Chapter 04: Exiled
1302 Words
Deep down, I knew it.
This was nothing but a setup.
A clumsy, obvious scheme to frame me… make it look like I tried to kill Missy.
They didn’t even believe it themselves.
But one of the King’s envoys?
What game was he playing? What did he have to do with this? Why would someone from the royal court meddle in the drama of a small pack?
None of it made sense.
But did I even care enough to find out?
No.
Not anymore.
The only thing I cared about… was finding my father.
Everything else?
The lies. The betrayal. This cursed pack?
Let them burn.
Their little trick worked.
They wanted me gone.
So I’ll stay gone.
Josh stepped out of the packhouse, his broad frame blocking the doorway like he owned it.
“You’re not going to take anything with you?” he asked, arms crossed, his voice laced with something between concern and contempt.
I stared at him. “Why do you even care? You’re the one who set this whole thing up to get me kicked out.”
“You’re weak. Wolfless. A rogue now.” He didn’t flinch. “You really think you can survive out there without anything?”
“I don’t need you to survive. I need nothing from this pack to survive.”
I took a step forward, eyes locked on his. “But I wonder… can the pack survive without me?”
Josh scoffed, the sound bitter. “We’ll do a lot better without you.”
“Very well then,” I said, lifting my chin with quiet finality. “I guess this is goodbye.”
“She won’t last a day out there,” Missy—my stepsister—said smugly, practically hanging off Josh like some spoiled accessory.
Behind her, Mira stood in silent support.
Always the loyal mother.
Always choosing them.
They thought they knew me.
But they didn’t know a damn thing.
This pack survived because of me.
Josh threw a stack of papers at me.
I caught them mid-air and flipped through the pages.
Divorce papers.
Of course.
“Mind giving me a pen with that?” I asked, voice cool and detached. “I’d like to get this over with as soon as possible. I have places to be.”
Missy laughed, her voice thick with mockery. “Oh, please. Don’t act like you don’t care.”
Josh stayed silent, but the clench in his jaw spoke volumes. Then, with a smirk that didn’t quite reach his eyes, he tossed me a pen.
I took my time reading the documents. Line by line.
And then, slowly, I signed.
At least one thing was ending today.
“So, you’re just going to sign them like that?” Josh asked. His voice was tight. “What happened to you? Was it all just… fake?”
Was that pain I heard? Was it killing him that I wasn’t begging?
He had gotten so comfortable with me being small. Being soft.
Being his.
Now I was something else.
Something he couldn’t touch.
“Isn’t this what you wanted?” I met his eyes, unblinking. “Or were you hoping I’d fall to my knees and beg you to take me back?”
“Just get it over with,” he snapped. “We’re all tired of seeing your face.”
I let out a dry, humorless laugh. Handed the papers back.
He took them.
His hands shook.
Not from rage.
From disbelief.
From regret.
From loss.
I breathed deep. Steady.
Lifted my head like the Luna I used to be.
And walked away from the only life I ever knew.
—
“Mrs. Cooper? You’re back?”
The man looked up in surprise as I entered the building, voice trailing off.
“Miss Cooper,” I corrected coldly.
His smile faltered. “Did something happen between you and Josh? I thought you two were—”
“I caught Josh f*****g my sister.”
“Ohh… Damn!” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I’m… sorry to hear that.”
Michael. Calm, unshaken Michael.
My assistant.
My friend.
The one person who never doubted me.
He’d helped me build Coop Ronan from the ground up. He was supporting me, cheering me on. He believed in my work, and what I can do.
And this place—this facility—was more than steel and glass.
It was mine.
The heart of everything I’d built.
Every dagger. Every weapon. Designed by me. Forged by my hands.
Even the one I made for Josh custom, exquisite, a symbol of forever. I spent days and night just to make it happen.
He always admired Ronan’s work.
Everyone did.
But none of them knew
Ronan… was me.
They assumed Ronan was a man. Because of the name.
Because the idea of a woman leading, crafting, building?
Too much for their fragile pride.
I had hoped it was just a name thing.
But I knew better.
“Don’t be sorry,” I said, brushing past Michael. “They framed me. Said I tried to kill Missy. Stripped me of my Luna title. Exiled me.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed. “That’s insane. Want me to look into it? I can pull strings, dig—”
“No.” I cut him off. “I don’t care anymore. All that matters is finding my father.”
He hesitated.“You’re really just going to walk away? After everything? What about Josh—what about—?”
I turned to him, sharp as a blade.
He raised his hands. “Okay, okay. Got it. Whatever you say, boss.”
I exhaled and kept walking.
Staff bowed as I passed. Silent acknowledgments.
This was home.
This was power.
I once thought I’d reveal myself to the world.
That Josh and I would rule as equals.
That I could finally stop hiding behind a name.
What a fool I’d been.
“I’ve got everything mostly under control,” Michael said, scrolling through his tablet. “But there’s chatter about the prototype specs. Somehow, competitors got access to the early schematics. Investors are antsy.”
He paused.
Oh no.
“There’s more,” I said, already bracing myself.
He sighed. “The King wants to talk to you.”
I blinked. “The King?”
Michael nodded slowly. “About… something. He’s being persistent.”
“I don’t care. He’s not my Alpha. I’ve got other things to deal with.”
“He is our largest investor,” Michael reminded me carefully.
“I’m aware,” I snapped. “But I’m not kissing anyone’s crown. Especially not some old douche who thinks he can boss me around.”
Michael hesitated.
“He’s already here,” he said finally.
I froze. “What?”
He winced. “He’s waiting in your office.”
I froze. “You let him into my office?”
He shrugged, sheepish. “Didn’t really have a choice.”
I groaned. “I left the pack to get away from politics. Not invite it into my house.”
I marched to my office, heels clicking against the marbled floor.
I pushed the door there he was.
Leaning back in my chair, like he owned the damn place.
Slightly dancing side to side as he picked through the papers in my desk.
“So nice of you to finally show up,” he said, not even looking up.
His presence filled the room without needing to move.
He didn’t need to raise his voice.
He was the voice.
And his arrogance?
That said everything.
“Your Highness,” I said, stepping inside.
He smiled. Slow. Dangerous. “I’ll never tire of hearing you say that. Even in your own domain… I’m still your king, Alyssa.”
- Writer
