The Luna's Redemption

I heard the sound of footsteps. The pack had arrived. I was still holding Aria against the wall, my claws digging into her throat. But as the pack surrounded us, Aria's face changed. She looked like she was in pain. She started whining and begging for mercy.

"Please, Luna, don't hurt me!" Aria cried. "I didn't mean to hurt you. Ryker was just trying to move on with his life."

I was shocked. Aria was acting like I was the villain. I quickly withdrew my hand, but it was too late. The pack had already seen me attacking Aria.

Aria sniffled and looked up at me with fake tears in her eyes. "She's jealous because I mated with Ryker," she said. "She can't accept that he has moved on with his life."

The pack started growling and snarling at me, their eyes filled with anger. I realized that Aria had framed me, and the pack had fallen for it.

"No, that's not what happened!" I protested. "Aria, tell them the truth!"

But Aria just shook her head and continued to play the victim. "No, Luna, I won't cover for you this time. You need to face the consequences of your actions."

She continued crying as if I had been the one to start all this and not them.

Ryker, who had been standing beside us, suddenly pushed me to the ground, hurting my already wounded body. He held Aria close, shielding her from me as if I was a threat.

"Luna, stop! Leave her alone!" Ryker shouted, his voice full of fake concern. "You're so consumed by jealousy, you can't even see reason!"

Aria joined in, her voice dripping with venom. "Yes, Luna, you're so pathetic. You can't stand the fact that Ryker chose me over you!"

The pack members, fueled by their misplaced anger, started picking up stones and hurling them at me. "Traitor!" they shouted. "Murderer!"

I curled up on the ground, trying to protect myself from the hail of stones. But they kept coming, hitting me with rock after rock. I felt a sharp pain in my side.

I was shocked and angry. How could Aria do this to me? I thought we were friends in the past but now I realized she was just using me to get what she wanted.

I realized that Aria had provoked me on purpose, trying to make me snap. And it worked. The pack was now convinced that I was a monster, a jealous and violent wolf who couldn't control my emotions.

My eyes widened as I understood the truth. Ryker had used the mind link to summon the pack to the grounds. The pack's vicious words were their own, spoken out loud with venom and malice.

"You're a disgrace to our kind!" one of the pack members growled, spitting on the ground at my feet.

"You're a traitor and a murderer!" another snarled at me, venom dripping , their eyes blazing with anger.

The pack's verbal attack on me continued, each word more hurtful than the last. "You're not worthy of being a wolf... Ryker is better off with Aria... You're a cheat and a liar..."

"Look at her cheater, wh*re , sleeping with the rival pack just for money. Ryker revealed your truth"

My heart raced as I tried to defend herself against the pack's cruelty, but their words cut deep.

Just then Alpha Thane arrived.

Alpha Thane's presence commanded silence, his handsome features now twisted in cruelty. His eyes gazed at me with disgust, his voice firm.

"Enough, Luna Nightingale. You have been found guilty of attempted murder. Your punishment is banishment."

But before Thane could continue, Ryker stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Wait, Alpha. We have unfinished business."

My heart sank, my hate for Ryker burning brighter than ever. What could he possibly want now?

Ryker's smile grew wider as he spoke the words that would shatter my heart. "I, Ryker Flynn, Beta of Nightwalkers pack, reject you, Luna Nightingale, as my mate. I sever this bond."

Pain ripped through me like a knife, my heart feeling like it had been torn apart. My soul shattered into a million pieces. The pack prison had been a mere preparation for this agony.

Ryker's smug expression seemed to light up the darkness, his eyes gleaming with triumph. I felt a scream building in my throat, but it remained trapped, unable to escape. I was frozen in pain, my world shattered by Ryker's cruel words.

The mark on my shoulder, the one that had started to fade in the prison, began to burn again.

I felt a searing pain as Ryker's eyes locked onto mine, his smile growing wider. Before I could even react, he grabbed Aria and marked her right on the shoulder, his eyes never leaving mine.

