Chapter 5

~Ava~

His lips twisted into a sly grin. The darkness obscured his face, but an unsettling feeling gnawed at me, urging me to steer clear of him.

“Someone who understands betrayal,I have been betrayed by the one I love the most many times but I am used to it” he said, his voice laced with something I couldn’t quite place.

I narrowed my eyes, growing wary. “What do you mean by that?” I asked, my voice sharp.

“Why don’t you come with me, get in the car, and we’ll talk about it? We can talk better in the car, you don't have to be scared, I am harmless” he suggested. I hesitated, eyes fixed on him.

Don’t do it, Ava; it’s a trap, you can't afford to fall into another trap right now that you are in a mess, Lunaria’s  warning echoed in my mind. I bit my lip, torn. After a long pause, I made my decision and slipped into the car, steeling myself for whatever came next.

I knew it was reckless, but the truth was, if something happened to me, no one would know.

I turned to face him fully, my breath caught in my throat. The man in front of me was undeniably handsome—his perfectly sculpted brows, sharp, marble-grey eyes, and an aristocratic nose that commanded attention. His lips were... dangerously alluring. Despite the magnetism, a sense of menace radiated off him, the air around him practically crackling with power. But what really unsettled me was how he knew my name.

How could he?

“What do you mean by that, ‘You know what it feels like to be betrayed’? How?” I asked again, confusion and suspicion battling within me.

“Well, let’s say I find myself in a similar situation, multiple times, and I don't feel any suprise about it anymore but my concern is you now” he replied, his words only deepening my confusion.

“I have no idea who you are! Why are you so concerned about me? Why are you acting like you know me? How do you even know my name?” My voice was growing more agitated. "And what situation are you talking about?"

He ignored my questions, offering a new one instead. “I can help you take revenge on Ethan and you will be very satisfied after that.”

“Revenge? What the hell are you talking about? How do you even know about Ethan and me? I haven’t told you a damn thing about that!” My voice was rising, now fully on edge. “Why do you sound like a creep? I should’ve trusted my instincts and stayed away from you.”

I moved to open the door, desperate to leave, but just as I reached for the handle, his grip seized my wrist, locking me in place.

My heart slammed against my ribs, panic rising. Was this it? Was this the end?

He didn’t let go. Instead, he pulled out his phone and spoke calmly. “Watch this. Then tell me if you still don’t want revenge on him.”

I hesitated. Was this another trap? Was he trying to manipulate me further?

He met my gaze with an oddly reassuring look and hit play. The video loaded, showing Ethan where he was making a public announcement. He was declaring Emilia as his mate. My stomach turned. It had only been a few hours since I’d left the pack, and there he was, flaunting her as his new mate. And to top it off, it was a live post.

“No. Turn it off,” I snapped, my voice breaking. “I don’t need to see that. It’s his life, his choice. After everything that happened, I rejected him. He can do whatever he wants with it.”

The man didn’t stop. “Watch it. Really think about it. Do you honestly believe another pack will accept you after that?”

He was right, even though I hated admitting it. The bitterness in his voice told me he understood the full weight of what he was implying.

I bit back the sting of humiliation. “I’m not the first Luna to lose her position. There are packs out there that would still take me in,” I spat. “And you—why are you doing this? Is it because of Emilia? Are you also her Ex?”

The anger in my chest flared as I lashed out. Why did people always have to remind me of my failures? Why did they try to break me down with every word?

He didn’t flinch. Instead, his expression darkened. “That’s not why you’re being shut out. Ethan went public with a different story. He told everyone how you orchestrated an attack with rogues, all because you were jealous of Emilia. You even lost your pup in the process. He said that’s why he rejected you. Right now, you’re blacklisted by every pack—except mine.”

I stared at him, stunned, the words crashing into me like a tidal wave.

“No. That’s a lie. Ethan wouldn’t do that, he would never go through these extents just to paint me red in front of everyone in the pack. He knows I had nothing to do with it, everyone knows. I’m the one who rejected him! He didn't ask for it, I asked for it myself because he is starting to chose someone over me” I could feel my blood boiling. There was no way he was telling the truth.

The man didn’t argue. He just played the next video.

I watched, my heart sinking. Ethan was speaking again, this time with Emilia, painting me as the villain. Their words—his betrayal—stung, but it wasn’t just the betrayal. It was the lie. The deliberate destruction of my reputation.

It was too much. The anger coursed through me, unstoppable. Betrayed. Used. Lied about. All because of him. All because of Ethan.

“So now, are you ready to let me help you with your revenge on your Ex mate? And I promise to make your ex mate bow before you ” the stranger’s voice was low, almost soothing in the midst of my rage.