‘Get out before I hurt you’. The words rang in my head over and over again while I walked into the council building unarmed and dejected just like the night before. The night that my world shattered and the ground disappeared beneath my feet. The night my husband, the alpha of my pack betrayed me.
I squeezed my loose shirt beneath my fists and bit my lips as I noticed the looks and upturned noses that I was getting as I walked the hallways of the building. I expected it to be like this but still it was unnerving. I had been summoned before the pack council that morning and that only meant two things. A query or an annulment. One of which I hoped wouldn’t happen that day.
I reached the large oak doors being guarded by two Zeta’s. Obvious when the elders of the pack were behind those doors. They eyed me for a second before they opened the doors for me to enter. Once the doors were opened, I walked into the conclave room hesitantly. I had no idea why I was called in here but my mind began to race when I saw my husband standing in the middle of the round room surrounded by the five elders of the council who sat up high in their throne-like seats. They’re eyes settled on me making me feel uneasy but I stayed put. I planted my feet into the ground close enough that I was standing in the middle of the room but a ways from Bolton so that it wouldn’t seem weird after what transpired between us.
I could feel his heated gaze on me while I glanced at the ground, not ready to face him again just as his last words to me resounded in my head. I bit my lip harder, drawing blood to somehow calm myself.
“Scarlett Gray, Luna of the blue moon pack, you have been called before the council to plead your case. What do you have to say about that?” One of the elders spoke up.
I looked up from the floor and spoke.
“I have no idea why I have been called before the council today but whatever it is, I am sure that I can clear it up.”
“Then the aggrieved will speak.” Another elder announced.
The elder that spoke to me turned to Bolton and gave him a nod to begin. Bolton glared at me for a brief moment before turning away from me.
“Thank you elders for allowing me this meeting. I called the council here to inform them of my intentions of an annulment. My marriage annulment to Scarlett.”
My head whipped around like I was in an accident. No. Not that.
“And why would you want to do such a thing?” An elder questioned, his brow raised in curiosity.
“Because as of last night, I found out that my wife has been having illicit affairs with one of the omega’s of the pack.”
My mouth dropped at the lie. Not only mine but the mouths of the elders also did the same. What the hell was going on?
“Alpha Bolton. Keep in mind that any false accusations would result in your own banishment from the pack.” One of them warned.
Bolton nodded his head and continued.
“I have that in mind, Elder Mason. I speak nothing but the truth here. I caught her myself philandering around with an omega while I was meant to be out attending pack meetings.”
My mouth flew open and I was about to deny it all when one of the elders raised their hands stopping me from speaking. In our custom a complaint was mentioned and the aggrieved had the opportunity of speaking their mind first before the accused plead their case. I closed my mouth and swallowed my tongue. I knew these customs. Hell, I had taught them to our pups since I was Luna but I couldn’t just stand by and let Bolton blatantly lie against me.
“Are you sure of what you bring before us Alpha Bolton?”
“I am. I even have a witness to confirm the story. She’s right outside if you would like to hear it from her.” Bolton answered with a small smile on his face. After some seconds of thinking about it, an elder gave a reply.
“Very well. Let the witness in.”
With the go ahead, Bolton gestured to the guard inside the room. The doors opened up and I saw Layla walk in with her head held high and fingers crossed. She moved to the middle of the room, standing in front of me before she bowed and addressed the council.
“You may speak now, child. Now speak.” An elder told her.
Layla rose up and spoke.
“Whatever Alpha Bolton must have told you here today is true. I saw Alpha Bolton going back to his pack house last night. I was alone so he decided to escort me back to my own house since he didn’t believe that I should be walking alone at night. While we walked we heard a rustle near some bushes. Alpha Bolton stopped me and went to check it out, you know, to make sure that it was safe. That was when we saw them. Luna Scarlett and a no name Omega going at it in the bushes without any dignity.” Layla said in one swift breath.
I pursed my lips, losing my mind. They just lied through their teeth. A lie that seemed all too carefully planned for this to be a spur of the moment thing. They were trying to get me thrown out of the pack for infidelity but I was not going to let that happen. I would expose them before the council.
“You stand by this testimony Beta Layla?”
“I do, elder.”
The elders turned to me, their eyes piercing my soul.
“What do you say to these accusations, Luna Scarlett?” An elder asked me.
“I didn’t do it. I didn’t have an affair with anyone.”
“Are you calling the Alpha a liar then?” A question came flying at me.
I paused to get my bearings. It was almost sacrilegious to outrightly accuse the Alpha of being untruthful but desperate times called for desperate measures. I was not going to go out like this.
“I am. In fact he is the one who had the affair. I caught him in bed with Beta Layla. They are the ones who should be punished for this, not me.” I revealed, not caring about the consequences.
“How dare you lie against me?” Bolton shouted out, his fangs showing. The hair on my arms stood up straight but I didn’t stop. I told them the whole story.
“I went home last night to tell the Alpha that I was pregnant. That I finally had the future leader of the pack in my womb but then I caught him with her and even after they had revealed their years-long affair, he chased me out of our home to favor that whore.”
Layla gasped as the word left my mouth while Bolton crossed the distance between us and grabbed me by my throat, his claws digging into my skin.
“Don’t you dare call her that.” He growled into my ear.
“You see. Do you see how he protects her instead of his own wife? Isn’t that proof enough of what they did?” I shout out to grab the attention of the elders.
Bolton lets go of me, allowing me to catch my breath. My hand goes up to my neck, massaging the sore spot.
“You carry a child Luna?” An elder questioned me.
“I do. After three years, I finally do.” I answer with a smile on my face. Disregarding what my husband and his mistress were doing to me, having a child was one of the best things that happened to me last night.
“Oh come on. Even if she is pregnant, that child cannot be mine. Scarlett and I have not been intimate in over a year now. It is not possible.” Bolton argued.
I turned to him, not surprised at this. We had been trying for so long for a child and now that I had uncovered his secret he acted like those long nights of making love were nothing.
“The child is his. Elders, I assure you.”
Bolton moved to shout out his opinion but all the elders raised their hands stopping us. They had heard enough. The room went silent and the elders shared a look, all of them silently discussing the outcome of this inquiry into our lives. After about three minutes, they turned to us with their verdict.
“We have decided. We side with Alpha Bolton. Therefore the marriage between Alpha Bolton and Luna Scarlett has been annulled from now henceforth. Luna Scarlett will be stripped of her title and be demoted to an omega to live out the rest of her days in the pack.” One of the elders declared.
My world spun. What? Did they just believe Bolton over me?
“I would like to ask that she be banished also. After what she did, I do not want her anywhere near the pack.” Bolton said, adding salt to my injury. I turned to the elders, my eyes pleading that they do not do this to me but it was all in vain as they sided with Bolton.
“So be it. Scarlett Vontell will be banished from the blue moon pack as per request of Alpha Bolton.” The elder said with finality.
I glanced at Bolton and Layla, with hatred in my eyes. The both of them smirked condescendingly at me, their plans coming to fruition. I turned back to the elders and begged. No one ever questioned their verdict but I had to try. They were wrong.
“This isn’t right. I did nothing wrong. I am wrongfully being accused.” I plead but my words must have struck a bad chord with them because the next thing I know is that I was being grabbed by strong arms and am being dragged out of the room.
“No. Please. Don’t do this.” I screamed out but it stopped nothing. As I was being taken away, the last thing I saw in that room was the conniving faces of the people who wronged me. The people who declared themselves my enemies. At that point, even though I had lost the battle, I would win the war. They would pay. I would burn them both to the ground but not before my child was cared for. After that, I would have my revenge.
