chapter 3

Calla's POV

“What's going on?”

“Nothing much,” the guard said with a smile. “Why do you wanna know?”

“Did you just give me a casual response?” I shot back. “Have you forgotten that you're speaking to your Luna?”

“Luna?” The guard's gaze traveled from my feet to my head before he chortled. “I'm not sure I'm talking to the Luna. Well, since you need me to inform you, I'll pity you.”

I squinted at him as waves of shock rippled across my skin. “Are you unwell? Do you want me to order your execution right away? Why do you take my calmness for granted?”

“I'm not sure that's the case, woman.” The guard laughed. Another guard walked by, took one look at my confused face, and laughed as well. “I'll advise you not to walk into the corridor or the hallway.”

He stepped a little closer until we were almost face-to-face. “People hate you now.”

Then he walked away, glancing back at me and mimicking my voice.

I tried to rush into the hallway to find out what was going on, but another group of guards arrived. Unlike the first set, these looked more responsible.

“You've been summoned urgently,” one of them said. “The elders have decided to hold a meeting because of your case.”

“Case?”

“Haven't you been informed yet?” he asked, looking genuinely confused.

“About what? Isn't the ceremony the only event today? What else do I need to know?” I asked, standing in the middle of them.

“There are pictures and videos all over the internet. Everyone now knows that you lied to the wolves.” The guard lowered his voice. “You were desperate to become Luna, so you arranged a meeting with Elder Corvin and paid him to get you mated to Alpha Draven. Why did you have to do that?”

“Are you being serious?” I let out a nervous chuckle and hurried toward the hallway, but they pulled me back.

“Let's take another route. The wolves are furious. The ceremony has been canceled because of the information spreading around.” He sighed. “For the sake of the one who sent me to fetch you, please come with me.”

“I didn't do this! Who had the balls to frame me like this?” I shouted, storming toward the elder district with the guards trailing behind me.

“I advise you to cooperate and—”

“I don't need your advice!” I snapped, turning to glare at him. “Aren't you just a common guard? How dare you give me unsolicited advice?”

“Sorry.” He smiled apologetically. “But we'll both be common. It's only a matter of time.”

They left as soon as I entered the district. I walked into the council meeting hall and found the elders already waiting. They ordered me to move faster, and I obeyed. As I headed toward Luna's seat, a guard stepped in front of me and directed me to a plastic chair instead.

What the fuck was going on?

“We believe you've heard about the rumor circulating throughout the pack.” The Head Elder began. Beads of sweat gathered on my forehead as my eyes reddened. “We are deeply disappointed to discover that one of us was involved in this scheme. We also believe you deliberately made sure Elder Corvin appeared prominently in the evidence so you wouldn't go down alone.”

“I don't understand what you're talking about. What exactly did I do wrong?” I clapped my hands together in frustration as I yelled. “The pack is in chaos. I'm being wrongfully accused, Elders!”

They looked away, nodding in agreement with every word the Head Elder spoke.

“Here are your inheritance and bond documents.” The Head Elder lifted the file as I stared at him, waiting for what came next. “Since you've disgraced this pack and stained our integrity, we have no choice but to seize your inheritance until we can verify that you didn't forge these documents as well.”

“Inheritance?” I shot to my feet. “Mine? How can you seize what my late mother left behind for me?”

“Are you planning to attack him now?” another elder scoffed. “Sit the fuck down and keep your ears open.”

I glared at him in disbelief, panic, and anger surging through me. “Isn't your primary duty to protect the Alpha and the Luna of this pack?”

“Not when one of them is trying to destroy our reputation.”

“Then review those rumors!” I shouted. “I didn't forge any documents! It's all a lie. It's a scheme. I didn't do anything wrong. I'm being wrongfully... accused, sirs. Please, do something.”

My voice cracked at the end, but none of them seemed to care.

“We have to protect the integrity of the pack before we protect someone who's been proven to be a liar,” the Head Elder declared. “I hereby officially announce that your inheritance in this pack, including your land and every other asset, has been transferred to the pack.”

“When my mother died...” My voice trembled violently. “You all promised I would never suffer. Every single one of you made that promise!”

“Meeting adjourned.”

The Head Elder rose, and the others followed him out one after another. I remained where I stood, my head lowered as tears streamed down my face.

Was this how rumors were handled?

Why wasn't I given a chance to defend myself?

Who had spread these lies about me?

The moment I spotted Elder Corvin, I grabbed his shirt, dragged him back into the room, slammed the door shut, and locked it.

“Say something, you prick.” I glared into his guilty eyes. “Tell me you didn't make this happen. Tell me you're innocent!”

He remained silent. After a long moment, he gently pried my fingers off his shirt, opened the door, and walked away without looking back.

I watched him disappear down the corridor as memories flooded my mind.

That night, when Soren, one of Draven's younger brothers, looked me straight in the eyes, gave me that strange, unsettling smile, and walked away like a man who had just been betrayed.

“She didn't do that. She couldn't have.”

A woman's voice drifted through the hallway. More voices followed, blending into meaningless noise as my vision blurred with tears.

“Madam!”

“Ma'am!”

“Hold on! Where are you running to?”

Guards seized me before I could move, forcing my hands behind my back.

“Alpha Draven has signed an order to place you under temporary suppression.”

What?

He wanted to lock me inside the suppression chamber... the place wolves called mini hell?

“He said it's for the good of the pack,” one of the guards said quietly. “We're sorry, but we have to obey his orders. Please come with us. We'll take you to your new home.”