CH. 3 THE ESCAPE!

Selena’s POV

I froze in my tracks as the girls stood behind me, a silent show of support that tugged at my heartstrings. The beta's gaze settled on the luggage, his brow furrowing.

"Where are you going with all this?" he inquired, his tone filled with suspicion.

Squaring my shoulders, I met his questioning stare head-on. "I'm leaving the packhouse for a while with the girls," I stated, injecting as much confidence into my voice as I could muster.

But Luke was not to be swayed. "Don't lie to me, Seli," he reprimanded. "I am not a child, I know you are trying to run away. Why are you trying to leave? You are supposed to be grateful to Madison that she is trying to help the Alpha with a part of her."

I scoffed, unable to believe his heartless dismissal of my pain. Turning to the children, I placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "Wait here," I said, my voice soft.

With that, I stepped outside, shutting the door firmly behind me until I stood face-to-face with the beta.

"How can you say that?" I accused, my anger bubbling to the surface. "I thought you were my friend, Luke. And yet, you knew my husband was sleeping with Madison, and you didn't think to tell me?"

Luke's expression hardened. "I had to be loyal to my Alpha," he stated flatly. "And this is for a good cause. Stop acting like a spoiled brat and go back to bed. The Alpha is waiting for you."

I recoiled as if struck. "Spoiled brat? How would you feel if your husband of eight years went and got someone else pregnant without telling you? Why am I telling you this anyway? You would never understand my pain!" I declared, my voice trembling with barely restrained anger. "I’m leaving with my daughters, and there is nothing you can do to stop me. I don't want to be his Luna anymore, I want a divorce. My lawyer is going to serve him the papers in the morning."

The beta's eyes narrowed. "The Alpha is going to hear from your lawyer in the morning, is that it?" he mocked. "Why don't you save yourself the stress and just go back to your room? He still loves you; he is just doing what is best for the Knightstorm pack."

I shook my head hotly. "He doesn't value or want me anymore," I snapped. "Now get out of my way."

Turning on my heel, I pushed the door back open, ushering the children outside. But as I caught sight of their confused, frightened expressions, my determination faltered.

"It's going to be okay," I murmured, forcing a reassuring smile. "We are just leaving a little earlier than expected."

The girls walked forward, and I grabbed the remaining luggage, hurrying them along. But as we reached the main gate of the packhouse, Luke reappeared, his large body blocking our path. A team of warriors surrounded him, their expressions ugly.

"You all need to go back inside," the beta commanded. "Seli, you of all people should know the Alpha still loves you. Madison will just be his mistress and the mother of his heir."

I glared at him, my fury circling in my core. "I demand you get out of my way!" I yelled. "I am the Luna, you can't treat me like a goddamn prisoner!"

But the warriors refused to budge, their stubborn stances an undefeatable wall. When I tried to push past them, one of the men shoved me back, and I tumbled to the floor with a heavy thud.

The girls crowded around me, their cries filling the air. "Mommy, what's happening?" Lily wept, her eyes burning with tears.

Sitting up, I pinned the stiff warriors with an arrogant glare. It was laughable how quickly they had turned their backs on me, forgetting that I was not just their Luna but a co-owner of this pack.

Taking a steady breath, I scooped Lily into my arms, rocking her gently. "It's okay, my darling," I murmured, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "The trip is just delayed, that's all."

But inwardly, I was seething. I had to find a way out of this imprisonment, even if no one would let me leave. Sparing one last, anguished glance at Luke, I rose to my feet, leading the girls back into the packhouse.

***

A sharp pain pierced my chest, jolting me awake. Clutching at my heart, I sat up in bed, Lily sleeping calmly beside me. The room was covered in the soft spark of morning light—I must have slept longer than I intended.

Lena howled in anguish inside me. "Our mate is with another woman!" she cried, her voice hoarse. "We must find out what he is up to, the pain is too much!"

