Chapter 1

"Let me in!" I shouted, my voice edged with anger as I glared at the guards standing like statues before the gate. "I'm the Alpha's mate, for crying out loud! I've been here since noon, and now it's nearly dark."

My legs ached from standing for hours, and exhaustion weighed me down. I needed to see Cole. I had to fix whatever was wrong between us, but these guards were unmoving.

"Who gave you this order?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes at them. "Surely not the Alpha. I'm his mate!"

The first guard glanced at his partner, who shifted uncomfortably before answering. "Miss Georgina made the request to keep you out, and the Alpha... consented to it."

Georgina. Of course, it was her. That conniving woman. What had she done now?

I clenched my fists, my frustration mounting. "What does she want this time? And why are you following her orders? She's not the Luna,I am!"

The guards exchanged uneasy looks but said nothing. The sun dipped below the horizon, and still, they didn't open the gate. Exhausted, I slumped against the cold fence and let my head rest against it, closing my eyes as the night swallowed me whole.

When morning broke, the chill of the night still lingered in my bones. The sound of footsteps approaching the gate snapped me awake. A pack member was entering, and I seized the opportunity.

"Let me in!" I demanded, my voice firm.

The guards hesitated as they opened the gate for the pack member. Without waiting for permission, I shoved past them, slipping through the narrow opening before they could react.

"Hey!" one of them shouted, but I didn't stop.

I ran into the pack house, my heart pounding, determined to reach Cole. I climbed the stairs to the second floor, heading straight for his bedroom. My hand hovered over the doorknob, but the sound of voices from inside froze me.

"Are you sure about what you're saying, George?" Cole's voice was hesitant but serious. "This is a grave accusation."

"It's true," Georgina replied, her tone laced with false sincerity. "I saw it with my own eyes. Do I have any reason to lie to you, Cole?"

"I don't want to believe you," he admitted, his voice heavy with doubt.

She pressed on, her voice soft and persuasive. "I've been your best friend since we were kids, Cole. I would never lie to you. You deserve to know the truth. Bella isn't the woman you think she is."

I staggered back, my heart sinking. Were they talking about me? What had Georgina accused me of this time?

Before I could react, the doorknob turned, and the door swung open. Cole stepped out, his eyes locking with mine. I searched his face for any sign of warmth, but all I found was disgust.

He didn't say a word, didn't give me a chance to explain. He brushed past me as if I were nothing.

Inside, Georgina stood, a triumphant smirk on her lips. "What did you tell him this time?" I demanded, my voice trembling with anger.

She didn't answer, only smiled mockingly. My hands clenched into fists, but I turned away, knowing this wasn't the time.

Moments later, a knock came at my door. It was the Beta, his expression unreadable. "The Alpha has summoned you to the courtroom," he said curtly.

The courtroom? My stomach churned. What was going on?

When I entered, the room was cold and imposing, with a high ceiling adorned with a grand chandelier that cast harsh light on the council members seated around a long table. Cole stood at the head, his gaze cold and unyielding.

"What is this?" I asked, my voice faltering as I took in the hostile stares of the council.

Cole didn't answer, nor did he look at me.

One of the council members, an older man named Thomas, rose to speak. "Miss Bella, you are here to answer for your actions. Surely you know why."

"No," I said firmly, my voice rising. "I don't."

Thomas raised a skeptical brow. "You were discovered in a situation unbecoming of a Luna,several eyewitnesses saw you with another man."

My breath caught in my throat. "Are you saying I'm cheating on Cole?"

"That's Alpha Cole to you," Thomas snapped.

I turned to Cole, desperate for him to believe me. "Cole, you know me. I would never..."

"You will not speak unless asked to," he interrupted coldly.

Thomas continued, "According to Miss Georgina, she witnessed you in a compromising position with another man."

I shook my head, tears brimming in my eyes. "That's a lie! Cole, please..."

"You should have thought of that before you betrayed me," Cole said, his voice like ice.

"I didn't do anything!" I pleaded. "You're my mate,my only one. Please, don't do this!"

But he raised his hand to silence me.

"I, Alpha Cole, reject you, Bella, as my mate. And I hereby banish you from this pack."

The words hit me like a physical blow, stealing the breath from my lungs. His gaze was cold, unfeeling, as if I were nothing more than a stranger. I stumbled to my knees, the weight of his words crushing me more than the cold earth beneath. My chest heaved as the bond frayed, unraveling like threads of a once precious tapestry.

"I, Bella Reid," my voice cracked, thick with sorrow, "accept your rejection."

The words left my lips, each syllable a dagger that sliced through the bond tethering me to him. A flicker of pain crossed his eyes, so fleeting I almost doubted I saw it. But he didn't move, didn't falter, his posture rigid as stone.

The ache in my chest grew unbearable, and for a moment, I thought I might shatter into a thousand pieces. My wolf whimpered in protest, the bond screaming for survival.

Tears streamed down my face as I stumbled out of the room. When I reached my bedroom, the guards blocked my way.

"You're not allowed to take anything," one of them said bluntly.

I fell to my knees, sobbing. My world had crumbled in an instant.

As I fled the pack house, I heard Georgina's voice, venomous and triumphant.

"Kill her," she ordered the two men beside her, her smirk widening as they stepped toward me.