The Alpha's Broken Luna: Read Chapters 1-5

REIGN’S POV.

“SEAN!” I call in horror as I rush over to my mentor who is groaning in pain as he tries to rise from the floor. “Oh my God I'm so sorry.” I apologise from the depth of my heart with pity filled in my heart.

“Reign, how many times have I told you not to apologise when this happens? I’m used to this and besides, it’s training and getting beat tup by you means I'm doing my job properly. Your father will be proud.” He tells me with a big smile on his face and sadness overwhelms me at the mention of my father’s name.

Being extraordinarily powerful should have its perks, but so far, I haven’t seen any perks or pros, just cons. I see my extraordinary strength as a curse. I am the most powerful werewolf in my family and dare I say, my entire pack, except for the Alpha.

At least that’s what my father told me. My mother died at childbirth because of my powers and since then, my father has despised my entire existence.

He hid me from the public until I turned four years old and when I did, he hired a mentor who has been with me for fourteen years now, teaching me how to control and use my strength the right way. I have never been out there in the world. My father has a big mansion and I stay locked up and heavily guarded in it. For eighteen years, I have been locked up in here. I have just one friend, who’s my mentor and my elder sister, Wilma, comes to see me in my secluded section once in a while, when she’s in a good mood.

She doesn’t like me very much.

My father never comes to see me. It’s been years since I last saw him.

I am his greatest nemesis.

“Why are you lost in thought?” I shake out of my thoughts and look up at my mentor who is smiling down at me.

“Well…” Shrugs. “I’m just thinking about how boring my my life is.” He smiles.

“We both know that’s will change when tomorrow comes.” A bright smile forms on my face when he says that.

Tomorrow is my eighteenth birthday and it is also the day my father will let me go out there and live like a normal werewolf girl with my fellow pack members. If I'm lucky, I will be able to find my mate and we will leave happily ever after.

Just the thought of that makes my smile again. I hop over to the nearby couch and perch on it, still fantasising about how tomorrow is going to look like, but it doesn’t take long before nervousness overwhelms me. I shoot Sean a perplexed glance and he creases his brows. He knows me more than anyone else in this world, so he knows right now, I'm nervous.

“What are you nervous about?” His voice is calm as he asks and sits beside me.

“What if other people get scared of me when they find out about my strength? What if they hate me like my father does? What if I have a hard time out there?” I give him worried looks as I ask those very disturbing questions. He sighs and places a hands on my shoulder.

“Wanna hear some bitter truth?” I nod my head in silence. “Not everyone out there will like you and you will have some very hard times. Good thing is, everyone else experiences these things, all you have to do is try to focus on the good side of things. Focus on the people who will like you and on the things that make you happy. You are a good girl, Reign. You are brave, confident… you are beautiful, both in and out and well mannered. If anyone dislikes you, it’s their loss. So, don't overthink things and just live life one day at a time. You are a wonder.”

Sean always has a way to suppress my nervous and let my confidence sprout and grow healthily.

He is my knight in shinning armour.

“Thank you for these words of encouragement. You are the best!” I crash into his chest and he wraps his arms around me, giving me a big bear hug.

“Isadora Reign Callan!” A familiar voice calls from the door and I shake in fear, disengaging myself from Sean’s hug. We both look at the door, only to see my sister standing by it with a fat smile on her face.”

“Wilma.” I call in shock. It has been months since she last came to see me. I wonder why she is here.

“I’ll excuse you girls.” Sean leaves the training room and Wilma rushes over to me looking all excited and giddy. The moment she sits by my side, she tilts her neck to the side and pushes off the chunk of hair away from her neck, completely exposing the side of her neck that’s visible to me.

There’s a bright red mark on the neck and looks like a bite. I gasp in fear as I look at her.

“What happened to you? Who bit your neck?” I ask in horror and her smile only widens. Now I'm confused.

Isn’t she supposed to be in pain? Why then is she smiling so widely?

“Don’t be silly, Reign. I got marked by the Alpha, my boyfriend.”

“Marked? As in, he has chosen you as his mate even though you are not?” I ask innocently and she nods so hard that I fear her head will fall off her neck. “But… but I thought male werewolves can only mark she-wolves who are their destined mates.” There’s is a confused look on my face and my sister is not helping things by smiling the way she is right now.

“Well, I thought so too, but Alpha Hardin Alonso just proved otherwise.”

“But… the last time you were here, you told me you found your mate, how then did…”

“I rejected him.” She cuts me off and my eyes snap wide open. “He’s nothing compared to the Alpha, so I rejected him.”