I screamed, buckling in pain as if the mark was being ripped away from me. My vision blurred, tears streaming down my face as I looked up at the pack. Their smug smiles seemed to mock me, their eyes gleaming with triumph.

Ryker's grip on Aria tightened, his mark on her shoulder a clear declaration of his new mate . I felt a piece of me die, my heart shattered into a million pieces. The pain was unbearable, my soul screaming in agony. I was left with nothing but the bitter taste of rejection and betrayal.

"Why?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Celeste, my wolf, stirred within me, her presence evident in my eyes. "I accept your rejection," she growled, her voice low and menacing.

Ryker's sneer cut deep, but Celeste's words were a declaration of our independence. She receded back, allowing me to take control once more.

Aria walked up to me, her hair conveniently shifted to showcase her new mark. But instead of gloating, she revealed a shocking truth "Ryker only used you to escape his punishment, Luna. I'm the one he loves." "From the beginning".

I expected to feel pain, but instead, I felt numb. My heart wasvoid, empty of emotions. I took up my bag, my eyes scanning the crowd for Caspian, my brother. But when our eyes met, he stood like a statue, looking at me like a stranger.

I laughed, a psychopathic cackle that sent shivers down my own spine. I continued to laugh and cry, not knowing how to feel. The pack members booed me as I walked towards the pack borders, their jeers and insults fading into the background.

As I reached the pack borders, I stopped. Then I looked back at the place I once considered my home. Even though it was never really home.

As I locked eyes with my brother once again, I was reminded of the times when it was only the two of us. Now he despises me.

Never in those five years I spent in the prison did he come to visit me. I was hurt but now it had become a regular occurrence that I was no longer shaken by it.

Then I moved, one leg at a time until I was at the other side of the pack. Outside of the Nightwalkers territory. The moment I set my foot outside the pack, I cut all ties with the pack " I Luna Nightingale cut all ties with The Nightwalkers Pack and hereby declare myself rogue. " I felt the link snapping and I could feel the load being taken from my shoulders. My next concern were rogues. There was no mercy when it came to them. It was kill or be killed.

I walked further into the forest trying to conserve the little energy I had left . I knew I would not be able to last for too long . The wolfsbane or even the lack of wolfsbane was taking its toll on my body.

Five years spent on a regular dose of wolfsbane had done that to me. It was like my body had gotten used to it and also not used to it at the same time. I barely functioned as a wolf anymore.

I was brought out of my thoughts by a sound. The snapping of a twig.. Then I looked around. I did not notice that I had moved a long distance from the pack. I could no longer see the pack. These parts of the forests were unknown to me.

I called out to Celeste , rousing her from her retreat. She also felt what I felt , a presence or many even. Goose bumps filled my arms as Celeste became alert.

I moved forward from my position . My footsteps hastened . I knew that the presence around me were rogues . I smelt them . Celeste began to growl in my head. They were danger through and through.

Then they appeared. They did not look exactly like rogues but their smell gave them away.

There were three of them. One with shaggy blonde hair. Another with dark hair and dark eyes that seemed soulless. The last one had a scar running down his face from his eyes. Afraid they would kill me, I backed away looking for a chance to escape even if it was a small one.

The tall blond one , sensing my intentions said, " Don't run, little girl, we don't bite. If you run we will catch you".

The other dark eyed one said to the one with a scar " She looks a bit good, a bit of washing and make up would do the trick on her. " " Boss will pay extra for her". The scarred rogue grunted and nodded in response.

They began to move towards me with sneers on their faces. I turned back and ran as fast as my leg could carry me. As I ran, Celeste took over, shifting in the process, my bag long forgotten.

I could hear their footsteps behind me, my legs were tired from running. My physique weak.

The trees cutting me on my arms. As I scanned the forest for any hiding place , I made a mistake.

I stopped. Then I felt a pinch at my neck. The everything went black.