Celestia's pov 

First, an ache, then a growl. Gradually, the curtains are pulled back; my strength has returned, at least a good portion of it. 

My eyes peel open, head swimming in a blurry state as a dimly lit naked bulb swings above my head, its weak hesitant glow falling on the concrete walls.

In front of me were thick, steel bars, all unforgiving and cold to the touch.

Then all my memories came back hitting me like a sledgehammer. 

My torturous delivery.

Raphael's dismissal.

My precious pup is being taken away.

By the moon goddess, I remembered everything, and my insides boiled with a rage that could only be quenched with blood.

I shot up to my feet only to be dragged back by a chain snapped on both of my legs.

A wince scraped past my lips, a slight sizzle circled my ankle where the chain began.

"Don't bother fighting," a mocking voice came to me past the bars, "it's impure silver, enough to weaken even you."

I stabbed my eyes towards the guard. 

There was dry bread and watery soup on one hand and on the other...

Keys! 

One of the most capable of releasing me from this chain. 

I confirmed that it was also the key to the cell. He opened it and came towards me, dropping the already unappetizing meal in front of me as if I were no more than a mutt.

"Eat up, you're going to need it when you're called tomorrow to answer for your crimes,"

A bitter chocolate script passed my throat and evacuated over my lips. 

"My crimes? "

In a single motion that was as fluid as water, I grabbed the guard pinning him down and forcing the keys out of his hand.

He looked at me, eyes bulging.

"Impossible!" He rated out while still crushed under my knee."I've seen prisoners who passed out just from having that chain on them, how are you-"

"You compare me to the male Petty criminals you bring in here? Perhaps your insubordination has made you forget but I am your Luna. The only person in this pack who can stand their ground with me is the Alpha, now tell me where he is..."

I said then raised his hand at an angle that would snap it like a twig if I just moved it another inch. 

"Don't waste my time, where is Alpha Raphael, where is my pup?" 

He closed his mouth for a moment, but when he saw that I was really about to break his hand, he tapped the ground and told me. 

"Alpha Raphael took Lady Medea to the hospital because she was complaining of bodily pains... As for the pup..." he hesitated once again for a split second then he said, "from what I know he's in his nursery right now, but it's guarded and..." 

I didn't wait for him to finish. I had heard enough. 

I swiped the tree he had brought, banging it over his head so hard that he lost consciousness. 

Good. 

I didn't need him to mind-link anyone and warn them about my coming. 

I got the keys and unchained myself a rush of power immediately caused through my body as soon as the chains fell off. 

Then I stripped the guard down to his underwear and locked the cell. 

I had a fairly muscular body, most werewolf women dating were curved here and there but generally I was more toned than not, so after a little adjusting the guard's uniform fits me almost like a glove well except for the chest area but I made do with what I had.

Quickly I left the underground cell, my steps hasty and fast so that nobody would look at me long enough to recognize who I was. 

Asher... Don't worry Mommy's coming.

My poor pup.

He must be so scared. 

So frightened. 

His first time experiencing the world only to be snatched away from his safe place, my wolf continued to echo her strength returning with mine. 

Find out pup.

I didn't have to be told twice. 

When I got to the nursery a guard was standing at the front.

With my head tilted downwards I said. 

"You look tired, why don't I take over for a moment?"

"Thanks, my legs were about to give out. I wouldn't have to do this if it weren't for that crazy Luna of ours,"

"Hmmm.."

"She's crazy, don't feel bad about melting her just because she is Luna. Nobody will respect her for trying to snatch away the pup of another woman out of spite and jealousy,"

The guard went on to explain in a few more colorful words how I was the worst thing that's ever happened to the park and he suspected that somebody like me was too good to be true and I had to be hiding some skeletons in my closet.

Thankfully he was gone before he could recognize me and I rushed into the room. 

Asher's scent.

He smelled like butter and milk.

"Asher..." I whimpered, tears breaking out of my eyes. 

I rushed over to his crib, and he was asleep dressed in a tiny cap gloves, and clothes that hung loosely on his little body. 

I reached down to touch my precious little pup. 

I tried to at least before an ear-piercing screech reached my ears and somebody grabbed my wrist hard enough to prove. 

"Celestia, again?! What is wrong with you,!"

Without looking back I already knew who was berating me.

A humorless laugh left my lips.

"Are you being serious right now? Shouldn't I be the one yelling at you? My baby was born and you wouldn't even allow me to hold him for longer than 5 minutes before you brought guards to snatch him away... Now all of you are spreading lies... Asher is mine!" 

I finally turned around and there was Medea, she shook her head and clasped her hands.

"Celestial, that's enough lies we already know...." She took a few steps forward.

"We know your pup is dead,"

Celestia's POV 

"Dead?" I threw the ridiculous word back at her pointing my finger towards Asher.

