Chapter 1

Aria's POV

"Let go of me." I demanded, as I struggled to free myself from the grip of the two guards who dragged me on both sides out of the pack house. “I’m going to have your heads for this, I promise!” I growled, as they shoved me into the back of an SUV, where another guard was seated.

One minute I was in my study going through some documents and the next I was being dragged out of the pack house like some criminal, without even an explanation, just that it was the Alpha's orders, and I was to be brought to him.

“I swear to the moon I'll kill all of you!” I growled, still struggling inside the car, but the guards just kept quiet and drove, while one of them held my hands firmly behind me.

We arrived at the Pack's square, and I noticed most of the Pack members were out. I scanned the crowd and my eyes landed on Curtis, who was at the other end, with some of the Pack members.

“Curtis, what's going on here?” I demanded, as soon as the guards let go of my hands. I'll deal with them later, but I needed to know why he ordered for me to be brought to him like I was some criminal.

Curtis ignored me and turned towards the Pack members pack who had been silently observing events unfold–events I was clearly oblivious of.

"We are gathered here today to seek retribution and revenge." Curtis began.

"What?” My mouth fell open. “Curtis what is going on? As your Luna I demand to know.” I stomped my feet on the ground angrily.

Curtis stared at me for a second before he signalled to a guard standing off the side. The guard approached with a stack of what seemed like letters in his hands and handed them over to Curtis.

"I have been betrayed by my mate and we as a pack have been betrayed by our own Luna."

Curtis' announced, his voice filled with pain, I had no idea where it was coming from. The pack members on the other hand, murmured amongst themselves. Some had looks of genuine confusion while others clearly believed whatever rubbish Curtis was spewing.

I looked over at the Pack elders, and couldn't tell from their faces what their stand was in all these accusations.

I decided to be calm and see this through.

"Here in my hands are letters between your dear Luna and the head of the rogues. Letters found in your Luna's chambers by her personal omega." Curtis rose up the letters and several gasps rang out through the pack.

"Curtis, have you lost it?" I gritted out. This had to be some sick joke.

"It was bad enough that your Luna was conversing with the king of the rogues but what makes it worse is that these letters reveal that she has been providing them with pack secrets and planning an attack on our pack so that she may be able to get rid of me and rule alone." Curtis continued.

Okay, this has gone too far.

"These are all lies." I defended, but no one seemed to be paying any attention to me, as they all hung in Curtis every word.

"I have been fooled by my mate whom I trusted with my life and with yours,” Curtis looked at me, his face etched with digest, and then he shook his head in disappointment. “Your Luna has failed you and I will give her the chance to confess and admit to her crimes."

“What crimes?” I breathed out.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" He asked me as he threw the letters at my feet.

I bent down and picked up the letters, skimmed through it and it was indeed letters between someone and the rogue king.

"I know absolutely nothing about these letters, Curtis,” I stated, and threw the letters back at him. “I'm your mate, you should know me better than that."

Even though Curtis and I were fated mates, we didn't exactly have a loving relationship–we did once though, at the beginning of our relationship when we found out we were fated mates, but along the line, that burning overwhelming desire changed, it was no longer there.

The sex between us was great, it has always been great, but for months now we've lived like a couple barely tolerating each other's existence. I guess that's what happens when one gets overwhelmed by the problems of life.

We’ve been dealing with rogue's invasion for almost a year now. What started as something minimal turned out to be a full blown ploy to take over our Pack–every one of our plans and strategies seemed to be useless and the rogues somehow always had an upper hand.

We've held our grands for as much as we could, and are on the verge of seeking external help.

But I refused, and told Curtis to let me handle the Pack's strategies personally and only reveal it when it's to be executed, and that's what I've done so far–and thank the goddess I was able to reduce the rogue's attack.

But instead of a thank you, I'm being accused of this?

"These letters were found in your chambers by your personal omega." He pointed out.

"Those aren't mine,” I said for the umpteenth time. “You should have run this by me before you decided to make a spectacle in front of the whole pack."

"And give you a chance to finalize your dealings and attack my pack?" He arched his brow.

"It is my pack too and I have never done anything to hurt the members of the Pack, why would I start now?" I tried to make him see reason.

"No one is above the pack laws, not even your Luna who denies her crimes even when the evidence is placed right at her feet." Curtis turned back to the pack.

"And in accordance with pack laws, I hereby reject you Aria Campbell as my mate and Luna of this pack. You are hereby banished from Moonclaw pack and will be killed on site if found anywhere near its territories." Curtis declared without batting an eyelid.

My knees buckled under me as a pain shot through my entire body, and straight right to my heart.

“Curtis,” I breathed out, clutching my chest. “You can't do this. There need to be an investigation to–”

“The investigation has been done already,” Curtis cut in, his face voice of any form of emotion.

If he was feeling pains from serving out bond, he was doing a damned good job at hiding it.

“Accept the rejection, Aria. The decision has been made,” he stated.

“Curtis–”

"She shouldn't just be banished." Someone from the crowd shouted and all heads turned towards the voice.

A petite woman made her way to the front of the crowd and addressed Curtis and the Elders that were present.

"Banishing her will only give her the chance to team up with the rogue King and share all the information she has on this pack, especially as she was Luna." The woman explained

A few heads nodded in agreement.

“What are you saying? I'm innocent,” I managed to say, amidst the pains I was feeling.

"I’m sorry Luna Aria, but what you did is an act of treason,” the woman looked at me briefly. “And there are laws set in place for such treasonous acts.”

*But–”

"Burn her at the stakes." Someone from the crowd shouted, leaving me speechless momentarily.

"Yea! Burn her at the stakes!" Another added, and soon it began like a chant, and they all echoed in unison.

I couldn't believe my ears. Did the Pack members have so little faith? I've sacrificed more than anyone for the Pack's betterment, and this is what I get in return?

A proper investigation was not even carried out, just a bunch of letters, with a bad replica of my handwriting, and I'm being sentenced to death.

"The woman is right," One of the elders said, right before I was about to turn to them for help.

“Elder–”

"Luna Aria already knows everything about the pack and it would be foolish to let her leave when she is plotting with the rogue King,” the elder cut in, ignoring me completely. “We understand that she is your mate but you have to do what would be best for the entire Pack.”

Curtis glanced at me and his eyes held something I couldn't quite place a name on–maybe regret, or..

“She needs to be burned at the stake,” another Elder added, and soon after the chant of the Pack members increased.

"Fine, do it." Curtis muttered, and like they've been waiting for this moment their entire life, two guards grabbed my hand, and dragged me towards the stakes, with the crowd following closely behind.

"Curtis, don't let them do this!" I cried, as I was being tied to the stakes, but my pleas fell on deaf ears.

I couldn't find Curtis anywhere, and as soon as the fire was ignited, most of the Pack members shifted back, and that was when I saw him–Curtis.

He was brushing a stray strand of hair away from the woman's face...not just any woman but the woman who had suggested I be burnt.

The woman leaned into Curtis before she turned to look at me with a sly grin.

Then it slowly dawned on me as my entire body went up in flames: this was a perfectly orchestrated scheme, and Curtis was in on it.