My Mate's Betrayal And Rejection

Eighteen year old Hannah Ayala makes the ultimate sacrifice to protect her mate, future Alpha of the crimson pack, Coby Brady, by taking the fall for a crime she didn't commit. Believeing in Coby's promise to free her once he becomes Alpha. She hopes for a future together, however, her world crumble when Coby reject her, labeling her a murderer and choosing her step-sister Vivian as his luna.

Imprisoned and abandoned to rot, Hannah discovers she is pregnant with Coby's child. When her pack is attacked, Hannah seizes the opportunity to escape, only to be captured by Xavier Bonnet, the most feared lycan king alive.

Xavier, cursed by the moon goddess for his ruthlessness has been searching for a pure soul to break his immortality curse. But he never expected Hannah, a woman marked by betrayal and carrying another man's child to be the one to heal the darkness within him.

Yet for Hannaah's sake, Xavier is willing to forsake everything, even his own redemption.

**EXCERPT**

"Coby please," I gasped, trying to speak but my voice was barely audible.

With bloodshot eyes, Coby began to speak over me, his voice cold and detached. "I, Alpha Coby Brady, hereby reject you, Hannah Ayala, as my mate and future luna. I hope you rot her in prison for all eternity"

I couldn't breathe, not because his hands were still choking my windpipe, but because the connection binding us as fated mates had been snapped in two. I felt vunerable and gasping for air, the pain ripping through my chest totally unbearable.

But i wasn't going to let him have the last word. With a voice that was loud and clearer than i thought possible, i told him, "I, Hannah Ayala, hereby accept your rejection,"

001: The Confession

HANNAH’S POV

I stood before the pack elders, my wrists bound in the cold grip of silver shackles. The metal bit into my skin, but the pain barely registered in my mind. My heart pounded so loudly that it drowned out the low murmur of the council members as they conferred among themselves.

I could feel the weight of the other pack members' judgmental gazes pressing down on me, a suffocating force that left me struggling to breathe.

The elder in charge, a stern old man with a face weathered by years of harsh decisions, finally turned his cold gaze toward me. His eyes, dark and unreadable, locked onto mine. The air in the room grew heavier as he spoke, his voice carrying the finality of a death knell.

"Do you confess to the crime you’ve been accused of?" he asked, his tone devoid of any emotion, as if my fate was already sealed in his mind.

I swallowed hard, feeling the dryness in my throat, and nodded. "Yes," I whispered, the word barely escaping my lips. "I did it. I killed her."

The room erupted into an uproar, with many calling for my immediate beheading and worse. I could see the disgust in their eyes, the way they recoiled from me as if I were something vile, something less than human. But could I blame them? No. I already knew what I was getting myself into before this moment, so whatever was happening was a welcome reaction.

A moment passed, and my confession hung in the air like a dark cloud. I knew there was no going back now.

The elder’s voice cut through the noise once more. "For willingly confessing to your crime, we, the council of elders, hereby sentence you to life imprisonment with hard labor," he declared, his tone as cold and unforgiving as the shackles that bound me.

The world around me seemed to blur as the sentence echoed in my ears. Faces twisted into satisfied smiles, whispers of my disgrace filling the room. But all I could think about was Coby and the night that had led me to this defining moment.

*Flashback to two nights ago*

It had been Coby’s pre-Alpha ceremony, a night meant for joy, celebration, and hope for the future. I remembered dressing for the occasion, my hands trembling with excitement as I smoothed the fabric of my red velvet gown.

The air in the pack house had been thick with the scent of pine and burning wood, mingling with the distant sound of music and laughter from the invited guests and pack members alike. My heart had swelled with pride and love as I imagined the future Coby and I were stepping into together.

But then, a sense of unease crept in as the night progressed. Coby was nowhere to be found after we welcomed the guests and declared the celebration open.

“Hey, have you seen Coby?” I asked one of the guests he was speaking with earlier, but he shook his head, not seeming to know where he was.

