CHAPTER THREE

Seraphina's POV

The set up

The next morning, I woke with a pounding headache, the aftermath of last night’s alcohol clawing at my senses. Groaning, I pressed my fingers to my temples, hoping to ease the relentless ache. My stomach churned, nausea threatening to overwhelm me, but a far more urgent sensation seized me when I glanced down at myself.

My breath caught in my throat. I was stark naked.

Panic surged through me, and I yanked the duvet closer to my chest, my heart racing. As I sat up, the blanket slid slightly, and my gaze landed on the figure lying beside me. Kael. He was sprawled out, still asleep, his chest rising and falling in a calm rhythm.

The memories from the night before hit me like a freight train—Lucian and Lyra’s betrayal, the rejection, the bond, the suffocating haze of alcohol. My hands trembled as I reached out, shaking Kael awake.

“Kael!” My voice cracked, my panic bleeding into the air.

He stirred, groggily rubbing his face before his eyes focused on me. Confusion painted his features, quickly replaced by shock.

“What… what happened?” His voice was hoarse, mirroring the dread settling in my chest.

I swallowed hard, shaking my head. “I don’t know,” I whispered. “But I woke up like this… with you.” My voice trembled as I accused, “You must have lured me here.”

His eyes widened in disbelief, his expression almost offended. “What? No! I didn’t… I would never do that to you.”

I searched his face for any sign of guilt, any flicker of deceit. But all I found was sincerity, a desperate honesty that made my chest tighten. He was telling the truth.

My throat tightened as tears welled up in my eyes. “How did this happen?” I whispered, more to myself than to him. My mind raced with possibilities—how I ended up here, what might have been done to me. The pack would never believe me. They’d see this as betrayal.

I stumbled out of bed, my movements frantic as I dressed quickly. I couldn’t stay here. I couldn’t face him or the questions clawing at my mind. Without a word, I fled the room, leaving Kael behind, just as confused and shaken.

When I returned to the Darkmoor mansion, the air was heavy, the atmosphere charged with an energy that made my skin crawl. The moment I stepped inside, the bustling activity froze, and all eyes turned to me. The whispers began almost instantly, disdain and judgment etched into every glance.

“Well, look who decided to show her face,” Lyra’s voice rang out, sharp and venomous. She descended the staircase like a queen addressing her court, her gaze slicing through me. “The slutty Luna.”

My heart plummeted, my breath catching in my throat. They knew. Somehow, they knew about last night.

“Lyra, I was drugged,” I stammered, my voice shaky and desperate. “I don’t know how it happened.”

But Lyra wasn’t listening. Her expression twisted with fury as she stormed toward me. Her hand shot out, and a sharp crack echoed through the room as she slapped me.

“My family gave you everything!” she spat, her voice shaking with rage. “When no one else wanted you, my father took you in. And this is how you repay us? By whoring yourself around?”

Her words cut deep, but it was Lucian who delivered the final blow. He stepped forward, his golden eyes cold and calculating.

“It’s okay, Lyra,” he said smoothly, his tone dripping with mock sympathy. “She should be punished for betraying the mate bond.” A smirk curled his lips, and the air seemed to grow colder around us.

I stared at him, my chest tightening with disbelief. He had no right to accuse me, not after what I had seen him doing with Lyra. The hypocrisy stung worse than the slap.

“Put her in jail,” Lucian commanded, his voice final.

“Please!” I cried, my voice breaking as the guards grabbed me. “I was drugged. You have to believe me!”

No one listened. The guards dragged me away, their grips rough and unforgiving. My gaze darted to Lyra, hoping for a shred of mercy, but all I saw was her triumphant smirk.

I was thrown into a cold, dark cell, the heavy door slamming shut behind me. I sank to the floor, my body trembling with fear and humiliation. The weight of Lucian’s betrayal pressed down on me like a physical force.

Hours later, they dragged me out again, forcing me to stand before the gathered pack. Lucian stood on the podium, his handsome face illuminated by the moonlight. He looked like a god, commanding the attention of everyone.

“Seraphina has committed a grave sin,” he announced, his voice booming. “As my mate, she shared a bed with another man. For this, she is banished from the Lunarstrike pack.”

The crowd erupted in whispers, their disdain palpable. I scanned their faces, searching for a flicker of support, but I found none.

Eggs flew through the air, splattering against me, humiliation burning through my skin. My tears mixed with the slime as jeers and laughter echoed around me.

They marched me out of the pack, leaving me alone in the forest, cast out and broken.

Hours passed as I stumbled through the woods, my body weak, my spirit shattered. And then I heard them—low, guttural voices. Rogues.

Panicking, I tried to turn and flee, but one of them caught sight of me. His piercing gaze locked with mine, and he signaled to the others.

They surrounded her, five of them, each one blocking my path like a pack of wolves circling their prey.

"Oh. she's so pretty," one of the rogues sneered, his gaze lecherous as his eyes roamed my body. He adjusted his trousers, a smug grin on his face.

"We should have some fun with her," another rogue suggested, and the others laughed, eager for the torment.

My heart pounded in her chest. "Please... please, don’t. I beg you," I pleaded, my voice trembling with terror.

But the rogues weren’t listening. They closed in, their eyes burning with dark intent.

Without another word, they subdued me, ripped off my clothes, took advantage of me, stripping away my dignity and humanity.

Pain, darkness, and despair swallowed me whole. As my vision blurred, my final thought was a vow, a promise carved into my soul.

“I will never forgive you, Lyra and Lucian. Even if I’m reborn a million times, I will get revenge.”

And then, everything went black.