Slipping on my flip-flops, I climbed out of the bedroom, the sound of a violin filling my ears. As I stepped into the living room, my heart clenched at the sight before me.

The spacious area was filled with pack members of high rank, all seated around someone on the couch. Gifts were piled high, and the musicians abruptly stopped playing as I approached.

I could hear the voices now—Mrs. Clair, my mother-in-law, was speaking in a worshipful tone.

"You will never lack anything in life, my dear," she proclaimed, her gaze fixed on someone seated on the sofa. "As the one who will soon bless our pack with an heir, I will ensure you are well cared for."

My breath caught in my throat as I recognized the woman—Madison. She was dressed in a beautiful white dress and had a flowery crown on her head, as if she was the Luna. Dominic's large hand was resting protectively on her flat stomach, beaming with pride.

"I just knew this child would be as beautiful as its mother and as strong as me," he declared, pressing a gentle kiss to Madison's pale cheek.

A pretty blush bloomed on her cheeks, and my wolf groaned in anger, the pain piercing through my chest, leaving me paralyzed. No one seemed to notice my presence, except for Madison, whose green eyes widened as they landed on me.

"S-Selena!" She gasped, drawing every gaze in the room to me.

Dominic's expression shifted to one of minor surprise. "I didn't think you'd join the celebration, given how angry you were," he commented casually. "But I'm glad to see you have come to your senses."

I scoffed, struggling to shove down the anger and hurt that threatened to spill over. "It's nice to see that the pack members have chosen their new Luna," I bit out, my voice breaking with a sob. "I suppose I was just a placeholder since I couldn't provide an heir."

Dominic opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off. "My lawyer will be here shortly," I declared, the tears I'd fought so hard to contain now streaking down my cheeks. "Don't forget to sign the divorce papers."

With that, I fled, racing back towards the refuge of my daughters' room. I pressed my back against the hard door, willing Dominic to give chase and try and stop me. But the betraying sound of his footsteps faded, and I slid to the floor, my tears leaking harder now, and I was gagging and choking myself.

The image of Dominic and Madison, blissfully satisfied, tormented me. I hated myself for still loving him and for clinging to the man I had once known.

A small hand on my shoulder drew my gaze upward, and I found Anna's innocent eyes watching me with concern. "Mommy, don't cry," she soothed. "Everything is going to be okay, just like you always say."

I pulled her into a tight hug, my heart swelling with love for my children. They were my world, my reason for being. And in that moment, I knew what I had to do.

Removing myself from Anna's hold, I turned to Lily and Rose, who had now joined us. "My little princesses, we are going on that trip today, and dad isn’t going to be joining us," I announced, grabbing the only suitcase that had been returned.

As I ushered them out of the room, the noise from the living room faded into the background. Everyone was too preoccupied with gushing over Madison to notice our departure. This was my chance.

Hurrying across the courtyard, I made my way to the garage, my eyes landing on Dominic's prized sports car, his favorite one. A warrior stood nearby, cleaning the sleek car with a cloth.

"The keys, please," I demanded, holding out my hand.

The warrior hesitated. "But the Alpha didn't—"

Before he could finish, I snatched the keys from his grasp. "I'm taking this car," I declared, brooking no argument.

Ushering the girls into the backseat, I slid behind the steering wheels, taking a deep breath. As I started the engine, my gaze caught sight of Dominic, running towards us, his face filled with concern.

"Where the hell are you going?!?" he shouted, pounding on the trunk of the car.

"We are leaving you," I replied, my voice filled with pain. "Since you no longer want us in your life, don’t forget to have fun with your new Luna, and please treat her better."

"What nonsense are you saying? Get out of that car now that I am asking nicely!" He barked like a bulldog as I rolled up the window, muffling his voice.

With that, I drove through the open gate, my daughters casting one last look at their father. "Why is Daddy so angry?" Anna inquired, her brow furrowed.

I offered no response, my focus only on the empty streets outside. I had to get my daughters to safety, away from this toxic environment and the man who had so heartlessly betrayed us.