One

Hiraeth’s pov

“I swear on my life, Hector, I have no idea what she's talking about.” I screamed my pleas into the ears of my mate and husband. Alpha Hector. Praying and hoping that he'd listen to me.

But they all fell on deaf ears.

His eyes darkened and in an instant, I was sent flying across the room with just one push of his hand. Such was the magnitude of strength he had as an alpha of the Halo clan wolves, but I'd never thought a day would come where I would experience it first hand.

“How could you, Hiraeth? How could you?!” he spat, his eyes blazing with fury.

“For five years, five freaking years I tried all I could, praying and hoping for a miracle to happen, not knowing you on the other hand, was doing the exact opposite! Thwarting all my plans and prayers to the goddess!”

Instantly, my knees sank to the floor in trepidation. Goddess, I'd never seen him this angry before and the thought of that scared me to my bones. I should care about the pain from the aftermath of my collision with the brisk walls of the room, instead I cared about the pain of watching Hector sending things flying across the room with a deep groan. I suddenly wished he would believe me, not his ex, Vera who showed up just this morning with reckless claims about me.

“Please….Hector. I didn't do what she said I did. Why would I be on birth control herbs when I know just how much having a baby means to you, to the pack and even to me!” I pleaded.

The door flung open and Vera sashayed in together with Luna Amelda, Hector's mom, whose expression matched with that of Hector.

Now that she was here, I was certain I wasn't going to have it any easy. The lady stopped liking me after my first year of marriage with Hector where I couldn't take in as I should have. I was the choosen one after all, a pure virgin from a pure lineage, so quite a lot of hopes were up for an heir that would eradicate the curse in the clan, but I'd dashed them to the wind when I didn't take in.

“You wrench!” Luna Amelda sped towards me. “I've always known you were up to no good after you didn't take in like a proper pure virgin should and would!”

Her hands shot to my hair, pulling and tugging at the strands with so much agility. I yelped, reaching to remove her deathly grip from my hair but I felt a thick painful slash at my back, forcing a guttural scream out of me. I looked up tearily to see Hector, towering above me with his claws all out and dripping with blood. My blood.

“Stand up and follow me.” He didn't scream, he didn't shout but I knew an alpha command when I heard one, and this was it. And so I tried once more to beg.

"H-Hector... plea–”

“Do as I've said Hiraeth!”

My body racked with sobs and jolts of pain as I staggered to my feet, clutching my bloodied back in pain. With Hector taking the lead, his mom and Vera beside him, we all walked straight into the throne room where the pack's seer with an expertise in herbs laid seated on the floor, with her embellishments surrounding her.

Her sudden presence didn't surprise me, rather it scared me. She was the one who had picked me and sang of my praises but watching her right now, stare at me with so much gloat in her eyes was a cause for alarm.

“My lord.” She greeted, standing and prostrating before Hector. “I came as soon as I got the news. My Lord, I dee–”

“Save it, Naradya.” Hector growled. “What I want is for you to confirm whether or not it's true.”

Vera and Luna Amelda nodded, glaring daggers at me. My eyes glazed over to Hector and our eyes locked, but not more than a second. He tore his gaze away from me, signaling to the seer to carry on with what he had demanded.

With a loud huff, she walked to me. “Take off your clothings and lie on the floor.” She said.

I swiped my tears away as I did as instructed. Shame coated every fiber of being in me as I helplessly stood stark naked in front of Vera and Luna Amelda whose eyes alone could kill me, if given the chance. But then, if it was the price I had to pay to prove my innocence to Hector, I didn't mind.

Taking a lying position on the floor, my heart thumped loudly in my chest as soon as I felt the touch of a cold metal blade on my thighs. It didn't take long before an immense pain tagged along with it.

I screamed and tried to stand, but strong hands clamped me down. A sob tore from my throat, and then another and another until I was sobbing uncontrollably. But nobody seemed to care. Not even Hector. My wolf growled in pain, she was going feral from the humiliation and negligence from Hector. And no matter how many times I tried to mind link with him, but he kept shutting me out.

Amidst my pain, then came the final revelation from the seer. “I'm afraid the claims are true, My Lord. Her blood is indeed contaminated with birth control herbs.”

A shiver ran down my spine at the oddness of the seer's revelation. In my entire life being bred to be a pure virgin, I'd never taken any herbs. Luna Amelda herself had catered for whatever passed in and out of my mouth after I was announced as the chosen one, so how then did this happen? Or was she…..?

I trembled in fear when Hector growled loudly, slamming his fist into the wall, it cracked immediately and blood trickled down his fists. I expected he was going to relent, but he didn't. He went on and on. The sight broke my heart into pieces.

“I don't know what she's talking about Hector. I would swear it if you want me to. Please just stop…..” I sobbed, hoping he'd stop hurting himself. But he never did.

