Chapter 5

The next morning, rumors began spreading through the pack that I was a homewrecker.

Even when I went to the supermarket to buy groceries, I could hear people pointing and whispering behind my back. "Is she the one who came between the Alpha and Luna?"

"Wow, I never would have guessed she was that kind of person."

"Right? No wonder, during the Moon Goddess ceremony, even though Anna's name was clearly called out, she still insisted on forcing her way to the front. Turns out she's just a mistress."

"So disgusting. Werewolves like her should be exiled from our pack."

I pulled out my phone to pay, only to see what Anna had posted.

It was an edited screenshot of a chat history. From the snippet she put out, it looked entirely like I was the one trying to seduce Jacob.

In the past, Jacob had told me that the pack wasn't stable yet, so there was no rush to announce our relationship.

He said that once the Moon Goddess ceremony came, every werewolf in the pack would know about us.

I had believed him, never expecting that my Moon Goddess ceremony with Jacob would end up being with Anna, and I had become the third wheel between them.

Since I had no way to clear my name, I initially thought about just letting it go.

However, when I returned home, I found my belongings thrown out onto the street.

While I was still standing there in confusion, Anna showed up with a group of warriors. A few of them pinned me down, and she forcefully shoved a wolfsbane pill right into my mouth.

"According to our pack rules, anyone who interferes in a mated bond must ingest wolfsbane and be exiled from the pack."

The wolfsbane took effect inside my body, making me feel like I was burning alive from the inside out.

I tried to fight back. With great effort, I managed to stand up and walk over to Anna, only to be violently shoved away by a sudden force.

I was slammed onto the ground.

Looking up, I saw that Jacob had rushed over, shielding Anna behind him.

The look he gave me was incredibly cold. There wasn't a single shred of the love or tenderness a mate should have.

But once upon a time, Jacob had stood in front of me to protect me just like this.

I looked at him, letting out a bitter smile. "Aren't you even going to ask what actually happened?"

Jacob looked at me, dazed for a split second, before his expression turned exceptionally cold again.

"Please do not interfere in the relationship between the Luna and me, Miss Anya."

His voice wasn't loud, but the surrounding wolves gathered to watch the spectacle heard him perfectly.

Instantly, the whispers about me grew louder and louder, completely disregarding whether I could hear them.

"Oh my god, I knew a person like her was pure evil, actually trying to come between others."

"If Alpha said so, she must definitely be that kind of person."

"So disgusting. She doesn't deserve to be in our pack."

I looked past Jacob at Anna. She was staring down at me with a provocative glare, without a single trace of her usual innocent act.

Jacob walked over and whispered in my ear, "You did so well before that it's hard for Anna to surpass you. Now that she's taking over, she has no way to establish her authority. This is the only way.

"Just cooperate. I'll clear your name all at once later, and the position of Luna will still be yours in the end."

Hearing Jacob's words, it instantly clicked for me.

If the chat history between Jacob and me hadn't been leaked from my end, Jacob must have willingly given it to Anna.

Just to let Anna secure the Luna position, I never imagined that Jacob would push me to this extreme. He was even willing to exile me from the pack.

As the wolfsbane took effect, my body trembled uncontrollably.

Feeling my wolf growing weaker by the second, I looked at Jacob, begging him with my last shred of hope. "Give me the antidote. I'll cooperate with you."

However, Jacob's gaze remained indifferent.

Ignoring my plea, he simply waved his hand, ordering the warriors to exile me from the pack immediately.

Who would've thought the mate I had loved for so many years would treat me like this?

The very last trace of my feelings for Jacob vanished completely.

Sensing my increasingly weak wolf, I dialed a number.

"I accept the terms you offered. Just get me out of here."