Chapter 1

FREYA'S POV

The rapid sound of my heart drummed against my ears as I gasped slowly for breath.

The heavy weight of their accusations burned through my entire existence.

"Luna Freya, you stand accused of murder and treason against the Alpha. How do you plead?" Emilia, the head of the Elders—a group of lawmakers in the East end pack stood in front of me with her eyes blazing with fury.

I turned my gaze weakly towards the man I’ve loved all my life.

The man I was ready to give everything for.

I swallowed the thick lump in my throat as I tried to overlook our distance.

The chains clicked loudly, echoing throughout the room as I tried to reach him. "Bray..."

"Stay the hell away from me." He yelled, creating enough distance between us with so much hate locked in his eyes.

His teeth were bared together as his nose flared. "You don’t get to speak to me. Not anymore, and it’s Alpha Brayden to you."

My heart sank so hard I could feel it at the pit of my stomach.

"I didn’t murder your father, I swear on my life..." Tears filled my eyes as the sob clogged my throat.

I took a step and the chains yanked me back, the silver burning through my flesh, making me cry out.

I noticed Brayden’s eyes softened.

His lips slightly parted like he was about to say something before he turned his face away from me with a sneer and his hand behind his back.

"Your life means nothing to me. It never did and never will." Brayden went silent, he sighed and his shoulders slumped down before he glared back at me.

This time, his gaze was stern, devoid of all emotions... It was just plain disgust and anger.

"The only reason why we got married was because of the mate bond, but apparently, your actions today just prove that you were nothing but a mistake that cost me the life of my father."

I’ve always known Brayden never loved me.

He constantly reminded me of the burden of being tied to a useless Omega, as he called me. But yet, every day, I found myself being drawn to him, and I knew he felt the same way—now I wasn’t so sure anymore.

His eyes were red and so was the tip of his nose as he closed his eyes. "I will never forgive or forget what you did."

My fists tightened against each other as my lips began to quiver.

My wolf whimpered at Brayden cruel words. She was not the only one hurting badly.

"I didn’t kill your father. I would never do anything to hurt you."

The tears threatened to spill, but I held them back. What was the point of crying over spilled milk?

Brayden was never going to believe me, but then again, how could he?

Despite being an Omega, the Moon Goddess mated me with Brayden, the Alpha of East End Pack, and we got married because of the pressure from the Elders and his father.

"No..." Brayden groaned. "You’re a murderer and you don’t even deserve to live."

I gave him a long stare before a bitter laughter coursed through my throat through heavy gasps. "It’s really funny how our one-year anniversary turned into my own trial."

My face hardened as I stepped closer to Brayden, and he didn’t flinch, but his eyes searched mine, the pace of his heartbeat fastening.

"You want to execute me? Go ahead. But one thing is certain—I will never admit to a crime I didn’t commit."

The finality in my face shook the entire room, and the whispers were beginning to grow louder, but I held my head high.

"That is outrageous. The former Alpha was found dead in your room. How can you explain that?" Emilia yelled.

My lips pressed together as my mind went blank for a moment.

The former Alpha and I were close because he took a fancy to me the moment we met.

How could I have hurt him?

He was like the father I never had, but no one believed me. Just like Brayden, I was on the verge of breaking down, but no one cared—not even the man I loved.

My heart twisted and I felt a sharp pain twirl inside my belly so hard that I yelped. I clutched hard to my stomach, panting fast.

"Fre..." Brayden tried to call out to me. The panic was evident, but yet his hands got stuck mid-air, as if remembering the current situation we were in.

"Don’t try to act in front of the Alpha. We know you are fine. Do you think acting weak will earn you sympathy?"

My gaze tore away from Brayden and then moved—it landed on Lilith.

My eyes squinted from the shock because I wasn’t so sure if I was seeing correctly.

Lilith was the former Alpha’s adopted daughter, and if there was anyone who should be on my side, it was supposed to be her.

She had been nice to me from the very first day we met, but now...

Her heels clicked as she walked past me and went over to Brayden, tugging against his arm, and then she leaned over with a sly smile.

"Brother, you shouldn’t feel too sad. Don’t let her blackmail you. Freya is nothing but a murderer. She killed our father and that is unforgivable." She said in a low tone and Brayden nodded slowly.

"You’re right. She needs to pay." Brayden eyed me with so much dread, and my hand tightened over my stomach, clinging to the little bit of hope I had left.

Even if he hated me now... he wouldn’t abandon his child I was carrying, right?

"I’ve made my decision." Brayden announced, turning to the elders with a straight face.

"The ways of the East End Pack have always been clear and simple." He stopped and then he turned back to me.

My heart pulsing as beads of sweat trickled against my head, as if fearing to drop.

The ache in my head was making me dizzy, but I pressed my lips together, anticipation clawing deep against my chest.

"Blood for blood." Brayden retorted coldly. "The only thing that can pacify the death of my father is your life."

My heart sank as hushed whispers filled the room and my eyes flickered around the crowd.

Tears filled my eyes. "Brayden, you wouldn’t..." Sobs clouded against my throat.

Brayden scoffed, rolling to the back of his head. "Do you want to hear it again?"

I swallowed hard. I just had one last card to play, and it was going to determine my fate. Brayden was many things, but he was not a monster—at least not towards his own.

"Take her to the dungeon. She will be executed at midnight."

Brayden hissed toward his beta and they gave a quick nod, and my heart jumped, and so did my body when Brayden turned to leave.

"I’m pregnant." I yelled loudly, and Brayden stopped in his tracks.

His eyes widened with shock. "What did you just say?" His voice trembled with each sentence that slipped from his mouth.

A tear slipped down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it off with the back of my hand with a sniff.

"I’m carrying your child. Even if you don’t love me, think of the baby..." Brayden remained in his state of shock, rigid shoulders and clenched fists with darkened eyes fixed on me.

"I wanted to break the news to you today on our anniversary. I just didn’t think it was going to end like..."

Brayden’s low groan cut through the room so loud and clear that I couldn’t even dare imagine I misheard.

His red eyes shimmered with a fierce darkness I had never seen.

I stuttered, like an Ice was poured on my body.

"It changes nothing."

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