Ch. 8 - Friends or Foes

Kiera POV -

I planned to locate my husband and force him to reject me, but as I walked down the street, I saw Devon entering his house with a large bag slung over his shoulder. I hadn't seen him in days, and I needed to know what he knew about all of it: Marcus, the Second Lunas, Jackson. I marched up to his porch and pounded on the door.

"Kiera!" Surprise filled his voice as he opened the door. "You're still here?"

"Of course, I'm still here. Where else would I be?" I snapped at him.

Devon looked around nervously. He seemed out of place, maybe even frightened.

"Do you know what the other Alphas are doing to these poor women? What Jackson has done?" I shouted at him, more like an accusation than a question.

"Calm down, okay. Come in." He opened the door for me to enter.

My body trembled, my mouth felt dry, and my heart raced angrily. So many emotions swirled within me that I couldn't think clearly anymore. The memory of what I had just witnessed between my husband and that woman threatened to ignite Athena's rage. I struggled to control myself, to reign in my wolf, but it was an immense challenge, especially in the face of such betrayal from everyone around me.

"I know there is a lot going on, and I don't agree with it all, but Kiera, until this war is over, we have no choice," his voice was stern with me.

"No choice! We always have a choice, Devon."

"I'm begging you to think rationally before doing something foolish. There is so much you don't know, but at the end of the day, we have a serious threat on our backs."

His eyes pleaded with me, but I was too angry to care. I wanted to rip his heart out, then find Jackson and do the same to him.

"I'll tell you something important, okay, but you have to promise to keep it a secret," he stepped closer to me.

I crossed my arms, trying to contain the storm of pain and hurt I felt inside. "Tell me, Devon."

"The Dark Wolves are ruled by many Alphas. The real reason they're invading the South is to find those responsible for taking their sisters. I have a plan and already set up a meeting with one of their generals, hoping to make a deal. If it works, we can hopefully end this war. Once that threat is eliminated, then you can go on a rampage with all the Alphas here. I promise I'll help you right all the wrongs."

I was silent for a moment. I didn't care about the North, but I couldn't ignore their threat. I wanted to kill Jackson as much as Athena did, but the danger of the North was real.

I sighed, realizing that if there was a chance to end the war that had plagued us for over ten years, I had to put my personal feelings aside.

"When are you meeting this general?"

"Tonight. I'm leaving shortly to meet him at a secure location." He moved quickly to his bookshelf and opened a lockbox. "Take this. If anything happens to me, promise me that Tracy and our child will be okay."

"Devon!" My eyes widened in shock. "Your child?" My heart began racing again. Did I know nothing about what was going on in my pack?

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. So much has happened. Please, just take this. Promise me that you'll protect them if anything happens to me." He handed me his will.

"Devon... I don't understand."

"I'm sorry for everything. I have to protect my family first, and I hope one day you can understand that. Watch your back, and don't trust anyone, even our pack." He grabbed his bag and shoved a few papers in it.

"Why would I need to fear my own pack?" There was so much more going on, and my head was spinning.

He looked down shamefully and then back at me. "You're strong, Kiera, and incredibly desirable. People bow to you out of fear. Most women envy you, and all the men desire you, but none genuinely care for you. Your wolf gives this pack strength beyond any others. They won't lose that strength, even if it means betraying you."

"I don't understand, Devon."

"Mates become stronger when they mark each other. Alphas become stronger the more they mark."

I stepped back in disgust. "Are you saying everyone wants these women to be enslaved so their pack is stronger? They would want that of me?" I shook my head. This wasn't the world I lived in!

"Not everyone, but the majority. Just stay out of it for now. So much needs to be fixed." Devon wiped his face with his hand. I could see the heavy weight that lay on his shoulders. I didn't understand; too much happened in too little time to comprehend everything. I knew Devon was serious about this, even willing to risk his life.

"I won't tell anyone, Devon. I swear this to you, and if anything goes wrong, I will protect your family. Go, meet this general and broker a deal for us to see real peace." I stepped to the side to let him gather the rest of his things.

I had to let him go and try to help our packs here in the South, and I needed to finish what I started with my husband.

Approaching the roaring bonfire, I noticed the red-headed woman engaged in conversation with our members. Athena flashed forward, insisting that we eliminate her on the spot.

The woman's red lips smiled brightly at my sister, triggering a fresh wave of rage within me. I was on the brink of letting Athena take over when I noticed the mark on her neck and a small bump growing on her belly.

Jackson never rejected her! He did the exact opposite.

I felt like I could crumble at this woman's feet. Athena became quiet, reluctantly allowing me to handle the situation. She can be an uncontrollable beast, but she wouldn't kill an unborn child.

"There she is! Are you happy our Alpha is in the medical ward from your betrayal?" The redheaded woman shouted as I approached her, and everyone gathered around.

"I didn't know about you or any of this." I tried to speak calmly, completely lost on how to handle any of theis. Everything in my life was a damn lie!

"Don't act like you had no idea. I had enough of this stupid little game you're making my mate play. I'm the rightful Luna of this pack, and now everyone knows it." She sneered.

I guess the last few hours that I was suffering from rejecting my cheating husband; she was here telling lies about how it all happened.

"No! I didn't know anything about this. He lied to me! He said he rejected you." I said through gritted teeth, my attempt at a calm tone barely concealing the anger simmering beneath the surface.