My heart quickened, not yet in fear but in concern, as I left the lively party behind and made my way through the dimly lit corridors of the pack house. Each step echoed softly against the walls, the sound of my heels tapping on the polished floor like a countdown.

I couldn’t help but smile to myself, remembering how Coby and I had discovered we were mates on my eighteenth birthday. The memory was vivid—the way he’d looked at me as if I were the only person in the world, and how we had claimed each other that very night.

After our mating, we had become inseparable, a couple envied by the entire pack. I could still recall the envious glances from the other girls, the way they whispered about how lucky I was. And I had felt lucky—so incredibly lucky to have him, to be loved by him.

The thought of becoming his Luna had made me blush with happiness, my heart bursting with the certainty that all my dreams were coming true.

As I hurried down the hallway toward Coby’s study, my thoughts briefly turned to my family. My mother, who had died giving birth to me, and my father, who had raised me with all the love and care in the world until his own tragic death on my sixteenth birthday.

Cecilia, my stepmother, and Vivian, my stepsister, had stayed with me after that, and we had formed a new kind of family. Vivian, who was slightly older than me, was my best friend, my confidante, the one who cheered me on when I found out Coby Brady was my mate.

Though she is yet to find her own mate, I had always thought she would find happiness with Andrew, Coby’s Beta, even though they were constantly bickering like an old married couple. But as I neared Coby’s study, all thoughts of Vivian and Andrew faded, replaced by a growing sense of dread.

I heard voices—Coby’s voice, but it was strained, filled with something I couldn’t quite place. My heart leaped into my throat, and I quickened my pace.

When I reached the door, I didn’t bother knocking. I pushed it open, stepping inside with a mixture of urgency and confusion. The sight that greeted me froze the blood in my veins.

There, lying in a pool of blood, was a young female servant. Her lifeless eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, and for a moment, all I could do was stare back, horrified.

The room spun around me, the world tilting on its axis. Coby, standing just a few feet away, turned toward me, his face pale and eyes wide with fear.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice trembling with something I had never heard from him before—pure, unadulterated fear.

“I… I couldn’t find you at the party,” I stammered, my voice barely my own. “I thought you might be here, but…” My words trailed off as I looked back at the body on the floor, bile rising in my throat. “Coby, what happened?”

His face was pale, his hands shaking as he ran them through his short brown hair. “It was an accident,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “Elise… she came to bring me a drink, but she slipped. She hit her head on the table. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“Why didn’t you call for help?” I demanded, my voice rising with panic. “Why didn’t you try to save her?”

Coby’s eyes were wild with desperation, and I could see the fear in them, a fear that painted a picture of probable guilt. “I’m going to be Alpha,” he pleaded, his voice cracking. “No one will believe it was an accident. If anyone finds out, I’ll lose everything. We’ll lose everything.”

My mind raced, trying to find a way out, a way to protect him, to protect us. But there was no way to hide something like this. I knew it, and so did he.

“We can’t cover this up,” I said, my voice trembling with the weight of reality. But before I could say anything more, the sound of approaching footsteps reached our ears. The door burst open, and three guards entered, their eyes widening as they took in the scene.

“What happened here?” one of them demanded, his voice sharp, his gaze flickering between Coby and me suspiciously.

For a split second, I saw the fear in Coby’s eyes—the fear of losing everything, the fear of what would happen if the truth came out. And in that moment, I made a decision. One that would change everything.

“I pushed her,” I said, the lie slipping from my lips as smoothly as if it were the truth. “It was an accident, but it was my fault.”

Coby’s head snapped toward me, his eyes wide with shock, his mouth opening in disbelief. I leaned in close, whispering so only he could hear, “Don’t say anything. Meet me later… in prison.”

He stared at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief and sorrow. But he nodded, ever so slightly, understanding the sacrifice I was making.

