Banished After Being Shamed

Bianca’s POV

I woke with a start, my eyes flying open.

It was unsteady for a moment, just a bit.

I was pulled fully awake by Reid.

“Bianca,” Councilman Reid’s voice came in.

I was half collapsed and half awake.

I sat up and looked around, still dizzy.

There was no sign of the lover birds.

They were long gone.

Marcus had left me to die.

I could heart the murmurs from members of the pack.

Some of them were just mocking and condescending while some were just simply in disbelief

They sounded more like a hungry swarm of bees.

“Don’t give them the satisfaction of seeing you break. If he can stand strong then so can you. It will prove them right if you stay weak.”

Break.

That was all I wanted to do right now.

I wanted to sink to the ground and break because nothing remained of me.

But I strengthened my resolve and started to pull myself to my feet even though each step was an agony for me.

Councilman Reid guided me.

His grip was firm under my arm even when my knees buckled a couple of times.

I kept moving.

His face was tight with urgency and something in his eyes told me that this humiliation was only the beginning of my problems.

People stood at the side corridors of the hall, watching, taunting and sympathizing as we both moved across.

The elder pushed open a heavy wooden door and led me into one of the council chambers.

The walls felt too close and suffocating.

But it was silent and safe compared to the chaos I had left outside.

“Stay calm,” Reid ordered.

I sank into the nearest chair, clutching my chest as if I could somehow heal the broken pieces of my soul together.

“Why?” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Why did he … how could he have…”

“Stop,” Reid cut me off.

His voice was sharp but not harsh.

“Don’t waste your precious breath on questions you already know the answers to.”

My head jerked up.

My eyes were brimming with tears.

“But I don’t know the answers. He was my mate. Everyone knows how long we have been together. We were supposed to…”

“To what? Lead together? Love each other forever?”

Reid’s mouth twisted.

“Child, the Moon Goddess may weave bonds but men can still cut them for power."

The words hit me hard.

"Marcus didn’t reject you because you were weak as he said, you are the best healer in this pack."

I nodded.

"You never needed to be a warrior wolf. So, he rejected you because you were am inconvenience to him, a liability.”

The words were so wicked.

Inconvenient?

Liability?

How was I an inconvenience to him?

Reid leaned in closer.

“The Blackwood alliance with Selene’s family is worth more to him than his bond with you."

His voice dropped low.

"And after the spectacle out there it is clear that you have stopped being an asset, and become a liability."

I bowed my head.

The words hurt but it was the truth.

"The pack may love you, some of them. But a show of weakness and that humiliation is something you can’t will away, no matter how good of a healer you are. The elders see only political disaster and it will never help if the leading female sees her rival rise in the ranks as the top healer.”

My breath hitched.

“So what happens to me now? Am I… will I be cast out of the pack? It’s not my fault all of this is happening…”

Reid’s silence was enough of an answer.

But then the door creaked open and Marcus himself walked in with Selene by his side like a shadow.

I shot to my feet, suddenly feeling enough strength to challenge him.

“Marcus… how could…”

“Oh sit down,” Marcus said flatly, not even sparing a look my way.

My stomach dropped.

He couldn’t even look me in the eyes.

Selene’s lips curved in a cruel small smile.

“You look even weaker up close, you really should sit,” She said.

Her voice was venomous.

My nails dug into my palms as they clenched. “You have no right to…”

“Silence,” Marcus snapped.

His Alpha aura pressed against me like a crushing weight.

My words died in my throat.

Still, I defiantly refused to seat.

"Very well," Selene shrugged.

The sight of her irked me.

Reid’s jaw tightened.

“Marcus. I believe Bianca deserves an explanation from you now that we are behind closed doors.”

Marcus finally turned his gaze on me, and the coldness was even worse now.

“The elders have spoken already and made a decision. You are no longer fit to remain in the Mountain Pack.”

My heart fell.

My eyes widened.

I told myself no, he wouldn't do that.

“You… would exile me?”

“No,” Marcus said.

I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief but here was a cruel edge of mockery in his tone that stopped me short.

“I am actually going to honor you, for old times sake.”

“Honor me?” I looked at Reid, confused.

Selene’s smirk deepened as Marcus went on.

“There is an ancient agreement between the Eastern and Southern territories. As the pack is renowned for producing the most skilled healers, each generation, we send a healer to aid their cursed Alphas."

My heart started to pound in my chest.

Where was he headed?

"You will go in fulfillment of that pact. It won't look like exile to the pack. It would be as a gesture of goodwill, a noble duty.”