“Help!”
A cry attracted the pack members around the area, then two of us falling from the high cliff...
They were terrified then soon realize that the two women - one of them was the Alpha’s former mate, Sofia; and the other one was me, Alpha Hayden’s current mate.
Both of us plunged toward the sea below the cliff. I only felt the cold sea water enveloping my body. The salty sea water was rushing into my mouth, my ears... Luckily, pack members came in time.
Hayden, who was patrolling around the area, heard the cries too. When I puked the salty, bitter seawater out of my mouth, the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was him holding Sophia, who was bleeding profusely.
Before I spoke, I saw Sophia's pitiful eyes with tears in them.
“Charlotte... I know you are jealous of my relationship with Hayden, but there really is nothing going on between us. Why did you push me off the cliff?” Sofia's weak voice sounded before she passed out.
My mouth dropped open. What does she mean that I pushed her off the cliff?!
But she didn't give me a chance to question her before her head veered into Hayden, my husband's chest and passed out.
Hearing Sofia's words, Hayden was furious, he glared at me angrily for a moment and didn't say a word.
I pressed my mouth. Can't he see that I fell and hurt myself too? I'd gotten a long gash on my arm from the rocks on the beach, and I'd cracked my forehead on a small rock.
But apparently, Hayden's mind wasn't on me.
“It's that vicious woman's drama again! Tell them the truth, Charlotte,” My wolf, Lexi, growled.
Yes, I should. It took every part of me to get myself sit up straighter a bit on the rock.
“Hayden, I can explain.” I spoke with a struggle and tried to ignore the pain all over my body.
Hayden didn't give me a proper look but let out a sneer.
“Explain? Everyone saw what had happened and heard Sofia’s words.”
“But it was her, who pushed-” I frantically tried to explain what had really happened.
“Enough! If there’s something wrong with her and her baby, I’ll punish you personally,” Hayden cut me off and said harshly as he picked Sofia in his arms and ran toward the pack’s infirmary.
At that time, I realized that it didn't matter what the truth was like.
No one would believe me, not even my own mate.
My heart hurt as if it was being stabbed by hundreds daggers, and yet I couldn't do anything about it.
This wasn't the first time I was framed by Sofia and Milla, Hayden’s younger sister. And just like today, he never asked me about what had happened; he would only listen to their side of the story and blamed me for everything.
Three years of being mated and married to Hayden, I have been trying my best to make Sofia and Milla happy, knowing how much they meant to Hayden, yet they kept treating me like an Omega maid.
Sometimes even worse. I had to serve them all the time.
In my deep heart, I knew the reason for it. They thought I was just an orphan she-wolf and not on par with Hayden, the ruthless Alpha of the third largest pack, the Red Claw Pack. They thought I didn't deserve to be the Luna of the pack.
But... What Hayden didn't know was that in order to become his mate, I purposely cut off contact with my family to make sure Hayden wouldn't know who I really was. I just wanted to be his mate and serve him like a good moon Luna.
Sometimes I wondered if it would make a difference if they knew who I really was? But for the longest time, I didn't want them to know. I wanted Hayden to love me for who I am, not for the powerful Alpha-in-line.
Because of that, for the last three years, I had endured every insult, humiliation, and abuse from Sofia and Milla, yet I still served them as a good sister-in-law.
I didn't tell Hayden about it. I loved them and treated them as Hayden’s family. I hoped that one day they would recognize my kindness and dedication.
But the truth was so cruel.
Hayden became the Red Claw Pack's Alpha when his brother died, leaving Sofia as a widow and carried his baby.
I could still remember I was over the moon when I first met him and knew he was my mate. But who would have thought that Sofia, the widow of Hayden’s late brother, was more important to him than me?
Ever since Hayden claimed me as his mate and married me, he seldom cared for me. Instead, he spent more time with Sofia. He was even more protective of Sofia too.
Everyone could see the way he treated Sofia, and there were rumors that Hayden was in love with her.
No one had spoke for me, his mate, and his legal Luna!
My mind was in a mess. When I came out of my painful memories, Hayden and Sofia were gone, and the pack members had departed with them, leaving me alone on the rocks of the beach.
My body was drenched, my arm and forehead were bleeding.
It took me every effort just to stand up.
Luckily, Noah, the Beta of the Pack, was kind enough. He met me in the half way and supported me to go to the infirmary to treat my wounds.
“Thank you, Noah,” I said with gratitude.
Noah gave me a worried look and didn't say anything. He'd seen what had happened to me over the past three years, but he wasn't able to change any of Hayden's decisions.
Wouldn't it all be different if I had power and a throne?
I couldn’t help but think. If I had told Hayden of my real identity, would he trust me a bit more than Sofia? Should I tell him the truth?
“Yes! You need to tell him the truth,” Lexi growled in my mind. I know she hated Sofia and Hayden.
But would he believe me? As Hayden said, there were many witnesses.
When Sofia jumped back from the cliff, she grabbed my hand to pull her along. But for onlookers, it looked like what Sofia had described.
I had to admit that Sofia was the master of scheming. She was always good at that.
Thinking of the blood flowing from the bottom part of Sophia’s body, I guessed it might be a huge chance that she would lost her baby... I would have a big trouble if anything bad happened.
“I’m going to punish you personally,” Hayden’s harsh words rang in my mind again which made my heart sink.
“You still need to try to explain,” Lexi growled again.
“I wanted to explain, but you saw that, he didn't even listen to me,” I told her.
“Then try explaining again!” Lexi roared and started to get cranky. She actually knew it was futile. No one would believe us, it's as ridiculous as my title of Luna.
Ten minutes later, after staggering slowly, with the help of Noah, we finally reached the infirmary.
Just before I was about to step into the doctor's office, I was summoned by Hayden through out mindlink,
“Come straight to Sophia’s ward.”
His cold voice sent shivers down my spine.
I had a bad feeling about this. Is Sofia okay? Did she really lose her baby like I had guessed?
I felt my legs were heavy as I moved slowly toward Sofia’s ward. The closer I got, the more my sense of foreboding increased.
If Hayden was always on Sofia’s side all this time, would he believe me just this once? I prayed to the Moon Goddess that he would believe me, at least just this once.
Finally, I stood in front of Sofia’s ward. I took a deep breath before pushing the door open, and unsurprisingly, I was greeted by Hayden's icy gaze.
