Chapter 2

The next day, I got into a vehicle bound for the Graymoon Pack.

The car rolled out of the gates and made its way toward the border.

I was just moments away from crossing the pack’s territory when the vehicle came to a screeching halt. The sound of hurried footsteps came from behind.

The door was flung open, and there Kieran was.

He frowned. “Raina, why are you leaving without saying a word?”

I looked at him, confused, thinking, ‘Didn’t I tell you yesterday?’

As he carried me out of the car, I spotted Beta Cael behind him. A squad of Gammas even surrounded my ride.

I scowled. “What’s the meaning of this, Kieran?”

Celeste popped out of nowhere before Kieran had a chance to answer.

She burst into tears ahead of Kieran. “Raina, we’ve always welcomed you with open arms. Why would you do this?”

I furrowed my brows. “What did I do?”

Kieran looked grim, his eyes glued to my face. “Raina, Celeste told me that you’ve betrayed the Frostfang Pack.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“I betrayed the Frostfang Pack? What makes you say that?”

Dabbing her eyes, Celeste said, “A witness saw you sending a raven from the pack border in the middle of the night. The bird was carrying the Blackclaw Pack’s mark on its leg.

“The Blackclaw Pack is our enemy. Why were you contacting them? Were you planning to join forces with them to bring down the Frostfang Pack?”

I locked eyes with Kieran, my voice rising without me realizing. “I have done nothing of that sort! I don’t even know a single wolf from the Blackclaw Pack!”

Celeste wouldn’t even look at me. Instead, she turned to Kieran and grabbed his hand, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Alpha, even if Raina is your mate, she’s betrayed the pack. Are you really going to take her side after what she’s done?”

Not saying a word, Kieran stood there and looked at me in ways he had never before.

It took a while before he spoke up, his voice devoid of emotion. “As the Alpha, I have a duty to protect my pack.

“Lock Raina in the cell. You will remain there until I get to the bottom of this.”

Two guards came forward to pin me down. Struggling against their grip, I said, “Kieran, I have never once thought of betraying the pack! Why won’t you believe me?”

Instead of answering me, Kieran remained still and watched indifferently as I was taken away.

I was thrown into a cell.

The cell was dark and cold. I spent the whole night slumped against the wall.

The next day, the door swung open, and Celeste entered on her own.

Celeste closed the door behind her and towered over me with a sneer. “Raina, so what if you’re Kieran’s mate? He doesn’t have any trust in you.”

I lifted my chin to meet her eyes. “I never reached out to the Blackclaw Pack. You set me up.”

Celeste grinned. “That’s irrelevant. The point is that the whole pack thinks you’re a traitor. The council is deciding on your punishment now.

“Don't tell me you actually mistook Kieran's indulgence for love! He only mated with you because of that silly treaty. I’m the one he truly loves, and I will always be!”

I stared at Celeste as rage overwhelmed me.

Even when I made plans to break the mate bond and leave the pack, Celeste still felt the need to frame me for high treason.

Celeste grabbed me by the hair and dragged me toward a silver-plated cell.

I put up a fight, only to be struck across the face.

She shoved me into the silver holding cell and stood at the door with a smirk.

“Stop fighting it. Even if you die here, no one’s coming to save you.”

The door to the silver-lined cell slammed shut behind me.

The silver was agonizing, its very presence eating away at my already fragile wolf until I could barely feel it anymore.

I curled up in a corner as Celeste’s footsteps faded into the distance.