Betrayed and Banished!

CHAPTER ONE

ZOEY

“How did I get home?” My whole body ached as I tried to get up from bed. The last thing I could remember was partying last night with Charlie, my step sister, in the club as it was her birthday last night. I didn’t know how I got home, I had probably drank a lot and gotten so drunk that I couldn’t remember. I made a mental note to ask her later.

I forced myself to get out of bed, ignoring the pain, I headed to the bathroom. I turned on the tap and washed my face, then I looked at my reflection in the mirror and that was when I noticed that I had some bruises on my neck, and when I studied it carefully, I realized that it looked like hickeys. 

How did it get on my skin? I didn’t get intimate with anyone so how did this happen? I shook my head to brush off the thought. I was overthinking and it was probably just a bug bite.

Speaking of being intimate, I suddenly remembered my mate. Today was my one year anniversary with Kelvin!

It was on this day, two years ago that we discovered we were mates and since then, we’ve been inseparable. 

Kelvin was the Alpha of our pack, the Moonstone pack, and despite the fact that I didn’t have a wolf, he loved me regardless and promised to make me his Luna.

I quickly took my bath and got dressed and then I made my way to the pack house to see him, when suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

It hurt so much that I stopped on my tracks, holding my chest and I groaned out in pain. The pain was indescribable, it felt like someone was stabbing me with a knife. I looked around to call for help but there was no one around.

Fortunately, it subsided after a while, not fully gone but it was manageable. I straightened and slowly walked to Kelvin’s room.

Feeling exhausted from the pain, I wanted nothing than to be in the arms of my mate so I pushed the door open and the scene that met my eyes made me freeze on the spot.

Kelvin was naked on the bed with Charlie and they were oblivious to me as they were both engrossed in their activity.

My whole body shook and I swayed as the pain in my chest returned, but this time, it was stronger than ever. “Kelvin…” I struggled to form words due to the intense pain I felt, “Charlie, what the hell is going on here?!” I managed to ask, despite the pain, even though anger radiated throughout my body.

So this was what was causing me pain? The mate bond was very cruel. The moon goddess made it to be that if a wolf cheats on their mate, the affected one would suffer severe pains that could even lead to death. No wonder I felt so much pain.

I expected an explanation or a look of remorse but instead, Kelvin slowly pulled away from Charlie and smirked at me. “Oh, you’re here,” he sounded so casual like I hadn’t just caught him sleeping with my step sister. 

“Kelvin, how could you?” I yelled and tears fell down my face. “How could you cheat on me with my sister?!” I couldn’t describe the pain that I felt at that moment and when I turned to Charlie, she had a victorious look on her face like she had just won the game. I couldn’t believe it.

“Why would you seduce my mate, Charlie?” I asked her in a shaky voice as I was barely able to control my emotions.

“Oh, shut it!” Charlie snapped at me.

“Don’t you dare play the victim,” Kelvin chimed in protectively and cautioned me angrily, “I’m only giving you a taste of your own medicine, you dirty slut,”

“What are you talking about?” I frowned and blinked my eyes in confusion. I caught him cheating on me and instead of feeling remorseful, he was still siding with Charlie and here he was, telling me not to play the victim. What was he on about?

“I knew you’d lie,” He chuckled darkly and turned to Charlie who was still lying on the bed, not even bothering to cover her body. Charlie smiled and gave him a black envelope from the bedside table.

Kelvin took the envelope and threw it at me. “Take a look. You think I wouldn’t find out of your dirty behavior? You disgust me,” he spat.

“What is this?” I asked and although I knew myself that I had been faithful to Kelvin, I felt scared and anxious to open the envelope. I really didn’t understand what was going on. They should be apologizing to me!

“Open it already, Zoey. We’re sick and tired of your lies and games.” Charlie chimed in, looking irritated. 

I swallowed hard and I felt my heart race as I stared at the envelope. My throat felt dry and my hands were shaky as I finally got the courage to open it up, and the content of the envelope made my heart stop. There were photos of me in bed with Timothy, a pack warrior that had been making advances at me for the longest time.

What was going on? How did the pictures come about? This had to be a joke.

“W-what is this?” I pleaded desperately, and in that moment, it felt hard to defend myself, “This is a lie. I didn’t do this. This isn’t me, Kelvin, you have to believe me. I’d never cheat on you. Today is our anniversary.” 

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I fell to my knees, begging Kelvin to believe me. I’d never cheat on him. We had our future already planned out. This had to be a joke.

“Enough of your lies!” Charlie snapped, “You think I didn’t see you when you left the club with Timothy? Don’t you have any shame?”

“I..I didn’t,” I said in between tears. “I didn’t leave with Timothy. She’s lying, Kelvin. You have to believe me.”

“Are you listening to yourself, Zoey? That’s pathetic even for you,” Charlie said calmly but she had a smirk on her face.

All my life, Charlie had been nice to me. She always told me of how much she admired me as her big sister and how she was happy to be around me. Never in my life did I expect her to suddenly turn on me. But why? What did I do to deserve this?

“Was this your plan?” I wiped my tears and asked her, although I already had my suspicions. “Did you get me drunk so that Timothy could have his way with me?”

Before I could process what was happening, Kelvin slapped me across the face and I stumbled backwards. “Shut up!” He yelled, “You’re not only a whore, you’re also a terrible person. How can you accuse your own sister for drugging you.”

The slap was nothing compared to the pain I felt in my chest. ”I’m your mate, Kelvin! The moon goddess made us be together forever, not her!” I cried desperately, hoping he’d turn around and stand by me but it was all futile.

“Don’t bother about her,” Charlie said in a sweet voice and clung to Kelvin. 

I turned to Kelvin, my mate, my Alpha, and the man who swore to love me no matter what. “You know me, Kelvin. You know I would never betray you. Please—”

His eyes were cold, and dark. “I don’t know anything anymore.”

Charlie sighed dramatically and stretched on the bed. “Kelvin, just reject her and banish her already. The whole pack deserves to know what kind of Luna she would have been.”

Reject and banish? No, he couldn’t. I would be nothing without Kelvin. 

It felt like I was about to collapse but I forced myself to breathe, my hands shaking. “You can’t do this to me,” I whispered in a shaky voice. “Kelvin, please.”

He tightened his jaw like he was contemplating whether or not to give me a second chance but when Charlie leaned in and whispered something in his ears, his face darkened and his next words broke me.

“For your betrayal, you are no longer a member of this pack. You are banished.”

I swayed on my feet, at first there was silence and then, it dawned on me. My world collapsed and I could barely breathe. “No..,” I muttered to myself, “No..”

Through my haze, I heard Charlie’s voice. “As my sister, I’ll do you a favour by telling you to run before the guards come to get you!”

I ignored her, still processing everything that had happened but when I heard the guards behind me, I knew I had to run, and that was exactly what I did.