Chapter 2 : The Chains Of Betrayal

I couldn't believe how he had the guts act so casually after what had happened. I knew Amanda was jealous of me, but seeing Shaun here, in my room, was a stark reminder of why she hated and bullied me so relentlessly. He still kept me as his concubine, even after rejecting me as his mate.

I gave him the coldest of shoulders, my voice trembling with a mixture of pain and anger. "What are you doing here, Shaun?"

He chuckled, his tone infuriatingly nonchalant. "I came to see how you were doing, my dear. You seemed quite upset earlier."

Upset? That was the understatement of the century. My body was battered and broken, and the man who had once held my heart was now acting as though nothing had happened.

"You sent those guards to whip me!" I finally accused, my voice shaking with rage and betrayal.

Shaun's expression remained maddeningly composed. "Oh, that? I only did it to please Amanda. You understand, right? She's my mate now, and I have to keep her happy."

His words cut through me like a knife. He cared more about Amanda's happiness than the pain he had inflicted on me. I felt a deep, aching hurt, a confirmation of my status as nothing more than a plaything in his eyes.

Before I could respond, Shaun leaned in, his lips brushing against mine. I pulled away, a mixture of sadness and anger welling up inside me. "Don't," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He looked at me with a sly grin. "You always were a bit of a challenge, Katrina. That's what makes you so enticing."

But I wasn't enticed anymore. I had been broken and betrayed. His kiss, once the source of my greatest joy, now felt like a cruel reminder of everything I had lost.

With great effort, I pushed him away. "Get out," I told him, my voice stronger this time, filled with a resolve born out of pain and anger.

He raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "What's gotten into you, Katrina?"

I knew what had gotten into me - a burning desire to escape this toxic, heart-wrenching situation. I needed to break free from this man who had shattered my heart and now sought pleasure from my body even after causing me such suffering.

As Shaun left my room, I silently decided deep in my heart that tonight, I would gather what little I had left and run away from this pack, away from this selfish man who had once been the love of my life but had now become the source of my deepest pain.

The next morning, with a heavy heart, I hastily packed a small bag of clothes, intent on leaving this painful chapter of my life behind. As I folded my few possessions, dread coiled in my chest, knowing that tonight, under the cover of darkness, I would make my escape from this torment.

But just as I was about to leave my room, a voice, dripping with malice, called my name. "Katrina!"

I turned, my heart sinking, to see Amanda standing there. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and for a moment, I couldn't comprehend the depths of her emotions.

"What do you want, Amanda?" I answered cautiously, unable to ignore the menace in her gaze.

She approached me, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and insecurity. "Where was Shaun last night, Katrina?"

My heart raced as I realized that Amanda must have known about Shaun's visit to my room. She must have cried herself to sleep out of jealousy. But why was she interrogating me?

"I don't know where he was," I replied honestly, confusion muddling my thoughts. "He came to see me briefly, but I sent him away."

Amanda's face twisted with a mixture of rage and suspicion. "You're lying, Katrina. You've always been a seductress, trying to take my mate from me!"

I sighed, exasperation and frustration welling up within me. "Amanda, you know I don't want Shaun. He's the one who keeps coming back to me, even after he rejected me as his mate."

Amanda's eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with venom. "You're lying! You've bewitched him with your omega charms."

I couldn't take it anymore. The unfairness of it all, the relentless torment, the baseless accusations - it was too much. "It's not my fault that Shaun doesn’t want to come to your bed," I retorted, my voice filled with anger.

Amanda's fury erupted like a volcano. She lunged at me, her hands reaching for my throat. I stumbled backward, my heart pounding as I realized that Amanda was actually trying to hurt me, perhaps even kill me this time.

I fought back as best I could, my instincts for survival kicking in. We wrestled on the ground, my strength no match for hers. The pack members nearby gathered, their cheers and jeers filling the air as they watched the vicious spectacle.

My vision blurred as Amanda's hands tightened around my throat. Panic surged through me, and I gasped for air, clawing at her wrists in desperation. It was a desperate struggle for life and death, and I had no intention of losing.

I somehow eventually managed to get away from Amanda's clutches, my head was throbbing with pain. Desperation had urged me to escape, to find some respite from the torment that seemed to follow me relentlessly. But as I rushed through the dimly lit corridor, Amanda caught up with me, her anger undiminished.

I tried to dodge her, but she was faster. With a swift motion, she pushed me, causing me to stumble. In my weakened state, I couldn't maintain my balance, and I crashed headfirst into a nearby table.

The world spun, and everything went dark.

When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a small clinic, the sterile scent of antiseptic in the air. The doctor, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes, was standing over me.

"You're lucky to be alive," she said gently. "The blow to your head could have been fatal, but it seems the Moon Goddess was watching over you."

I sneered, bitterness seeping into my voice. "The Moon Goddess, huh? If she wanted to protect me, she wouldn't have let my parents die, and she certainly wouldn't have chosen someone as wicked as Shaun as my mate."

The doctor sighed, her expression filled with pity. "I understand your pain, Katrina, but sometimes the goddess works in mysterious ways."

I scoffed, my head throbbing with each word. "Mysterious? More like torturous. She's keeping me alive to prolong my suffering."

The doctor just shook her head. "The blow to your head may be making you delusional. You may even experience some illusions. It's important that you rest."

I begrudgingly nodded, realizing that arguing with the doctor wouldn't change anything. As she left me alone in the clinic, I contemplated my situation. If I stayed in this pack any longer, Amanda might succeed in killing me before I even had a chance to heal.

With determination, I decided that tonight would be the night I made my escape. Quietly, I sneaked out of the clinic, making my way back to the house. I hoped that everyone was asleep, unaware of my intentions, so that I could pack my belongings and vanish into the night.

The moon cast a pale glow over the pack's territory, and I moved like a shadow through the quiet night. The house was dimly lit, and the rhythmic sound of the pack members' breathing told me they were deep in slumber.

I slipped into my room, my heart pounding as I began to gather my few belongings. My hands shook with both fear and excitement, knowing that this was my chance to escape the torment that had haunted me for so long.