“No you did not! What about theAlpha? Did he also reject his mate?” I ask in complete shock.

“He hasn't found his mate yet, but he told me he would reject her the moment he finds her because I am the one he wants to be with. He has chosen me.” She is still smiling widely and I still have my frown on because this makes no sense.

Sean has explained this whole mate saga to me and he made me understand that mates were assigned by the moon goddess. Rejecting one’s destined mate to be with someone else is disobeying the moon goddess and that is tantamount to severe punishment.

The Alpha of all people.

“Why that look? I thought you’d be happy for me.”

What?

I give a surprised look.

“I’m actually really scared for the two of you, Wilma. There will be consequences and I feel bad for the two people you have displaced. Your mate must be devastated right now and Alpha Hardin’s mate will be crushed when he rejects her.”

“That’s their problem to deal with.” She says nonchalantly. “The most important thing is that the Alpha has chosen me. I’m going to be the Luna of this pack!” She squeals excitedly and I just keep shaking my head.

She has definitely lost her mind if she thinks what they just did should be celebrated.

“So, you aren’t happy for me.” She calmly states and I shrug.

“I’m scared for you.” I tell her flatly. “I don't think you’ll be able to handle it if this backfires.”

The smile on her face disappears and she rises to her feet, giving me a hard glare.

“You know, you really don’t have to be such a sadist. I came here, hoping you’ll be happy for me as my sister, but it's clear you aren’t. Have a nice day!” She starts marching towards the door.

“Wilma!” I call out worriedl

Once she’s out, she slams the door hard behind her.

Was I too blunt?

MR. CALLAN’S POV.

I am sitting on one of the couches in my bedroom, sipping wine from the glass in my hand and completely lost in thought. My daughter, Reign is going to turn eighteen tomorrow and things are going to change for this entire pack if nothing is done.

There is a Legend which states that once in every after one thousand years, there’s going to be a war between packs for power and riches and fame and that war is going to be sparked by the birth of a very powerful She-wolf that would be born in the pack that won the previous fight

That pack is my pack, the Diamond Stone Pack and that she-wolf is my daughter, Reign.

She has extraordinary strength. Her mother even died at childbirth because of the powers that the child wielded. I have succeeded in making sure no one else, except for me, my daughters and Sean knows that Reign is exceptionally powerful because I don’t want to raise suspicions about the upcoming war.

Everyone else thinks it is a myth since it has been so long since it happened and I want it to remain that way.

I hate the current Alpha, Alpha Hardin Alonso and I don’t want him to win the Elemental Fight of this Millennium. I have made plans with another Alpha to mate with Reign first so that he would wield those powers and defeat Alpha Hardin during the War.

Yes, my daughter Reign is mated to our Alpha, Alpha Hardin.

She is excited to meet her mate tomorrow, but that is not going to happen. I have a whole different plan in mind for her and if it works, that will be the end of Alpha Hardin and my plan will be set in motion.

“Dad!” A call snaps me out of my thoughts and I look up to see my daughter, Wilma, standing in front of me, looking worried. “Dad, is everything alright?” She asks concerned as she sits by my side.

“Yes love, everything is alright.” I lie.

“I don’t believe you dad, you were completely lost in thought when I walked in so don’t tell me everything is alright.” She says in a firm tone and I smile.

She looks just like her mother. Both girls look just like their mother especially when in a bad mood.

“Well, I’m just thinking about your sister.”

“That’s strange. You never think of or bother about Reign. What’s wrong? You think you’ll miss her when you let her go?” She asks sarcastically.

She knows how I feel about her sister. I don't like her very much, despite the fact that she is my daughter.

“That’s just a very superficial reason, Wilma. Very superficial. The reason behind my sudden overthinking is deeper than anyone can imagine.” I explain and Wilma looks at me confused.

“Dad, I’m confused.”

“Wilma.” I call and turn to face her on the couch we are both seated on.

“Yes dad.”

“I want you to spend the night in your sister’s room today. Have her cuddled up your arms and tomorrow, I want you to wear one of her clothes for the party.”

Wilma frowns.

“You have been asking me to do that a lot lately. Why?” She asks with creased brows.

“There is a reason why I asked you to get close with Alpha Hardin. The night before you met Alpha Hardin at the castle during the annual ball, I asked you to do the same thing. Spend the night with you sister cuddled up in your arms and wear her clothes. During the party, the Alpha mistook you for his mate, why do you think that happened?” I ask and she shrugs her shoulders, indicating she has no idea. “Because he smelled your sister’s pheromone on you and thought you were his mate.”

