Everyone in the room held their breath. 

The stopped their activities to watch the drama unfolding in front of their eyes. 

"Shut up!" Celeste screamed again, her voice so loud I startled and took a step back. "How dare you try to seduce my fiancé? On my birthday!" 

How could she believe that?

 "I-" I start but nothing came out as the entire room fell quiet. 

Heavy footsteps clicked across the marble floor. The crowd parted. My stepmother Vivian appeared, her face twisted with false concern. She wore an expensive purple dress, diamonds glittering at her throat and ears.

 "What is going on here?" she demanded, though her eyes already held the answer. She'd probably heard everything. 

"Mother!" Celeste turned to her, tears suddenly appearing in her eyes. Fake tears. I'd seen her use them before. "Elara tried to steal Damien from me! She threw herself at him!"

 "That's not true!" I said desperately. "He came into the room upstairs. He cornered me. He tried to force himself on me and I-"

 "Shut up!" Vivian's voice cut through mine like a blade, she put her arms around her daughter, and her eyes judged me.

 "You ungrateful little wrench," she said, making her voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "After everything we've done for you. after we took you in when your parents died,  this is how you repay us??"

 The accusations. The mention of my parents. The lies. 

I broke into sobs before I could stop it. 

"I didn't do anything wrong," I sobbed desperately. "Please, you have to believe me. Damien is lying. He-" 

 "How could he be lying?" someone in the crowd muttered. "Look at her dress. She obviously tried something.

" I looked down at my torn dress, and at the exposed bra and shame washed over me. They thought I'd done this to myself. They thought I'd wanted this.

 "Please," I begged, looking around at the faces surrounding me. Faces I'd known my whole life. People from the pack. People who'd watched me grow up. "Someone has to believe me. I'm telling the truth.

" But no one spoke up. No one defended me. They just stared with judgment in their eyes. 

"You all see what I have to deal with" Vivian said, gesturing to me like I am a disease. "All she does is bring trouble and bad luck" she said, address the crowd.

 "That's not true!" I cried. "Isn't it?" She turned back to me, her eyes cold. "You're the reason your parents are dead, Elara. You're cursed. Bad luck follows you everywhere you go.

" The words hit me like a physical blow and I stumbled back, my legs felt too weak to carry me. "My parents died because-" I started."Your father was a traitor," Vivian interrupted. "Executed for his crimes.

And your mother?" She shook her head with fake sadness. "Her heart gave out from the shame of it all.

The shame of having a daughter like you.""No," I whispered. "That's not what happened. My father was innocent. He was framed. And my mother died because-" "Because of you!" Vivian shouted.

"Everything bad that happens is because of you! You're a curse on this family!" The crowd murmured in agreement.

 Some nodded.

Others whispered to each other. I dropped to my knees, my legs finally giving out and the tears wouldn't stop.

 They poured down my face, hot and endless. Why wouldn't no one stand for me? Why wouldn't anyone believe me? Didn't they all watch me grow? "Please," I begged, my voice breaking. "Please-" I whispered again, unsure of what to say. Beg? Apologize? What do I say when they all looked at me like a beast? "She's nothing but a whore!" someone shouted from the crowd.

 "A disgrace!"

 "The daughter of a traitor!" another voice called out. 

"She deserves to be punished!" an older woman yelled. The voices grew louder, overlapping, feeding off each other's anger and hatred."Cursed child!" "She brings nothing but shame!" "We should get rid of her!" Vivian raised her hands, silencing them "You see, Elara? I have done too much good for you. We all see what you are now. You're nothing but trouble.

 A burden. A mistake." "Please," I whispered again, my voice barely audible. "I didn't do anything." "Get her out of here!" someone shouted. 

"She doesn't deserve to be among decent people!" "Banish her!" "No, she deserves worse than that!" "Hang her! Make an example of her!"The chant started small, just a few voices. But it grew. More and more people joined in until the entire room was filled with the sound. "Execute her! Execute her! Execute her!" I covered my ears with my hands, trying to block out the noise.

But it was too loud.  

Too overwhelming.

It became hard to breathe. The walls felt like they were closing in. Someone threw a glass. It shattered near my feet, spraying me with wine and broken glass.

 I screamed. 

Then food started flying. A piece of cake hit my shoulder. Bread rolls bounced off my back. Drinks splashed across my torn dress, they were throwing things at me.

 My heart race rose with the quickening of my breathing. I couldn't speak or scream. Even if I could, they wouldn't listen.

 They were all righteous people purging the evil from the community. 

Strong hands suddenly grabbed my arms. I looked up and saw three large men. Pack warriors.