"You knew about his fated?" My sister, Katherine, gasped in horror. "So, it's true then. I can't believe you deceived us all this time. I'm ashamed to call you my sister." She was sure to be loud enough for everyone to hear her, too.

My hands fisted at my side, and I struggled to keep Athena from ripping out her little eyes from her head. "Yes! I knew about his fated, but Jackson told me he rejected her." I tried to explain, but as I looked around, no one seemed as enraged as I was. In fact, they looked at me like I was the one deceiving them this whole time.

"Oh please, Kiera." The redheaded woman waved her hand at me like I was a silly child. "You want us to believe that Jackson lied about rejecting his fated, and you, of all people, didn't realize it. I thought you were some rare and powerful Luna." Her voice was smooth and sadistic at the same time. "It's obvious you made Jackson hide me like I wasn't worthy of my rightful title. Your jealousy weakened all of us, and I won't tolerate it anymore."

"Tolerate it? I don't owe you an explanation. You are nothing to me, and I won't stand for this. When I see Jackson, I will make him reject me; then I will carve out his heart." My eyes turned black as midnight, and Athena's tone echoed with a formidable power.

Jackson's fated mate stepped back behind Katherine, placing a protective hand over her belly. The entire crowd cowered in fear of me, and it only made me want to scream more.

"I won't have this! She is not our Luna, and Jackson is not our Alpha!" Athena declared, but it did little to help any turn to our side.

A man with dark blue eyes stepped forward, peering down at me. Of all the people here, it had to be him, the one who could set me off even more.

Alpha Marcus put a hand to Katherine's shoulder. "I think you should try and calm your sister, for all the pack's sake. I alerted Alpha Jackson she is here, but he is still at the medical ward suffering from her little stunt earlier."

"Of course, Alpha. I've been handling her ever since my parents died." Katherine shined her eyes up to him, and he smirked like a dirty weasel back to her.

"Handle me? I'm the one that was lied to! I'm your Luna, and this is my territory. You won't dare tell me I need to be handled or to calm down," I spat out defiantly.

The crowd became increasingly fearful, everyone taking a few steps back.

"Kiera, I know this is a hard transition." Marcus moved closer to me, and I viscously growled at him.

"I'm Luna to you." I snapped at him.

He took a step back and sighed with annoyance. "My wife Karen can help ease your trouble. Why don't you let her take you back home? Take some time to think about your actions before you do something you'll soon regret."

"Is that a threat?" Athena came forward, locking eyes with Alpha Marcus. He sneered at me for daring to challenge him but quickly averted his gaze from my dominant stare.

"No, just friendly advice. We don't want to hurt you. We're not the enemy. Your wolf seems confused, and I think it's best you leave before she hurts an innocent bystander," he calmly advised.

I looked around at everyone, and not a soul was on my side here. Everyone looked at me like I was the monster. My eyes landed on Karen, a first wife and chosen mate to Alpha Marcus. She looked terrified to make the wrong move. Then I saw Becky, and there was sorrow in her eyes. She understood. She had to believe me.

"Becky, you know I wouldn't do this! You know this isn't right! Tell them." I half pleaded to her.

"Kiera, you are not Jackson's fated. We can tell just by her scent that she is marked by him and that she carries his child. Know your place. Go home and take the time you need."

"Right, I'm not his fated." I half laughed at the whole situation. My anger all but washed away, and sadness filled every cell of my body. "You all want your rightful Luna?" My voice carried across the field with sorrow.

No one said a word back to me. They didn't have to; I could see it in their eyes.

"It's time to go home, Kiera," Marcus said my name, making me growl at him again.

"I'll take you home, and we can have a sleepover. Don't worry, I'm here for you." Katherine put her arm around my shoulder, and all I could think about was snapping it off her body.

"I never needed you before, and I don't need you now." My words were harsh, and Katherine faked tears as she ran to the woman who was marked and pregnant by my husband.

"It's ok, Katherine. She just needs some time. I'm sure your sister loves you dearly and didn't mean what she said." This woman, a stranger to our pack, looked motherly and warm as she hugged my sister. The crowd praised her and completely disregarded me.

I couldn't say a word. I couldn't move; I couldn't even cry. How could Jackson do this to me? For months, probably years, he looked me in the eyes and spoke nothing but lies to me.

He held me in his arms and told me he loved me and that I was his one and only. I was his wife, his mate; he said I was his whole world. It was all a lie. Now, even my pack hated me, viewing me as a traitor.

I turned and sprinted to my house as fast as I could. The omegas working there fell silent as I entered the door, and none dared to meet my gaze. Whispers surrounded me, and my stomach dropped.

"Kiera is back. Should we alert the guards?"

"She deserves everything coming to her for keeping our rightful Luna from us."

"She rejected Jackson after almost being attacked by the Dark Wolves. I always thought she was selfish."

I rushed upstairs before breaking down in front of everyone. I became the outcast, wrongly labeled a villain for merely trusting an arrogant man.

Packing a small bag, I fled from home. My wolf emerged, and Athena urged our legs as far and as fast as they could go. I couldn't face them or endure more lies and hateful comments.

Emotions overwhelmed me: hurt, betrayal, sadness, emptiness, rage, and depression. I felt a mounting pressure inside me, unsure how to cope with it all.

In that turmoil, one thing was clear: Jackson needed to pay, and I would be the one to make him suffer. Allowing Athena to take over, I became filled with hatred and a thirst for revenge, wanting him to feel as low and worthless as I did right now.