EXILED
1022 Words
THALIA
Celeste’s voice cut through the chaos, “Alpha, please show mercy to the Luna. Like you said, she’s been unwell since her delivery. The mood swings, outbursts, violence, and the confusion… it could have driven her to do something she didn’t mean to do. It’s worse than we thought. We apologize for not seeing it sooner.”
I glared at Celeste, ears ringing with her backhanded sympathy. “How dare you?”
My remark took her aback. “Luna, I’m already trying to protect you. The situation is dire. I don’t want to believe you could have done this... but everything points to it. I’m already trying to advocate for you-”
My vision blurred with anger. “Liar, you’re using the situation. You’ve always wanted me gone, haven’t you? You never got over my husband, and now you want me gone by filling his mind with lies.”
Celeste’s lips parted in disbelief. “That is not true. I serve the pack, not my ego. I’m simply speaking based on the evidence we all see. There was no breach of security as you imply, and everything was peaceful until we arrived in this horror. You also insisted on taking care of the young Alpha yourself when you were in fits of madness just days ago. When we came in, you were already covered in your son’s blood with a weapon only you and the Alpha have access to. Everyone here is a witness to it.”
“Shut up!” I exclaimed and lunged toward her. Grief and anger are already blinding my reasoning.
I was so close to gouging her eyes out when Darius suddenly pulled me back. “That’s enough!” He trapped me in his arms, only to subdue me.
“She’s lying, Darius. I would never hurt our son. The Goddess knows that I would never harm our sweet Eli. He’s just a baby. Why would I harm our own son, whom we prayed for so long?!” I sobbed uncontrollably, melting on his arms, but didn’t get any comfort from him like I hoped.
Celeste stepped forward again, and despite my glares, she continued running her mouth. “You’re in shock, Luna. It’s possible that you don’t even remember what you did.”
“Shut up, you lying snake! You’re framing me.”
Darius gestured to the guards to hold me, “Take her to the east chamber. You’ll stay detained until we find the truth.”
“Let me go!” I struggled against the guards. “Darius, you can’t do this to me. I want to find my son, too. I’m your mate. You’re supposed to be on my side. Why won’t you believe me?”
I kept calling his name as they dragged me down the hall, but he didn’t turn to my direction even once. Instead, he was already busy barking orders to search the entire territory to find our son.
I gave up halfway, letting the guards take me to the chamber. Hours passed by excruciatingly slowly. I sat on the cold floor of the chamber in my nightgown, trembling from cold and fear. My mind reeled in panic, worried about my son’s whereabouts. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t remember anything else, and I’m still haunted by the look of betrayal in Darius’s eyes.
“Why won’t you answer me, Nel?” I called out to my wolf, asking her several times if she remembered, but I was met with silence and whimpers.
All I could do was pray to the Goddess that they would find my son, that my instincts were right, that he was still alive.
After what felt like forever, they finally let me out, but no one answered when I asked if they had already found Elias. I was brought to where the rest of the pack gathered. They all looked at me with a mixture of anger and confusion.
Still, the only reaction I’m waiting for is Darius.
I rushed when I sensed him, but halted when I saw the coldness in his eyes, and beside him was Celeste, silent but obviously pleased. I ignored everything else and asked about my son.
“Alpha, tell me you found him. Tell me you found our Elias, that he’s okay.” I pleaded, barely holding on to my sanity.
Darius quietly approached me and cupped my face. I couldn’t help but lean to his touch, desperate for any comfort, for him to say that he believed me and that our son is okay.
He leaned toward me until he was embracing me, “Please… tell me something that makes this make sense. I want to believe you, I really do.”
My heart shattered with his plea because I couldn’t. No matter what I do, I can’t remember anything.
After the silence, my blood ran cold with his next words. “Then tell me where you hid his body. Please, let’s give our son a proper burial. That’s the least you can do for him after what you did.”
I pushed him away, feeling betrayed that my own mate doesn’t believe me. “I have nothing to confess because I didn’t hide him. Our son is alive, and if you cannot find him here, then he is out there somewhere, all alone.”
His expression suddenly grew cold, almost like he was looking at a complete stranger, and that moment… I already knew what was next.
“Thalia Arden of Silvercast Pack, by the will of the pack and the evidence before us, you are stripped of your Luna title and exiled from this pack.”
Just when I thought he was done breaking my heart, he slammed me with another.
“And I, Darius Ellsworth, Alpha of Silvercast Pack, sever my mate bond to you.”
I fell on my knees, feeling as if my heart was being torn apart. I slowly lifted my gaze, trying to find any.
“Never show your face to me ever again because if I ever see you after this, I will end you myself.”
- Writer