They yanked me to my feet roughly. No. They would truly end my life. "No!" I struggled against them, trying to pull free.

 "Let me go! Please!"

 "Take her out of here!"

Vivian ordered, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Get her out of my sight!" "Please!" I screamed, fighting harder.

"Please, somebody help me!" But no one helped.

 No one even tried. 

The warriors dragged me toward the door. My feet scraped against the floor as I tried to resist.

People moved out of the way, creating a path, letting me be dragged out of a party that should have been mine too.

  A broken cry leaves my lips as I give up on fighting. I look at my family, Vivian stood in the middle of the crowd with her arms folded.

 Another sob left my lips when I watch as the crowd followed, coming to see what would happen to me  Celeste stood with Damien's arm wrapped around her waist, both of them smiling.

Then suddenly, a voice cut through the chaos. 

"What's going on here?"

The voice was deep and powerful.

 It made everyone freeze. 

The warriors holding me stopped.

The crowd went silent.

Even the people who had been shouting just seconds ago went quiet.

The voice came again from somewhere in the darkness. "I asked what's going on here." Everyone stood still, fear replacing the anger that had filled the air just moments before. 

No one dared to say a word.

he silence was palatable.

 They all feared this intruder, no one was moving, no one was saying a word. It made me wonder, who was this man? 

Slowly, I lifted my head. A man stood there. Tall. Broad shoulders. He wore all black, his clothes perfectly fitted. 

But it was his face that made my breath catch. He was handsome in a way that seemed almost unreal.

Sharp jaw.

High cheekbones.

Dark black hair that fell over his shoulders. His eyes held me frozen. They were golden. They glowed slightly in the darkness, like they had their own light. 

He was looking down at me with expressions that was unreadable. Behind him, I could see the crowd. Everyone had their heads bowed. Some had dropped to their knees.

Fear was written across every face.

 "I asked a question and expect answers" he interrupted. "Alpha Kael ," my stepmother's voice came out shaky. She stepped forward, "We didn't know you were here.

We-" Alpha? This was Alpha King, Kael Drakemoor.

 The most powerful Alpha in the entire district. The one everyone feared.

And he was standing right in front of me. Celeste suddenly rushed forward, tears streaming down her face. Real tears this time, I noticed. She was scared.

 "Alpha King," she said, her voice trembling.

"This girl... My stepsister.

She's a menace. She tried to seduce my fiancé. When he refused her, she attacked him and tried to frame him for assault."

 My stomach drop. She was lying again. And this time to the Alpha King himself, would I be killed tonight for a lie?. 

Will I die like my father did? 

Damien stepped forward too, his head bowed respectfully.

"It's true, Your Majesty.

She forced herself on me. I pushed her away and she got angry.

That's why her dress is torn. She did it to make it look like I attacked her.

"No," I whispered. My voice was so quiet I wasn't sure anyone heard me.

 But the Alpha King's head turned toward me. Those golden eyes found mine again.

"Is this true?" he asked. 

I stared at him.

Someone was asking for my side of the story.

Someone was actually asking me what happened. 

"No,"

I said again, louder this time.

My voice shook. "No, it's not true." "She's lying!" Celeste shouted.

 "She's always been a liar! She's always caused trouble!"

 "Silence." The Alpha King ordered, his voice came out calmly yet the single word made everyone go quiet.

 Power.

 He took a step closer to me. Then another. He crouched down until he was at my level, his golden eyes boring into mine."Tell me what happened, the truth," he said quietly.

 I swallowed hard. My throat felt tight. Could I trust him? Would he believe me when no one else did? His eyes were intense but not cruel.

There was something in them that made me think maybe, just maybe, he might listen. "I was upstairs," I started, my voice shaking. "Arranging the rooms. It's my birthday too, not just Celeste's.

But I was working while she had her party." I don't know why I needed to say that part but I my heart trusted in his golden eyes. 

I saw his jaw tighten slightly but he didn't interrupt.

 "Damien came into the room," I continued.

Tears started falling again but I pushed through. 

 "He cornered me. I told him to leave, that he was Celeste's fiancé.

But he wouldn't listen. He said I should be grateful someone like him wanted me.

 He tried to- He tried to force himself on me." My voice broke and I couldn't stop the sob that escaped.

 "He grabbed me. He kissed me even though I fought him.

He touched me.

 I bit him and pushed him away as hard as I could.

 I ran.

He chased me and grabbed my dress. That's how it got torn.

I came down here to tell Celeste what happened but-" "She's lying!" Vivian interrupted.

 "Your Majesty, please don't listen to her. She's always been trouble.

Everyone knows about her!!"

