my knees in the dirt. The iron doors slammed shut behind me with a final, deafening bang.

Realization slammed into me.

I was exiled. And alone. In the forest.

The sun was already setting, shadows stretching long and dark across the forest ahead.

Rogues would be out soon.

I had never been out of the pack this late. Especially not in the forest. That would be a death sentence.

Everyone in the pack knew the dangers that lurked around the forest. I was no stranger to it either.

They hadn't just banished me, they had left me to die. They knew that if starvation didn't get to me first, then the things that lurked in the forest would get to me first.

I staggered to my feet, breath coming in short, panicked gasps as I stumbled into the trees.

Branches clawed at my skin and roots caught my feet with each step. Every sound felt amplified-too loud, too close. Like the forest and the night closing in was set to get me.

I didn't have a wolf. I didn't have powers. I didn't even know where I was going.

A twig snapped and I froze..

What was that?

Heart pounding, I spun around, searching for the source.

Nothing.

With a shaky breath, I forced myself forward again.

Another snap. Closer this time.

Fuck no.

Fear exploded through me and I ran-blindly, desperately-until my foot caught on something I didn't see and I went down hard, face-first into the forest floor.

Pain bloomed fast, but I barely felt it, struggling to scramble to my feet.

Thenㅡ

Boots stopped in front of me.

Oh goddess.

I sucked in a terrified breath and slowly looked up.

A man stood there, tall and unfamiliar, eyes sharp with curiosity rather than hostility. Dark hair framed his face, and his presence felt... ominous. Powerful.

Who was he?

He seemed like an Alpha. Or someone who...ran something.

"What are you doing out here alone?" he asked calmly, arms folded across his chest.

My lips trembled. "I-I don't have anywhere to go," I whispered, the truth spilling out before I could stop it. "I don't have anywhere to go and I'm just looking for safety, please don't harm me."

His gaze flicked to the darkening sky. "You won't survive the night. Wild rogues hunt these woods. They don't really answer to me."

I swallowed hard. What did that mean? Was he...rogue?

He studied me for a moment longer, then spoke again. "I run this territory. Call me Amon."

My heart skipped.

"You'll come with me," he said, extending his hand. "Or you won't see another sunrise."

I stared at his outstretched hand, heart thudding in my chest.

And because I had no choiceㅡ I took it.

ORION POV

TWO YEAR LATER

Calanthe stood at the center of the hall, her back bent, hair covering her cheeks as she whispered words into the ear of the child who had come seeking her help.

The child giggled happily before scurrying away with the rest of the children. Then, almost immediately, the child's presence was replaced by a group of younger girls.

The Pack believed that I'm blessed.

Power that placed me far above a mere Alpha, a lovely son and the perfect Luna-loved by many and admired by most. There was never a day she did not care for the people, guiding them and interceding in their favor.

I should be happy. I had everything a man could want, but why did my happiness feel like an illusion rather than reality?

Everyday felt like I was slowly slipping into my own darkness. Something felt off, but I couldn't point it out.

"Time for the family picture," the entertainer said through the mic.

Calanthe turned, her eyes sweeping through the crowd in  search of me. When her beautiful gaze landed on mine, soft with love, she smiled gently and nudged her head for us to go up the stage.

It was our son Tari's second birthday, organized by Calanthe, and everyone here had come to celebrate it with us.

I moved.  

My legs glided through the crowd as they parted for their Alpha and his family-family-the word felt unfamiliar.

I reached the center where Calanthe stood, now holding Tari in her arms. When Tari saw me, he quickly stretched his little arms out for me.

"I guess our celebrant has a favorite parent," the entertainer said, causing the crowd to laugh.

I took him into my arms. His hands rested on my shoulders while I held Calanthe's soft ones in my other hand. We made our way to the stage, where the photographer, my parents, and Calanthe's parents stood, ready for the shoot.  

"Are you okay?" she whispered in my ear.

"Yeah...why?"  I asked.

"You look a bit off today," she whispered, her voice laced with concern.

"I couldn't sleep well last night,"  I replied, smiling for the camera flashes.

She turned, her eyes scanning my face. "Maybe if you stop sleeping in your office and actually come to my bed, then you might sleep like a baby."

"I've got a lot of work to do," I mumbled.

"Give the child to the mother," the photographer said, and I complied.

"Did I do something wrong?" Calanthe asked, her smile slowly faltering, and I felt bad that I was the cause.

"No, you've never done anything wrong," I said. And that was the truth. She had been an unquenchable light and force in our marriage.

"Then why have you been avoiding me lately?" She asked.

A question I couldn't answer.

Or maybe I could.

