Chapter 3: Rumors

“Gwen’s POV”

The bitter taste of all the things that happened since last night still lingered in my mouth as I made my way to the Pack hall. Each step felt heavier than the last, burdened not just by the weight of my own sorrow, but by the shame forced upon me by what Derek called me.

“Whore”. 

I replayed the events of the previous night in my mind, each memory a painful reminder of how quickly love could turn to scorn. I tried to push back the tears threatening to spill from my eyes, not wanting my fellow pack members to see and start asking me questions.

I prayed silently to the Moon Goddess, begging for a second chance at finding a mate who would truly love me, who would see me for who I was, and not treat me like Derek had.

Entering my room, I wasted no time in taking a shower, the water soothing against my skin as I tried to wash away the shame and humiliation that clung to me like a second skin. With a heavy sigh, I proceeded to resume my cleaning duties.

By late afternoon, exhaustion weighed heavily on me, my body aching from the physical and emotional toll of the day. I decided to take a short break, seating myself on a nearby bench in the hallway, hoping to catch my breath before continuing with my chores.

But my break was cut short.

"Caught slacking off, are we?" came a sharp voice from behind me.

I jumped in surprise, turning to see Madam Rita, the head maid, glaring at me with disdain. Panic surged through me as I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest.

"I… I was just taking a short break, Ma'am," I stammered, my voice barely a whisper.

"A break?" she echoed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "We don't have time for breaks here, omega! The pack doesn't operate on idleness."

"I-I'm sorry," I stammered, my voice trembling with fear.

"Don't test me, girl. Now get back to work, or you'll be out on the streets faster than you can imagine."

"Please, don't chase me out, I have nowhere else to go" I begged, desperation lacing my voice. "I promise I'll finish everything before the end of the shift."

"Fine," she relented, her voice dripping with disdain. "But don't think for a second that I won't be keeping a close eye on you from now on."

As I resumed my duties, a knot formed in the pit of my stomach, twisting tighter with each passing moment. And then, just when I thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, Madam Rita dropped a bombshell that sent my brain spinning.

"Are the rumors flying about in the pack true?" she questioned.

"R-Rumors?" I stammered.

"Don't play coy with me, Gwen" she snapped. "Everyone is whispering about how you seduced the Alpha's son, how you're claiming you're mates."

My jaw dropped. "Seduced him?" I shrieked, the absurdity of the accusation washing over me. "It was the other way around! He… he…" Shame burned through me, making it hard to speak.

Madam Rita scoffed. "Spare me the details. It's clear you're nothing but a shameless opportunist. You're not worthy of Derek, not worthy of being the future Luna of this pack."

"Future Luna?" I choked out, the term hitting me like a physical blow. I was no longer interested in Derek, let alone becoming his mate, not after the events of last night.

"But…" I began, desperate to defend myself, to explain the truth. Before I could get another word out, Madam Rita held up a hand, silencing me.

"You have been summoned by the Alpha anyway," she said, her voice clipped. "Report to the palace immediately. When you are done you can come back to finish your shift. Pray the Alpha shows you some mercy."

My stomach churned. The rumors, the summons… what was happening? Did Derek and his friends spread this lie? The thought filled me with a bitter rage.

Hurriedly, I gathered my cleaning supplies and dropped them off in the store. Then, I made my way to the palace. Every step felt like a march to my own execution.

The pack members I passed seemed to be whispering among themselves, their gazes filled with a mixture of curiosity and disgust. I could almost hear the accusations swirling around me like a storm.

By the time I reached the grand oak doors of the palace, my heart threatened to burst from my chest. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for the confrontation that awaited me and opened the door.

The door opened to reveal a large, dimly lit room. At the far end, behind an enormous desk, sat Alpha Roland, the Alpha of our pack. His presence was intimidating, his eyes piercing as they locked onto mine.

Derek stood beside him, a smug smile playing on his lips. I could also see Luna Maureen, Beta Josh, and several other members of the palace council.

