CHAPTER 2.

EVELYN

As some guards reached for me, I took a step back. I wasn’t going to accept defeat. Not like this.

This was my father's pack.

He worked so hard and built it to this point. I wasn't going to let these two take it away from me.

Anger swirled through me as I charged forward.

“Luna Evelyn,” A familiar voice stopped me. I glanced over my shoulder, and when I saw Jonathan approaching me, relief washed over me.

He was my father's beta.

He'd always been loyal. I was sure he wouldn't fail me now.

I met him in a few steps, clutching his arm. “Mike can’t easily claim the pack, right?” I choked. “He can’t kick me out.”

“You made it easier by signing the Treaty succession.” He said plainly, “and since the pack members have already agreed to vote you out, you should understand how this works.”

I felt tongue tied. “Jonathan!”

He brushed past me, pushing me so hard my back slammed against the cold walls. “A wolfless Luna is considered useless and undeserving of the role.” He muttered. “This pack was never yours to begin with.”

The tears I struggled to hold crawled down my face. “How could you do this to me?”

Mike turned to Jonathan. “Father-in-law, make sure she's thrown out of the pack.”

Jonathan's lips curled. “Of course, Alpha.” He bowed and eyed the guards.

They came to me, their firm hands planted around my arm as they yanked me off the floor.

I wanted vengeance.

I wanted them all to suffer.

And I would make it happen even if I had to make a deal with the devil himself.

“You all will pay! The moon goddess will judge you for this!” I yelled, as the guards dragged me out.

All I saw was Mike's cold gaze and Vanessa's villainous smirk. A part of me wished that he would stop the guards and take me back, but he didn't. And that crushed my heart more than it should've.

~

The second we reached the outskirts of the Whitestorm Pack, the guards tossed me to the ground. Earth filled my mouth, choking me as they turned and walked away, closing the pack doors behind me.

I rose to my feet, trying to catch the gates before they closed it, but I was too late. Frustration racked through me as I banged my bloodied palm against the metal, cursing my fate.

Why was the moon goddess so cruel?

She took my mother, took my father and now my enemies took my pack.

I banged and banged, “Open it, Open these gates!”

Minutes turned to hours but no one came. With another last bang, my hand dropped from the gates, my fists fully bloodied, the red rolled down my arms covering my dress.

My arms dropped as I turned walking away. I had nowhere to go, this pack was my home, my place and I'd lost it all in one night.

With each excruciating step, the sting of their betrayal burned fresh, making more tears roll down my face. I'd never cried this much, even when my father died. I didn't cry but I guess it was probably because I'd done so much for them but it all came and stabbed me in the back.

I felt something cold graze my skin, I looked down, noticing that it was a drop of water. Minutes later it was a heavy downpour and I was running about covering my head with my palms.

My wounds burned but I barely acknowledged it, whilst I ran I found a cave, without thinking twice I bolted into the cave.

At first darkness engulfed me, the only thing I could see was the bright ray of the moon which barely scraped the interior of the cave. I leaned against a wall, my bones heavy, my heart thudding against my ribs.

I winced, finally registering the wound around my wrist... it happened when they threw me out... and now it was soaked with water. If I had a wolf I could've healed it but lucky me, I didn't have one.

If I didn't look at it, it would stop hurting.

At least that was what father taught me.

I clasped my palm around the wound, sucking a lung-ful of air.

The sound of metal slamming against the ground hit the air, followed by the sound of inaudible grunts.

I wanted to ignore it.

I badly wanted to.

But I couldn't help but wonder if that was a werewolf in pain, or stuck in a trap. I'd been told that traps were set in caves to catch meat which could be used for feasts, maybe a wolf got stuck in one. But it wasn't my business, I wasn't supposed to care…especially since the very creature I wanted to save just betrayed me.

I closed my eyes shoving the grunts to the back of my mind but then it came again, louder, filled with pain and this time, I couldn't ignore it.

I was definitely going to regret this but I had nothing to lose, if whatever I found killed me so be it, death was better than this hell.

Slowly, I rose to my feet following the sounds as I walked deeper into the cave system. The darkness grew thicker and thicker so much that all I could see was black. I had to hold onto the walls to avoid tripping.

As I grew closer to the creature, my breathing slowed, sandalwood and cinnamon filling my nostrils. The scent was so beautiful, so ethereal it awoke something inside me. Something I couldn't quite understand.

Then I found it. At the end of the cave was a beastly shaped man, metal chains clasped around his neck, wrists and ankles. I should've taken this as a sign to turn back and run away but my feet only moved closer and closer till I was right in front of the monster of a man.

He released another groan, pulling against the chains with such force it shook the caves. When his eyes met mine, it stole my breath away. His scent,  stronger than ever, filling me, taking control of me. It was enticing and beautiful but yet strong and masculine.

A voice spoke within me, thick with desire. “ Mate…”