CHAPTER 1

Lyra’s pov

“By the power vested in me, I hereby reject you as my mate from this moment onwards.” Xander snapped angrily.

The room was filled with a lot of people talking, whispering to themselves as they looked at me with disgust on their faces.— my twin sister,my parents, the whole pack and the elders.

My senses became clearer and I could feel the warmth of the blanket over my body. I was half naked- with just my underwear. I blinked rapidly in confusion while trying to recognize my surroundings.

Why am I in bed when I was supposed to be at my mating ceremony? I wondered as i looked around.

The weight of confusion hit me more as I felt a movement beside me. My heart raced, I looked over as fear gripped my soul like a cold wave. A stranger was next to me with his chest bare and caught under the sheets.

“What!…Who is this? And what am I doing in bed with this man?” I questioned with my voice below whispers,clutching the blanket tightly around my trembling body.

“Quit the pretense Lyra!” Nyla, my twin sister yelled,her voice dripping with disdain as she moved closer to me.

“I knew this was going to happen, I knew you will ruin this day, now you’ve brought shame not only to yourself, but the entire family.” She paused her eyes gleamed in satisfaction and a slight smirk was placed on her lips.

“I’ve always known you have a secret lover for a very long time now, but you still went through with the mating ceremony with Xander for your selfish reasons.”

My face felt hot as panic grew inside me, her words pierced through me. “What the hell are you saying Nyla! That’s not true! I don’t even know him—I don’t know how I got here!” My voice cracked under the weight of my panic.

“I have no boyfriend!” I cried, my voice trembling. “I—I don’t even know this man! Please, believe me!” I replied,my glazed fixed on Xander.

“Then who is he, Lyra?” Xander demanded, his voice cold and filled with fury. His piercing gaze shifted to the man beside me, who remained silent, looking between us with wide eyes.

“I don’t know him,” I whispered. “I can’t remember how I got here. I… I was at the ceremony, I had a drink, and then… I fell. That’s all I remember!”

“Really?” Nyla scoffed, her tone mocking. “What a convenient excuse. Get drunk, get in bed with your boyfriend, and blame it on the innocent cocktail. How predictable.”

“Stop Nyla, just stop!!” I retorted, looking at her furiously.

“Enough!” Xander shouted while making both of us quiet. “This isn't just a minor mistake and it’s an unforgivable one. I thought I knew you, Lyra. I didn’t know you were so unfaithful and a Liar!”

I felt my cheeks getting hot with shame filling me up. The man next to me quietly pulled the sheets up as he looked back and forth between us.

But before I could even start to explain xander’s anger filled the room. The friendly look I have Always seen on his face vanished. He walked toward us with his fists tight and I felt a wave of fear over me.

“Move away from her, You b*stard son of a b*tch.” Xander growled while grabbing the stranger by his arm and lifting him.

“What is going on, man?” the man said while struggling in Jaxon's stronghold, but his words hardly mattered as my life fell apart.

As Xander's fist hit the man's jaw the loud noise shook me. “Xander stop!” I begged with fear rising in my throat as I jumped out of bed as I put my clothes on. My bare feet touched the cold floor and everything in me wanted to step in. “Please, let's try to find the truth!”

But Xander was furious while throwing punches and shouting sharp words. “You think you can just walk into this house?” Another hard hit and the man slid down the wall. “And sleep with my mate?”

“Don tell me to stop Lyra! Trying to defend your boyfriend huh?” He turned to me as his breath deepened.

My heart dropped even more while feeling heavy from what was happening.

The room was suffocating, the whispers and murmurs around us growing louder. I glanced desperately toward my parents, hoping for some kind of support, but their expressions mirrored Xander’s disappointment.

“Mom, Dad,” I pleaded, my voice breaking. “You have to believe me.”

My mother shook her head slowly, her lips pressed into a thin line. My father stepped forward, his face flushed with anger.

“This is disgraceful, Lyra,” he said as he threw as slap on my face, his voice trembling. “You’ve brought shame to our family. Do you realize what this means for all of us? For the pack?”

“I didn’t do this,” I whispered, but my words felt hollow, even to myself.

Xander took a step back while letting the guards, who had quickly come in, hold the stranger. “Get him out and make sure he doesn't escape,” he ordered with his voice quiet but threatening while leaving me vulnerable after the chaos.

“That's enough!” the elder shouted like thunder breaking through the noise around us. “This shame can't be accepted. You have shamed yourself and the whole pack, Lyra. You are banned from our land starting now!.”

His words hit me hard like a punch. “No!” I shouted with my voice shaky as I stepped back while feeling empty inside where my life used to be. “You can't do this!”

“Once again, from this moment, I Xander Bennett hereby reject you Lyra Draven as my mate,” Xander’s voice echoed coldly, cutting through the tension in the room. His words were final, like a dagger driven straight into my heart.

“Take her out of my sight,” he ordered, turning his back to me. “I don’t want to see her face ever again.”

My knees wobbled as shame and confusion overtook me. “Xander, please, listen to me,” I begged, my voice cracking.

“I don’t know what’s going on. I swear, I didn’t do this!”

I cried, reaching out toward him, but two guards stepped forward, gripping my arms firmly.

Nyla’s smirk deepened as she watched the drama unfolding while I was being dragged away, she followed me out.