"My baby is alive and well, look!"

Out of nowhere Medea broke into sobs.

"Eclipse told me that your condition was bad, but I didn't know it had gotten so terrible..."

She came over hesitantly looking at my hands as if she wanted to hold them. 

"Celestia I understand what you are going through I would also lose my mind if Jaxon had died during birth,"

I looked between Raphael and Rose, my bewildered eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

"Aren't you going to say anything, Raphael? You know I'm not that kind of person-"

"Then why is he blonde?" He stated the same aggravating argument has pulled me further away from Asher. "Nobody on my side of the family has blonde hair except for extended relatives-"

"My grandfather has blonde hair, that's how genetics works!" I screamed at the top of my voice.

"That doesn't prove anything,"

Rose was still giving me that pitiful look as if I was the one falling off the edge of sanity.

I noticed that Asher was starting to squirm, probably because of our raised voices. 

"Let's have this discussion somewhere else," I said quietly.

"Yes we are going to talk about this, but it will not be a discussion, it will be a trial... There all the evidence will be laid in front of you and we'll see how you try to deny it all,"

Since I was a high-ranking wolf my trial was heard in the official elder council room. The oldest Elder, Janice, would be the one acting as the judge since Raphael and I were directly involved. 

The meeting was arranged in less than an hour and I was escorted inside the meeting hall like a criminal that had already been condemned. Next Raphael was Rose and beside her was her sister, who was all but grinning in my face.

"Luna Celestia Ashen, you have a trial before the Elder council for the following crimes..."

Crimes?

As in plural? 

I stood before the council, the only one standing while the rest of them were seated, and different charges from kidnapping to assault were brought up.

"How do you plead to all these crimes, Luna Celestia?" The secretary of the Elder Council asked me, his lips sinking into their usual frown. 

"The only one I'm guilty of is assaulting the guard, but technically I was defending myself because I had been locked away against my own will without even a trial,"

Murmuring swept through the table but everything proceeded. 

First way to the evidence tabled against me. 

The first witness that was called up was the doctor in charge of my delivery, she had a bruise on her neck that she was trying and failing to hide under a scarf, then she glanced at me briefly, and an apologetic expression swam through her eyes before Janice asked her to state what had happened last night from her perspective.

"The Luna struggled to deliver for over 12 hours," she began and that was the only truth that she would tell, I was locked in place as the story was twisted on its back.

"She insisted on a natural birth, unfortunately the pup did not make it and died from inhaling her bodily fluids. She delivered a dead pup,"

"Doctor!" I called out, my voice a shriek of pain and betrayal.

Janice glanced at me from the corner of her eye.

"Luna Celestia, you are not allowed to intimidate the witness you will speak when it is your turn to speak,"

I clamped back my defense tears burning in my eyes. 

What... Just what have I done to deserve all this? 

How much more of this do I have to endure? 

The next person to speak was Eclipse.

"I would hate to say this about the mother of our Pack, but I feel compelled to say the truth and nothing more or less. Have most of you heard that I worked as her personal maid? As such I was given the front seat to someone with her peculiar traits..." she pretended to hesitate and continued, "she would often break down because even after being married to the alpha for almost half a decade she had not been able to single child and she also took several pills to function from day to day it was only about time..."

I wanted to scream. 

It had taken everything inside me to finally start my depression medication. 

The only people who know about it are my doctor and Eclipse.

That was how fondly I held her in my heart.

All for her to expose me; to strip my insecurities to the judgmental Elders.

After she spoke then Medea came, Raphael held her hand while she spoke as if she were no more than a pup herself, whimpering annoyingly 

"I don't have much to say, but I hope the council will show mercy to Luna Celestia," She was still wearing that fake mask of innocence, while indirectly echoing what everyone already assumed-that I was guilty.

After she spoke she went to sit quickly as if her legs were about to fail her.

Raphael remained.

His eyes rested on me, unmoved by my pain...my tears, just standing by the lie both he and his mistress concocted to frame me.

"I've been married to Celestia for seven years now. My parents, the previous Alpha and Luna, believed that she would make the perfect bride as the Eldest daughter of our Beta. I trusted their choice...but..."

He sighed heavily with his full chest.

"...Celestia had two faces, one she showed to the world and one behind closed doors..."

He unbuttoned his shirt and from his pecs to his stomach were ragged claw marks.

"This is what I got while trying to stop her from taking the pup-"

"Raphael!" I seethed, "I never did that.! Why are you telling these vicious lies against me? Janice please..."

I turned to the Elder judge. There was nothing but conviction in her grey eyes and then I knew it.

It was over

Celestia's pov 

I was thrown back into that cell 

Discarded like trash.

Awaiting my judgment, the next and final council meeting for my sake would conclude that.

