Chapter 3: Wounded By Love

It's my worst nightmare. I can't believe he's standing there and treating me like I do not matter, and I don't understand why. We've been through a lot already. He's my alpha and he shouldn't be saying these things to me.

"What has the Night Valley pack done to deserve this, Jacob?" I ask, and he turns to leave, ignoring me.  

I don't let him get far. Jacob halts when my hands grab his ankle as I fall to the floor, begging for the life of my father and brother. Dante is my twin and I can't imagine my life without him in it. Jacob can't do this to me. Even if it means swallowing my pride as Luna, I will beg whoever I need to for this nightmare to end.

I can feel his eyes on me, and I sob, lowering my gaze and pressing my head to his leg. "Please, reconsider. Don't take my family away from me. I'll do anything you want." 

He growls. "Get up!" 

But I can't. I need him to say he will discard his previous thoughts and stop the sound of war bells still sounding outside. Snot slips past my lips as my desperation increases. 

"My father and brother are the only family I have left." 

He drags his leg away and snatches it from my hold forcefully. The pull makes me lose my balance and I fall to my side, but I'm quick to crawl forward again. 

"I beg you." I whisper, rubbing my palms together, but he still makes for the door, and when his hand grabs the knob, I finally scream through my sobs. "No!" 

I know the minute he leaves this room, there's nothing I can do to stop him. Stalling him for the time being is my goal now. He can't leave this room and I can't let my brother and father die. 

Jacob pauses at the door. He lets his hand fall from it, then he turns back to me, and says, "This is all your fault." 

My eyes widen in confusion and I arch my brows together because I don’t understand what I've done to curse my family. It's been a while since he took me as his Luna. What is different now?

"I'll fix it. Let me fix it."

He scoffs. "And just how do you intend to do that?" 

I wipe the back of my hand over my cheeks and stand on wobbly feet. I hate the way he is looking at me with so much scorn. 

"Quit looking at me like that. You're hurting my feelings." I cross my arms, feeling a bit relieved that he's willing to hear me out, but suddenly, I'm wrong.

He stalks back to me. It's like my words spark anger in him and it's unhinged. His thick brows are drawn together in rage. I lose a few steps, but he stands before me in no time. 

"My very misfortune began with loving you." The crack in my heart deepens at the sound of his voice. "Even my pack does not respect me because I cannot give them an heir. It's not about winning wars and conquering territories. How else will I show my wolves that I am a man?"

Blinking a few times, I look at him with guilt written all over. I do not want him to feel this way, like I'm in the enemy, but that's exactly how his eyes are regarding me at this point; like I'm a stranger. 

I gulp. "Forgive me." 

He stares at me for a minute longer and his face hardens. I see resolve set in and my knowledge of his decision feels me with dread. 

"It's too late for that. The elders have all voted for this act of vengeance. Your family must pay for bringing a curse into our pack." 

I do not want to break down again, but the tears fall one after the other like a stream. I'm looking him in the eye because I'm trying to see what he really thinks. Jacob called me a curse. He saw me as the worst thing that has ever happened to him.

"Please..." I say one last time, but Jacob whirls around and leaves. The door bangs in my face and the tears break open like a dam. I clutch my midriff and cry my eyes out. 

Thinking that I can't stop here, I run after him immediately. The thought suddenly comes in and I fling the door open, chasing after Jacob. He was on his way to command an army against my former pack. The Blood Moon has never lost a fight. 

On my way out, Jacob's beta, Logan, approaches with a few wolves behind him. I wonder what they are doing around the Alpha's chambers. Squinting at them, I realize they are matching towards me with an agenda and before I turn and flee, it's too late.

"What! Logan!" I scream when the beta grips my arm and drags me forward like a prisoner. He leads me outside and the entire Blood Moon pack wolves watch as their Luna is being held captive. I can't find Jacob anywhere.

Logan takes me to the throne room. I'm before the elders of the pack and, of course, my mother-in-law, who I already know hates the life out of me. 

They toss me at the woman's feet and I'm bowing, even when I do not want to. This is humiliating. I want to raise my head and curse at them for disrespecting their luna, but I notice I don't see Jacob around yet and I know it's not safe to speak. 

The first elder speaks up. "She is a curse, and that is final. We will have to remove her, even after the raid on Night Valley." 

My mother-in-law, Margaret, snarls at me from her seat. I can see she's ecstatic that the elders have finally turned on me and called me out on the disgrace I've caused her family for all these years.

"Seven days. In seven days, the Blood Moon pack will choose a new Luna for my son, Jacob."

"Let her serve time in the dungeons." Another elder suggests.

The nightmare continued. Jacob didn't say a word about this to me. He didn't tell me I would lose him or that I would be abandoned. Margaret agrees with the elder and the beta and his wolves come to jostle me out of the room like a prisoner. Immediately, I hear Jacob's voice. 

"Take your hands off of her, Logan!" 

Jacob shields me with his body and I feel relieved. He still loves me and will let nothing happen to me as he vowed the day we mated. He will protect me.

The elders bow before their alpha and he glares at them with his powerful red eyes, warning them to not think about crossing him. 

Margaret says, "Jacob, there is no use protecting dirt that will be discarded soon."

"She is still Blood Moon's Luna until I say so." He growls each word out. 

"Over my dead body! Not when the woman almost due with your child and the pack's heir still lives." 

The world stops as I hear my mother-in-law speak. From my place on the ground, I look at Jacob, hoping this isn’t real. I see the way he stiffens and my heart shatters. I want it to be a lie. The tears tightening my throat escape again. I want to die.