Chapter two

I raised my head up to meet the gaze of the people I once held in high esteem. The ones who had taught me how to find my own voice. The ones who taught me to be strong again only to crush me down.

I turned to the people, no one came to me. No one tried to help me. They just stared and pointed at me, gossiping amongst themselves. These are the people I put before my own happiness.

They all betrayed me!!

I watched as my former mate wrapped his hand around the waist of the person I once felt proud to have as a best friend.

I shook my head, she was never my best friend in the first place. It all became clear to me. It was as though the speck that blinded my vision had been washed away. All the innocent excuses became clear to me now.

        

I watched him stare at her with longing in his eyes. I almost crumbled. I was the only one that had succeeded in drawing that look from him. 

He licked her neck and the idiot moaned in delight. I watched as his fangs sank into her neck, marking her and claiming her as his. A hand flew over her mouth. 

She turned to me and smirked in satisfaction when he roared the word 'mine' her lips repeating the word.

        

"Bloodclaw pack, meet your new Luna. Luna Avalon Westley." The people howled in joy and I felt my abdomen twist in disgust. 

No one asked any questions. Of course, why would they ask? They were meant to follow their Alpha without any doubt but it would help if one person at least shook his head. 

The pain on my lower abdomen increased. I looked down to see that I was bleeding.

I screamed for help but everyone was lost in the celebration of their new Luna. The pain tripled. These were the people that I had put first before my own emotions. No one spared me a glance.

No one even turned in the direction of my voice. They all adored her the same way they adored me a few minutes ago. How easy can someone be replaced?

My strained voice was eventually drained out by their shouts and howl's of celebration. 

For the first time in fourteen years, I felt something that I had never dreamt of feeling again. An emotion... loneliness.

I was once again left alone in this world. I stared at the happy people with blurred vision. It was clear to me that I had no place here again. They had replaced me so easily. They didn't mourn me for a second.

I was never part of this pack from the beginning. They had accommodated me and I served a duty. Once they found a better person to serve, they tossed me aside with no regret.

I looked up to the moon and screamed. The moon goddess sat wherever she was and refused to interfere. She refused to protect me, the weak which was her duty.

She refused to do justice to me instead, she made the moon shine brighter. Does she even have a heart? Does she even exist?

        

The blood loss increased and my steps wavered. I was feeling dizzy. I can't die in a pack that turns their back on me. I would rather die in the forest. With that determination, I turned around slowly.

Each step I took was heavier than the last, reminding me of the severed bond between me and the one who claimed to cherish me. 

I practically crawled on my knees trying desperately to curb the pain I was wallowing in.

        

'One more step' I told myself as I sighted the pack's border. I breathed deeply ignoring the nagging pain in my abdomen.

        

" I, Eliora Thayer, reject  Bloodclaw pack as my pack and understand that by doing so, I will become a rogue." I felt the last bond snap. I was no longer connected to the pack. Whether the pain intensified when I rejected the pack or not did not matter.

I stepped into the forest clinging to myself as I stared at the sky. The stupid full moon was the reason I was god-damned happy and seemed to mock me, a constant reminder of their betrayal. 

For the past fourteen years, I had always looked forward to seeing the moon in its full glory but now, I want nothing to do with it again.

        

The cold wind seeped through my skin and goose bumps appeared on my skin, reminding me of my choice of dress.

I laughed bitterly. I was dressed in the finest material yet I felt less than the fallen leaves I trampled on as I walked through the forest.

There was a loud howl in the forest and I stopped in my tracks, my hands leaving my abdomen to cover my mouth. 

It could be another rogue. They had probably sensed a weak creature in the forest and had come to hunt them down. It could be a lot worse than that, it could be a bear. I resumed walking when she could no longer hear the sound. I had to get to the nearest pack then I would be safe.

At least, they would recognize me as the Luna of Bloodclaw pack unless the news gets ahead of me.

Maybe, I could use this title to save myself one last time.

        

I smiled through my tears when I saw a building indicating a pack. I struggled to walk but my feets were too heavy to move. I tried again but my legs gave up and I landed on the ground. I wasn't going to give up, not with the little glimpse of safety dancing in front of me.

        

"Stop there!" I looked at the man approaching me with weak eyes hoping that he would help me.

        

" A female rogue!" Another announced sniffing the air. Through blurred vision, I noticed one of them walk closer to her.

        

" Step away from her. She is a rogue."

        

" But she is bleeding."

        

" She could be dangerous."

        

" She is a woman who needs our help."

        

" Doesn't change the fact that she is still a rogue. Female rogues are worse than male rogues. They are manipulative."

        

" Please...help...me." I  forced the words out of my mouth hoping they would stop arguing in front of me. 

The tears in my eyes never stopped pouring as I struggled to look into the eyes of the one who seemed kind. Blood was all I could see.

        

" Help." I begged, feeling my consciousness slip away from her slowly.

        

"Nonsense!" I heard him curse and I felt myself being lifted from the ground.

        

" You are making a huge mistake, put her down. She is a rogue and we don't help rogues Jake, we kill them." Was I going to die like a rogue? She didn't know. At least, I was going to die in the hands of a stranger. I was too weak to think about it.

        

" She is still a woman! A bleeding lady. I'm not going to stand here and watch her die. Not every rogue is a spy. We could interrogate her when she wakes up." I tightened my arms around him and allowed the darkness to overshadow me. I was tired of fighting it.