“Dad.” She calls quietly. “Are you trying to say Reign is mated to Alpha Hardin?” she asks lifelessly.

“Yes. She is. That’s why I asked you to get close to Alpha Hardin and now that he has marked you as his, everything is on track.”

“No! She can’t be! How are you even sure about that?”

“It’s a long theory that I’m going to tell you’d if you just calm down and listen to me” I explain and she stays still. She looks like she is going to burst into tears anytime soon.

“Alright dad.” Her voice is shaky. “I’m all ears.”

“Good, have you ever heard of the Battle of the Elementals?”

“Yeah, but it’s a myth, right?” She asks and I chuckle with my head bowed down. “Dad, what’s funny?” She questions in confusion and I lift my head up to look at her.

“What if I told you it’s not.”

“What?”

“Yeah, it’s not and just so you could know, this is the generation that has to fight that battle.” I spit out fiercely and Wilma is taken aback.

“No! No!” She denies and laughs. “Dad, you’re joking, this is one of your crazy jokes right?” She asks laughing harder.

“Do I look like I’m joking?” I put on my most serious look. She stops laughing. The cheerful look on her face disappears and is replaced with horror.

Now, she knows I’m serious.

“Dad, you are serious.” She says breathlessly.

“I am.”

“So, that means as we are now, there’s a fire, a water, an air and an earth Elemental roaming the various packs?”

“As a matter of fact, yes, there is.”

“Sweet Moon goddess! And there’s a miracle Luna somewhere who has got all these powers?”

“Exactly! The most horrific part is that, she is not just somewhere, she is in here with us.”

“Dad, who is that?” She asks aghast.

“Your sister, Reign. She is the Miracle Luna.” I announce and Wilma’s breath hitches in her lungs.

“No way!” She flatly denies it.

“That’s the truth, but I have a plan. I don’t want her getting marked by Alpha Hardin because if that happens, he will get all her powers as well and they will be invincible. He will win this war. ”

“Me too dad. Like this is so unfair to me! My mate is someone ordinary, but here she is about to be mated to the Alpha of our pack. In addition to that, she has powers that will have everyone crawling at her feet including you and I. I don’t want her to rule over me, dad. I never ever want to call her Luna!” Wilma cries and I totally understand her.

“And that won’t happen if you do as I say”

“I will do anything you say dad, I will do anything at all.”

“That’s my girl. You see, Alpha Hardin’s family has been in Supreme power for too long now and I want that power to change hands, that’s why I have sided with Alpha Adolf of the Black River Pack for this battle.”

“But that’s our enemy pack. Both Alpha Adolf and Alpha Hardin don’t see to eye.”

“That’s all the more reason why I sided with Alpha Adolf. I want him to take down this self satisfied strut called Alpha Hardin.”

“So, how do you plan to do that?”

“There’s a reason why I insisted we kept your sister’s extraordinary strength a secret from all the others. You know everyone thinks this battle a myth, but if they know that a powerful She-wolf has been born, they’ll start asking questions and sooner or later, they’ll realise the truth and start preparing for war. I don’t want that to happen. I want this to be sudden and brief. I want Alpha Adolf to attack once and conquer.”

“Then what happens to us?”

“Don’t worry about that Wilma, none of my daughters will be harmed”

“Alright then, so what do I have to do?”

“First, I have invited Alpha Hardin over for your sister’s birthday party.”

“Don’t you think everything will be ruined if he sees Reign. He’ll know she’s his true mate and he might accept her and leave me.”

“I have everything planned out, Wilma don’t worry about that part. That won’t happened. Just trust me and do as I’ve instructed.”

“So what will happen to Reign after that?” She asks and I just smile and stay silent.

I can’t tell her because if I do, she will back out and even report me to Alpha Hardin. My plan after that is not pleasant at all that’s why I need to keep it a secret.

“That shouldn’t bother you, I’ll take it from there, but just know before the war comes, I’ll make sure you are far away from this pack and safe.”

“Alright dad, I’ll do just as you have instructed.”

“That’s my girl. That’s all what I summoned you for, you can go to bed.”

“Goodnight dad.” She pecks my cheek and exits the office.

A heavy sigh escapes my lips when she shuts the door behind her. My heart bleeds because what I have to do to her and her sister tomorrow is cruel, but I must do it.

Anything for power!