The guards moved in, taking me by the arms, their grips firm and unyielding. As they led me away, I felt the full weight of what I had done settle over me, heavy and suffocating.

I didn’t look back at Coby as they pulled me from the room. I couldn’t. My heart was already breaking, but this was the only way. The only way to save him, to save the future we had dreamed of, even if it meant losing everything else.

002: The Price Of Loyalty

HANNAH’S POV

As soon as they took me away, I was locked up in a dark, cold cell, waiting for morning to be judged according to the pack's rules and traditions. The heavy iron door slammed shut behind me, echoing through the narrow hallway, and I was left alone with my thoughts.

My heart pounded within me as if it were trying to escape my chest, and I couldn't sit still. I began pacing the length of the small cell, my feet shuffling against the rough stone floor. Every time I reached one end of the wall, I spun on my heel and hurried back to the other, trying to keep my mind occupied.

But it was no use. My thoughts kept drifting back to whatever fate awaited me and Coby. I had asked him to come, begged him even, but as the minutes dragged into hours, my anxiety gnawed at me like a restless beast.

"Where is he?" I whispered to myself, my voice trembling. "Why isn't he here yet?"

The more time passed without him making an appearance, the tighter the knot in my stomach grew. My hands started to tremble, and I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I couldn't take it anymore.

I crumbled to the cold, hard ground in a dark corner of the cell, pulling my knees to my chest. The tears I had fought to hold back all night finally spilled over—hot and salty—streaming down my cheeks as I wondered if he had changed his mind about me.

But most importantly, what would Cecilia and Vivian think of me now? Would they believe I was capable of such murder? The thought of them hearing the news filled me with dread. My breath hitched in my throat as I tried to comfort and calm myself, but it was no use. The fear was too much to hold in.

Suddenly, I heard the faint sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway. I quickly wiped my tears and scrambled to my feet, my heart racing with hope.

“Please let it be him," I thought desperately. The footsteps grew louder, and then I saw him—Coby. Relief washed over me, and I nearly collapsed again. He came, even though he took so long, he still came. That was enough.

The guards unlocked the cell door, and Coby stepped inside. Without thinking, I ran to him and wrapped my arms around him, holding him tight. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. "Thank you for coming."

Coby pulled back slightly, his expression serious. "Why did you do it, Hannah?" he asked quietly. "Why did you take the blame for me?"

I hesitated, searching his eyes for any sign of doubt, but all I saw was confusion and sheer disbelief. "Because I love you, Coby," I said, my voice trembling. "And you said it yourself—if they found out it was you, you'd never become Alpha. But if it was me...you could still become Alpha and get me out."

He said nothing, only staring back at me in silence, and my heart sank. Fear crept back in, gnawing at the edges of my resolve. "Coby," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "You will get me out, right? Once you're crowned Alpha?"

He nodded, finally speaking. "I promise. I'll do everything I can to get you out."

A wave of love and relief washed over me, and I hugged him again, clinging to the hope his words gave me. "Please," I whispered against his chest, "tell my family not to worry too much. I don't want them to suffer."

Coby nodded and kissed me softly on the lips before pulling away. "I'll send them a message," he assured me. Then, with one last look, he turned and left the way he came.

As the door closed behind him, I felt the weight of my decision settle heavily on my shoulders. The choice I made would be a bitter pill for my family to swallow, but I had to trust Coby. He would get me out, and then I could explain everything to Cecilia and Vivian. But for now, all I could do was wait.

That night, sleep was far from me. The cold, damp floor offered no comfort, but it was my racing thoughts that kept me awake. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the judgmental glares of the pack elders and heard the whispers of my supposed crime spreading through the pack like wildfire. My only hope was that Coby would do what needed to be done.

As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the small opening in the cell, I knew the time had come. My stomach grumbled, a clear reminder that I hadn't eaten all night, but hunger was the least of my worries as I heard the steady footsteps approaching once again.