But I already knew it wouldn't be good.

I curled my hands together, recalling Asher's warmth, his soft puppy smell.

Had he been fed? 

Was he softly rocked when he cried? 

Would I ever see him again?

I had been chained down.

This time with pure silver, it constantly burnt and ate at my skin giving it just enough time to heal before repeating the process.

No meals came to my cell, even with me chained down the guards didn't risk it.

"Celestia...oh how far you've fallen..."

My eyes remained on the floor.

He stood over me, behind the steel bars, his eyes judging and piercing.

"Raphael, why?"

"Why?" he spat back at me, "Are you still going to feign ignorance even now?"

I forced myself to look at him.

"Seven years Raphael...for five years I've given you everything, anything...my body...my heart...there is nothing you've wanted from me that my immediate answer wasn't yes, why am I being punished for being a good Luna and mate?"

He scoffed.

"How you've painted yourself to be the perfect victim after what you did to me..."He gripped the steel bars and bared his teeth to me."Seven years ago, my aunt's mate's anniversary...is that ringing any bells?"

I carefully recalled that night, and the days before it.

"Our son won't stop talking about you, but he's the shy type," Raphael's parents told me.

Back then Raphael and Medea were thicker than thieves.

When I asked his parents they disregarded the rumors.

"She is an orphan and her little sister's caretaker, Raphael just pities her,"

Then it all climaxed that night.

The anniversary party of the Alpha's younger sister was held at the pack house hall.

Everyone was wasted including me.

Raphael needed help getting to his room.

I helped without any ulterior motives.

It was Raphael who came at me with full force.

His lips slammed on mine and his hands sneaking under my shirt, he didn't allow me to get a word in, and the mate bond I had been ignoring blurred my thoughts even more 

When I woke up he looked down at me with disgust traces over his face, like I ought to be whipped off the face of the earth.

He got tested.

An aphrodisiac had been found in his system.

He accused me of violating him.

I defended myself to no avail.

Our parents were no help.

They only thought about forming a bridge between the families.

Mates of convenience.

The romance I envisioned was skewed from the start.

So I tried to win his heart, I tried to show him how loyal and caring I was even when he did little to hide his favor for Medea I swallowed it and looked the other way.

But it seems like the hoops I jumped through only cemented my guilt.

"Why would you be trying so hard if you were actually innocent?"He asked me point-blank once, "You know what you did which is why you're trying so hard to make it up to me,"

Finally, it leads us here.

"Do you really think I stole Medea's pup?"

He paused as if to consider my words seriously.

"No matter what I know that will be a million times better at being a mother than you,"

His answer told me enough.

"You know Asher is mine, don't you?"

"Medea decided to name him Jaxon, "He sharply corrected me 

My shoulders slumped, the chains burnt but the pain didn't compare to what was tearing my heart into shreds.

"Why did you come here, Raphael? To kick me when I'm already down?"

He produced a thick envelope and slipped out a single sheet of paper.

"For any complications in the future, I want you to sign this document that you have no relationship with Jaxon, if you do I'll arrange for the charges against you to be dropped,"

I laughed.

"So it's either Asher or my freedom?"

"It's Jaxon," he warned again with more animosity but I didn't care.

I raised my hands in motion making the chains sink deeper and burn harder.

"Then let me rot, but mark my words I will take my child from you all even if I have to walk over the mutilated corpses of you and your woman to do it,"

He drew a step back, eyes swimming with hatred and disgust.

"Even till your bitter end you won't admit to your faults,"

A false smile crawled up my lips.

"Count these happy moments, but you know me, Raphael, I won't stay down for long,"

His jaw tightened.

"Not this time, Celestia, you won't be able to lay a hand on Jaxon or Medea, I'll make sure of it,"

And he did.

I was brought to the training field for my judgment to be read out to the hundreds of pack members encircling me.

He pushed aside technicalities to dish out my punishment himself.

First was the rejection.

"I, esteemed Alpha of the Brazen pack Raphael Ashen reject you Celestia Willow as my mate, you are thereby stripped of your title as Luna and all privileges and powers that come with it,"

If I were not already on my knees I would have collapsed from the searing pain that rippled from my chest over to my spine.

The guards were wearing gloves, they tugged on my chains forcing me upright.

There was more waiting for me.

Oh, so much more.

"You will serve a decade-long exile away from Brazen pack to repent and during that time you will be stripped of your wolf until the time of your exile comes to an end,"

Ten years 

I swallowed 

They dragged me away, people jeered and threw rotten food at me as a parade of shame carried me out and followed me to the borders of brazen.

Beyond me was no man's land 

Here across several acres of land, untamed and unbridled everything and anything happened.

I was thrown past the 'line' 

Once a Luna 

Now I'm a rogue.