Chapter One

Mellisa's POV

“Luna Mellisa, do you plead guilty to the allegations made against you?” Elder Ryan mutters in disdain.

The droplets of rain fall free on my face, wetting my night clothes, making it cling to my body. My body shivers, not from the cold but from crippling fear.

My chest constricts in pain, it was too much to bear. My mate is barely sparing me a glance, his deep blue eyes cold and unyielding. 

I gulp hard and keep my eyes on the floor, “I plead, not guilty.”

“Liar, she's lying. You all saw the evidence, she betrayed the pack and her mate.” My so-called bestie, Diana, answers. Her once soothing voice is now conniving. 

“The laws of the Red Crescent pack state that every pack member has the right to a free and fair hearing, so the trial begins immediately,” the Elder says.

“She deserves no fair hearing, traitor!!!” A loud voice breaks through the crowd.

“The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, the runt is just like her mother. She's a traitor that deserves no mercy.” Another member of the pack growls in agreement. 

I'm not surprised, they have always hated me. In fact they abused me physically, especially since they realized that I didn't have a wolf. It was only after Adam turned out to be my mate that it stopped. But the verbal abuse never stopped.

“Adam, you always deserved a stronger and better Luna. With a bloodline untainted by treachery.” Diana says inching closer to my mate.

“Enough!” My mate says, his eyes brewing with fury.

“All pack members deserve a hearing.” He finishes.

“You wouldn't even spare me a glance, mate?” My heart sank at the realization that I'm all alone.

“Right now, you're no Luna, but a pack member accused of treachery and infidelity.”

Hot tears flow down my face, I need to be strong. I did nothing wrong.

“You can speak,” Elder Ryan says, gritting his teeth. 

I take a sharp breath. “I went to the waterfall at the Eastern borders to clear my head, after a fight with my mate. Then I saw a young wolf, badly wounded. I helped him out, to reduce the bleeding.”

“Liar, she has been going to the pack borders for a while to meet him. You followed her scent and it went out the pack borders. You all saw her in a compromising position with a rogue.” Diana says, venom spilling out of each word.

“It's a lie, how can you be so vile and spiteful. What have I ever done to you?” I lunge forward, hitting her smack in the face.

Four strong arms pull me off her. I know she is trying to play the victim card, because she would have easily shoved me off. But at this point I care less.

She holds a palm to her red cheeks and cries. “You can get violent all you want but, you're guilty and you know it.”

I am thrown on the bare floor, giving me scrapes on my arms and feet. Two warriors stand beside me to make sure I don't hurt anyone else.

“Adam, please I didn't do anything. I only let him escape because he was a really young wolf, probably barely fourteen. The warriors would have killed him, he was already wounded.” I say between loud sobs.

“I trusted you once, never again.” He gazes straight away from me.

I hold onto his legs. “Please, Adam. Don't do this to us, I know you hate me for what happened to your parents. But I promise I didn't betray the pack.”

He shoved me off, “Don't make me do something stupid, Mellisa. The warriors ran a proper investigation. Your clothes that you have been claiming to be missing, were found outside pack borders.”

My eyes widen at the realization. Wait, what? How? It's not possible. 

“I have never gone out of pack borders before.” I say desperately trying to convince my mate. “Worse I'm wolfless, it's a death sentence to go out of pack borders, with rogues all over unclaimed territory.”

“You're still lying, you know.” Adam says, barely containing his anger.

“I'm not, you're my mate. You'd know if I'm lying.” 

“Your scent was strong in the den of an unfamiliar male wolf. You are just like your mother, a traitor.”

Loud sobs escape my cracked lips.

“I should have rejected you when I discovered you were my mate. But no, my wolf threatened me so I had to take you as a mate. In the end your innocent actions fooled me and I started trusting you. You're the biggest regret I ever made.” He says with spite.

“I've done everything to prove myself to you. You don't spare me a glance, we live like strangers. I try to please you at every turn.” Hurt fills my chest.