The cell door creaked open, and the guard entered, his face stern as he bound my hands with silver shackles. The cold metal bit into my skin, and I winced, but I said nothing. Wordlessly, he began to lead me outside the pack prison. The bright sunlight outside assaulted my eyes, and I squinted, trying to shield them, but the guard was impatient.

“Keep moving,” he shoved me hard from behind, and I stumbled, my knees hitting the ground with a painful thud.

Wincing in pain, I looked up and saw a pair of black boots stop before me. My heart leaped with hope, thinking it was Coby, but when I raised my eyes, disappointment crashed over me. It was only his Beta, Andrew.

Andrew’s face was filled with pity as he offered me a hand. I took it without hesitation, and he pulled me to my feet with surprising gentleness. “I’ll take it from here,” he said to the guard, who nodded curtly and walked away.

I exhaled in relief, grateful for even a small kindness. “Thank you,” I murmured, but before I could say more, Andrew growled low in his throat, startling me.

“Why are you doing this?” he demanded, his normally warm brown eyes now flashing with anger.

His sudden shift in demeanor caught me off guard, and I blinked in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Andrew stepped closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Why are you taking the blame for something you didn’t do?”

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut—he knew. Andrew knew I wasn’t the real killer. But why was he angry? Wasn’t he Coby’s best friend? Shouldn’t he be grateful that I was helping him secure the Alpha position?

I took a shaky breath, struggling to maintain my composure. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Please, just take me to the judgment hall.”

Andrew’s grip on my arm tightened, and there was a desperate edge to his voice as he pleaded, “Don’t do it, Hannah. Don’t take the blame for his mess. You’ll only regret it.”

I stared into his eyes, weighing his words carefully. Fear churned in my stomach, but I pushed it aside just as quickly. “If I don’t do this,” I said quietly, “I’ll regret it even more.”

Andrew’s face fell, his expression shifting from anger to resignation. He released my arm and nodded, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he took two steps back and away from me. He said nothing else as he led me through the pack grounds and into the judgment hall, where the pack elders and members were gathered in their numbers.

The judgmental stares of the crowd didn’t faze me; I was more concerned about what my family would think. My eyes scanned the room, searching for Cecilia and Vivian. My heart ached when I couldn’t find my sister Vivian among the faces. Had she been too heartbroken to come? Had my situation driven her away?

Too many questions ran through my mind without any answers, but I had already made my choice. Now, all I could do was face the consequences and hope that somehow, I would find a way to explain it all to the people I loved.

003: Betrayal

HANNAH’S POV

*Back to Present*

The verdict had been delivered, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my face. I didn’t want to cry—not here, not now—but the sight of Cecilia, my stepmother, weeping so bitterly for me shattered any resolve I had left.

Her sobs echoed through the cold courtroom, each one a painful reminder of the agony I had caused her. I could see it in her eyes, in the way her face crumpled with grief. She looked so fragile, so broken.

“Oh, God,” she whispered, her voice quivering as though it might break altogether. “Where did I go wrong? I promised your father I’d take care of you.” Her words, filled with a desperate kind of sorrow, were more than I could bear.

My throat tightened as I struggled to speak. “I’m so sorry, Cecilia,” I choked out, my voice barely above a whisper. “This isn’t your fault. One day, I’ll be able to tell you the truth.” I reached out, wanting to hold her hand a little longer, to somehow convey the apology I couldn’t fully express.

But the guards were already moving in, their hands rough and impersonal as they grabbed my arms. The cold metal of the shackles bit into my wrists, a harsh contrast to the warmth I’d tried to offer Cecilia.

As they dragged me away, I caught a glimpse of Coby at the far end of the room. His face was a mask, his expression unreadable. I searched his eyes, desperate to find some sign of what he was thinking, but before I could make sense of it, I was dragged out and thrust into the cell.

