"Ariana, daughter of the exiled Alpha James,” Owen's father, Alpha Marcus spoke. “You stand accused of taking the life of Mara, a respected member of our pack. Do you confess to this crime?"

I knelt before the pack council, my hands bound with chains behind my back. The room was filled with pack members who all looked at me with pure hatred. Every face seemed to scream that I was guilty before I even spoke.

This was my chance to tell the truth about what really happened that night. But when I glanced at Owen and saw the silent plea in his eyes, I remembered his promise. I turned back to the council and forced the words out. "Yes, I confess."

Gasps and whispers filled the room. Of course they would react this way, the girl they already hated had finally committed a terrible crime, proving them right all along.

Alpha Marcus raised his hand and silence fell over the room instantly "Ariana, you have admitted to a grave crime. Before we pass judgment, do you wish to explain your actions?"

I tried to form a story through my panicked thoughts. "We argued. She said horrible things about my status, called me a cursed omega and insulted my family. I lost control." I knew this would be the most believable story.The outburst of a rejected, powerless girl.

Alpha Marcus narrowed his eyes and circled me slowly. You want us to believe that a mere Omega, a girl the Moon Goddess herself has cursed from birth could overpower and kill a warrior’s daughter?”He stopped directly in front of me. “Ariana, do you take us as fools.”

He was right, my story sounded absurd. But I had made my choice, I had to see it through.

“Yes,” I repeated, trying my best to look as convincing as possible though I could feel sweat trickling down my face.“I did it.”

He shook his head slowly and turned to a warrior standing nearby. "Bring forward the body."

The warrior nodded and left through a side door. Moments later, he returned with two others carrying a covered stretcher. They placed it in the center of the room and at Alpha Marcus's gesture, they removed the sheet.

The sight of her made my stomach turn. not because of the violence but because I knew who had really wielded that knife. I forced myself to look away, focusing on a spot on the wall behind the elders.

"This is the result of your actions, Ariana," Alpha Marcus said grimly. “You're….”

Suddenly, a cry broke through his words. "YOU!" Mara's brother, Lucas pushed through the crowd. Before anyone could stop him, he ran forward and reached out to grab my throat. "You worthless omega! You killed my sister! You cursed, good-for-nothing creature!" Lucas's fingers squeezed around my neck, making it hard to breathe. I gasped and struggled for air, and my vision began to blur.

Two warriors quickly intervened, pulling Lucas away. He struggled against their grip but his eyes was still fixed on me. “My sister! You took her from me! Your family has always been cursed, bringing nothing but misfortune to this pack!” He spat on the floor near my feet.

“Enough! This is a matter for the Alpha to decide.” The Alpha commanded by raising his hands. The hall fell silent, the only sound was the heavy breathing of the warriors holding Lucas back.

“This… this act cannot go unpunished,” Alpha Marcus announced. “This crime… this stain on our pack… it must be cleansed.” He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. “Ariana will be held until after the coronation. On that day, under the light of the full moon, she will face her judgment. Her execution will serve as a cleansing for our land, a reminder of the consequences of such heinous acts.”

Jeers and insults rained on me as the crowd ran forward, throwing rocks and clumps of dirt. The guards tightened their grip on me, shielding me as best they could but some of the projectiles still hit their mark. I felt a sharp sting on my cheek as a small stone grazed my skin.

They finally dragged me away, back to the dark damp cell that would be my prison until my execution. The insults followed me even after the heavy door clanged shut behind me.

Despite the despair that threatened to consume me, a tiny hope remained. Owen had promised to release me once he became Alpha. Five days and I'll be free from this misery.

But the days that followed were a blur. The food they brought was barely edible, and the constant fear of the crowd’s hatred kept me on edge. I spent most of my time in a corner, shivering from the cold, my mind replaying the events of that night over and over again.

On what I thought was the fifth day, I heard familiar footsteps approaching.

"Ariana?" Cynthia's whisper came through the bars.

I crawled to the front of my cell. "Is anyone watching?"