REIGN’S POV.

I had no idea my father organised such a grand birthday for me. He hates me, so I thought he wasn’t going to organise a party for me as always, but I guessed wrong. Father went a long to organise a grand ball for me and to say I'm shocked is an understatement. I am dumbfounded!

Everyone looked surprised when he announced me to them as his second daughter and they all have been nothing but nice to me. Everyone keeps telling me I look like my mum and it makes me want to cry because I'm the reason she’s no more. That’s why my father hates me, because my coming took the life of his mate. He has never forgiven me for that and I live with that guilt everyday of my life.

Last night, before bedtime, I was shocked to see my sister walk into my bedroom with a smile on my face after the fight we had earlier that afternoon. I had expected not to get a glimpse of her for months like always, but she showed up in my bedroom that night all smiles and even apologised for trying to force me into congratulating her. She even spent the night with me and had me cuddled up in her arms all night. It was a strange act, but it felt nice to be in her arms again.

This morning, she even asked to wear one of my clothes which I happily accepted. Now that I'm going into the world, I need her more than ever before and I'll do anything to be on good terms with her.

“Reign!” A voice sounds my name from the crowd in the ballroom and I turn to look. A wide smile spreads on my face when I see my sister rushing towards me, with a guy following closely behind her.

“Hey, Wilma.” I call happily.

“How are you enjoying the party?”

“It’s great…” I scan around briefly.” Everyone seems so nice.”

“I'm glad you are having a great time. This is Drake. He’s our maternal cousin.” The introduces the cute guy standing before her and my smile widens.

“It's nice to meet you Drake.” I stretch out my hand for a handshake, but to my greatest surprise, he pulls me into his warm embrace. I give Wilma a nervous glance. She winks and shrugs her shoulders.

“You have no idea how happy I am to see you. Welcome to the world.” He breaks the hug.

“Thank you very much.”

“We’ll take more after I have a word with Uncle Callan.” He pegs my right cheek and brushes past me. Wilma does the same.

The air in the ballroom is stuffed, so I walk out to the garden to take in some fresh air.

It’s already nightfall and there is still no sign of my mate. I know it’s possible that he didn’t attend the party, but did it have to be this way?

Why couldn’t it be so simple to find him?

I pace about the garden restlessly, not knowing what to do next. I have been locked up in this mansion my entire life, avoided like a plague by my father and played audience to all my sister’s endless talks about her romantic fantasies. All I wanted was a romantic fantasy of my own.

Sean always tells me mates are very protective and possessive of each other and that’s exactly what I want to experience, including the unbreakable mate bond. Why…

My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by a sudden sweet smell which is totally heavenly. I look around to see if I can locate what’s giving out such a sweet smell, but I don't see anything. All I see is flowers and the smell I perceive cannot be emitted by these flowers. There’s got to be something else in here.

Suddenly, my wolf, Lyla, sprints up in my mind and starts skipping around in excitement. I get confused as to why she is acting that way. Soon, I hear footsteps approaching and as they come closer, the smell only gets stronger and sweeter and I’m trying very hard to keep Lyla still.

I swiftly turn around only to see the most handsome man I have seen so far today. I eye him from toe to head and swallow dryly when I realise just how tall and muscular he is. He has a great aura of dominance and authority around him that seems to intimidate me.

I don’t need a sorcerer to tell me that that’s Alpha Hardin.

“Mate!” Lyla screams in my head as she keeps jumping about in excitement.

Alpha Hardin stops on his tracks and looks at me long and hard. He creases his brows when he realises something. My heart is threatening to hop out of my chest. I can feel the mate bond. I can feel the connection. I can feel the love.

Saints! I am mated to the Supreme Alpha!

“Alpha Hardin.” I call breathlessly. My voice comes out as a whisper. “You are my mate!” I announce nervously. He frowns the moment those words reach his ears.

He takes a few steps closer to me, giving me an intense look. A look that is supposed to make me melt. It’s a miracle that I'm still standing on my feet right now.

“You do know that I’m in a relationship with your sister, don’t you?” He asks in a cold tone.

“Yes I do.” I gulp nervously.

“In case you didn’t know, I am very loyal to her and not even the fact that you are my mate will make me leave her. Reign Callan, I, Alpha Hardin Alonso, reject you as my mate and future Luna. You are free to go out there and find Love and protection in another man’s arms for you will never find it in mine.”

