Chapter Three

The night was cold and dark. As she stepped out of the building, she kept looking back, hoping, maybe Draven would follow her. She didn’t want to believe their marriage was nothing. She didn’t want to believe their mate bond meant nothing. She didn’t want to believe he didn’t love. She didn’t want to believe he would harm her. Ever.

But that was reality.

She booked a ride back to her parent’s house.

The door opened on her third knock.

“Luna,” the maid bowed then let her in.

“Cat?” her mother’s voiced echoed through the halls when she saw her.

She didn’t want this attention. Not tonight at least. But she had no where else to go.

“What is this? What is going on here? What are you doing here?” Her father, The almighty George Bamford fired at her.

“Cat, what’s wrong, were you crying?” Her mother said as she inched closer.

“What happened?” she questioned further.

“Don’t tell me you lost another child!” her father fired.

She hadn’t told her family about the current pregnancy. And this was the reason.

“Oh Cat, I hope not.” Her mother cried out.

“What are you doing wrong Cat? Why can’t you be like your mother? She never had a miscarriage!”

He yelled even louder.

“How long till the Vancouleys get sick of your inability to be a woman!”

Cat could only stare at him with tears in her eyes. She shouldn’t be crying. She should be used to these words by now. But how could she when they sting so much.

“I’m going to bed.” She said, then made her way towards the long stairs.

“Did you take permission from Veronica? Did she give you the permission to stay here for the night?” her mother yelled. Cat rolled her eyes. Fuck Vanessa and her authority.

The closer she got to her room, the faster the ran. Just when she was about to slam the door shut, someone stood there, blocking her.

She looked up, about to lash out. But it was her sister, Blair.

“Cat!” Blair jumped on her, giving her the warm, comforting hug she needed all evening.

“I’m sorry Cat. Sorry you are going through all this pain.” Blair whispered in her ear. And suddenly, the warmth of someone having her back filled her chest.

That night, Blair curled up beside her in bed. It reminded her of their childhood. How they both had each other’s backs on the roughest, darkest nights.

They didn’t know when they fell asleep.

But the loud banging on the door the next morning was proof they had a long night.

“Open up, you bitch!” their father’s voice roared through the walls.

The banging continued, and knowing who George Bamford was, he wouldn’t stop until the door came crashing down.

Blair jumped out of bed and opened the door.

He shoved her to the ground and pounced on Cat.

SLAP

He hit her across he face. Then again, and again, and again.

Blair cried out, begging. While their mother stood by the door, her face filled with sadness.

“George, we are getting late.” she finally said, her words stopped him.

“You better fix this mess you put our family name in.” he warned, then left the room.

“Cat. Veronica has summoned us to the pack house. We have only 10minutes.” Her mother said.

“Blair, get dressed, everyone has to be there.” She added then left.

Fuck. Cat wasn’t sure what to expect. But she knew it wasn’t good.

It took them 10 minutes to get ready, and soon, they were marching in to the pack house.

Each step they took towards, came with a thud in her heart.

The room was filled when they entered. With lords and notable families of the pack. Were they all here to watch her get punished by Veronica?

At the top center of the hall, sat Draven, and beside him was his mother veronica and sister Alexa. They all has the same spiteful look on their faces. She gulped, looking at the monsters she had live with for the past two years, waiting to pounce on her.

“Welcome lord Bamford,” Veronica said.

George returned her greeting with a short nod, then took his seat at the pack council members table. Cat’s mother and Blair also followed, leaving just Cat at the center, alone.

“We will make this quick because we all have better things to do.” Veronica said, acting bored. But Cat could see the thrill in her eyes.

“Today, we bring my daughter-in-law, the Luna of this pack in front of the pack council to judge her atrocious behavior.” She spoke with so much pride. Cat knew this was a dream come true for her, an opportunity to humiliate her publicly.

“You did unforgivable things Cat. You accused your husband, the Alpha of this pack of infidelity. You humiliated him at work, you threw false accusations around, and you threatened to divorce him and break the mate bond.”

Gasps and whispers filled the hall. Cat could feel her father’s anger and her mother’s disappointment from where she stood. She hated the feeling. She just wanted this to be over.

“But Cat is like a daughter to me. She has always been. And a mother has no choice but to forgive.” Veronica’s voice came soft, loving. And for a moment, Cat wondered if she really meant it. But who was she kidding? She knew Veronica, this was just part of her twisted game.

“I forgive you for puting our family to shame. All I need from you is a sincere apology to your husband and Alpha, Draven.”

Cat summoned the courage to look at Draven. He was seated, ego inflated. He was nothing but a pathetic mommy’s boy, and she wondered why she was just seeing it now.

“Beautiful of you to be so loving, Veronica. But the council will still punish her for her behavior” An old council member spoke. Cat caught Veronica’s little satisfactory smile.

Of course.

“And the severance of your punishment, depends on whether Alpha Draven forgives you, or not.” Another council member added.

The whole hall was quiet again. Waiting for her apology.

She knew after this, Draven would most likely forgive, get her back, and start a fresh lash of torture.

But what choice does she have?

She took a deep breath, looked up at Draven, and spoke.

“I Cat Vancouley, wife of Alpha Draven, Luna of the Vancouley pack, I…” her voice broke.

“I… apolo…” another crack.

“Say it already, Cat!” her mother begged from her seat.

“I apologize.” She said. She watched for their reactions, Then, she said, “Scratch that.”