I turned to Luna Amelda and Vera. “Please Luna….you have to stop him, Vera say something! All this is your fault! I didn't take any birth control herbs, you know I am innocent!”

“Innocent? You wish.” Vera snorted.

Suddenly, a deep primal growl echoed in the air. Frightened, I scanned the throne room for whence the sound had come and it took me to where Hector was: only that it was a more furious version of Hector, coated with specks of blood and eyes so dark like an abyss.

“H-hector….please” I stammered. “Just liste–”

“I would never forgive you for this Hiraeth.” He drawled, taking steps towards me. “I will make sure you suffer immensely for the pain you are about to cause me and the pack.”

I tried to stand on my feet again and though there was no physical hand clamping me down, it felt as though there was an invisible one. My thighs hurt so badly and I could feel strength leaving me. But I was desperate to reach that part of Hector that once adored me before Vera's arrival this morning. And so I pushed myself forward, but instead of standing upright, I staggered and fell back on the floor.

As I lay on the floor, broken and in pain. Hector's voice came on. Hot and fierce without remorse. “I reject you Hiraeth Ashton as my mate and future Luna!”

No. No. No. Goddess, no.

A searing pain coursed through me, momentarily numbing my spine. More tears spilled from my eyes as my heart burned in pain from Hector's rejection. I wished he'd believe me, I wished h….he….oh goddess.

My wolf went berserk, clawing at me from inside and I felt my body go stiff. I tried to speak but the words weren't forthcoming, all I could do was grumble in pain and stare at Hector, and this time he didn't look away.

“Good job, son.” Luna Amelda left Vera's side to Hector. “But I hope you know that's not all, the law states th–”

“I know the law, mother.” Hector huffed.

“Well, it doesn't seem like it. If you don't do as the law states, the council of elders will be here sooner than you know it, and I'm certain we both don't want that.”

Luna Amelda nodded and returned to Vera's side. The whole time my gaze never for once left that of Hector. A look of pity flashed across his eyes as he stared silently at me, but it vanished no sooner had it arrived.

“As the Halo clan's alpha, I must uphold the law.” He began defiantly. “You, Hiraeth, are an abomination and will be punished by banishment. But before that, the clan must witness your shame.”

Before I could respond, he walked out, leaving me with just Vera and Luna Amelda. As soon as Hector was no longer in sight, two heavily built guards sauntered into the throne room. Sobbing, my hands shot to my privates, in an attempt to cover whatever shred of dignity I had left but then came Luna Amelda’s savage comment.

“What do you think you're covering? Your pathetic treacherous body you decided not to put to good use, eh?”

A sly smile danced on Vera's lips as she made hers. “But now it will be useful my queen, useful to the clan to vent their anger on.”

They laughed heartily together for a while, and shame like a wet blanket covered me. The realization that maybe Vera and the Luna queen knew something that I didn't about the birth control herbs nudged at me so intently. But even if they did, what was I to do? Hector had rejected me already and had also made a pronouncement.

There was nothing I could do. Absolutely nothing.

The guards seized me and dragged me out of the throne room to the castle's gate where everyone, both young and old was gathered. Some looked like they were sorry for me, but most looked like they were happy for my catastrophe. And I couldn't blame them. I would have hated me too, if I were in their shoes.

I was supposed to bring good luck to the clan, eradicate the curse that subjected the clan into abject poverty and weakness in the face of war, but I'd done the total opposite. So I perfectly understood the insults and curses that followed next.

“She must be whipped!”

“Goddess, she deserves more than being banished!”

“I wish she was dead!”

The curses for me to be whipped soon increased over time, they became more violent and demanding to the point where the guards had to succumb to the biddings of the people. They had no choice.

“Fine! The Luna queen will be whipped.” One of the guards yelled.

The crowd roared with shouts of joy and my eyes watered with hot tears. Watching the same people who had once worshiped the ground I walked on, turn into my sworn enemies overnight tore my heart into shreds. And for what? A crime I knew nothing about.

Like a fugitive, I was whipped mercilessly and paraded around the clan, naked and battered. The men jeered at me while the women spat on my privates, muttering more curses and insults at me till they eventually grew tired and finally came to a stop at the border that separated the clan from other territories.

“Good riddance to bad rubbish! I hope you get taken by rogues!” I heard someone say, striking a kick on my left chin. It was hard enough to make me yelp, but I had no strength to do so. I moaned in pain and for the first time since my day turned into night, I felt the first of fury.

For Hector.

For Vera.

For Luna Amelda.

And the Halo clan wolves – every single one of them, from young to old.

I cursed my luck, gritting my teeth as they all retreated back to the clan, leaving me to battle with severe bruises and the sudden coldness numbing my spine. My mind drifted to the scene where Hector had coldly made the pronouncement that I be banished, as I laid ridden on the floor. That tone, I would never forget it, and neither would I forget this day. That was my last thought before the darkness I'd been fighting enveloped me.