The Truth is Revealed

The hallway was filled with laughter and whispers, each comment feeling like a bite against Lily’s skin. 

Every student seemed to have their phone out, the picture of her and Alex kissing splashed across countless screens. 

Each glance stung, each mocking grin made her fists tighten. 

Lily’s heart pounded, torn between the shame bubbling inside her and the anger burning at Lexa.

She looked sideways at Maya, who offered a supportive smile. 

“Hey, just breathe. You don’t have to do this.”

“I do.” Lily’s voice was barely a whisper, but it was thick with determination. “She can’t get away with this.”

Maya hesitated, glancing over her shoulder as if hoping Lexa would simply vanish from their lives. 

“Okay, but… don’t let her get to you, alright? That’s exactly what she wants.”

Lily nodded, but her focus remained locked on the lockers ahead, where Lexa stood with Lucas and Liam. 

She could see Lexa’s smug smile from here, as if she’d been waiting for Lily’s reaction, savoring every ounce of humiliation she had unleashed.

As she closed the distance, she spotted Alex nearby. He must have been looking for her, worry evident in his gaze. 

He stepped forward, blocking her path with a firm, yet gentle stance.

“Lily, don’t. She’s not worth it.” His tone was calm, but his eyes were pleading.

“Alex, I can’t ignore this. She did this on purpose to hurt me.”

He reached out, touching her arm, his expression filled with concern. 

“I know, but reacting only gives her more power. She wants you upset.”

But her anger wouldn’t be tempered. 

“This is more than just a petty fight. She crossed a line.”

Seeing her resolve, Alex sighed, giving her space. 

“Just… don’t let her drag you down to her level. I’m here if you need me.”

With one last look of encouragement from Alex, Lily squared her shoulders, marching toward Lexa, her heart pounding with each step.

“Look who’s come to see us,” Lexa cooed, loud enough for the other students to hear. “The girl of the hour.”

Lily’s hands clenched, but she forced herself to stay steady. 

“What’s wrong with you, Lexa? Do you get some kind of sick thrill from humiliating people?”

Lexa’s grin widened, eyes gleaming. 

“Oh, relax, Lily. I was just giving everyone a little entertainment. They seem to love it.” She swept her arm in a grand gesture, motioning to the crowd of students now watching them with growing interest.

Lily’s voice hardened, sharp as a blade. 

“This was a low blow, even for you. If you had any respect at all, you wouldn’t have done this.”

Lexa’s laughter was harsh, and she crossed her arms, tilting her head as she looked Lily up and down with mock sympathy. 

“Please, Lily. You’re acting like you didn’t bring this on yourself. Running around with Alex, acting like you’re someone you’re not… I just helped everyone see the real you.”

Lucas and Liam stepped forward, their eyes dark with anger as they glared at Lily. 

Lucas’s voice was laced with contempt. 

“Lexa’s right. You’ve made a fool of yourself, and now you’re making a fool of us.”

Lily felt the sting of his words, but her pride kept her standing tall. 

“I haven’t done anything to you. My life isn’t your business.”

Lucas’s voice dropped to a chilling tone. 

“It is our business when you disgrace the pack. You’re the Luna, and you should know better than to act so… recklessly.”

“Recklessly?” She scoffed, crossing her arms. “You’re calling me reckless because I kissed someone? I’m allowed to live my own life.”

But before she could say more, Liam sneered, his voice cutting through the air. 

“Your life isn’t your own, Lily. Not when you represent all of us. The pack has expectations, and you’re failing every one of them.”

Feeling the heat of their disdain, she tried to respond, but Alex stepped in beside her, his voice steady yet defiant. 

“This is absurd. You can’t control her like she’s some kind of possession. She’s her own person.”

Lucas’s face twisted in rage, his voice rising with each word. 

“You don’t get it, do you, Alex? You’re an outsider. You don’t understand the responsibility she carries as Luna. She doesn’t have the luxury of doing whatever she wants.”

Alex looked back at Lily, his eyes filled with confusion. 

“Luna? What are they talking about?”

Lily felt her heart drop. She had wanted to tell him eventually, but not like this—not with everyone watching and Lexa enjoying the spectacle. 

She searched for the right words, her mouth dry, but nothing came.

Lucas, noticing her hesitation, seized the moment, his voice dripping with bitterness. 

“Lily’s our Luna, Alex. She has a mate. She belongs to the pack, and that’s a responsibility she can’t just walk away from.”

Alex’s face paled as he processed Lucas’s words. 

He looked at Lily, betrayal flickering in his eyes. 

“Is that true?”

Lily swallowed hard, her voice barely a whisper. 

“Yes… but it’s complicated.”

“Complicated?” His voice cracked, disbelief and pain clear in his tone. “All this time… you didn’t think to tell me?”

She took a step forward, reaching out, but he backed away, his expression hardening. 

“I thought I knew you, Lily. But clearly, I don’t.”

Lexa’s smirk grew, satisfied with the turmoil she had caused. 

.

“See, Alex? She was never honest with you. Just like I told you.”

Lily turned back to Lexa, fury simmering in her veins. 

“You did this on purpose. You wanted to hurt me, to tear everything apart.”

Lexa shrugged, her expression indifferent. 

“Maybe next time you’ll think twice before getting in my way. This is just what happens when someone like you steps out of line.”

Fighting back the tears that threatened to spill, Lily looked to Lucas and Liam, hoping for some semblance of understanding. But their expressions were cold and unyielding.

“Don’t expect us to feel sorry for you,” Liam said, his voice cutting through her hope. “You made your choice.”

The words hung heavy in the air, and Alex’s gaze burned into hers, full of hurt and disbelief. 

She wanted to explain, to make him understand, but the damage had been done. 

The trust they had shared was shattered, leaving only a painful silence between them.

As Alex turned and walked away, Lily felt the full weight of what had just happened. 

The laughter and whispers of the students around her seemed to fade into the background as she stood there, feeling the sting of Lexa’s betrayal, Lucas and Liam’s condemnation, and Alex’s heartbreak. 

And in that moment, she understood the full cost of being Luna—of belonging to the pack, no matter the personal cost.