2.

~Xyana~

I stumble behind Gamma Reeder, shame oozing through me with every step.

My mind is still reeling from Alpha Kedar’s words, the disgust in his voice, the name-calling, and the humiliation that burns deeper than the wounds Oksana physically inflicted on me.

My wolf "Juno," whimpers in my head, confused and heartbroken. 'He's ours,' she repeats weakly, but I can feel her spirit gradually dying down as if she too is beginning to accept the harsh reality.

The pack members whisper as I pass, their eyes filled with cruel amusement. I catch glimpses of mocking smirks, and knowing looks exchanged between them. They revel in my humiliation, every single one of them.

"Pathetic," someone scoffs.

"How can this fat thing try to fight a real wolf?" Another voice says.

"She attacked our soon-to-be Luna." I hear someone else accuse me from the crowd.

I clench my teeth, swallowing the lump in my throat. I will not cry in front of them. I refuse to give them that satisfaction.

We finally reach the courtyard, where punishment is usually carried out. My knees nearly buckle when I see the wooden post in the center, the same one used for public floggings.

My stomach churns. I want to scream, to beg for mercy, but I know it won't change a thing. Gamma Reeder turns to me, his face so mean. Coldness rushes through my skin.

"Kneel," he orders.

I hesitate. I still have my pride, even if my body has been exposed for the pack's viewing pleasure. But a sharp slap across my face sends me crumbling to the ground. The sting burns, but it’s nothing compared to the shame boiling inside me.

"Don't make this harder than it needs to be," Reeder mutters, and snaps his fingers.

Two warriors approach us, their faces devoid of sympathy. One yanks my arms behind my back while the other wraps thick iron shackles around my wrists, binding me to the post.

My bare skin presses against the cold wood, and I suppress a shudder. If only my parents or even my sister were to be alive, I wouldn't be treated so disrespectfully.

Who would have thought that after my family's sacrifice to this pack that the only surviving member of my family wouldn't be treated with even a flicker of respect.

The whip makes a 'swish' sound through the air, and the first strike tears through my flesh like fire, sending shockwaves of pain rippling through me, and forcing my thoughts back to the present. I bite my lip so hard I taste blood.

'I won’t scream. I won’t.'

But the second lash breaks me. A strangled cry escapes my lips. Soon I break into wailings of pain and sheer agony.

No one comes to my rescue... no one begs for my release... No one cares...

Juno growls weakly. I finally get to feel her after years of her abandoning me and now this?

The whipping continues. Ten strikes... Fifteen... Twenty... I lose count somewhere after that. My body twists as pain blends into exhaustion. I'm drowning in pain...

"That's enough." A voice cuts through my punishment.

It is Alpha Kedar. I hear his footsteps approaching. His presence puts me on an anticipatory edge. My body tenses as he crouches beside me, his scent overwhelming my senses.

Juno whines and calls to him to save us. I lift my head, barely able to keep my eyes open. His golden eyes burn into mine.

"You disgusting thing," his voice is so low only I can hear. "Whatever bond you think you have with me means nothing to me." His words are knives slicing into my soul. "You will never be my mate," he continues. "When you look at yourself in the mirror, you'll understand why. Now listen, I have a mate of my choosing. So, you'll keep your mouth shut about any of this mate bullshit, or I'll make your life more miserable than it already is. Understood?"

Tears sting my eyes as I nod. He stands, turning to Reeder. "Leave her here until dusk." He orders.

I hear Oksana’s laughter somewhere in the background, but everything is fading... My vision darkens, and my head droops forward. Tiredness, pain, shame, and hate overwhelm me. Eventually, I lost consciousness.

Sometime in the middle of the night, I feel something poking my lips and I struggle so hard to force my eyes open. It turns out to be my best friend, Jiya.

She's trying to offer me food and water. But I can't eat, I'm too weak. My whole body is on fire. I'm in so much pain that I fear if I as much as move my muscles wider to accommodate food, I might pass out.

I manage to drink the water, and when I'm full, I murmur the only words that come to my lips.

"He's deceiving all of you. He's my mate, but he calls me worthless and says I can't be a Luna." My voice is barely a whisper, not because I don't want people to hear me, no. But because I don't have the strength to speak louder than I currently do.

"Who, Alpha Kedar?" Jiya whispers back.

"Yes, him." I force out just before exhaustion takes over me again.

**

The next time I open my eyes, I'm being handed over to a group of three strange men by one of the guards from my pack. Once he's given some cash by them, he runs off leaving me behind.

'Goddess! I've been sold off to strangers. What am I going to do?'

We are in an unrecognizable part of the woods; my hands are bound together with a scarf, and one of the men is dragging me along. Luckily, I'm barely covered with a piece of material.

'Better than nothing.'

"Where are you taking me?" I make the mistake of asking them.

The man dragging me halts and turns to face me. He flashes a very hideous smile that gets my skin crawling.

"Crimson pack. My master will be delighted to meet you." He replies.

"No!" The screams tear through me.

That's the cursed Alpha's pack. No, no no... They can't take me to Crimson Pack. I'll be dead in a heartbeat.

'You caused this.' Juno whines in my head. 'You sent our mate away. You aren't good enough for him. This is all your fault. You are not worthy.'

"No, Juno, no, please. Don't do this to me. I can't take it if you turn against me like everyone else." I'm sobbing painfully now, and my voice is so loud that the men stop and stare at each other in confusion.

The sound of heavy footsteps pulls us out of our brief trance. The men hurriedly circle around me, making some inaudible incantation-like murmurings.

A wave of unconsciousness begins to hit me. 'Why am I suddenly dizzy? What are these men doing to me?'

Slowly, I let go, fading into unconsciousness right before I hear one of the men ask the intruder, "who are you?"