The Betrayed Luna's Three Alpha Mates

5. BANISHED

DENISE

My heart pounded in my chest as Sage's grasp tightened around my arm, her fingers digging into my skin like claws. I stared into her eyes, searching for a flicker of humanity, a glimpse of the girl I had once called my friend. But all I found was cold, calculated cruelty.

I couldn’t believe how much hate she had in her eyes, and it made me wonder how I had been foolish enough not to sense it in the past few years.

After the servants managed to drag me to the general living area, Sage excused them and was just about to throw me out of the house, but before she could, the door burst open, and there stood my father, Alpha Connor.

He had on his usually stern face, which was etched with confusion and anger. He looked from Sage to me, his brow furrowing in concern.

"What's going on here?" His voice rumbled, demanding an explanation.

Sage's grip on my arm didn't waver as she put on a façade of innocence, her eyes wide and pleading. "Father, I'm so glad you're here. Denise has been incredibly disrespectful to me, and I feel so bad because I’ve been nothing but kind to her," she said, much to my confusion.

"What did she do?" he asked, looking down at me with eyes that showed that he already didn’t believe me.

"I asked her politely to help me with my laundry since I’ve been so busy preparing for my wedding with Simon, and she refused. I went to her room to beg her again, and even after she spent all day doing nothing but sleeping, she still refused and tried throwing me out of her room. I don't know what to do with her anymore, Father," she replied, and I couldn’t believe how good she was at lying.

I opened my mouth to protest, to tell my father the truth of what really happened, but Sage's lies had already woven a web around him, obviously clouding his judgment. Before I could utter a word, he turned his sharp gaze toward me, his expression hardening.

"Denise," he said, his voice laced with disappointment, "how could you disrespect Sage like this? You know she will soon become a Luna, and you will show her the respect she deserves. Do as she says, and apologize to her immediately!" he demanded, staring at me disdainfully.

It felt like the ground had crumbled beneath my feet. My own father, the man I had admired and respected all my life, and the man who I’ve always believed loved me more than anything, was siding with Sage, believing her false accusations without giving me a chance to defend myself.

The hurt cut deep, leaving a wound that festered with betrayal and disappointment.

"But Father," I managed to choke out, my voice trembling with emotion, "Sage is lying. She barged into my room, demanding that I do her laundry without any courtesy or respect. I tried to tell her I was tired and that I wasn’t in charge of doing her laundry, but she wouldn't listen. She harassed me first."

My father silenced me with a stern glare. "I will not tolerate your disrespect and your inability to take responsibility, Denise. You will obey Sage and apologize to her. I won't have you causing trouble, especially not with Sage, who will soon be an important factor in our pack relations."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My own father was dismissing my side of the story, choosing to believe Sage's manipulative lies over his own daughter's words. The pain of his betrayal struck me like a physical blow, leaving me breathless and heartbroken.

As I looked into his eyes, I saw something I had never seen before—a cold distance that seemed to separate us. The unconditional love and trust that had once filled his gaze were replaced by skepticism and disappointment.

I felt like a stranger in my own father's eyes, a mere shadow of the daughter he had once known and claimed to love.

"Father, please," I pleaded, my voice breaking. "I would never disrespect Sage for any reason. I'm not lying. You have to believe me."

But he turned away, his attention fully on Sage. "I don't want to hear any more excuses, Denise. You will do as Sage says, and you will learn to respect her authority. This is not up for discussion."

With those words, he left, his footsteps echoing down the corridor, leaving me sitting there, shattered and defeated. I sank to the floor, the weight of his rejection pressing down on me like a boulder, suffocating any hope I had left.

Sage's triumphant smirk cut through my despair, her satisfaction evident in the curl of her lips. "I believe that by now, you should’ve learned your place, Denise," she sneered, her voice dripping with malice. "You’re no longer important; I am going to be the Luna, and you will bow to me, just like everyone else."

