Chapter Three

Clasping my hands around the arrow, I made to pull it out of my arm.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t try that,” the rogue beside Rebecca said as he shook his head with pity in his eyes.

“Jerome!” Rebecca glared at him after he spoke. “How could you say that to her? Don't tell me you’re starting to feel the mate bond?” She grabbed onto his arm, blinking her lashes at him, her lips pouted.

“Don’t worry, love, I just want her to be willing to transfer power to me. You know that’ll be better than forcefully taking it from her,” Jerome reassured her, smoothing back her hair. His voice was soft, almost soothing. “And that arrow is poisoned with wolfsbane,” he added, turning to stare at me, his smile turning sinister.

“Bastards!!!” I screamed, already feeling the poison seeping into my system.

No matter how fast my healing ability was, I couldn’t fight the power of wolfsbane. Wolfsbane was the most lethal way to kill a wolf, whether in any form—drug, weapon, handcuffs, chain, or whatsoever.

My heart stopped for a second as I realized that there is nothing left but death for me.

“What makes you think I’m going to willingly hand over my pack to you?” I raised my head high, pulling out the arrow from my arm, causing black blood to splash out.

“I know you wouldn’t give up,” Jerome began, and then he snapped his fingers.

Rogues came in with women and children of my pack, bound tightly together with wolfsbane chains. Their wails and cries were endless, falling into my ears.

“They are more of them like this. The more you hesitate to hand over the pack, the more the wolfsbane eats away at them,” Jerome stated, dusting off imaginary dust from his coat. With another snap of his fingers, another group of rogues brought in my warriors, bound as well with wolfsbane, their heads bowed low.

“Sorry we failed, alpha,” with his head bowed low Diego said, his whole body was filled with endless injuries, and there was no sign of it healing, obviously caused by the poisoned chains.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Those who failed and betrayed the pack are the ones who should be sorry,” I said softly. “You’re all warriors who fought till the end, so never bow your heads low.”

They lifted their chins, and I met their eyes with determination, hoping to instill some strength and courage in them.

“Enough of the bravado talk already, and let’s get down to business!” Rebecca shouted, her hands clenched into fists, her voice tinged with urgency and frustration.

“Alpha, please save us! Please, Alpha!” The cries and wails of the pack members filled the room, their voices echoing with fear and desperation, tugging at my heartstrings.

“How could you stand and watch this, Becca? This is the pack where you grew up. These are the people who we call our family, so how could you?” I blinked my eyes rapidly, trying hard not to let my tears fall.

My emotions were a whirlwind of sorrow, anger, and disbelief. How could Rebecca turn against everything we stood for?

“What do you want me to do?” My lips trembled, my voice barely above a whisper, as I struggled to hold back my tears, my heart heavy with the weight of the situation.

“That’s simple. Denounce yourself as alpha, and declare me as the new alpha,” Jerome said, his chin raised high, his expression filled with arrogance and self-assurance.

“Okay, but you have to promise me something,” I said firmly, my eyes locking onto Rebecca’s, my gaze unwavering and intense.

“Which is?” Rebecca asked, her features tense, her guard up as she awaited my demand.

“You have to take good care of the pack and its members. If not, I’ll hunt you all down,” I declared, my voice laced with determination and a hint of warning, my eyes flashing with resolve as I made my demand clear.

“That’s if you’ll be alive after this,” Rebecca said, nodding her head in approval to my request.

“So get started with it already,” Jerome urged, his voice filled with excitement.

Taking out a small pocket knife, I slashed my wrist before parting my lips. “I, Eva Grey, Alpha of the Blue Moon pack, ordained under the moon, denounce my title as alpha, passing authority to—” I stopped halfway and glanced up at Jerome.

“Jerome Bane,” he quickly interjected, eager to claim his newfound power.

“Jerome Bane as the new alpha of the pack,” I declared, my voice steady but heavy with resignation.

With those words, a rumble echoed in the sky, and all the connections I had with the pack slowly dissipated, leaving me feeling empty and disconnected.

“Do you feel it?” Rebecca turned to Jerome, her eyes eager for validation.

“Yeah, I do,” Jerome replied, his teeth gleaming with satisfaction.

“That’s awesome. Now what should we do with her?” Rebecca asked, her eyes filled with disgust as she looked at me.

“I can keep her as my pet. She has a great figure,” Jerome said flirtatiously, leaving Rebecca's side to approach me. He lifted his hands, caressing my cheeks softly.

“What?!” Rebecca rushed to Jerome, shoving his shoulder hard. “Why would you do that? This bitch has to die.” With a swift motion, she pulled out a syringe from her pocket, her eyes dark and deadly as she stabbed the needle into my neck.

Eyes wide with shock, I stared at Rebecca, memories of our childhood flashing before my eyes. We had shared so much—laughter, dreams, and promises to always be there for each other.

“When did your hatred start?” I coughed up blood, clutching to Rebecca’s dress as I forced the words out of my lips, my voice weak and filled with pain.

“Who told you I ever liked you? Ever since we were young, you always got the best things, leaving me with nothing but leftovers. All my life, all I had to do was fawn over you,” Rebecca pushed my hands away, her voice trembling with anger.

I could see the resentment burning in her eyes, the years of feeling overshadowed and neglected boiling over.

“Bitch!!” Jerome, who had been shoved earlier by Rebecca, shouted in outrage. His face contorted with anger, fists clenched at his sides.

“What?!” Rebecca screamed back at him, her eyes blazing with fury. I could see the fire in her gaze, the intensity of her emotions palpable.

“How could you kill her when I haven’t even rejected her yet?” Jerome's voice was filled with disbelief and annoyance, his expression a mix of irritation.

“Then reject her now before she breathes her last,” Rebecca spat out, her words sharp and cutting. Her face twisted with contempt, lips curled in a sneer of disdain.

“Shit!!” Jerome grabbed a fistful of my hair, pulling me closer to him. I could feel the roughness of his grip, the desperation in his touch. His eyes met mine, filled with a mixture of distaste.

A swallowed a whimper with a rising and falling chest, refusing to cry as the pain from the poison, their betrayal and his hand gripping my hair rooted deep into my soup.

“I, Jerome Bane, reject you as my mate,” he declared. I could hear the anguish in his tone, the weight of his words bearing down on me.

As Jerome finished his words, the world around me seemed to collapse, darkness closing in around me. My heart clenched with a sense of finality, the realization sinking in that this was the end.

“Moon goddess, is this my end? If I have another chance, I’ll make sure they pay for what they have done with their lives,” I thought bitterly as I succumbed to the darkness, my last thoughts filled with anger and defiance.