Chapter 2: Banishment

The air was thick with tension as the pack gathered for the vote, their eyes flicking between me and Lily. My heart pounded in my chest as I awaited their judgment, hoping for a glimmer of mercy. But as the votes were cast, my hopes crumbled. One by one, they turned their backs on me, their voices raised in agreement—Amia must be thrown out.

Damien, once my friend, now my accuser, was the loudest of them all. His voice boomed through the pack house, his eyes cold and unforgiving. "She has betrayed our trust and endangered Lily's life. There can be only one punishment—banishment!"

My breath caught in my throat as I saw Alpha, Damien's father, hesitate. He knew of our childhood friendship, the bond we once shared. With a heavy heart, he turned to his son, pleading for reconsideration. "Damien, think of the years of loyalty Amia has shown. Is there not a shred of doubt in your mind?"

But Damien, his face hardened with determination, shook his head. "I will not waver, Father. Amia has revealed her true nature, and she must face the consequences. My decision is final."

As if to emphasize his point, he turned to Lily, his arms wrapping around her protectively. Lily, that deceitful actress, let out a dramatic sob, her eyes glistening with fake tears. "If Amia had succeeded, my entire family would be gone. I would have lost everything."

Her words stabbed at my heart, twisting the knife that Damien had already plunged deep. I wanted to scream the truth, to make them see Lily's deception, but my voice failed me. I stood there, silent and broken, as they sealed my fate.

With a heavy finality, Alpha nodded, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and resignation. "So be it. Amia, you are hereby banished from this pack. You are no longer one of us."

The words hit me like a physical blow, and I staggered, my knees buckling beneath me. But there was no sympathy, no helping hand. Instead, it was Damien himself who dragged me to my feet and pulled me roughly towards the border of our territory.

I struggled against his iron grip, my eyes wild with desperation. "Damien, please! You know me, you know I am innocent!"

He said nothing, his face a mask of anger and betrayal. The pack members fell in behind us, their eyes cold and unyielding. They had chosen their side, and it was not mine.

As we reached the border, marked by the ancient oak tree, Damien shoved me forward, his eyes hard and unblinking. "Leave and never return. If you do, your life will be forfeit."

I stood there, my back straight, my head held high. I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me broken. With one last defiant glance, I turned and walked away, my heart shattering with each step.

**

Days turned into a blur as I wandered, alone and bereft, through the vast wilderness. My feet dragged across the forest floor, each step taking me further away from the pack that had once been my home. The weight of my banishment bore down on me, and my heart, once vibrant and full of life, now felt hollow and numb.

I survived on the leaves and herbs that I recognized from my knowledge of healing. The bitter taste of betrayal lingered on my tongue, and my stomach often growled in hunger, but I persisted. I had to stay strong, even if my spirit was shattered.

The tears came unbidden, streaming down my cheeks as I walked. I wept for the friends I had lost, for the love that had been spurned, and for the pack that had turned its back on me. With each step, I left a piece of my broken heart behind, until finally, my tears dried, and my sorrow turned to stone.

My eyes, once warm and gentle, now held a hardness that reflected the harshness of my new reality. The gentle healer had faded, and in her place stood a different woman—one forged in the fires of betrayal and survival. My expression was a mask, concealing the depths of my pain, as if I had lost a little piece of my soul along the way.

As I ventured deeper into the wilderness, a biased animal, sensing my vulnerability, lunged at me from the shadows. In a swift and unexpected move, I reacted with a force that surprised even myself. My hand shot out, grabbing the creature by the throat, and with a sharp twist, I broke its neck with one blow.

I stood there, my breath steady, my eyes unblinking, as the lifeless body fell to the ground. There was no hesitation, no remorse. I had become a different person, hardened by the cruelty I had endured. The gentle touch that once healed now held the power to destroy.

I continued on my solitary path, my steps purposeful, my gaze fixed ahead. The forest whispered to me, and the wind carried secrets. I was alone, but I was not weak.