“No!” I flatly deny it. “You can’t do this. I deny this rejection.” I cry in agony. Ugly emotions tighten my heart, but I kick them down. This is not the moment for me to turn into a cry baby. I need to stand up for myself.

“Sadly, there is nothing you can do. Just accept the rejection and move on. I have chosen your sister over you.” He pivots and majestically walks away.

Tears spill down my cheeks. There’s a throbbing pain in my heart that feels like it’s going to get me killed.

I feel like everything is crashing down on me.

My mate just rejected me to be with my sister. How is this even possible?

Without warning, Lyla takes over me in rage and I instantly shape-shift into my snow white wolf, caring less about the clothes I’m shredding into pieces and start running as fast as I can away from the mansion, into the nearby woods.

THE NEXT MORNING.

Everything is ruined.

Past, present, future, totally ruined. My own mate rejected me to be with my sister. What am I supposed to do? Last night I stayed out in the woods so late that I got attacked by a wolf which I presume was a rogue but I managed to kill it. If there was one thing Sean always stresses about, it is the fact that I should never spare any rogue. They are nothing but mean and vicious creatures that only seek out to kill.

I walk out of the bathroom and head over to my mirror stand where I lifelessly stare at my reflection in the mirror. I look like a hot mess.

I have no idea how the party ended because I went into the woods and only came back home late at night.

Henceforth, I have to start accepting and living with the reality that my mate rejected me and chose my sister instead.

My room door suddenly flies open and my enraged father barges in.

“Dad what’s…” Before I can finish my statement he smacks me hard across my cheek and yanks my arm, pulling my petite frame closer to him. I stare at him in total confusion and fear.

“You wicked murderer! First you killed my wife and now you have killed my daughter. You are going to pay for this. I will make sure you pay for this!” He sneers and drags me out of my bedroom, along the long hallway and down the stairs where we meet other men.

“Dad please, what’s going on?” I ask in tears as he hands me over to the group of no nonsense looking muscular men who grab my arm tightly.

“Take her away, tell Alpha Hardin to do whatever it is he desires with her.” My father orders and the men drag me all the way to where I presume should be the Alpha’s Castle because of how enormous it looks. I don’t even have the strength to fight back as I’m confused about what is actually happening right now.

What did my father mean by killing his daughter?

Why did he call me a murder? And why have I been summoned by Alpha Hardin so early in the morning?

What exactly happened while I was asleep that I’m to be blamed for right now?

What exactly is going on?

The men drag me into the castle all the way to an enormous living room where I see Alpha Hardin, seated on his throne in all his glory with a deadly look on.

Someone please tell me what exactly is going on.

“What’s going on?” I demand the moment they throw me to the ground. Alpha Hardin rises from his throne and takes calculated steps towards me.

“You scheming hard hearted murderer!” He scolds with his deep Alpha voice and I quiver in fear. “You have the audacity to commit such an abomination in my land?”

“With all due respect Sir…”

“Silence!” He roars in anger and I see his ocean blue eyes change to yellow and his fingers begin to transform into paws, but he stops the action “I could end your miserable life right now, but I won’t pleasure you with an easy death. I will make you die slowly, painful…”

“Stop!” I scream and I can feel my wolf trying to take over me. I struggle to push her back because if she succeeds, I’ll rip everyone apart and that is the last thing I want to happen right now.

My fingers shape-shift into paws and I look up into Alpha Hardin’s blazing eyes, with mine blazing as well.

“What crime have I committed?” I ask giving him a deadly stare and he comes closer to me.

“You couldn’t bear the thought of me choosing her over you, that’s why you killed her. You killed your Sister, Wilma!”

“No!” I cry weakly as I fall to the ground “No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did. She was found in the forest with bites and scratches all over her body that could only have been inflicted by a werewolf as strong as you are. You couldn't bear to lose me to her, so you attacked and killed her!”

“I did not kill my sister” I cry in agony “The only wolf I fought yesterday in the woods was a rogue who attacked me, why would I kill my sister?”

“I don’t have time to listen to your nonsense shenanigans. Just know this, your death will be slow and painful and when you’re dead, I’ll boil your bones and feed them to the dogs, I will make sure that this wicked soul of yours burns in hell’s everlasting Sulphur! Guards!” He orders and the same men grab me again by the arm and brutally lift me up. “Take her to the silver prison and torture her until your hearts content!”

This has got to be a dream.

REIGN’S POV.

“Take her to the silver prison and torture her until your hearts content!” He orders and the men drag me away. I can hear my wolf whimper as she hears our mate order his men to torture us for a crime we did not commit.

