Alpha’s Regret: Chasing Her Back

Punishment

Chapter 2

Zoey Malik

~•~

His words shattered something inside me.

It wasn’t the first time he had something like that to me, but it was different this time.

The first few months when Conrad discovered that we were mates, he made my life a living hell. I was just a mere maid in the pack.

Just because I lost my parents, everyone looked at me like I was nothing. I hadn’t even had my first kiss, not because I was waiting for the right person, but because nobody even looked at me.

But I was the happiest when I found out the alpha was my mate. I remembered the smile on my face as our wolves sensed each other.

It didn’t last for long though.

He condemned me and said mean things to me.

But eventually, he marked me and took me into his home. I had no idea why he did it, but I was grateful. At least I didn’t get to work tirelessly for meager wages anymore.

And people finally noticed me.

I was the Luna of the pack.

But still, it was humiliating. They would often talk about how I was with a man who was always on Wendy’s bed. With time, I grew a thick skin to their gossip, but it didn’t stop the excruciating pain I always felt whenever he cheated on me.

Whenever I woke up in the morning, I always prayed to the moon goddess to make things right between me and Conrad.

I was tired of the embarrassment and humiliation. I wanted him to love me. I always compared myself to Wendy. What did she have that I didn’t have? I thought to myself.

As time passed, he gradually warmed up to me.

He stopped cheating on me but didn’t let me forget that he wouldn’t be with me if the mating bond was up to him. His words hurt me but I found a way to live with the pain.

I was happy that he had finally changed.

But now, everything was crumbling right before my eyes.

“You know I didn’t do this, please tell him the truth.” I turned to Wendy, my voice dripping with tears. “I didn’t kill him, I just found him here.”

Wendy rolled her eyes at me. “There’s nothing you can say or do that would save you. Just stop lying and accept your punishment.”

Did she realize the gravity of what she was doing?

She wanted me to suffer for a crime I didn’t commit.

Wendy was blinded with jealousy and was willing to do anything just to bring me down. She wanted me to be thrown into the dungeon.

That was the punishment for murder in our pack.

It was an unforgivable sin.

I had witnessed a few people who have been thrown into the dungeon as punishment. Just watching them was a terrible experience.

I couldn’t imagine myself actually being thrown inside.

“Please, you don’t have to do this,” I whispered, my voice cracking.

Conrad looked at me without any trace of warmth. “Go back.” He said quietly. “Pack your things.”

But he didn't mean it the way it sounded.

He didn’t want to give me a chance to run.

He wanted the maids to burn whatever I had packed because I wouldn’t need any of it where I was going. Not when I was being thrown into the dungeon.

Not when I was being buried alive in darkness for a crime I didn’t commit.

Just as I was about to open my mouth to speak, he shunned me. “Don’t say a word.” His voice was loud. “Just leave.”

I wiped off my tears with the back of my hand and walked out slowly, my gaze fixed on the ground. As I left, I could hear Wendy giggling triumphantly.

A part of me wanted to turn back around and drag her by the hair. I wanted her to suffer the way I was suffering. I would have preferred if she was the one in place of the beta.

But I couldn’t.

Conrad wouldn’t hesitate to kill me if I tried something like that.

Once I got outside, I could feel everyone’s eyes on me. Hushed whispers rippled through the crowd. Their stares were sharp and suffocating.

They all thought I was guilty and waiting patiently for my punishment.

I needed to think of a way to prove my innocence or there was no way I could escape the dungeon. Only the moon goddess could save me.

I needed a miracle.

Letting out a deep breath, I increased my pace and walked faster to the house.

By the time I got to the house, Selena was already waiting for me at the gate. She pulled me into a warm hug as soon as she saw me.

“Hey, I heard about what happened. Are you okay?” She asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

I scoffed. “How can I be okay when I’m being framed for murder?” I asked, shaking my head. “Why can’t Conrad believe that I’m innocent?”

Selena sighed. “I believe you. I know that you’re innocent and we will find a way to prove it to them.” Her voice was reassuring but it didn’t make me feel any better.

How could we possibly prove my innocence?

Selena didn’t have any power in the pack.

Her parents couldn’t be of much help either.

I felt so helpless and the thought of being thrown into the dungeon was suffocating.

“Zoey, nothing is going to happen to you.” She added when I remained silent.

“He asked me to pack my things. He kissed Wendy in front of me.” My stomach churned as the image replayed in my head.

“Wendy knows the person behind the murder,” Selena muttered, more to herself than me. “That’s why she’s hellbent on pinning it on you.”

“What if Wendy was actually behind the murder? And framed me to take the fall?”

Selena shook her head. “No, I don’t think she would go as far as killing Conrad’s best friend. She knows what would happen if he finds out she did it.”

Selena had a point.

I knew I didn’t kill the beta.

And I couldn’t take the fall.

The real killer was still out there.