 "I said silence!"

 This time the Alpha King's voice came out as a growl, low and dangerous. He stood up, his full height towering over me.

He looked at Damien. "Show me your face." Damien hesitated but lifted his head. There, clear as day, was the mark I'd left when I bit him. Still bloodied and swollen.

 The Alpha King stared at it for a long moment. Then he turned to me. 

"Get up" he said and held out his hand to help me up, I slide my hand into his. There is a spark of electricity is feel as I struggled to stand with shaky legs. 

He examined my face, my torn dress, the bruises forming on my arms where Damien had grabbed me. 

When he seemed to have had enough, his golden eyes flashed with something. Something dark and angry but it didn't scare me.

 I stared at him as he turned back to the crowd. 

"This girl was assaulted. Anyone with eyes can see that.

The man has marks from being bitten. Her dress is torn from being grabbed from behind, not from the front.

 She has bruises on her arms which shows she was being held down." "But Your Majesty-" Vivian said, wanting to say more lies. "I'm not finished."

The Alpha said, his voice was ice cold. "I have seen enough to know that this girl is telling the truth." 

The finality in his words made my knees buckle,  nearly giving out again. He believed me. The Alpha King believed me. "Your Majesty, please," Celeste begged.

"She's just-" "Enough!" The Alpha's eyes flashed with gold light. Something primal radiated from him.

 Power.

Raw, terrifying power that made everyone step back. He looked at me again and his expression softened slightly.

 "Come with me,"

he said, squeezing my hand slightly.

 "You don't have to stay here." I stared at his hand. Then at his face.

 Leave?

With him?

Where would we go? "I..." I looked back at the house.

At Vivian and Celeste.

 Despite everything, this was still the only home I knew. "I'll be fine here," I whispered. "Thank you for believing me, but I can't-"

 "You can't?"

 His eyes narrowed. "Did you not just tell me how you've been treated? How you've been abused for months?" 

"Yes but don't worry about me," I said quietly. "I'll be fine." He studied me for a long moment. Then he turned to Vivian.

 His expression was hard, cold and terrifying. "If I hear that something like this happens again," he said slowly, each word deliberate, "if I hear that you people go around hurting innocent people.

I will return.

 And I will not be merciful." Vivian's face went pale. She nodded quickly.

The Alpha King looked at each person in the crowd.

"Do you all understand?

 No one dares lay a hand on her again" Silence. Then everyone nodded, their heads bowed. He looked at me one last time.

There was something in his eyes I couldn't read as he let go of my hand. 

Was it concern?

Frustration?

 Worry? I can't tell. 

"Remember what I said," he told Vivian again. "I will know if anything happens to her. And you do not want me to come back."With that, he turned and walked away. 

His footsteps faded into the darkness. He left but his aura still had everyone frozen.

 I stood there, with my hands pressed to my chest and unrestrained tears streaming down my face.

 The Alpha King had believed me. He'd defended me.

He'd warned them not to touch me. But as I looked at Vivian's face, at the hatred burning in her eyes, I knew one thing for certain. 

His warning wouldn't be enough.

The crowd slowly scattered.

 The excitement had ended.

The party was over. They would all go home to rest but my tale would not rest.

They would keep talking about the crazy girl who tried to seduce her sister's fiancé. The cursed daughter of a traitor.

 Wrapping my arms around myself to ward the cold away, I took slow steps toward the back of the house.

 I reached the back door, the one I always used. The servants' entrance.

 Even before my parents died, even when my father was still Beta Councilman, Vivian had made sure I knew to use this door.

Not the front.

Never the front.

 That one was for Celeste. I pushed the door open slowly and the hinges creaked. My heart started to race, expecting something bad to happen like always.

 I hope and hope that maybe the Alpha King's warning would actually work. Maybe they'd be too scared to touch me now. 

He'd made it clear that I was under his protection.

That anyone who hurt me would answer to him. Maybe things would finally get better. I took another step into the dark room to find the switch when the lights suddenly blazed on, blinding me.

 I threw my hand up to shield my eyes and as my vision cleared, I saw them. Vivian and Celeste stood blocking the hallway.

 Both of them stared at me with hatred in their eyes. Behind them, the house was empty. All the servants had been dismissed. 

All the guests were gone. We were alone. "What do you think you're doing, mutt?" Vivian sneers at me as I tried to step around them. 

My heart started to pound even harder. "I'm just going to my room,"

 I said quietly.

 I kept my hands around my body. "Your room?" Celebrate laughed, but it was a cold, bones chilling laugh.

 "Mother, she really thinks she has a room here?" She said to her mother. 