Could it really be that I killed my sister? Could it really be that the wolf I thought was a rogue was my sister? If that was the case then why did she attack me? Why did she want to kill me instead?

I couldn’t recognise her because I have never seen her wolf. All my life the only person’s wolf I have been familiar with is my Mentor’s wolf. He’s the only one who was allowed to shape-shift before me because he had to train me. Even my father never let me see his wolf.

This can’t be happening.

“Silver Prison.” Those two words ring in my mind and when reality hits me, I start to panic. Silver is poisonous to werewolves and right now Hardin has ordered his men to lock me up in a prison made of Silver, does he really intend to kill me?

The men drag me along a dark alley with shaded rooms side by side with some occupants who look horrible. If that’s how he intends to keep me, I might as well just kill my self.

We stop by a shaded room and one of the men opens the strong iron doors. I can already get the smell of raw Silver escalating from the dungeon and it makes me sick. Locking me up in this dungeon is already enough torture.

When the door opens up they throw me in and lock the gates.

“We will be back in thirty minutes. Get ready for the real business.” One of the men sneers and they all leave.

I look around the surroundings and it’s indeed made of Silver. I can’t let any of it touch my wounds else I’ll be poisoned. I carefully sit at the centre of the dark room and curl my knees up to my chest and rest my head on them. Tiny sobs escape my lips and I think of how ugly my life has turned out to be.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I had dreamed of finding my mate and spending the rest of my life in his protective arms, but that didn’t happen. My mate rejected me to be with my sister and now I’m being accused of killing her. My mate doesn’t only loathe and despises me but he wants me dead!

Maybe letting me out was such a wrong idea. If I had stayed locked up for the rest of my life and none of this would’ve happened. I wouldn’t have met a mate who would reject me, my sister would still be alive and I would not be locked up in a silver prison waiting to be tortured.

How did everything turn out so bad all of a sudden?

Moments later, the iron door opens up again and the same men get in and aggressively lift me up. I don’t even have the strength to fight back. I let then drag me all the way to what I suppose is the torture room and when I get in, I see Alpha Hardin seated at the centre of the room. The men put me down to sit in a chair and have me tied to it. All I can do is cry and hope that I die in the process.

Soon, more men get in and I get alarmed when I see them dragging my mentor along.

“Sean!” I scream as they throw him to the ground. He looks badly hurt and I know it’s all because of me. Alpha Hardin now rises up from the chair he was seated on and walks over to Arthur.

“He’s your partner in crime, isn’t he?”

“Alpha Hardin please, let him go. He knows nothing about what happened. Please don’t do this.” I plead between sobs and his gaze darkens.

“You’re defending him!” He roars in anger.

“Because he is innocent!”

“You don’t get to decide who is innocent, I do!” He roars yet again and I quiver in fear. I have only been hearing about the authority in an Alpha’s voice, right now I know exactly what it sounds like and I understand why people tremble at the mention of the name, Alpha.

Alpha Hardin’s voice can bring down an entire castle.

“Please Alpha, Sean knows nothing…”

“Still defending the conspirator, finish him!” He orders and immediately, My mentor is stabbed in the heart with a sword by one of his men. I watch in horror as blood oozes from his mouth and he drops dead on the ground.

Anger!

I feel rising within me. My wolf, Lyla, takes over me and I can feel all the hair on my body stand erect. My eyes turn to blazing red and my fingers partially turn to paws. I rip apart the ropes that were used to bind me to the chair and lunge at the man who just stabbed my mentor. The moment I fly in his body, I take him down and I sink my canines into the side of neck, giving him numerous scratches on his body. The others try to pull me off him, but I fight them off in no time. I’m about to lunge at the second man when I’m grabbed by Alpha Hardin. I try to fight him off to avail. He is a million times stronger and fiercer than I am, so he bundles me up in his arms.

“Let me go!” I scream and bite his arm and that does the trick. He lets me go. I bolt out of the room at top speed with his men on my tail.

I can’t stay here. I just can’t stay here with these horrible people. As I run along the feel alley, I stumble upon a rock and fall down and before I can wake up, the men descend on me and bundle me up again. I try to fight them off and one of them does the worst.

The next thing I feel is my bone cracking and excruciating pain taking over me. He just broke my left arm.

The arm that holds my extraordinary strength and powers.

I scream in agony as they drag me to the room where my mentor was killed. Alpha Hardin walks over to me and smacks me hard in the cheek.

