ARIEL'S POV
I stayed in the forest until night fell. My eyes ached, and so did the rest of my body. Nyra kept whimpering in my head, even after I'd run out of tears and just sat there quietly beside a tree trunk.
Nyra: "I'm still hurting so much, but I think we need to go back to the pack now. If we stay here, rogues might find us... and that could be worse," she whispered, afraid.
"No. I can't stand seeing Alpha Rhyder after what he did. I can't bear to look at that witch, Lysandra."
Nyra: "I don't want to see him either, Ari… but we have no choice. I don't have the strength to fight rogues, not after all we've been through today."
Just then, I heard footsteps. My heart slammed against my ribs as I stood and pressed my back against the tree. I'd had some training—enough to fight if I had to—but rogues moved in packs. They'd overpower me before I even had the chance to defend myself.
The footsteps grew louder, closer. It sounded like only two of them. A flicker of hope lit in my chest. Maybe I had a chance.
"What if it's the Alpha?" Nyra asked hopefully.
Pain stabbed my chest at the thought of him.
"If he cared, he would've come looking for us hours ago," I whispered bitterly.
I crouched, ready to spring if needed, as the voices drew closer.
"Where next should we check if she's not here?"
Vayne. That was his voice. He was looking for me? I squinted, trying to make out who was with him. I was surprised to see it was Malrik.
"Ariel," he called aloud, pausing to scan the shadows. His eyes glowed faintly, his wolf sensing through the darkness.
I was too close now. Hiding was pointless. I stepped out.
"Why are you two here?"
They turned fast.
Vayne exhaled in relief and took a few steps toward me, like he meant to pull me into a hug—but stopped halfway.
Something flickered in his eyes.
Of course.
Rhyder hated when he hugged me. When any man did.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I said, swallowing hard, trying to push back another wave of tears. I already felt so humiliated. By now, some of the pack probably knew my mate had cheated.
"The Alpha told us what happened. He sent us to find you," he said quietly.
I felt a stab in my chest, the tears slipping.
He sent them. He couldn't even come himself. I felt so worthless—so undeserving of even a shred of his time.
"I know he's an asshole," Vayne added gently, "but please, let us take you home. It's dangerous out here."
He was right. I'd been lucky this time—but next time, it might be real rogues. And if they caught me… Goddess, I didn't want to think about what they might do. Still, going back to see Lysandra's smug face, or worse, sleeping under the same roof as Alpha Rhyder—I might drown in my own tears before morning.
"Please, Ariel. We have to go," Vayne urged.
'Let's go with them, Ari. Once we're safe, we'll figure out how to deal with Alpha Rhyder. But if we're dead… how can we get revenge?' Nyra urged.
I sniffed, wiping my face with the back of my hand.
"Fine," I croaked.
Vayne's face softened with pity, and I could've sworn I saw the same look on Malrik. But I doubted it. The only one who could break through his signature stone-cold mask was his wicked mate.
When we entered the pack house, my luck hit rock bottom. The first person I ran into was Luna Brianne.
I mumbled a greeting and tried to walk past her, hoping I could just curl up in bed and cry myself into unconsciousness. But of course, she called me back.
"I heard you ran off, stressing the Beta and Gamma who had to go looking for you," she sneered. "I thought you were going to be Luna one day. Still acting like a child?"
I didn't respond. That only seemed to annoy her more. And then, Anya walked in, frowning.
"Mom, is Ariel really the one you should be scolding right now? What about your son—who just cheated on his mate?"
So everyone knew already.
Brianne spun to face her daughter with a glare.
"And who asked for your opinion, Anya Moonshade? Defender of the weak?"
"No one, Mom, but somebody has to say the truth eventually," she said, trying to cross over to my side. But Brienne chased her away.
"I pray to the goddess I don't get a cheating mate when I finally meet my wolf," she muttered as she walked off. But I heard her loud and clear.
"And you, what's so bad if Rhyder had a little fun with another woman?" She asked, focusing back on me. "Isn't he the alpha? Or are you so dumb you don't know that men— especially powerful ones like your mate— get to have as many concubines as they can afford? As long as he comes home to you, you have nothing to worry about."
I turned and started walking away, and that set her off.
"How dare you walk away when the Luna is talking to you?!" she shrieked.
I wanted to remind her she wasn't the Luna anymore but no need wasting my energy. Silence was the best answer for old fools.
I reached our room, hoping to find Rhyder there, but he wasn't. That broke my heart again, but it also brought a small relief. I didn't have to face him just yet.
I curled up on the couch instead of the bed, balling myself up as tears fell freely.
The next morning came. Last night had been pure hell. But I survived.
It was hard to believe how much could change in a single month—how quickly a person's entire life could shatter.
Another week passed since that day. Rhyder and I crossed paths many times, even shared a room a few times—but never a word about what happened.
Luna Brienne? I avoided her like the plague. Lysandra? Now best friends with Nerissa, they made my life even harder, but I made sure to avoid them both too. And if I accidentally crossed paths with Lysandra, I didn't hesitate to show how much I hated her.
I was working in the armory when the witch came to tell me that Rhyder wanted to see me in his office.
He didn't send anyone else. It was my very own arch enemy.
I almost refused. But disobeying the alpha wasn't an option. So I went.
My heart felt so heavy I thought it might rip out of my chest as I entered his richly furnished office.
Rhyder sat behind a desk piled with paperwork.
"You called me," I mumbled, struggling not to meet his gaze. Those eyes I used to love getting lost in now felt like a cold knife.
Lysandra stood behind him, and my stomach twisted in dread. Whatever I was about to hear, I knew it would break me more.
"I'm thinking of letting Lysandra have the Luna title," he said calmly, barely looking at me. Was that guilt on his face? Or disgust? I couldn't tell.
"Wait, what?!" I laughed—not because it was funny, but because the shock hit me too hard to react differently.
"Ariel," he said softly, like he expected me to just understand.
I narrowed my eyes.
"I know you think I'm heartless, but I'm just thinking of what's best for the pack. Lysandra has a beta wolf — and I don't need to explain how strong that is compare to—"
"Seriously?" I cut him off, laughing again. Was he really doing this? Comparing us like that?
How could he be this cruel?
"Why are you surprised, Ari?" Lysandra cut in, mock pity dripping from her voice. Haven't I warned her to never call me that?
"Everyone knows Rhyder never truly loved you. Have you ever wondered why he chose your clothes, your food, even your scent?"
My mind spun. Because he loved me, right?
"You were just a replacement. Now me — the original — is here," she said, twisting the knife deeper.
I looked at Rhyder, desperate for him to defend me, to say she was lying.
But...
All the air drained from my lungs.
Goddess, if I stayed even a millisecond longer, I knew I'd drop dead.
I ran like always—out the back, into the forest. I let Nyra take over, running faster than ever. This time, I wouldn't let anyone find me.
I didn't know how far I got before something heavy crashed into me from the side. Pain exploded in my ribs, and before I could make sense of it, darkness swallowed me whole.
°°°°°°°°
"Alpha, we found this wolf crossing the pack unauthorized," a gruff voice filtered into my ears as I drifted back to consciousness.