I looked up at her, my eyes stinging with tears, but I refused to let her see my weakness. I would not give her the satisfaction of breaking me further. I wiped away my tears, my jaw clenched with pure disgust.

"I will never bow to you, Sage. And you’ll regret all of this one day," I whispered, my voice fierce despite how crushed I felt on the inside.

***

I stood in the laundry room, my hands immersed in soapy water, cleaning not just my own clothes but also Sage's. It was now a constant reminder of my diminished status within the pack, a reminder that I was now considered a nobody.

The weight of my father's words to me was still heavy in my heart, and I wanted nothing more than a chance to prove my innocence and regain his trust.

Suddenly, the door to the room burst open, and two female guards stormed in, their expressions hard and unyielding. Without a word, they grabbed my arms, their grip firm and painful, and began dragging me out of the house. Panic clenched at my chest, my voice caught in my throat.

"Wait! What's happening? Why are you doing this? Where are you taking me?" I cried out, my pleas falling on deaf ears. They continued to pull me, their silence causing me to be even more nervous.

I was led through the familiar corridors, my mind racing with confusion and fear. Where were they taking me? What had I done to deserve this? My thoughts swirled like a storm, each question unanswered, adding to my sense of despair.

Finally, we arrived at the pack meeting room, a place I had once entered with pride. But now, as I stepped inside, I was met with a hostile atmosphere. Sage sat next to my father, their faces contorted with disgust and disdain. My heart sank, realizing that I had been dragged here because of another one of Sage’s schemes.

"Denise." My father's voice cut through the air like a knife, his tone laced with anger and disappointment. "Explain yourself."

I looked at him, my eyes wide with confusion. "I don't understand, Father. What have I done?" I asked confusedly.

Sage's laughter was bitter and mocking. "Don't play innocent, Denise. We know what you did."

I shook my head, desperately trying to grasp the situation. "I swear, I have no idea what you're talking about. I haven't done anything wrong. I’ve done everything you’ve asked me to, including doing your laundry."

My father's eyes bore into mine, his disappointment transforming into accusation. "You tried to sabotage Sage's wedding, didn't you? You tore up her dress out of spite and jealousy, just because you’re upset that she’s better at upholding the pack’s dignity than you are," he accused.

I gasped, my hands trembling at the absurdity of his accusation. "No, Father, I would never do something like that. I swear, I have no reason to harm Sage or her wedding. I have been in the laundry room all day, and I don’t even know what her dress looks like."

Sage's eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with venom. "Liar! You've been jealous of me ever since I was adopted and accepted by Father and the pack, Denise. You’re just resentful of my new position in the pack, and tearing up my dress was just your pathetic attempt to bring me down."

I felt a surge of anger and frustration, my voice rising in protest. "It's not true! I have never been jealous of you, Sage. I have always respected you, despite our differences. You’re the one who has always been jealous of me, and now you’re making up lies to make me look bad!"

My words fell on deaf ears as my father shook his head, his expression hardening. "I've had enough of your spoiled behavior, Denise. I regret giving you too much leniency. You've become a worthless and irresponsible brat, and I won't tolerate your presence in this pack any longer."

Tears stung my eyes, and my throat tightened with the pain of his harsh words. "Father, please! I'm telling the truth. I didn't do anything. Please believe me."

But he remained unmoved; his decision was final. "Pack your things, Denise. You're no longer welcome here. You're banned from coming anywhere near Sage or the pack. Leave, and don't ever come back."

My heart shattered into a million pieces as his words sank in. I was banned from my own pack and my own family because of false accusations I had no part in.

I couldn't fathom how things had taken a turn for the worst so quickly—how I had gone from being his cherished daughter to an enemy in my own home.

Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I fell to my knees, my pleas turning into desperate sobs. "Please, Father, you have to believe me. I'm innocent. I would never do something like this. Please don't banish me."

But Alpha Connor turned his back on me, his heart seemingly hardened against my tears. Sage's triumph was evident in the cruel smile that played on her lips as they both left the room, leaving me alone with tears streaming down my face.