Chapter 1

Miranda's Point of View

"Everyone, tonight we'll burn the wicked and jealous Luna who killed the Alpha's only heir," the pack's Seer announced.

I shook my head desperately in disagreement. "I didn't—I didn't kill anyone." I tried to defend myself, but no one was listening to me.

Everyone was just screaming:

"We must kill her!"

"She must pay for killing the Alpha's only heir!"

"What a wicked and jealous queen!"

"She's a taboo to our pack!"

As if their cruel words weren't enough, they began throwing rotten food and stones at me. The people who once loved and trusted me had completely turned their backs on me and were now calling for my death.

"We'll send her to the underworld tonight, and by the power vested in me by the Moon Goddess, I declare woe on your soul. May you perish and never be reincarnated!" the Seer said, then walked towards a bonfire. He picked a burning piece of wood from the flames and faced me.

"Luna, I'd advise you to tell us the truth, and we can give you an easier and lighter death sentence," he told me in a convincing tone, but I turned away from him.

My teary eyes desperately searched the crowd until they landed on my mate—my husband. He was holding onto his crying mistress, consoling her. We locked eyes—my hopeful gaze met his emotionless one.

"Lorenzo, you know me. I could never hurt you. I would never even think of hurting you. Believe me," I cried.

"I believe you, my love, but there's concrete evidence against you," he replied, his voice void of all emotion. But that didn’t stop me from trying to get him to rescue me.

"Don't believe in that evidence. I'm innocent—I did not poison Jerry."

He shook his head. "I'm hurt too, seeing you in this position. But this is the law. Justice must be served," he said, still clinging tightly to Mia—his mistress.

Hearing his cold response, different questions began flooding my mind at that moment:

If he's hurt, why is he holding another woman?

Why isn't he making any effort to rescue me?

We were such a loving couple.

I didn’t even blame him when he cheated on me with our pack’s cook and got her pregnant.

How on earth did we come to this in the twinkle of an eye?

I couldn't help but replay the events that took place months ago—the event that changed our lives.

> Five Months Ago – Alpha's Mansion <<

I was helping Lorenzo get ready for a meeting when someone suddenly knocked on our bedroom door.

"Who's there?" I asked.

"It's me, Vincenzo," our Beta—Lorenzo’s elder and twin brother—replied from outside the door.

"Come in," Lorenzo ordered.

A frown appeared on my face the moment he gave the order. I looked down at my half-naked body and wondered if he couldn’t see it, but I didn’t argue. I simply snatched a blanket and wrapped it around myself.

The door pushed open and Vincenzo entered. His eyes lingered on me briefly, and he gulped nervously before turning to Lorenzo.

"Lorenzo, Mia's—"

"I'm your Alpha!" Lorenzo arrogantly cut him off.

Vincenzo clenched his jaw and took a deep breath before continuing. "Alpha, Mia is in the hospital. Her son has been poisoned," he reported.

I was helping Lorenzo with his tie when Vincenzo dropped the bombshell. He pushed my hands away immediately and faced Vincenzo with a deep frown as worry and concern overtook his expression.

"What do you mean her son has been poisoned? How did it happen?!" he growled.

Mia was the pack's cook, but she seduced Lorenzo one night. They had a passionate encounter, which led to her pregnancy, and she gave birth to Lorenzo's son—his only heir.

"Take me to her," he told Vincenzo, then faced me with a stern expression. "You're coming with us!" Without leaving room for argument, he rushed out.

Vincenzo gave me an apologetic, sympathetic look. "Change into something else. I'll make him wait until you're ready," he said.

"Thank you," I replied as I quickly rushed to the closet.

******

"Doctor, what is wrong with my son?" Lorenzo asked as soon as we entered Mia's son's—Jerry’s—ward. A doctor was checking Jerry’s temperature and running other tests.

"Talk to me, doctor!" Lorenzo urged, using a bit of his Alpha tone, and the doctor quickly turned to him.

"We’ve carried out a series of tests on him, and our conclusion is... it’s moonflower poison," the doctor reported.

Moonflower... That’s a contraband item. How could it still be found in our pack?

"Moonflower poison?" Lorenzo growled. "Is there anything you can do to save him?"

The doctor shook his head dejectedly. "I'm afraid not. Moonflower poison is extremely deadly, and there’s no cure for it..."

Lorenzo didn’t let the doctor finish his words before he landed a slap on my face. My brows furrowed and my mouth fell open as I stared at him, wondering what I had done to deserve that slap.

"This must be your handiwork!" he barked at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You can't bear me any children, and now that I've found someone who can give me as many children as I want, you're not happy about it—and that’s why you poisoned my son, right?!" he accused me bluntly.

My frown deepened. "You can't accuse me just like that, Lorenzo. I haven’t even seen the boy since he was born, and besides, we were both in the room when Vincenzo brought the news." I defended myself.

He scoffed.

"You’re a desperate bitch, and you’d go to any length just to get what you want! You could send someone to poison him on your behalf."

Tears brimmed in my eyes as I tried to make sense of his accusation. Since his entanglement with Mia, he's been nothing but mean and cruel toward me. But I didn’t let that bother me because I thought he was just bitter that I couldn’t give him children. I didn’t know it would come to this—him accusing me of poisoning an innocent child.

"And don’t think you’ll get away with this. I’ll make sure you—"

"Calm down, Lorenzo. You can’t accuse her without proper investigation," Vincenzo said, protectively standing in front of me.

"Shut the fuck up!" Lorenzo hissed, pushing him away. "This is my family matter, and I’ll handle it as I see fit!"

Vincenzo wanted to challenge him, but I intervened before Lorenzo could turn the ward upside down.

"Honestly, Lorenzo, you have to trust me—I didn’t poison him..." He cut me off with another slap. My eyes subconsciously glanced at Mia. I saw her sniffling a laugh—but only for a brief second.

"You must be very stupid to think I’d believe your pathetic excuses." He rushed toward Mia and engulfed her in a comforting embrace. "Guards, take this evil woman to the dungeon. Don’t let her out until I say so!" he ordered.

I fell to my knees, shaking my head desperately. "I swear, I'm innocent, Lorenzo!" I pleaded, but he didn’t listen.

The guards came, grabbed my arms, and dragged me away.

> Present Day <<

After spending months in the dungeon—with no regular water and only a slice of bread each day—I’ve been let out to face my death. Mia's son didn’t survive. The moonflower poison was somehow found in my jewelry box, and now there’s no way I can prove my innocence.

"Do it!" he commanded the Seer, who was still holding the burning wood.

My fear intensified. I shook my head as tears endlessly flowed down my face. I tried to take steps back with each step he took toward me, but I couldn’t run away because my hands and legs were tied to a pillar.

"Don’t—don’t do this to me, Lorenzo! I’m innocent! I swear, I’m innocent!" I cried.

Everyone was urging the Seer to start the fire immediately. There was nothing I could do. I was completely hopeless. I couldn’t believe this was how my life was going to end. Finally accepting my fate, I closed my eyes and awaited my death.

But just as the Seer neared me, a familiar voice suddenly interrupted him, shouting loudly at the top of his voice.

"Stop!"