The heavy door slammed shut behind me with a deafening clang. The guards removed my shackles with practiced efficiency, their disdain palpable. One of them sneered at me, his voice dripping with scorn. “It’s a pity a pretty girl like you has such a rotten mind to take a life. But don’t worry—you’ll pay for your crimes now.”

I clenched my fists, swallowing the scream that rose in my throat. I wasn’t filthy. I wasn’t a murderer. But now wasn’t the time to defend myself. Not yet. I needed to wait—wait until Coby was crowned. I backed into the corner of the cell, the cold stone floor pressing into my skin as I curled up, trying to find some small comfort in the darkness.

The hours dragged on, each one feeling like an eternity. I kept waiting, hoping against hope that Coby would come to see me. I knew his coronation as Alpha was imminent—only a few hours away—but still, I prayed he would find a moment for me.

His presence would have calmed the storm inside me, reassured me that everything might somehow be okay. Every time I heard footsteps echoing down the prison hallway, my heart leapt with anticipation, only to crash back down when they faded into silence. Each disappointment felt like a fresh wound, leaving me more broken than before.

As daylight slipped away, replaced by the inky blackness of night, I heard the faint strains of music drifting in from outside. It was coming from Coby’s ceremony, the celebration of his rise to power. Tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision as I thought about what I was missing.

I had always imagined standing beside him as he was crowned, sharing in his triumph. Instead, I was here—locked away in a dark, dank cell, staring out at the world through a small, barred window.

I lay down on the cold floor, my body aching from the unyielding stone beneath me. Thoughts of my father flooded my mind. What would he think if he were alive? Would he be disappointed in me? And what about Cecilia? Was she still crying, still blaming herself for my fate?

In the midst of my turmoil, I longed for Vivian, wishing she could be here, if only for a moment. But she had disappeared from me. Was she that ashamed of me, now that I have become a murderer?

The distant music continued to play, a cruel reminder of all I had lost, until finally, exhaustion pulled me into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning, the sound of my cell door unlocking jolted me awake. My heart pounded as I sat up, fear and hope warring within me. When I saw Coby step inside, a wave of relief washed over me. I scrambled to my feet. "Coby!" I cried, rushing over to him, wrapping my arms around him in a tight hug, just like I always had. But something was wrong. He didn’t hug me back. His body was stiff, unyielding.

I pulled away, my eyes searching his face for an explanation. But what I saw there made my heart lurch with fear. His expression was cold, indifferent—so unlike the Coby I knew. “What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice trembling. A terrible thought crossed my mind, and I gasped. “Did they not name you Alpha?”

His eyes met mine, his gaze cold and unwavering. “I am now Alpha of the Crimson pack,” he said, his tone flat and filled with pride.

A wave of relief swept through me, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. But as I looked at him again, I knew something was still very wrong. “Then why didn’t you come to see me yesterday after your coronation?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.

Coby’s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing. “I couldn’t come,” he said, his voice as cold as his gaze.

I nodded slowly, trying to understand. “I assumed you were busy...”

But his next words shattered that assumption—and my heart. “I couldn’t come to see you not because I was busy, but because I want nothing to do with someone like you.”

For a moment, the world seemed to stop. My breath caught in my throat, my mind struggling to process what he had just said. “What do you mean?” I asked, my voice shaking. “What do you mean by ‘someone like me’?”

Coby’s eyes locked onto mine, his gaze icy and unforgiving. “Someone who is a murderer,” he spat.

004: Rejection

HAVANA’S POV

“W-what?”

I blinked, unsure if I had heard him correctly. But the cold, unfeeling stare in Coby’s eyes told me otherwise—he wasn’t joking. He had really called me a murderer. My heart sank as his words echoed in my mind. How could he say that? What had twisted his soul so deeply that he could utter such vile accusations? Was he under some kind of spell, or had he always harbored this darkness within him?