The guards pushed me down to kneel before the Alpha. I said my greetings, still wondering why I was brought before them like this. I wasn’t a criminal nor did I do anything wrong.

"Is this her?" Alpha Roland asked, his voice cold and devoid of emotion.

"Yes, Alpha," one of the guards confirmed. "No one saw us bring her here.

The Alpha nodded, then turned his attention fully to me. "Gwen," he began, his tone accusatory. "You stand accused of spreading lies about your encounter with my son, Derek, your future Alpha. How do you plead?"

"Lies? I…I didn't spread any lies," I protested, my voice trembling. Dread coiled in my stomach. How could I explain the night's events without sounding like a scorned Omega making false accusations against the future Alpha?

 "I didn't tell anyone—"

"Quit forging ignorance, Gwen" Derek interrupted, his tone dripping with disdain. "She's just trying to save herself, Alpha. She probably thought she could elevate her status by making up stories about being with me."

My blood ran cold. Derek was painting me as a deranged Omega, desperate enough to violate the future Alpha. When he said he was going to make me regret talking to him like that, this was what he meant?

The Alpha’s eyes never left mine, his expression unreadable. "Why would Derek lie about this? He has no reason to tarnish his own reputation."

"But I didn't—" I started, but the Alpha held up a hand, silencing me.

"Enough," he said sternly. "You are an Omega, Gwen. You have everything to gain from such deceit, while Derek has nothing to gain and everything to lose."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the room. My heart sank as I realized that no one here would listen to me. The unfairness of it all was overwhelming. Everyone had a say except me.

"Think about it," the Alpha continued. "Why would Derek, the future Alpha of this pack, lie about something like this? What could he possibly gain?"

The question hung in the air, and I felt the weight of their judgment pressing down on me. "I didn't seduce him," I insisted, my voice breaking. "I didn't do anything wrong."

"Don't waste our time with your lies, Gwen," Luna Maureen spat, her voice sharp as a whip.

"Derek has a fiancée, a strong and respected member of this pack. Did you think your little ploy could change that? You are just a low-life Omega who would do anything to climb the social ladder."

My cheeks burned with shame. Fiancée? They thought I orchestrated some elaborate scheme to become Luna? Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked around the room, seeing nothing but contempt and disbelief.

"No! It's not like that!" I tried to explain, but my voice seemed to be lost in the room.

Derek let out a mocking laugh. "Typical Omega behavior," he sneered. "Always trying to cause trouble. You should be grateful I didn’t find you and kill you immediately for the lies you cooked."

A murmur arose from the council members, their faces etched with disgust. The Alpha raised a hand again, silencing the room. He looked at me, his gaze cold and unforgiving.

"Spreading false rumors about the future Alpha is a serious offense, Omega," he said, his voice devoid of warmth. "You are lucky that we were able to contain your lie which would have tarnished Derek's reputation further."

"But I didn't! He…" The words caught in my throat.

"Enough!" the Alpha's voice boomed, silencing me. "I will not tolerate such behavior in my pack. Gwen, for your deceit and manipulation, you are hereby sentenced to ten lashes and imprisonment until further notice." the Alpha concluded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

A gasp escaped my lips, the sentence hitting me like a physical blow. Ten lashes? Imprisonment? I looked at Derek, his smug face mirroring his victory.

"No, please," I pleaded to the Alpha, my voice barely a whisper. "I didn't do anything—"

One of the guards stepped forward with a whip in his hand, his expression grim as he laid me down to position me to receive the lash.

"Please, Alpha" I begged, my voice trembling. "You don't understand! He's lying." But my pleas fell on deaf ears.

With a nod from the Alpha, the first lash came down, a searing pain that tore through my back. I screamed, the sound echoing off the stone walls. The second lash followed, then the third, each one worse than the last.

By the time the tenth lash fell, I was barely conscious, my body lying helpless on the floor. The pain was excruciating, it was difficult to breathe.

"Take her to the dungeon at the outskirt of the pack," the Alpha ordered, his voice cold and indifferent. "Let her think about the consequences of her actions."