Mated to the Fake Luna: the Aloha’s Forbidden Bond

Chapter Five: Death Sentence

Lyanna;

Death by flogging.

The words kept ringing in my ear as they dragged me through the streets. My wrists were tied so tightly that they became red.

People had come out of their homes to watch. Faces I used to know, women I helped when they were sick, children who once smiled at me. I couldn’t bear the look of disgust on their faces and just kept my head down.

“Half-blood witch!”

“She tried to deceive the Alpha!”

“She brought a curse to the pack!”

I wanted to scream that I hadn’t done anything wrong. I wanted to tell them that I was the real mate. But I couldn’t even lift my head.

Alpha Lucien’s betrayal had left me stunned, and I thought about Ronan, hoping and wishing that he was fine. He had tried to stop the priestess from taking me, and she had done something that made fire surround him.

When we reached the temple, I saw the altar. The same place where, just about two nights ago, everyone had celebrated the goddess’s choice. White petals still covered the ground, but now, they looked like ashes.

And tonight, they had all gathered for my punishment.

The crowd formed a wide circle. I could feel the hate in their eyes burning through their skin.

With whatever the priestess had told them, they had every right to hate me.

At the dais stood the High Priestess, her long white robes, shining under the moonlight, and her silver staff glowing faintly. Beside her stood Alpha Lucian.

He looked strong and calm, just as always, but something in his eyes had changed. His shoulders were tense, and his hands were clenched tight at his sides. He didn’t look at me. Not once.

“Bring her forward,” the High Priestess ordered.

The guards shoved me, and I stumbled onto my knees. My hair fell over my face and my wolf whimpered inside me, begging to run, but there was nowhere left to go.

The Priestess turned to Lucian. “Alpha Lucian Moonbridge, your loyalty has been questioned. This girl, this half-blood, claims to share your bond. Do you deny her?”

Lucian’s jaw tightened.

“Alpha…,” I whispered. “Please…”

“Silence,” the Priestess snapped.

The whole crowd was watching. I could feel their eyes boring into my body. My heart was beating so fast that I could barely breathe.

The Priestess raised her staff. “To prove your loyalty to the Moon Goddess, you must reject her under the moon’s light.”

I shook my head rapidly. “No, no, please don’t do this!”

Lucian finally looked at me. For a while, I thought I saw regret in his eyes. But then he straightened his back, his expression turning cold and hard.

“I, Alpha Lucian Moonbridge of the Moonshine Pack,” he said, his voice low but clear, “reject you, Nomine as my mate and Luna.”

I felt my heart stop.

It felt like a sword had been struck through my chest, my knees buckled, and I fell forward onto the ground. A scream ripped from my throat, but it didn’t even sound human.

Through the crystal glasses on the wall, I saw the mark on my collarbone blazed bright red, then turned black, spreading like ink under my skin. My wolf howled inside me.

“Alpha!” I gasped, reaching for him, but the pain knocked me down again. “Please… don’t do this.”

He turned his face away.

Tears filled my eyes until I could no longer see. My chest ached as if my heart had been ripped out. The bond between us, our connection was gone.

The Priestess smiled faintly, her voice calm and cold. “The curse is broken. The Alpha is free.”

Free.

The guards stepped forward, grabbing me by the arms, but I couldn’t move. My whole body felt cold and heavy. My fingers were shaking, my vision fading in and out.

The Priestess turned to Lucian and placed her hand on his shoulder. “You have done well, my Alpha. The Moon smiles upon your strength. Tomorrow, you will be blessed beside your true Luna.”

The crowd cheered in excitement.

From behind the Priestess, the woman the goddess had supposedly chosen for him emerged, her golden hair glowing.

I looked at Lucian again, hoping and praying that he’d look back at me. That he’d say something. Anything.

He didn’t.

His hands were still clenched, and his eyes stayed fixed on the ground.

The Priestess lifted her staff again. “Take her away. At dawn, her punishment will be carried out.”

The guards dragged me to my feet. I couldn’t even fight them. My legs were too weak.

The crowd’s whispers followed me all the way.

“Serves her right.”

“She deceived the Alpha.”

“The goddess has punished her.”

I stared ahead, not seeing anything. Every sound felt far away.

They threw me into a small, dark cell under the temple. The door slammed shut, and the sound of the lock clicking was the loudest sound I’d ever heard.

I fell in and out of consciousness and only realized what was happening when I was thrown before the priestess.

"Nomine..." her voice rang out. "You stand guilty of cursing the sacred blood moon festival and disobeying the goddess’ will by appearing in the pack’s ground. Do you deny it?"

I wanted to scream. How was I supposed to deny it?

They didn't even once look at me and consider me. I couldn't deny it or defend myself and my silence was taken as confession.

"She doesn't even deny it," a man in the crowd shouted.

"Fine then. Your punishment is to be buried alive,"

What? Wasn't I going to be tried? Because I was a Nomine? Not even flogged to death anymore, but buried alive?

"Take her away." Her voice commanded.

My head rose, my lips parted countless times to beg, but nothing came out of my mouth.

"You're a stain on our kind!" A soldier said as he shoved me forward and took me to the pit that they had already dug.

"One more chance," | called out weakly to whatever deity existed as I went into the darkness.