001

PAIGE’S POV

I stood frozen and continued to breathe in and out as I locked eyes with my father, Alpha Gabriel. His gaze, usually filled with warmth and indulgence, had turned to hatred. The warmth had left his eyes, leaving only coldness as he glared down at me. 

Why wouldn't they believe me? All the things my father said were lies.

“You pathetic whore.” My stepmother slapped me hard across the right side of my face.

I pursed my lips as I stopped myself from shedding any more tears. I quickly wiped the tears that manage to escape from my eyes.

“Don't waste your breath on this thing, honey.” My father said as he looked at me with disgust.

I was brought to the middle of the pack as a trophy of shame for everyone to see and hear the crimes that I didn't even commit.

My father stepped forward, asking everyone to gather around. “Today, my daughter has done something so shameful that even I, her father, can't speak of it.” He paused, and the crowd began to whisper around. “She tried to seduce me, her Alpha, into doing something so despicable.” 

“I didn't do such a thing.” I cried out, looking at everyone’s judgemental faces, but no one seemed to believe me.

“I'm a very honourable man, and I won't conceal deceit. As punishment for what you did, I, Alpha Gabriel Abbot, hereby banish you, Paige Abbott, from Sky Moon Pack— not only as a member of this pack but also as my daughter.”

An intense pain rushed through my body, and I felt something snap in me. I felt hurt physically and emotionally by my father's words.

“Please, you have to believe me. I would never do such a thing.” I begged them in a hoarse voice. A result of hours of yelling and crying.

“Then, are you saying that the Alpha is lying?” A voice said from behind me. I turned around and saw it was the Beta that spoke.

“Yes.” I blurted out, and immediately a growl was emitted from my father.

“How dare you tell lies about our Alpha? Seeing you disgusts me, Paige.” My stepmom, Kate said before slapping me on my left cheek.

My cheeks began to feel numb at the same time. I could feel it getting swollen, and it was going to bruise.

How did my life change from being treated like a princess to being treated like an outcast? It was all because of my father, but no one would believe me.

He came to my room in the middle of the night, thinking I was sleeping. He started touching my face, saying I looked like my birth mother and how much he missed her. Then, he trailed his finger to my arm before going to my legs.

He started kissing my neck, and that was when I woke up fully, yelling at him to get out of my room. He apologised before he left. I never knew he was going to turn it against me.

“Please, you have to believe me,” I begged, still on my knees.

“I—I would never try to seduce my father, Luna Helena. Why would I do such a disgusting thing when I have a mate waiting for me?” I tried to reason with her, but it was clear she wasn't going to believe me.

Her eyes stared straight into mine with so much anger. “Shut up! Why should we believe you over the Alpha, huh? Your mother would be ashamed of you if she were here right now.” Helena spat out.

I shook my head, and the tears started falling from my eyes again as she said awful things to me, but no one came to my aid. They were all looking at me with shame, disgust, and even disappointment in their eyes.

“What the hell is going on here?” A familiar voice yelled out from behind. I turned quickly, and I saw Victor standing beside his father, the Beta.

“Victor!” I whispered. He was back. Thank goddess he had come back. I knew he wouldn't believe them over me, his betrothed.

Victor and I have known each other since we were little, and we are also betrothed to each other. Most werewolves choose their mate while someone waits for them if they choose to, but it's rare to see your fated mate.

Victor travelled to the neighbouring pack for training since he was going to take over his father's position someday.

“Come, son. Let me explain it to you.” My father said, and he walked to my father but his eyes were still on me.

They went out of the crowd to talk, without me seeing them. I hoped he wouldn’t believe whatever my father was going to say.

A few minutes later, he came back and looked at me, but the love and affection he used to look at me with were gone, replaced with a cold, angry, and disgusted look in his eyes.

“Paige.” He began, his voice devoid of the tenderness I had heard just a minute ago.

“Let me explain, Victor. What they are saying is not true.” I begged him, pleading with my eyes.

He walked up to me and stood in front of me with so much anger in his eyes. “You're a disgrace to this pack. I can't have you as my mate.”

His words cut through me like a knife. I looked at him, straight into his eyes, but all I saw was anger. He believed what they told him. Like the rest of the pack. He knew me better than them, more than my father did.

Knowing that Victor didn't  believe me tripled the pain in my heart. After everything we'd been through together.

“Victor, you have to listen to me,” I pleaded, tears swelling in my eyes. “I didn't do what they claimed I did. You know me more than anyone. Don't believe what my father is saying, he's twisting the story.”

“Don't you ever call my name from that filthy mouth of yours,” he snapped. “I can't even look at you right now. I can't have you as my mate after what you tried to do with your father.”

I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me. The bond, the passion, everything we had shared, meant nothing to him.

“Please, Victor,” I whispered, but he shook his head.

“I, Victor Creek, reject you, Paige Abbott, as my future mate and wife.”

I felt the bond between us shatter into pieces with my heart. Even though we aren't true mates, it still hurts.

“It's over, Paige. Leave this pack this instant,” my stepmother said. “We don't want to ever see you anywhere near this pack or else.” She said and left with my father to the pack house. 

Heartbroken and humiliated, I left the Pack without anything. Apart from the clothes on my body and the two hundred dollar note I had in the pocket of my jeans.

I got to the edge of the pack's territory and collapsed to my knees, sobbing. The forest around me seemed close, the trees whispering their condolences as I cried out my pain. I was all alone. Banished from my pack by my father. And now, the one person I thought would believe me, rejected me in the most cruel way possible.

One step after another, I walked away from the place I once called home with tears in my eyes and a promise in my heart.

I knew what that meant, and I swore I would never forgive Victor and my father for doing this to me.

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