 Maybe I knew the answer but was trying to run away from it. Maybe it was because of her... her twin, whose face bore an uncanny resemblance to my wife. Maybe it was because I couldn't stop thinking about another woman.

But none of this was a suitable reply to give a woman who had showered me with love.

"It wasn't intentional." I drew her close, her body pressed against mine.

She jolted at first, then her face turned red when my words reached her ears. "Make sure you don't complain of being sore after tonight."

"Perfect!" The photographer yelled, as if his life depended on the picture.

When they were done taking pictures, I hurried down from the stage, leaving the family to catch up. I wasn't in the mood for their discussion or the many questions that would follow.

 I headed straight for the minibar, where Cedric had glued himself for the night.

"If you finish my wine, that's coming out of your paycheck," I muttered.

"Just tell me you want me to be fully jobless so I can live under your roof," Cedric snickered, offering me a drink.

I took it, gulping it down in one go.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"No.. Yes," I muttered, adjusting my tie.

Cedric gave me a look that said he knew I was lying but didn't press. Instead, we watched the party in silence.

The music and laughter had no effect on me as they usually did. Now, everything felt suffocating and irritating.

After a few minutes, Cedric broke the silence. "What's going on with you and Calanthe?"

I wanted to lie, but Cedric was my brother, though we are not related by blood, but we were closer than most.

 "I don't know if something's wrong with me, but I feel like something is missing."

"Missing how?" Cedric asked, his brow raised, likely knowing where the conversation was going.

I leaned against the bar. "My wolf...he's restless, gnawing at me. And most of all, he has refused to speak to me."

"Maybe you're just exhausted. You've been overworking,"  Cedric said, patting my shoulder.

But I knew this wasn't exhaustion.

When he noticed the questions forming in my eyes, he added, "Don't go searching for something that will bring nothing but destruction, Orion."

The silence returned.

The  party slowly came to an end as the children dozed off, even Tari, who was always hyper.

The guest dispersed, and Cedric disappeared as well.   I walked out of the hall and onto the pavement, moving far enough that the noise faded before I released the breath I had been holding.

"How much longer will you refuse to open your eyes?" A raspy voice echoed behind me.  

I turned to see a man, his hair falling loosely down his back dressed in a simple bluish robe.

"Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

"Alpha Orion, leader of the Moonfire Pack and its territories," the man said calmly. "I'm Eli, a shaman."

I studied him more closely.  His robes were not ordinary, they had symbols embedded into the fabric, and a thin bead necklace hung around his neck.

"And what are you doing on my property?"

 "I only came because I was asked to."

Since when did Calanthe start inviting shamans to a two-year-old birthday party?

Before I could ask, he said, "Your wolf has refused to connect with you, hasn't he?"

I hated strangers who poked into my business without consent.

"The next time you use your shaman nonsense on me, you'll join your spirits in the afterlife." I hissed, turning away.

"Naidira." The man said.

 The name rang in my head, a name that had become nothing more than a whisper since she was cast out. And now, was the only time my wolf stirred for years.

I turned back to face the shaman.

"You need to find her to find the peace you seek."

A low scoff escaped my lips,"Peace? When did I say I lacked that?"

"You can't even convince yourself that what you just said is true,"  he said, stepping closer.  

"There's so much happening around you, yet you're blinded by the good you think you see in people."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He was about to speak when his eyes shifted past me.

I knew who it was before her voice sounded.

"Honey?" Calanthe's voice echoed behind me. And I could only hope she had not overheard our conversation.

ORION POV

I turned back slowly to see her staring, her neck craned and her brows scrunched.

"Who were you talking to?" she asked.

I glanced sideways to find the space Eli had previously been standing empty.

"No one of importance," I said after deciding not to reveal anything about our meeting.

"O...okay,"  she pouted. "Let's  go inside, I've got a surprise for you," she giggled like a mischievous teenager.

Calanthe wrapped her arms around mine as she pulled us inside, leading the way. Instead of the hall, where the party noise had significantly waned, she took the elevator heading to the rooms.

The party was held in one of my company's luxurious five star hotels.  

The elevator opened while she typed in my private chamber code. She turned, a sultry smile on her lips, letting me know where this was all heading.

Her voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible. "I'm going to borrow your tie now."  

Her hands reached up to undo it, her fingers lingering longer than necessary on my chest. When she was done, she lifted the tie to my eyes,  blocking my vision.

I cooperated, lacking the energy to resist.

When the elevator pinged, signaling we had arrived, she led me inside and seated me on the soft bed.

Then she disappeared, my guess was the bathroom as my ears picked up the sound of a running tap. As time crawled by excruciatingly slow, I felt the urge to rip the tie from my eyes. I took two deep breaths to calm my nerves.

The bathroom door opened.

