Wrongly Accused As Alpha's Mistress

I should’ve known better. The day of my awakening and my father’s wedding to Celine—a woman I barely knew—should’ve felt like a fresh start. Instead, it became a nightmare that ripped away every ounce of dignity I had left.

The Ravenhowl pack was gathered in full force for the celebrations. Celine had insisted on merging the two events, claiming it symbolized the union of family and pack. But now, standing there in my ceremonial gown, I could feel the unease crawling up my spine. Something was off.

Before I had time to question it, the doors to the hall slammed open. Celine, flanked by a group of her omegas, stormed in. My heart lurched as I caught sight of the look in her eyes—malice, pure and unchecked.

“There she is!” Celine’s voice rang out, loud and venomous. “The unwanted mate. The pack’s toy she-wolf.”

Her words cut through the room like a knife, and I froze. Unwanted mate? Toy she-wolf? She couldn’t mean me. My awakening was supposed to be a moment of honor, the day my wolf spirit aligned with the pack, but now, under Celine’s twisted gaze, it felt like the beginning of something far darker.

“This is your big day, Aria, right?” Celine continued, strutting closer, her heels clicking ominously against the floor. “But I’m here to make sure everyone knows the truth.”

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd as her omegas closed in on me. I tried to step back, but the omegas grabbed my arms, holding me in place. My eyes searched for my father, but he was nowhere to be found. Panic seized my chest.

Celine grabbed a fistful of my gown, yanking me forward. “This girl, the one you all think is so innocent, is nothing but a disgrace to the pack. She’s been seducing her way into power, manipulating everyone—just like her mother.”

I flinched at the mention of my mother. The wound from her loss was still fresh, but Celine’s words were like salt being ground into it. The crowd watched in horrified silence, the weight of the live-streaming camera suffocating me. I could feel its lens capturing every second of my humiliation, broadcasting my downfall to the entire pack.

“You think you deserve this Awakening?” Celine sneered, ripping at my gown. The fabric was torn easily, leaving half of my legs exposed. “You don’t. You’re nothing, Aria. And I’ll prove it.”

Before I could react, Celine reached into her gown, pulling out a small vial. My blood ran cold as I recognized the substance inside. Wolfsbane. My heart pounded, and my wolf spirit, newly awakened, howled in terror.

“Celine, no—” I choked out, struggling against the omegas’ grip, but it was too late. With a flick of her wrist, she hurled the liquid at me.

The wolfsbane hit my skin, and I screamed as the burning sensation spread across my body. It felt like my flesh was melting like fire was tearing through my veins. The pain was unbearable, consuming me whole. My knees buckled, but the omegas held me up, forcing me to endure the agony on display for everyone to see.

“Look at her!” Celine circled me like a predator. “She’s no heir, no leader. She’s a threat to us all, a disgrace to the Ravenhowl name. Let this be a lesson—no one crosses me and lives unscathed.”

I could barely hear her over the roar of pain in my head, but I saw the horror on the faces of the pack members watching. Some looked away, others whispered frantically among themselves, but no one moved to help me. Not even my father, wherever he was.

My vision blurred as the wolfsbane’s poison sank deeper into my skin, eating away at my strength. I could feel my wolf weakening, retreating inside me. The camera zoomed in on my wounds, capturing every second of my torment for the world to see. The shame, the pain, the helplessness—it was too much. My body trembled violently as I tried to hold onto consciousness.

Just as I thought I couldn’t take anymore, the doors burst open again. This time, it was my father, flanked by the Ravenhowl's warriors. His face was pale, eyes wide with disbelief as he took in the scene before him. But he was too late. Celine’s cruelty had already sunk its claws into me.

“Aria!” My father’s voice reached me, but it felt distant, muffled like I was underwater. My vision darkened as I slumped in the guards’ hold, my body giving in to the wolfsbane’s effects.

“Dad…” I whispered weakly, but I knew he couldn’t hear me. The pain, the betrayal, it was all too much. My eyes fluttered closed, and the last thing I saw before the darkness swallowed me was Celine’s triumphant smirk and my father’s horrified expression as he rushed toward me.

But it was too late. Everything went black.