"No, I made sure." She quickly passed some bread and dried meat through the bars. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. They caught me twice trying to bring you food."

I devoured the food, trying not to cry at the first real meal I'd had in days. "Thank you," I managed between bites.

"Owen's ceremony is tomorrow," Cynthia said, settling down on the other side of the bars. "He'll be crowned Alpha."

My heart leaped. "Tomorrow? Then I'll be free soon?"

"That's what he promised, right?" Cynthia's voice held something I couldn't quite read. "Ariana... are you sure about all this? Something doesn't feel right."

"He loves me," I insisted. "He's my mate. Once he's Alpha, everything will be different. The pack will have to accept me when I'm their Luna."

Cynthia was quiet for a moment. "I hope you're right. I'm coming back tomorrow with something special – we should celebrate your last night here."

"You're the best friend anyone could ask for," I told her, reaching through the bars to squeeze her hand.

After she left, I couldn't sleep. Freedom was so close. I imagined walking out of this cell, standing proud beside Owen as he announced me as his Luna. No more whispers and no more shame. Finally, I would have everything I'd dreamed of.

The next day crawled by. Every footstep made my heart race, wondering if it was Owen coming to release me. Finally, as evening approached I heard multiple sets of footsteps.

Owen appeared at my cell door, looking magnificent in his new Alpha robes. My heart swelled with pride and love.

"You did it?" I asked, though I could feel the power radiating from him. "You're Alpha now?"

"Thanks to you, my love. I couldn't have done this without your sacrifice." He smiled.

"When can I leave?" I tried to hide my eagerness. "Are you going to release me now?"

"Tomorrow," he said. "There's just one more thing I need to show you first."

My heart sank a little but I managed to whisper. "What's that?"

Before he could answer, more footsteps approached. Cynthia appeared beside him and my spirits lifted. She must have brought the surprise she promised. But the way they looked at each other made my stomach turn. Owen then reached out and pulled Cynthia to him, his hand settling possessively on her waist.

"No," I whispered.

He looked at me and smiled cruelly, before he kissed my best friend. Passionately, right in front of me.

A deep kiss that shattered my world into a million pieces.

I stood there as they kissed like nothing else in the world existed. Owen finally pulled away, but his gaze slid past Cynthia to land on me. The torchlight from the corridor left dancing shadows on his face, making his expression even more sinister.

"Why?" My fingers now wrapped around the metal bars trembled as I whispered the word. The bars were the only thing keeping me upright. "I gave you everything, Owen. My trust, my loyalty, my heart. You were the only one I told about my wolf..."

"Exactly," Owen cut in as he stepped closer to my cell. "The only one who knew what a threat you really are."

Cynthia's eyes widened slightly, and I realized even she hadn't known this part of the truth.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.

Owen laughed loudly. "Did you think I actually loved you? The daughter of James Darkwood, the most powerful Alpha our territory had ever seen? The same bloodline that produced wolves strong enough to challenge the Moon Goddess herself?" He shook his head. "I kept you close because I needed to know what I was dealing with."

"But I never..." I started.

"Never what? Never planned to challenge me?" He slammed his hands on the bars making me jump. The sound echoed through the cell block and somewhere in the distance, a prisoner screamed.

"Your father's power runs through your veins, Ariana. I saw you that day in the training grounds, pretending to be weak while your wolf vibrated with strength. The same strength that made your father unstoppable."

The pieces started falling into place. "So everything... every moment between us..."

"Was me making sure you stayed exactly where I needed you - powerless, hated and alone. The perfect plan, until Mara had to complicate things."

"Mara?" My knees felt weak.

"She saw you shifting in the woods," He leaned forward, close enough that I could smell the wine on his breath from the celebration. "Came to me all excited about defending your honor, about telling the pack they were wrong about you. She didn't understand what a threat you really are."

I wrapped my hands around myself as the final piece clicked into place.

"So you killed her," I whispered. "And made me take the blame."

“Two birds, one stone. It worked out better than I could have planned." he smirked, spreading his arms wide. "The pack's hatred for you grew even stronger, and now..." He gestured to his Alpha robes with a flourish. "I have everything I want."