I swallowed hard, my throat tightening with the effort to hold back tears. “Coby… why?” I asked, my voice trembling as I fought to maintain some semblance of composure. “Why are you saying these things to me? You promised… you promised you’d get me out. You know I’m innocent, Coby. You know it.”

For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then, to my horror, Coby chuckled—a low, cold sound that sent shivers down my spine. “Naive,” he sneered, his eyes glinting with cruel amusement. “So incredibly naive and foolish. It’s almost amusing, really, how clueless you are.”

I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. This couldn’t be happening. The man standing before me, the man I had loved for years, was suddenly a stranger. He had the same face, the same voice, but the tenderness that once filled his eyes was gone, replaced by something dark and menacing.

The Coby I knew was gentle, caring. He would have done anything for me—or so I thought. But this… this was not the Coby I knew. The person standing before me was slowly turning into a cruel, heartless monster.

Tears welled up, blurring my vision. I wiped them away quickly, refusing to let him see me break. “Why, Coby?” I whispered, my voice cracking with the weight of my broken heart. “Why would you change your mind about helping me when you know I… I did nothing wrong? You know that. What did I do to deserve this?”

Coby’s expression hardened. “You want to know why?” he spat, stepping closer. “Because if I help you, if I prove your innocence, it means the real killer is still out there. And who do you think people will suspect then? The only other person who was in the study that night—apart from you—was me. If I get you out, it’s my neck on the line. I can’t risk that, Hannah. I won’t.”

My heart shattered at his words, each one a dagger driven deeper into my soul. I had trusted him, loved him blindly, and now… now he was willing to sacrifice me to save himself. “But what about me?” I cried, the tears I’d fought so hard to hold back now streaming down my cheeks. “What will happen to me, Coby? Everything I did, I did for you! Don’t you care at all?” I screamed at him in frustration.

He looked down at me, his eyes cold and unfeeling. “I never asked you to take the blame, Hannah,” he said, his voice dripping with contempt. “That was your choice, not mine. You’re the one who decided to play the martyr. So keep playing it. Keep doing whatever it is you’ve been doing, and stay out of my way.”

“Coby!” His name came out in a weak cry.

He moved closer still, his thumb brushing a stray tear from my cheek, the gesture almost tender if not for the malice in his eyes. “If you really love me, as you claim,” he whispered, his breath warm against my skin, “then you’ll continue to take the blame. After all, everyone already thinks you’re the killer. You’ve been sentenced. I’ll make sure you’re… comfortable in prison.”

It was in that moment, as his words cut through the last thread of hope I had left, that I realized the truth. Coby didn’t love me. He never had. He had only used me, manipulated me, and now he was asking me to die for him without a second thought. My love for him, our mate bond—it had all been a lie.

Something inside me snapped. I wasn’t going to let him do this to me. Not anymore. I pushed his hand away, wiping my tears with a newfound resolve. “You’re the one who’s delusional, Coby,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside me. “If you think I’m going to stay quiet and rot in prison for a crime I didn’t commit, you’re utterly mistaken.”

Coby’s laugh was cruel, echoing off the cold, stone walls of my cell. “Look around, Hannah,” he said, gesturing to the bars that separated us from the outside world. “You’re already in prison. There’s no way out. Not anymore.”

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “Don’t rejoice just yet,” I shot back, meeting his gaze with all the determination I could muster. “I will get out of here. And when I do, I will prove my innocence to the whole pack, even if it’s the last thing I do.”

For a brief moment, I saw something flicker in Coby’s eyes—fear, maybe? But it was quickly replaced by a darker, more sinister expression. Before I could react, his hand shot out, wrapping around my neck. He squeezed, cutting off my air, and I clawed at his hand, struggling to break free. My vision blurred as the pressure increased, my heart racing in panic.

“Coby, please,” I gasped, trying to speak, but my voice was barely audible.

With bloodshot eyes, Coby leaned in closer, his voice a low growl as he began to speak over me. “I, Alpha Coby Brady, hereby reject you, Hannah Ayala, as my mate and future Luna,” he hissed, each word laced with venom. “I hope you rot here in prison for all eternity.”

