Chapter 1

Amalthea's POV

Whoosh!

A bucket of ice cold water was poured on my already freezing body, making my lungs seize as I gasped sharply, and jerked upright, coughing and trembling.

“Get up!” The guard barked, as he stepped into my cell. “It's judgement day.”

A bitter smile spread across my lips.

“Psycho,” the guard muttered and dragged me to my feet, my bones screaming in protest.

I bit back a groan, and he pushed me out of the cell.

“Move!” He ordered, and I began walking like my limbs don’t really belong to me and each step is a negotiation rather than an order.

I blinked a few times trying to adjust to the brightness of the sun, as we got outside. I hadn't felt the warmth of the sun in weeks, and I must say it felt heavenly.

A car pulled up in front of us seconds later. I got in, and was driven straight to the general Pack hall.

I stumbled as the guard kept shoving me forward through the hall. The Pack members whispered amongst themselves, and I could tell they have no idea what's going on.

As we got to the front of the hall, the guard forcefully pulled me down to my knees, which only increased their whispering, as they all wondered why the Pack's Luna was being treated like trash.

Fredrick was nowhere in sight, and I couldn't help but wonder where he was.

After what felt like an eternity, the aura in the hall shifted, and the hall fell silent. Without being told, I knew Frederick just came in.

I forced myself to look up and my eyes landed on Frederick. His eyes were filled with the same disdain they've held for me, the moment he walked in on me half naked with another man.

As Fredrick took slow imposing steps forward, his eyes were on anywhere but me.

“F-Fredrick,” I called out in a hoarse voice as he got close to where I knelt down, but as expected, he acted like I was invisible. I grabbed the hem of his robe to get his attention. “P-please–”

Pow! The words had barely left my lips when Fredrick gave me a deafening backhanded slap.

“How dare you lay those filthy hands on me?!” He growled, and before I could make sense of anything, Fredrick grabbed me by my neck, and lifted me off the floor like I weighed nothing.

My feet dangled, as he lifted me into the air, his grip tightening every second as his eyes darkened.

“Fredrick,” I whispered, clawing weakly at his hand, as my body began to tremble, and black spots began to dot my vision.

Uncontrollable tears streamed down my cheeks, as life slowly slipped out of me. My hands fell to my sides, and I closed my eyes, waiting for death to embrace me.

“Fredrick!” Lilian's voice echoed, and my body crumpled onto the cold floor like a sack of potatoes. The pain that shot through my body in that moment was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

Fresh tears streamed down my cheeks faster than a heartbeat, as the weight of my new reality once again came crashing down on me, and all for something I was clearly innocent of.

**************** FEW WEEKS EARLIER************

My head felt like it was being split in halves by the time I stirred awake. I don't know if I'm overthinking this, but it feels like I'm being punished for last night's celebration.

I gently massaged my temples, hoping to ease off some of the pains I was feeling, but it was useless.

There was so many things to do, and if I stay in bed a second longer I’d be more useless than I already felt.

I was about to get out of bed, when a strong arm snaked around my waist, pulling me closer, his breath fanning my neck.

“Fredrick,” I whispered, as I allowed myself to relax into his embrace, my body still heavy with sleep.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

That wasn't— wasn’t Fredrick.

I twisted sharply in the bed and found myself face to face with a total stranger.

“What the hell?” I scrambled out of bed, only to realize I was putting on a lingerie.

I quickly grabbed the sheets and wrapped it around me body.

“Who the hell are you?” I demanded,

“What do you mean babe?” The man got out of bed, making his way towards me. “You brought me here, remember?” a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.

“Mathias!” I called out to my personal guard, as I made my way to the door. There's no point trying to get anything out of this man, he's delusional, and a good torture would get him talking.

As soon as I grabbed the door knob, the door swung open, revealing Frederick with a bouquet in his hand and a bright smile on his lips.

I sighed in relief. “Fredrick there's–” I stopped mide sentence as Fredrick looked past me, his eyes darkened as it landed on the half naked man in our room.

“Fredrick I–” My voice cracked, but before I could say another word, Fredrick was already across the room, grabbing the man by his throat as he slammed him against the wall.

“You had the guts to sleep with my wife?!” Fredrick growled, his voice dripping with raw fury. “On my bed?!”

“N-no-” I rushed over to Fredrick, trying to explain. “Fredrick nothing happened between us. I don't even know–”

“Don't you dare take another step, Thea!” Fredrick glared at me.

I stopped dead in my tracks, tears welling up in my eyes.

“What's happening?” Lilianand Allen rushed in, her eyes darting between Fredrick choking a stranger who was putting on nothing but boxers, and back to me who stood in a corner in tears, putting on nothing but lingerie.

I'm sorry,” the man managed to croak out. “Amalthea invited me in–”

“That's a lie!” My voice came out as a strangled cry. “I don't even know this man—”

“How long has this been going on?” Fredrick's voice was filled with so much hurt, that my heart ached.

“A couple of months.”

A deafening thunder-like growl rippled out of Frederick, his Alpha Aura suffocating everyone in the room.

“Fredrick,” Lilianwhimpered, her face turning pale as she clutched her throat, struggling to breathe.

“Alpha,” Allen stepped forward cautiously and placed his hands on Fredrick's. “Let him go, please. You're going to kill him.”

It took several agonizing seconds, but Allen finally managed to pry Fredrick’s hand from the man’s throat.

The man collapsed to the floor and greedily sucked in air.

“Fredrick–” I stopped mid-sentence, as his face was void of the love I once knew. His gaze was cold and murderous, and it wasn't directed at the stranger anymore– it was directed at me.

“Lock them up,” Frederick walked past me like I didn't exist. “Separately,” he added, before slamming the door shut behind him.