Cynthia pressed closer to him even as she traced a finger along his chest. "And I get to be Luna. The position you thought was yours."

My fingers shook as anger flowed through my veins. "You spineless coward! You murdered an innocent woman and let me rot in here because you were afraid? Some Alpha you'll make—"

The air rushed from my lungs as his arm shot through the bars. His fingers dug into my throat and I could feel him crushing my windpipe. "Watch what you say. I'm your Alpha now." His grip tightened as he pulled me closer to the bars. "Your life belongs to me."

I clawed desperately at his hand, black spots dancing in my vision. My nails drew blood but he didn't even flinch. "What..." I wheezed as I struggled for each word. "What happened to...your promise?" I kicked weakly at the bars. "You said... you'd release me when you become Alpha."

He left my throat, and I collapsed against the floor, coughing.

"Oh, I'll release you as promised," he paced around. "But I promise you this—the release will be worse than staying in these cells."

"What do you mean?" I whispered.

"You'll see tomorrow. Consider it my final gift to you, my dear mate." He spat the last word like it was poison.

They turned to leave, but Cynthia paused as she looked back. "You know what's truly pathetic, Ariana? How eagerly you took the blame. The perfect little martyr, right until the end."

I listened as their footsteps grew fainter along the corridor. I crumpled to the cold floor, my heart feeling like it was being squeezed in my chest. The truth hit me then, I hadn't been cursed by the Moon Goddess.

I'd been cursed by my own foolish heart.

—--------------

“Ariana James, you stand before the pack to face judgment for your crimes,” one of the werewolf council declared loudly across the pack clearing. "Tonight, the Moon Goddess shall bear witness to your punishment."

The crowd shouted both happy and angry sounds, and I could feel how much they hated me.

I kept my gaze fixed on Owen, silently pleading for him to keep his promise. But when our eyes met, I saw no love or regret. I only saw emptiness, it was obvious he didn't care at all.

Owen raised his hand and the crowd fell silent. "Stop the execution," he commanded firmly. The murmurs died down as everyone turned to him in confusion.

"Owen," one of the council members said cautiously, "the judgment has been passed. Execution is—"

"I have a different punishment in mind," Owen cut in, smiling in a way that made me feel cold all over.

"What are you suggesting?" The council members looked at each other nervously, but Owen’s eyes gleamed as he stepped forward.

“Death is too merciful for her. She deserves something far worse.” He stared at me intensely. “A punishment fitting the crime… and the betrayal.”

My stomach dropped and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. What could be worse than death?

The pack members also shifted nervously in their seats clearly confused.

“Speak plainly, Alpha Owen. Go straight to the point.” another elder said.

Owen looked at the council members and then right at me. His cold stare made me feel completely exposed. “Sell her… as a slave.”

Both the crowd, the councils and I gasped collectively.

“Slavery is hardly a punishment fitting such a crime!” one elder protested. “If anything, it’s too easy a fate—”

“You didn’t let me finish,” Owen interrupted in a cold voice. “She will be sold as a slave… to the Night Walker Pack.”

The silence that followed was deafening. It was as if the entire courtyard had forgotten how to breathe.

I couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped my lips. Even I, who had been shunned and hated my entire life felt the claws of terror dig into my chest at the mention of that name.

The Night walker Pack.

A kingdom ruled by the Lycan King, a tyrant whose cruelty was legendary. It was said that the skulls of those who dared defy him lined the borders of his territory as a warning.

His warriors were monsters in both strength and spirit, and his slaves—well, those who were unfortunate enough to become his slaves rarely lasted long. The stories that escaped those borders were enough to make even the bravest warriors shudder.

Women were often forced into unspeakable roles like breeding, entertainment, sex slaves in cruel games. Men were worked to death, their bodies discarded like trash. There was no mercy within those borders, only endless suffering.

No one spoke of the Night Walker Pack lightly, and no one ever left its borders alive.

“No… no, please…” I whispered, my voice trembled as tears began to blur my vision.