“The moon goddess made you wolfless for a reason.”

“You're taking this too far, Adam.” Former Beta Eric says, attempting to calm my mate down.

“I trusted her Uncle, it hurts so badly. The entire pack was against our bond. I fought them for her, now she has made a fool out of me.” He answers almost animatedly. 

“We'll figure this all out child.” Eric answers soothingly. “But, are you sure about this? This might be all circumstantial, you know.”

“Uncle, every proof shows that she is a traitor and betrayer.”

He then turns in my direction. “I'm happy we have no child between us, at least it is easier this way.”

My breaths come out short and harsh, and snot comes down my nose. I'm drained of tears, nothing comes out any more. There's no point.

Diana walks towards Adam and holds onto his arms. “You'll get through this, Alpha. We'll get through this.”

Sadness and resignation cloud my mind. She had always wanted him, I was just too blind to see. Now it's too late to salvage this situation. 

“That's enough, Diana, get back here.” Her brother, Beta Noah states, sounding irritated.

“But…..” 

“Now, Diana. This is not the time.” Her father Eric, orders.

She clenches her teeth in irritation, then reluctantly lets go of my mate. She gives me a look, then walks off towards her family. 

“You didn't even push her away, have you been waiting to get rid of me?” The fear I was feeling now was replaced by bitter anger.

A low chuckle escapes the lips of my mate. “You shouldn't be worried about such things, but about your sentence.”

“Can I speak, Alpha?” A strong feminine voice breaks through our conversation. 

I whip my face towards the familiar voice of Elder Cheryl, the kindest person to me in the pack.

“Go ahead, Elder,” my mate states almost begrudgingly. 

“I know how painful the betrayal of a mate can be since mine abandoned me for another and left the pack.” 

“With all due respect get to the point, Elder.” My mate rudely interrupts her.

She takes a deep breath but continues. “But, no one wants to listen to her own side of the story or even consider if what she is saying is true. I know her mother betrayed the pack but she isn't the same person.”

“So you're implying she is innocent even though it's clear that she isn't?” My mate growls in anger. 

“You dare undermine my leadership?”

“I will do no such thing and you know that, Alpha, I'm just saying that we can also investigate what she is saying.” Cheryl answers bravely. 

“The investigation has already been done and this is the end of that coming from you.”

“Yes, Alpha.” She bows in respect and says, “Hopefully you don't regret this.” 

My mate snarls in anger. “You are lucky, I have high regard for you. You're dismissed.” She walks off and stands by the rest of the pack Elders. 

“We need to come up with a suitable punishment for this horrible crime.” Elder Ryan states.

“There are various punishments as to when a pack member betrays the pack.” He continues. 

“It's a death sentence or ninety lashes with a whip laced with silver or banishment.” Elder Morgan states grimly.

“Which punishment will be suitable for the Luna?” Another Elder answers.

“A death sentence will be more suitable to make sure other pack members don't go the same route and feel like they can betray us and go scot free.”

“I propose a banishment, she is still our Luna and deserves some form of dignity. Also she has not accepted being guilty of the crime.” Eric says, pity evident in his eyes.

“I hope you all don't regret this injustice you're doing,” Elder Cheryl says with gritted teeth.

“Alpha, it's all up to you. You have the final say on the fate of your mate.” Morgan replies, ignoring Cheryl.

My knees feel like spikes are beneath them. But I can't dare get up before I get rough handled again.

My mate ventures forward, head held up high. “I, Adam Reynolds, the Alpha of the Red Crescent pack, reject Mellisa Wright as my mate and Luna.”

Loud gasps fill the cold night air, little drizzles of rain beat my face lightly. Strangled gasps escape my throat. I feel like multiple knives are stabbing my chest continuously. I try to breathe, short pants are all I can do. 

My hand shoots at my chest, hot tears trickle down my cheeks. “Also, my pronouncement as your Alpha is that you are hereby banished from this pack.”