“Torture her all day” Then he leaves.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

The Alpha’s word remained the Alpha’s word. Ever since he ordered me to be tortured, the men have not stopped.

I have been whipped, electrocuted, almost drowned in turns and all I wish is for death to come and take me away. My wolf is devastated and I can’t even feel her anymore, I feel like she’s dying within.

The thought of our mate rejecting and torturing us affects her more than the way it does me.

Alpha Noah is nothing but a beast!

Pain.

Excruciating pain is all I feel.

Emotional and physical pain. Right now I can’t stop crying and I don’t know if I’m crying because my mate rejected me and now hates me or because I’m my sister’s murderer or because my mentor was killed because of me or because of the wounds that are all over my body. Everything is just cramped up in my mind and I am so weak that I can barely support myself.

My left arm hurts so bad and I swear I don’t know if dawn will meet me alive.

This is not the world Arthur spoke about. He said people out here could be cruel but I didn’t think they could be this cruel. How can my mate do this to me?

The iron doors open up and I don’t even bother to look up at the men. All I hope is that they are finally ready to kill me because right now, that’s all I can wish for.

“Rise up” One of the men orders and I silently rise up before he comes and jerks me up and hurts my broken arm.

“You are lucky the Beta pleaded on your behalf. You are free.” He announces and I snap my head up at him. Surprised.

“Walk, else I’ll grab that already broken arm of yours and inflict more pain on it.” He warns and I quickly walk out of the dark room and follow them out of the dark building, staggering.

Whoever the Beta is, I can never thank him enough for saving my life.

I literally crawl all the way to my father’s house. No one agreed to come close to me or even help me. Everyone kept giving me scornful looks and I understand why. They think I killed my sister, their future Luna.

No one believes me when I tell them I thought she was a rogue, that's why I fought back.

Till now, I still don’t understand why Louisa attacked me in that forest.

When I arrive at my father’s mansion, the servants refuse to let me in and a few moments later, my father storms out, looking deadly like never before.

“Dad.” I call in tears as he walks closer to me.

I know he has never liked me before, but he’s still my father and I am his daughter, he has to believe me.

“Dad I swear I didn’t do it on purpose”

“Reign, I curse the day you were born! I wish my wife and I never had you. None of this would be happening if you weren’t born. I don’t care if you have nowhere else to go to, I just want you gone right now. You are not my daughter anymore. Henceforth, consider yourself an orphan!” He roars and I fall on my feet as I cry harder.

“Dad please hear me out, I swear I didn’t mean for any of that to happen. Please, father. I have nowhere else to go. Don’t send me away.”

“I don’t want to incur Alpha Hardin’s wrath, so you better leave my premises, get out!” He commands and shuts the gates.

“Let me out” My wolf orders and without hesitation, I let her take over me completely.

In no time I shift shape and when I land on all four legs, I wince in pain as left forelimb crackles. That’s the arm that was broken, Lyla doesn’t bother about that fact, she takes off into the nearby forest as fast as she can. I hope she takes us far away from here. Away from the accusations, away from a father who has never accepted us and away from a mate who loathes and despises us.

I’m never returning to this pack ever again.

CHAPTER FIVE

Hardin’s POV

Sometimes I feel like cursing the moon goddess for doing such obnoxious things. How could she pair me up with such a cruel murderer for a mate?

I hate Reign, I hate her for murdering the woman I love, my chosen Luna. I was this close to ending her miserable life but my Beta and best friend, Miguel stopped me. One thing for sure is that I will never forgive her for this crime she committed and for as long as she lives in this pack, I will make sure she lives a miserable life. She’s going to pay for taking Wilma away from me.

My office door creaks open and Miguel walks in with an eternal frown masked on his face. I wonder what he has come to quarrel with me about this time around.

“What now Miguel?” I ask with a frown.

“Did you see what your men did to her? They broke her arm” He scolds.

“Well that’s more than what she did to Wilma! I should have killed her myself”

“You didn’t even let the poor girl explain herself” He scolds yet again.

“Explain what exactly? Didn’t you see the marks on Wilma’s body? The unique bites? Only a werewolf as strong as Reign could’ve done that to her and oh… she admitted it!”

“Hardin, something tells me you’re mistaken”

“Miguel that’s enough, you already made me release her against my will, if you annoy me any further I will send my men to go get her again and this time around, you won’t be able to stop me from ending her miserable life”

“Hardin, that’s your mate you’re talking…”

“Do not ever call her my mate again, ever!” I cut him off.