One of the council members shook his head. “Alpha Owen, surely this is a cruel sentence, even for her crimes. Perhaps we should….”

“Let me remind you all,” Owen cut in smoothly, “that Ariana James is a murderer. She deserves no mercy, no kindness. And the Night Walker Pack… well, they know how to handle creatures like her.”

The council fell silent. Slowly, one by one the elders began nodding their heads in agreement. Even Alpha Marcus gave his reluctant approval, though I noticed his hands trembling slightly as he signed the decree.

And then, the crowd erupted in cheers. They were shouting, clapping, laughing and celebrating my fate as if it were some grand festival. Their voices of hatred seemed to pierce through my very soul.

"Send the murderer away!"

"Let the Night Walker Pack have her!"

"Justice for Mara!"

Owen turned back to me, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. His blue eyes shone with victory, and in them I saw not a trace of the man I had once loved.

I understood now what he said. Death would have been a kindness. This… this was something else entirely.

The guards pulled me up from the ground, pushing me backward while they brought a rusty metal cage into the open area. I tried to get away from them as I yelled, "No! Please someone should help me!"

But no one would save me.

They pushed me into the cage, and the heavy door closed behind me with a loud bang. The people watching started yelling again, their cruel voices all mixing together.

The cage was picked up and put on a wagon, and they pulled me through the open area. I held onto the metal bars so tight that my fingers became white.

But then—

“Wait!”

Owen stepped in front of the cart, holding up a hand. The procession stopped, and the sudden silence was more terrifying than the cheers had been.

“I think we’re forgetting something,” he said in a loud voice that everyone in the courtyard could hear. I felt cold fear run down my back. What else did he want from me?

Owen came closer to my cage and looked right into my eyes. "Rejection."

My heart stopped beating.

The bond, The sacred mate bond.

Rejection wasn’t just about breaking a connection—it was agony. A physical and emotional torment that could cripple even the strongest wolf.

I had seen it once before, when a warrior rejected his mate. She had screamed for three days straight before her wolf finally gave up and died within her.

Owen smirked. “You know, Ariana, I’ve saved this moment just for now. Because if I reject you here… the pain will stay with you until you reach the Night Walker Pack. In your weakened state, you'll be deemed useless to them. And we all know what happens to useless things in the Night Walker Pack, don't we?”

I knew what that meant. The Night Walker Pack discarded the weak, cast them into the wilderness to die slowly, or worse, they used them for sport.

“No, Owen… please, I’m begging you. We were supposed to be forever.”

But he straightened, his voice echoing loud and clear for everyone to hear.

“I, Alpha Owen, reject you, Ariana James, as my mate and future Luna.”

Pain. Blinding, soul-shattering pain ripped through me as though claws had torn into my chest and pulled my heart out. I screamed, my voice raw and broken as the bond between us broke apart with force.

The crowd watched in silence as I rolled around in agony, clutching my chest and gasping for air that wouldn’t come. Some turned away, unable to watch. Others leaned forward, fascinated by my suffering.

Through the haze of pain, I managed to whisper, “I… Ariana James… accept your rejection.”

And with those words, the bond was severed completely. The emptiness that followed after was indescribable. It was as though a part of me had been ripped away, leaving a gaping emptiness in its place.

Owen smiled in satisfaction as he brushed an imaginary dust from his alpha robes. “Take her away. And make sure she understands… she is never to set foot on our territory again.”

The guards pushed my wagon ahead, pushing me past the border lines. I almost fell but caught myself in time. I turned around to look at Owen and shouted across the open space.

“You think this is the end?"I felt my wolf strength surge dangerously."You think you've won? You're wrong, Owen. This is just the beginning. I swear to you, I will make you regret this. I will make you regret ever crossing me. You may think you have broken me, but you have only made me stronger. You will learn what true regret feels like. I promise you that."

Owen just smiled, a chillingly confident smile. "We'll see about that."

I turned and got dragged away but I didn't bother looking back anymore, because I knew this isn’t the end.

I will return. And when I do, Owen, you will regret ever crossing me.