Crowned by betrayal

Chapter 2

Again, he threw back his head and roared with laughter. The sound echoed through the room before it was swallowed by an eerie silence. His expression hardened, every trace of amusement vanishing beneath a cold, merciless stare.

Then he stood.

His fingers tangled in my hair, and with one brutal yank, he hauled me to my feet, forcing me to stand despite the agony that ripped through my body. Towering at six feet nine inches, he loomed over me like death itself, his icy gaze locked onto mine as I writhed and groaned in pain.

Unable to bear looking at him any longer, my eyes drifted past him and settled on Celeste.

The gentle, harmless, fragile Luna of Alpha Marcus Hale—the former Alpha of the Whitecliff Pack.

Or so I had believed.

I had helped Rowan, my husband, overthrow and banish Marcus because Rowan and Celeste had convinced me that Marcus was a heartless tyrant. They had painted him as a ruthless Alpha who had stolen the throne from its rightful heir, Rowan, and ruled through fear, abusing both his people and his own wife. They claimed only their family's status had spared them from his cruelty.

I had believed every word.

Looking at Celeste now, at the satisfied smile spreading across her lips as she watched me bleed, the truth struck me harder than any blade ever could.

She had been my friend.

Or at least, I thought she was.

She had always been so kind to me, too kind. She visited me often, leaving the Whitecliff Castle behind to spend hours by my side. I had mistaken her attention for genuine friendship.

Now I finally understood.

It had never been about me.

It had always been about Rowan.

Hot tears blurred my vision as the weight of their betrayal settled over me. Every laugh we had shared, every comforting embrace, every whispered reassurance, it had all been a lie.

I squeezed my eyes shut, no longer fearing death but welcoming it. There was nothing left for me to live for.

My husband had betrayed me.

My closest friend had betrayed me.

The people I would have gladly died for were now watching me die without a shred of remorse.

My eyes fluttered open once more.

"Why?" I whispered, my voice cracking beneath the weight of my grief.

Rowan's lips curled into a cruel smile.

"Because you were never wanted," he said, his commanding voice devoid of emotion. "You were nothing more than a piece in my puzzle. And now that you've served your purpose, you're no longer needed."

His words shattered whatever hope remained inside me.

I finally understood everything.

He had never loved me.

He had married me because he needed me.

My gift, my rare ability to calm wolves consumed by the Blood Moon's madness had been the key to his victory. While the other warriors descended into uncontrollable bloodlust, I had exhausted every ounce of my strength keeping Rowan and more than a hundred of his loyal men sane. They had marched into battle with clear minds while Marcus's forces succumbed to the curse, allowing Rowan to seize both the throne and the woman he had always desired.

Celeste.

I had given everything for the man I loved.

And in doing so, I had destroyed the only man who had truly deserved the throne.

Now my power was gone.

I had drained myself completely that night. There was nothing left to heal the deep wound carved into my abdomen. I was no longer the miraculous Pureblood Luna who could save everyone else.

I couldn't even save myself.

I lifted my tear-filled eyes to Rowan, the man I had loved with every beat of my heart. The man I had helped crown as Alpha of the Whitecliff Pack. Less than an hour ago, I had run into his arms to congratulate him, promising to stand beside him for the rest of our lives.

He had welcomed me with a dagger buried deep in my stomach.

My only crime...

...was loving him.

I slammed my eyes shut, tears rolling and suddenly, thankfully, everything went black.