"The Alpha said-" I started. 

"The Alpha isn't here now, is he?"

Vivian interrupted, stepping forward. "It's just us." And I started to back up until my back hit the wall. "Please. He warned you. He said if you hurt me-" "He'll never know,"

Vivian said simply. "No one will know.

 You're going to have an accident tonight, Elara. A terrible, tragic accident. And by morning everyone we would mourn the death of the lying seductress"

 "No." I shook my head, I had no idea what they planned but it scared me.

 "Please, don't do this." Vivian's hand came out of nowhere. She slapped me so hard across the face that my head snapped to the side.

Pain exploded across my cheek. Before I could recover, Celeste grabbed my hair and yanked me forward.

I screamed as she dragged me down the hallway.

 "Stop! Please!" I cried, trying to pry her fingers from my hair.

 "Shut up!"

she screamed, throwing me to the ground. My body hit the floor hard and the air knocked out of my lungs. 

Before I could move, Vivian's foot connected with my ribs. I curled into a ball, trying to protect myself.

But they wouldn't stop.

 Celeste kicked my back. Vivian stomped on my arm. I heard something crack and raw pain shot through my whole body. "You thought you could embarrass us?" Vivian hissed, grabbing my hair and pulling my head back.

 "You thought the Alpha King would save you?" 

"Please," I sobbed. "Please stop."She let go of my hair and my head hit the floor again. 

They dragged me through the house and out the back door. My body screamed in protest. Everything hurt. My arms. My ribs. My face. Blood dripped from my nose and mouth.

 Outside, I saw a pile of my belongings in the middle of the yard. My clothes. My books. The few things I had left from my parents. Everything I owned. Celeste pulled out a match. "No!" I tried to crawl toward the pile but Vivian kicked me in the stomach, and pinned m to the floor with her feet. 

I watch helplessly as Celeste lit the match and threw it onto the pile. 

"No" I whisper as everything burned brightly under the night sky; my mother's journal. My father's watch. The blanket my mother had made for me when I was a baby.

 All of it turned to ash. "Can you see what you are?," Vivian said, standing over me. "Nothing.

You have nothing.

You are nothing."

 I stayed under her feet, watching the flame dance. I couldn't speak. Couldn't move. The pain was too much. Then Vivian reached into her coat and pulled something out. Even through my blurred vision, I recognized it. 

A Moonblade. 

The weapon was ancient, forged from moon silver. It glowed with a faint blue light. I'd only seen one once before, in a book about werewolf history.

 "No," I whispered. "Please, no."

 "This blade has a special purpose," Vivian said, examining it in the firelight, the blade reflected the orange of the fire. "It destroys the connection between a wolf and their human.

Permanently." she said, smiling gleefully. My eyes widened. "You can't- Please-""Let's see how special you really are," she said coldly as she raised the blade and then plunged it into my stomach. 

A raw scream tipped through my throat. The pain was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. It wasn't just physical.

It was deeper.

Worse.

Like something inside me was being torn apart. It was the feeling of my wolf dying. The being that had been with me since I was eighteen. A important part of me. My other half. My strength when I had none...she is being ripped away from me. 

"Arghhh" I screamed again as hot tears streamed out of my eyes. She was dying. Her howls inside my mind tore me apart. I could feel her trying to hold on, trying to stay with me. But the Moonblade's magic was too strong. 

"NO"

 I screamed so loud that I tasted blood at the back of my throat. I want to fight to keep her but she couldn't stay. The blade wouldn't let her. One final painful howl echoed through my mind and Vivian pulled the blade out of my stomach. "Say your goodbyes you piece of shit" Celeste said to my face. I felt her breath on my face.

I felt the way blood poured from the wound. I heard the cruel laughter but nothing made sense.

 I was in too much pain. My wolf had been killed. The overwhelming pain made me scream one more time.

 Vivian crouched down beside her daughter, her face close to mine, making sure I saw her victorious smile.

 "So where's your Alpha King now?" she whispered.

"You thought you could have your way, didn't you? Thought someone would finally save you?" She grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at her. 

"You're just a worthless...nothing" she said slowly.

 Each word was deliberate. Meant to hurt as deeply as the blade that had killed my wolf. "And no one is coming to save you. No one ever will." She let go of my chin and my head fell back to the ground. 

 A gasp slipped past my lips as through fading vision, I watched them walk away. Back into the house. Back to their warm beds and comfortable lives.

 The fire eating up the remnant of my life brightly, but everything remained dark as I laid there in the darkness, bleeding. My wolf was gone. 

My identity as a werewolf had been stripped from me by my own family. Could I even dare to get up and fight for my life?