"You can remove it now... unless you want me to do it for you?" she slurred.

Before she could move, I tore the tie from my face.  

Calanthe stood leaning gracefully against the door. She wore a red stringy lingerie that barely covered anything, her hair loose and black heels on her feet.

I gulped as saliva pooled in my throat while she walked slowly toward me.  She was undeniably sexy, every sane man's desire, but I had lost my senses long ago.

She stopped inches away from me, her bare stomach near my lips. Then she bent closer.

"I promise not to complain about being sore," she whispered, using my earlier words against me, before capturing my lips in hers.

But before she could go further, I pulled back.

She tried kissing me again, but I resisted.

After several failed attempts, she grumbled. "What is it now!"

"I'm exhausted. Let's do this another time."

 I tried to stand, but she  blocked my path.

"And when would this 'another time' be? Two more years? Am I not enough for you?"

Her voice cracked at the end. And I realized I truly hadn't touched her longer than I could remember.

"Not now, Calanthe."

Her face fell."Calanthe... I'm nothing but Calanthe now. Your Luna, not your wife. "

She bit her lip and turned to walk away, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her back onto the bed.

She bounced on the bed with a breathless gasp, staring into my eyes.

I didn't feel like it. As a matter of fact,  sleeping had been nothing but an excuse because these past weeks, no matter how exhausted I was, I couldn't sleep properly. Anyone paying close attention would notice the dark line forming under my eyes.

My hands grabbed her waist as she climbed on top of me.

I toyed with the hem of her lingerie, working my way upward.

But when my eyes fell on her face, someone else was there. The same features... yet.different.

Her hands shot to my face. She licked her lips before grabbing mine hungrily, biting down as her other hand traveled lower.

"I need you, Orion," she said.

But that wasn't the voice  latched onto my memories.

Heat surged through me as my chest tightened violently like it was being pounded on. My vision blurred as unknown anger bubbled within me, and my wolf, Arian, thrashed inside me, growling.

Before I could process anything, my hands moved with immense force, I hurled her off me. Her body raised through the air then to the floor with a loud thud.    

Calanthe winced in pain as she stared at me from the floor, the fear in her eyes replaced with shock. My own eyes widened at the realization of what I had  just done. The repulsion was instant.  I felt it, and I knew she did  too.

"Calan-" I began, but the shock in her eyes was quickly replaced with anger as they twitched.

This was the first time I had ever seen her like this.

"I think I should take my leave now." Calanthe scrambled up from the floor, grabbed the bedsheet, and wrapped it around herself.

"I'll just sleep in Tari's room," she said, heading toward the door, her voice no longer holding its usual soft tone.  

I got up to stop her but she fastened her steps and pressed the elevator button.

"Don't follow me," she muttered, her hands clenched into fists.

 I wanted to explain that it wasn't my intention, but I couldn't find the proper words. I couldn't explain what  was happening to me either.

The elevator door closed, Calanthe disappearing behind them.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I went to the bathroom to take a shower, letting the water and my thoughts wash over me.  

I needed to get my head straight. I wasn't supposed to be ruining things. Like Cedric said, I shouldn't go around searching for something that would destroy what I had here.

After calming my nerves, I lay on the bed. Sleep did not come easily, but eventually I drifted into a time when I wasn't as empty as I was now.

Fire burned in the center of the woods. People were scattered around the flames, glass of wine held to   their lips as the moonlight and fire  illuminated their faces while they talked and laughed.

I was part of it too, until my ears picked up the sound of sniffing. I looked round to see if anyone else noticed, but they all seemed caught up in something else. The sniffing grew louder, and involuntarily my feet moved as my ears directed me to  the sound.

A girl crouched behind a large stone, her arms  wrapped around her chest as she continuously struck it.

When she noticed me, she lifted her head. Tears filled her beautiful face as her eyes stared deep into my soul.

Only one eye did that, only one person's eyes could unravel me like that.

Naidira.

I walked towards her, but she backed her way, her palms pressing into the damp ground behind her. When I took another step forward, she jolted to her feet, then  gave me one last glance, and ran.

Not just anywhere, she ran straight into the blazing fire at the center of the woods. The same fire that was meant to bring warmth and joy now swallowed her whole.

As her skin burned, she turned to face me. A smile formed on her lips, one that never reached her eyes.

My eyes snapped open, my body jolting upright  as I took in my surroundings. The bed, the chair and lights. My hands flew to my panting chest as I tried to ease the ache and convince myself I was here, that no one was burning.

I turned to the large mirror that sat at the right side of my bed. My clothes clung to me, soaked with sweat, my breath uneven.

My mind drifted back to the shaman words. And for once, my heart and mind reached the same conclusion.

I needed to find her... I needed Naidira.