Chapter 3

LIZABELLA

One day!

Just one day!

How did everything go wrong in just one day?

Before I could even process what had happened, the little girl I was holding screamed, ‘Dad!’ and slipped out of my arms. 

I froze as she ran straight into the arms of the first man who had just jumped down from the top of the tree.

I reached out instinctively. “Wait…”

But then it hit me, she had said Dad.

My hand dropped and my chest went tight as I watched her bury her face into his shoulder, laughing and crying all at once. 

The other two men joined in beside him, and in a heartbeat, the three of them were surrounding her. The little girl clung to them like she had been waiting her whole life for that moment.

“No!” I muttered under my breath, shaking my head. “No, I’m not doing this. I’m leaving.”

I turned sharply, but before I could take a step, one of them rushed to my side and grabbed my wrist. 

“Where are you going?” He asked, eyes darkening.

“Let me go!” I said, yanking at his hold. 

“You have no right to leave,” another said. “Not when you are our mate.”

I froze again. “What did you just say?”

The one holding me met my eyes. “You heard me.”

I laughed. “Oh no. No, I have every right to leave.” I pulled again, but his grip only tightened.

The third one stepped closer, his expression unreadable.

“You know what?” I said, raising my chin. “Let’s settle this right here. I reject you and I reject this bond, so please, let me go.”

For a moment, silence, then the second one spoke, his gaze darkening. “You have no right to reject my brothers and I.”

And that was when I noticed their identical faces.

“What the hell…” I whispered. “What did I just get myself into?”

“I don't want to  have anything to do with either of you,” I said louder this time. “So please, let me go.”

The first one, still holding the little girl, finally spoke. “Let her go.”

The other two hesitated, then released me.

I stumbled back, catching my breath. 

“Thank you,” I muttered, assuming he must be the eldest of them. Then I turned and started walking.

I walked for what felt like hours because the forest seemed endless, until I finally saw a road. Across it, was the Packhouse and I forced myself forward, step by step, until I reached the gates.

The guards there rushed toward me the second they saw the state I was in. “Luna! Are you alright? You’re bleeding…”

“I’m fine,” I cut them off, though my voice trembled. My legs felt like they’d collapse any second, but I straightened my back. 

“I’m fine,” I repeated.

They exchanged worried glances. One stepped forward again. “Let us help you to the clinic…”

“No,” I said quickly. “I can make it myself. Stay at your posts.”

Their hesitation lingered, but I didn’t wait for them to respond. I walked inside, each step heavier than the last, and somehow found my way to the clinic.

I sat through the treatment in silence because I wanted to silence the questions, and the fear. But I couldn’t.

What had just happened? What had unfolded in barely 24 hours?

First, I had lost my baby. Then Jerry, my mate, and my supposed future Alpha cheated on me with Josie, of all people. And now… this? Being mated to three brothers?

What the hell was happening to my life?

When the nurse finished, I left without another word. I went straight to my room, locked the door, and collapsed on the bed. 

Tomorrow. I told myself. I will deal with it tomorrow.

Then, I forced myself to bathe, changed into my pajamas, and crawled into bed. The next morning, I woke up to a series of knocks that felt like they were hammering straight through my skull.

“Come in,” I groaned.

A maid stepped inside, looking nervous. 

“Luna, I apologize for waking you, but Alpha Jerry has called for an emergency meeting with the elders and your presence is required in the Council Hall.”

I sat up, blinking. “What’s going on?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know, my lady. I was only told to call you.”

“Alright,” I muttered. “You can go.”

Once she left, I dragged myself out of bed, brushed my teeth, and wore something comfortable, but formal enough for the council. My mind still felt foggy, but I forced myself to keep moving until I stood at the doors of the Council Hall.

When I entered, my heart sank at the sight of Jerry sitting at the head of the table.

“What is this?” I asked, frowning.

“Sit down.” One of the elders, Elder Ryker said. “We wish to understand what we’re hearing, that you’re calling off your marriage with Jerry.”

“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “Because he cheated on me with my best friend, caused me to lose my baby and now she’s pregnant with his child.”

The room fell silent, but the elders didn’t look surprised.

I narrowed my eyes. “Wait… you already know about this don't you?”

They exchanged glances and Elder Micah

cleared his throat. 

“Jerry informed us,” he mumbled. “So we discussed it and came to the conclusion that his… mistake is not reason enough to call off the engagement.”

“Not reason enough? Are you listening to yourselves? He got another woman pregnant!”

“We are aware.” Elder Rowen sighed, folding his hands. “But calling off the engagement now would bring gossip and unrest to the Pack. Besides, Jerry has done much for us. After your parents’ deaths, he used his own finances to restore our lands, and our trade. The people now see him as the rightful Alpha. To ruin that for personal matters would be unwise.”

I scoffed. “So you’re telling me to let a cheater rule my father's Pack?” 

“Not exactly,” another said. “We are suggesting that you swallow your pride and marry Jerry then let him take Josie as his concubine because the child she bears is his blood and it would be dishonorable to cast them out.”

My jaw dropped. “You do know that if Josie gives birth before I do, if her child is a boy, he’ll become Alpha after Jerry!”

Their silence was deafening and none of them met my eyes.

I turned to Jerry. “We need to talk.”

He leaned back in his chair, smirking. “Whatever you want to say, say it here.”

“Jerry,” I said through clenched teeth, grabbing his shirt. “I said we need to talk.”

He finally stood and followed me outside. 

I faced him, heart pounding. “Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you? I loved you. I respected you. I gave you everything. So why?”

“Don’t play the pity card, Lizabella. This isn’t about you.” He scoffed. “This is about the Pack and if you care about your people, you’ll do what’s right and stop this tantrum.”

“Do what’s right?” I hissed. “You ruined my life because you couldn’t keep your damn…”

“Don’t you dare..” He snapped, but then his phone buzzed, cutting him off. It slipped from his hand and hit the floor. He picked it up, scrolled, and his lips curled into a smile. “Well, this just got interesting.”

My fists clenched. “What did?”

He didn’t answer, he just turned and walked straight back into the Council Hall.

“Jerry!” I called, running after him while he dropped his phone in the middle of the table. 

“Elders, take a look at this and see what your precious future Luna has been doing behind your backs.”

The elders passed the phone around, faces shifting from confusion to shock.

Jerry lifted it again. “Do you all recognize the three men in this picture?”

A few nodded hesitantly. “They look familiar.”

“They should,” Jerry said coldly. “Those three are the Lycan Alphas, the rulers of the Lycan realm. And every one of you knows how long our realms have been at war. Yet Lizabella thought it wise to meet them in secret. A private deal, perhaps? To help them infiltrate us, overthrow us? And maybe she was promised a Pack to rule as the First Female Alpha.”

I snatched the phone from his hand, and my breathing seized when I saw the picture of me in the forest with the little girl and the three men I’d rejected.

“That’s not what happened!” I said quickly. “You’re twisting this! I went into the forest to clear my head after finding out about your betrayal! Then I…”

“Enough! We’ve heard enough.” One of the elders raised a hand. “Your lies won’t save you, Lizabella. Do you understand how grievous this offense is? If this reaches the Council of Kings, not only will you be banished from this Pack, you’ll be exiled from the entire Werewolf Realm.”

If I was banished from the Werewolf Realm, where would I go? And I couldn’t go to the Lycan Realm either, well not after rejecting their rulers.

Which left only the human realm.

God help me, what is left for me now?