Chapter 8; A Tough Choice

“ Don't let me die, Moon Goddess.”

Selene lay curled up on the cold, damp dungeon floor. Her voice was little more than a whisper.

“ I am innocent! Please listen to me! I beg you.”

She struggled to her feet and held the rusty iron bars in the dungeon. And began to shake it vigorously to attract attention.

The silence was the only response she got.

No hope of being saved by anyone.

Nothing.

The silence weighed more than the chains around her wrists and feet.

She couldn't bear the agony tearing her apart. And in that moment, tears poured from her eyes.

Not even the glowing light from the moon, which streamed into the dungeon, could lift her sadness away.

Facing the window, the chains around her feet clinked as she moved. Her eyes, shimmering with tears, gazed at the moon. “Moon Goddess, save me. Take this agony from me.”

The misery was oppressive and the air was heavy with the stench of decay and wet stone.

With sobs wracking her body she fell to her knees. What was her offense?

She had been the pack Luna just hours ago. She fought for her people and made sacrifices for them. All she ever wanted was to bring stability and peace to the pack.

And in return?

They had betrayed her. Like she was nothing. As though she had never been welcomed here.

However, their betrayal was not the worst pain. It was Rylan. He had stood there while the elders accused her falsely. His eyes were icy and emotionless.

The same man who had once vowed to protect her, to fight for her, and to never allow anyone to hurt her.

She was being sentenced to death by him now. How could he?

What made him forget so quickly? The love they shared

In an attempt to calm the intense trembling in her body, she wrapped her arms around herself.

“ I did nothing wrong,” her voice cracking with pain. “My only aim was to keep the pack safe.”

She wouldn't have visited Kieran if she had known how things would turn out.

Kieran. She shuddered at the name. Not out of fear but for another reason.

There was hope for her release. Maybe if she could reach Kieran and speak with him he would assist her.

He will tell them the truth.

He was the only person who was aware of what happened that night.

The only person capable of telling them that she wasn't a traitor.

But how will she see him?

She was chained and locked up, about to be sentenced. Nobody would allow her to go.

She wouldn't even get any attention. Her strength was crushed as the reality of her circumstances weighed her down like a weight.

With a choked cry, Selene buried her face in her hands. It was just her. She was powerless. And nobody was coming to her aid.

***

How was it possible for Selene to betray me?

Rylan stood before the large window that overlooked his pack, his voice brimming with rage and disbelief in every word.

The pack he had ruled with his mate or rather the traitor who had been his mate, was located beyond the fortress walls and was illuminated by moonlight.

The betrayal was more painful than any injury he had ever experienced. His hands at his sides clenched into fists as the storm inside him raged and he clenched his jaw.

Tristan, his Beta, stood behind him, keeping a close eye on him. His eyes were calculating and keen. “She also tried to kill you,” he added in a firm voice. “For that reason, you must take action.”

However, Rylan remained silent. His chest rose and fell with the weight of his unsaid thoughts and he only let out a sharp breath.

He ought to take action, yes. As the traitor that she was, he ought to punish her. That was the Elders' expectation. What his pack anticipated.

Nevertheless. Even though rage was still burning in his veins, something else was stirring underneath it, making it difficult for him to say what they all wanted to hear.

Sentence her.

Just hearing the word was painful and it made him sick.

He had condemned warriors to death. Traitors. Rogues. Enemies.

But this time it was different. His desire was to hate her. He wanted to forget that she had ever been his and to remove her from his thoughts.

But the thought of her, her warmth, her touch, and her laughter clung to him like a plague.

Would he be able to kill her?

He might banish her. Let her stay alive but keep her far from the pack and him.

Sending her to exile may be an option.

But the Elders, their words were law. They made up their minds already. He would suffer their wrath if he disobeyed them.

No Alpha has ever disobeyed them and survived. Aside from Ravena. The name darkened his thoughts.

Ravena had once been a powerful Luna, fearless and strong. She dared to challenge the Elders's authority and question their harsh methods.

And what happened?

They sent her to exile her. And took away her position. Branded as a rebel.

All Alphas were reminded that the Elders were the real leaders of their kind.

Is he prepared to take the chance of the same outcome?

When Rylan finally turned away from the window he said, “ I need time.” His voice was laced with uncertainty. “ I need time to consider an appropriate punishment.”

Tristan crossed his arms and snorted. “Come on Alpha Rylan, your mate has betrayed you and plotted your downfall. What if she succeeded?

Rylan's jaw became tense.

Tristan stepped forward. Even though his voice was now lower it sounded urgent. “You know that the Elders won't put up with any more delays.”

He felt as though he was being choked by the weight of the choice. Tristan's eyes pierced him, demanding an answer. “ So what is it going to be, Alpha Rylan?”