“No matter how many times you deny it, you and I know that she’s still your mate. Hardin I know what a mate bond is, it’s not something you can easily dissolve. Deep down in your heart Hardin I know you don’t want this. You love…”

“I do not love Reign! I rejected her and I want nothing to do with her!”

“You want everything to do with her, Hardin, that is your mate you are talking…”

“Enough!” I roar and he goes mute. “I don’t want to hear anything about Reign!”

“I will tell you more!” He dares as he walks closer to me.

Sometimes I really dread how it’s impossible for me to treat him like others. Apart from being my right hand man, my Beta, he is also my best friend and there's no way I can punish him.

“That girl you despise so much is our future Luna, she was chosen for you, for us, by the moon goddess. Hardin you seem to have forgotten how the moon goddess punishes any Alpha that forsakes his Luna for intangible reasons. Do you want to fall into that trap? Do you want this great Empire to be ruined because of something so trivial?” He asks and I go mute.

What he said makes some sense.

“Hardin, we have known each other all our lives, I am your Beta and you know I will never mislead you. I understand that you loved Wilma very much but, it’s unfair to pass judgment on Reign without investigating what really happened. Forget the fact that she's your mate, treat her like any normal citizen of yours. Now tell me, will you pass judgment on anyone without carrying out investigations?” He asks and I silently shake my head.

“No”

“You have never done that before, so why is it different with Reign?”

“The marks…”

“Yes, I saw the marks too but that girl has her own side of the story. You didn’t even bother to listen to it.”

“Because I knew she was lying. She said she thought it was a rogue and all that…”

“You do know that she has been locked up all her life right? And yesterday was the first day she came in contact with the world. A lot of things were strange to her”

“Miguel, why are you even doing this?”

“Because she is my Luna. You might not know this, but as a Beta it’s not only my duty to defend you but to defend my Luna too and that is exactly what I am doing and I will not stop until I find concrete evidence to prove that she is not guilty!” He insists firmly.

“You keep defending and calling her your Luna. I rejected her and she killed the Luna I chose for you all”

“Hardin, we can sit here and argue all day, one thing for sure is that we will never agree to each other’s terms, but I’m telling you this, my Alpha, My brother, my best friend. If in the end all this backfires against you, you will be sorry. I still insist you treat this matter justly. Reign, will always be your true mate and our true Luna, whether you like it or not” With that, he exits my office leaving me totally dumbfounded.

What exactly is going on?

Reign’S POV

Anger, hunger, tiredness, pain is all I feel right now. I’m limping on three hooves right now, unable to even step the broken forearm down. Lyla ran from my former pack to wherever it is we are right now and she overworked the already damaged arm. Right now I feel like we are both going to die in the next few seconds.

My head is spinning like a roller coaster and I’m still trying to understand how it’s possible that things turned upside-down for me in such a short span of time.

My mate rejected me the moment we met and the very next day I was accused of killing my sister. Till now I’ve still not understood why she attacked me in the forest that night before I took her life thinking it was a rogue. I just don’t get it.

My very own mate had me tortured mercilessly before his eyes and for absolutely no reason he killed the most important person in my life before my eyes. This is not the world Sean told me about.

He once told me he believed that I would be able to prevail in any condition I find myself in because I’m strong and brave but right now I don’t think I can be that strong and brave wolf he has always talked about. All I want is for death to take me right away because I’m tired of this cruel world.

I suddenly collapse to the ground caring less about the mud that’s staining my snow white fur. I can’t shape shift to my human form because I’ll be naked and I don’t have any clothes to wear. Right now I presume I’m in another pack land and that means I’m officially a rogue and if any werewolf from this pack finds me, he or she will kill me immediately and I would so much love that. I hope that happens quickly.

As my eyes drool sleepily, I hear powerful footsteps approaching but I don’t even raise my head up to check, all I pray for is that they end my miserable life.

“Alpha, it’s a rogue. We have to kill it!” I hear someone persists but I don’t bulge.

“No!” An authoritative voice comes roaring and I don’t need to be told that that’s the Alpha. Their voices are always a different kind of deep scary. “ That’s a Shewolf and she looks terribly hurt, she needs to be helped, not killed. Carry her up” He orders and one the men come to lift me up and the moment he touches my broken forelimb, I howl in pain and the Alpha rushes to me.

“She has a broken limb, I’ll take care of this” He carefully carries me up and starts walking away.

Suddenly, everything goes black.

I hope when I get up, I’ll find myself in the land of the dead.