Betrayal Runs Deep

A hush fell over the vast hall, thick with the scent of burning torches and the pressure of a thousand gazes. Bella remained frozen in the middle, her breath caught in her throat and her heart pounding like war drums against her chest. The experience was odd, resembling a distressing nightmare she was desperately trying to escape.

 "Will you be my mate, Agnes?"

Marcus' intense, emotion-laden voice resonated throughout the hall, overpowering all whispers and murmurs. His words cut through Bella like a venomous blade, every utterance a fresh torment, a treachery beyond understanding.

Her fingers moved slightly at her sides. Her lips opened, yet no sounds came out. A cold dread crawled down her back, coiling around her like a serpent. This was not happening. It might not be occurring.

 Agnes shouted, placing a gentle hand on her heart as tears of joy filled her eyes. "Absolutely!" she exclaimed, her tone filled with pride.

 The room burst into applause.

Bella's breathing was rapid and irregular as she struggled to understand. We were supposed to announce us to the pack, not this.

 Her sight blurred as Marcus placed a ring on Agnes' finger, solidifying the connection that was meant for her. Reality hit her like a gust of wind, nearly causing her to lose her balance. She took a step back, her heart racing in her ears.

 Her friend was choosing another.

 Every part of her insisted that this was incorrect. Partners were meant to care for each other and cherish the bond that the Moon Goddess had granted to them. How could Marcus ignore it like it meant nothing?

She forced her feet to move, her body propelled forward by sheer will. She had to stop this. She had to make sense of it.

 "Marcus—"

He turned away from her before she could reach him, heading toward the high table where Alpha Cyrus and Luna Helena sat. His posture was strong, confident, utterly unbothered by the devastation he had just inflicted.

 "Greetings, Alpha and Luna," Marcus said, bowing before them. His voice held none of the tenderness that had been there last night. "I would like to seek your permission to mark your daughter, Agnes."

 Bella recoiled as if struck.

 The hall swayed around her. She clasped her hands over her ears, willing his words away. This couldn't be real. It was a mistake. A misunderstanding.

 "No!"

 Her scream shattered through the hall, bouncing off the stone walls. Every head turned, all eyes landing on her. Some were filled with pity, others with amusement. But Marcus—Marcus barely spared her a glance.

 Her wolf, Hilda, snarled in anguish, her pain mirroring Bella’s own. The mate bond that had once filled them with warmth now burned like fire, searing through every nerve in her body.

 "Whose pup is this?" Alpha Cyrus' voice rang with irritation as he scowled in her direction.

Luna Helena's lips curled in distaste. "She is Linda’s, the Omega," she spat, as though the words themselves were filth on her tongue.

 Bella flinched, but before she could say anything, warm hands gripped her arms. Her mother. Linda’s face was etched with confusion and worry, her grip firm yet pleading. "Bella, please," she whispered, bowing deeply before the Alpha. "Forgive her outburst. I will take care of this."

 "See that you do," Alpha Cyrus warned. "Or I will have her thrown in the dungeon."

 A shudder rippled through Bella at the threat, but nothing could have prepared her for what came next.

 "Actually, Alpha," Marcus said, his voice void of hesitation, "she was a mistake made by the Moon Goddess."

 The hall gasped in unison.

Bella's knees gave way, and her breath snagged in her throat.

 Is this an error?

Her partner. The man who embraced her murmured his affection against her skin and promised to stay with her—had now called her a mistake.

Her fingers curled into trembling fists as she stared at him, searching for any sign of remorse or doubt. But there was none, only cold, unyielding certainty.

"Everyone here knows that Agnes and I are destined mates," Marcus continued smoothly, as if he were merely recounting an old tale. "We’ve known since childhood."

 Murmurs of agreement filled the room.

 "I don't understand," Bella whispered. "Why?"

 Her mother covered her mouth with a hand, begging her to stay quiet, but the words had already escaped.

 Marcus sneered, his green eyes clouding with a strange emotion. "Fool, why won’t you understand?" he sneered. "You’re an Omega—a weakling of a mate. You are of no use to a powerful breed like me."

His words landed like a physical blow, each syllable another knife to the heart.

A wave of cheers erupted as the Alpha grinned, stepping forward to clasp Marcus' and Agnes’ hands together.

 "This is a proud day," Alpha Cyrus declared, beaming. "Our future Alpha and Luna, together at last!"

The clapping intensified, overpowering the noise of Bella's panicked gasps.

 Her universe had collapsed, and it appeared that no one was concerned.

 Tears burned her eyes, yet she would not weep. Not yet. Not in front of them.

Agnes turned to her with a slow, deliberate smile. "Bella."

Bella swallowed hard, pushing down the sob clawing its way up her throat.

 Agnes tilted her head, eyes gleaming with false kindness. "Whatever you had with Marcus, I allowed it."

 Bella stiffened.

"I let him enjoy his mate one last time," Agnes continued, her voice laced with venom. "Even though he hated the idea."

The room fell silent, all ears tuned to her cruel confession.

 "You repulsed him," she added, her tone saccharine. "But I suppose it doesn’t matter now. He’s going to be Alpha, and I—" She leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper, "I will be your Luna."

Bella’s vision swam. The pain was unbearable. Every word was another twist of the knife.

She turned away, willing herself to leave, to find even the smallest scrap of dignity. But then—

"Bella, this is meant to be," Marcus said.

 His voice was softer now, almost… pleading.

 She turned back, searching for the man she loved, the one she had trusted.

 He was standing beside Agnes, his stance firm, but there was something in his expression—hesitation?

 "With all the pack members of the Greywolf present and bearing witness," he continued, his voice growing steadier, "I, Marcus Newton, son of Beta Newton, hereby reject you, Bella Manuel, daughter of Linda Manuel, as my mate."

 A silence heavier than stone filled the room.

 Bella's wolf let out a broken, agonized howl.

 Agnes smiled, wicked and victorious, before pulling Marcus into a deep kiss.

  The sight broke Bella completely.

 Her knees struck the ground as the agony coursed through her, causing her to gasp for air. She grasped her chest, as if she could actually keep the fragments of her shattering heart intact.

Laughter resounded around her, harsh and derisive.

 For the first time ever, she genuinely grasped the meaning of being powerless.