Chapter 2

Veronica’s POV

“For the sin of stealing the virren moonstone and attempting to kill the Five Elders by poison, here stands Veronica Crysmorra, former Vameer, and Luna of the pack to receive her divine punishment.”

There was utter silence. I thought that my heart would beat fast in fear for my fate but perhaps I am too dead inside to feel any of it. Everyone was looking at me— in disdain, disappointment, anger, and many other things.

I stood in the middle of the platform. There were no stars in the sky and the moon is now behind the gray clouds. I tuned out the declaration of the rest of the damnation ritual. I couldn't care less. After all, it will just end up with me getting beheaded or burned alive.

Just in time, I heard the footsteps of someone coming towards me. I knew to whom it belonged. My hearing may be weakened in my state right now but I could recognize him.

Colton Vameer.

My Alpha. My husband. Ex-husband, given that he will now be replacing me.

He stared at me for a long minute. Then, he crouched in front of me and touched my face.

“I really wished it didn't have to come to this, Nica,” his eyes showed me pity and I hated him more for that.

My wolf whimpered as she could feel what was about to happen.

“Stop acting like you care,” I growled at him and moved away from his touch before shielding from his gaze.

“I do care about you,” he whispered.

For a second, I felt tears in my eyes. Both from anger and pain. I wanted to yell at him. If he really cared then he should side with me! He should defend me right now! He should… take me back. I want my life back.

I don't really want to die.

Not for something I did not do. Not after everything I dedicated my entire life for. I was no traitor. I was no killer. I wanted the best for our pack. I tried to be my best. Since day one, I just wanted to be a good Luna. What did I ever do for them to set me up like this? Why should I suffer this end? It is not fair. I do not deserve this!

These were all the words I wanted to shout for the world. For all of them to hear. I wanted them to know and I wanted them to grovel. I want to be… saved.

But I bit my lip and kept it to myself. I will not sink lower than where I am right now. I know that he is not my ally.

I learned that in the worst way.

And now, he is just here to reject me.

So he did recite the breaking for our bond,

“ɿՇ աɿðՇաȝðȝ þɿՌՌȝ ՏΛաʅ ΛՌԺ ɧȝԾՐԵȝ ՏաΛ ʍɿՌ ԾðȝՐ ɧȝΛʅԲ, ՒȝՐԾՌɿՇΛ ՇՐՎՏʍԾՐՐΛ”

I screamed in excruciating pain. I dropped and crouched to myself, my movements still limited by the heavy and cold chains. It was as if I was being burned inside, like being torn limb by limb. My wolf wailed and cried as I yelled in pain until my throat felt choked up and the stabbing sensation crushed my bones and minced my flesh.

My head was ringing and my vision was white for more than a minute. I could not feel anything after it.

I only heard that it was painful to be rejected and the bond being removed but I would have never prepared myself for the actual experience. I wanted to curl to myself and just sob my eyes out yet even that I could not afford.

Because this was a public execution. A public humiliation for me. Through the tears from my eyes, I could make out the crowd of the other members of our pack watching us. Watching me.

The rules of a rejection are simple: the one who would initiate it will need to drink the lake water under the moonlight for nine nights and recite the breaking spell under the full moon with their partner on their knees. Unless the other half was able to drink the lake water too, they could not contradict the rejection and thus, would suffer its termination. In most cases, the Moon Goddess accepts it, sometimes it is unaccepted.

For me, it was broken tonight.

I am not sure if the Goddess pitied me. Perhaps it was a gift from her, that I should be relieved of my wretched connection with the man who betrayed me. I’d like to think like that. I’d like to think that the deity knows the truth and is on my side.

To the eyes of our pack, however, it was solid evidence. They would think that the acceptance of the rejection would be because I did the accusations against me. It felt so unfair. I wanted to get mad but I have no strength left in me.

I am just so tired of being angry and hurt. I just want this to end.

“May you all witness the results of betraying one’s pack. This shall serve a lesson for everyone, no matter your position,” I heard the head of the Five Elders Council announce.

There was a lot of shuffling but no one dared to speak. Everyone was anticipating the next events. Then, the head Elder spoke again.

“Veronica Crysmorra, former Luna and an exiled member of the Eviera pack; from the decision of the Elders Council and our benevolent Alpha Colton, you are sentenced not by death but as an offering of retribution and payment to your former pack.”

I snapped my head up after what I heard. An offering?!

I tried to look at Colton but he could not meet my eyes and I felt my heart drop once again. They call him benevolent for sparing my life but this was a worse fate.

I could be tortured alive, I would be disgraced further to wherever they will send me. Beheading and the stake would have been mercy.

If I had tears left to shed, I would have. But I am nothing but a hollow urn right now. And just to make it worse for me, they named the pack they would be sacrificing me to.

“Veronica Crysmorra, the Helios clan shall have you.”

The pack of Helios— among the four biggest clans and the strongest in the North. They are known for being vicious and brutal.

And that same pack just happens to also be our pack’s worst enemy.