I couldn’t breathe—not because his hands were still choking my windpipe, but because the connection binding us as fated mates had been snapped in two. I felt vulnerable and gasping for air, the pain ripping through my chest, too much, too overwhelming.

Seeing how weak and pale I had become, Coby finally let me go, and I dropped to the floor on my knees, still gasping for air. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but feel the agony of his rejection pressing down heavily on my chest.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I was able to speak again. Summoning my last bit of courage, I pushed myself into a sitting position and looked up in time to see Coby walking out of my cell.

But I wasn’t going to let him have the last word. With a voice that was louder and clearer than I thought possible, I called out, “Coby,” my voice hoarse but strong. He paused, glancing back at me. “I, Hannah Ayala, hereby accept your rejection. But know this—I will not forget this day. And the next time we meet, you’ll wish you hadn’t betrayed my love.”

Coby stopped in his tracks, his back still to me, but I knew I had gotten to him. I could sense a flicker of emotion, a hint of doubt, but it was too late. The damage was done. Then, without another word, he walked out of my cell, leaving me alone in the suffocating silence. But as the door closed behind him, I knew one thing for certain—I would find a way to survive this. And I would make him pay for every pain and tear he had caused me to shed.

005: A Sister's Venom

HANNAH’S POV

The cold, damp air of the cell clung to my skin like a suffocating shroud, intensifying the weight of the betrayal that had shattered my heart. Curled up in the darkest corner, I cried, the sobs ripping from my chest as though they could tear free the anguish that had rooted itself deep within me.

I had tried so hard to be strong, to pull myself together and face the pain with a steely resolve, but Coby's betrayal was too much to bear. His rejection was a wound I hadn’t seen coming—a knife thrust into my back by the very person I had trusted above all others.

I had loved him with every fiber of my being, sacrificing my freedom so he could become the Alpha. And now, here I was, left to rot in this cell while he ascended to power.

"Don’t do it; you might regret it!" Andrew’s warning echoed in my mind, the words that had seemed so unfounded now glaringly true. He must have known, must have seen through Coby’s charming facade to the cold, calculating heart beneath.

Oh, how foolish, how naive I had been to dismiss his concerns, to believe in love over the voice of reason. The tears streamed down my face until I thought I had none left to shed. My breath hitched as I wiped away the last of them, my fingers trembling as I sniffed back the remnants of my despair.

With a shaky exhale, I forced myself into a sitting position, leaning my head back against the rough stone wall. Continuing to cry over what was lost wouldn’t change my fate. I needed to think, to find a way out of this hellish nightmare and prove my innocence. But first, I had to reach out to the one person I was sure would stand by me—my sister, Vivian.

If there was anyone other than Andrew who would believe me, it was Vivian. But then again, as I paced the narrow confines of my cell, the darkness pressing in on all sides, I wondered why she hadn’t come to see me yet. Had she heard the news? Did she believe the lies being spun about me? The questions swirled in my mind. Or had she fallen sick? My questions were a relentless storm that only added to my unease.

Just as I began to lose myself in the turmoil, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor. I froze, my heart hammering in my chest as I strained to listen. Could it be her? Could it be Vivian finally coming to see me? I held my breath, the seconds stretching into an eternity as the footsteps drew closer.

I held my breath, hope flaring in my chest. Please, let it be Vivian. When the figure finally appeared before my cell, I nearly sobbed in relief.

"Vivian!" I cried, rushing to the bars, reaching out to grab her hands. The familiar touch grounded me, and for a moment, everything felt right. "Thank you for coming to see me," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

But Vivian remained silent, her face unreadable. Her eyes, usually so full of warmth, were cold and distant. A chill ran down my spine, and I hesitated. Was she upset? Disappointed? "Vivian, I'm so sorry," I blurted, my voice trembling. "Please, forgive me. It wasn't my fault."

She finally spoke, but her voice was icy—a tone I had never heard from her before. "What do you mean?"

I swallowed hard, feeling a knot of fear tighten in my chest. "It wasn't me who killed the servant," I said, desperation creeping into my voice. "I'm innocent, Vivian. I took the blame for Coby. He... he's the real culprit."

Vivian's gaze bore into me, her expression unchanging. The fear turned into a sharp pang of dread. Didn't she believe me? I had to make her see the truth. "I swear on our late parents' names," I pleaded, gripping the bars tightly. "Please, Vivian, believe me."

Her silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity before she finally nodded. "I believe you," she said, her voice softening just a fraction.

I exhaled a shaky breath, feeling a glimmer of hope. "Thank you, Vivian. With your help, I can prove my innocence. We can set things right."

But then her next words shattered me. "I believe you," she repeated, "not because you claim innocence, but because I know who the real killer is."

A wave of confusion crashed over me. "Yes, it's good you know Coby is the real killer," I said, trying to piece together what she was saying.

Vivian let out a low, humorless chuckle, and the sound sent a chill down my spine. "How naive you are," she said, her eyes narrowing with something dark and twisted.

My heart pounded in my chest. "What do you mean by calling me naive?" I whispered, dread curling in my stomach.

Vivian’s gaze turned cold, her lips curling into a sneer. "You're not just naive, but dumb enough to think Coby was the culprit when the real killer is standing right in front of you. I mean, how else do you think the guards showed up so fast?”

My eyes widen, “It was you! You told them!”

“Bingo!”

I recoiled, disbelief clawing at my chest. "No, that can't be true," I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. "Vivian, you're not a killer. You can't be."

Desperation clawed at me as I grabbed her hand through the bars, holding on as if I could pull her back from the edge of whatever madness had taken her. "Is Coby manipulating you? Is he making you say these things?"

Vivian yanked her hand away, her expression twisted with disdain. "Stop acting so dumb already," she spat. "I'm not being manipulated. Coby loves me. He’s announced me as his chosen Luna."

“What?” Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Coby and Vivian? I stumbled back, the truth crashing down on me with brutal force. "Vivian, you're my sister," I whispered, my voice breaking. "You can't betray me like this."

Vivian's eyes blazed with hatred, a fury that I had never seen before. "You are no sister of mine," she hissed. "All I feel for you is pure hate and disgust."

Her words cut through me like a knife, each one slicing deeper than the last. I stared at her, the sister I had grown up with, the sister I thought I knew. How could she say these things? What had I done to deserve this?

"Why, Vivian?" I choked out, tears blurring my vision. "What did I ever do to make you hate me this way?"

Vivian's face twisted with anger, her voice laced with venom. "I hate everything about you," she seethed. "Your face, the sound of your name, everything. Our father saw you as his perfect little girl while I came in second as his stepdaughter. Even my mother preferred you to me. But where you really crossed the line was getting mated to the man I loved from the moment I set eyes on him. Coby is mine, and not even you could come between us."

I felt the tears I was fighting so hard to keep at bay spill over, but I fought to keep my voice steady. "Vivian, please," I begged. "We're family. Don’t do this."

She laughed then, a harsh, bitter sound that echoed off the cell walls. "Family? You are nothing to me. If you hadn’t ended up in jail, I would have gotten rid of you myself, just like that dumb maid who thought she could tattletale on me when she caught us kissing in his study that night."

The finality of her words crushed me, and I dropped to my knees, clutching my chest as sobs wracked my body. Vivian's laughter continued, a haunting sound that stayed with me long after she left.

I cried until I could barely breathe, the weight of betrayal from both my mate and my sister too much to bear. My vision blurred, and the room spun around me. Just before darkness claimed me, I heard someone calling out my name, but I couldn't hold on. Everything went pitch black as I slipped into unconsciousness.