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CHAPTER 1

Emily's POV

I slowly opened my eyes, feeling a heavy pain washing over me. As I looked around, I realized I was in a different room, but I couldn't remember how I got there or what I was doing there.

Gradually standing up, I made my way to the bathroom and entered. I stared at myself in the mirror for a moment, deciding to wash my face before heading back to the castle.

It was Lia's 18th birthday yesterday, and I felt sad for her because she hadn't yet found her mate. To lift her spirits, we had decided to celebrate her special day. However, one thing puzzled me: how did I end up in this room?

As I started walking towards the castle, I entered and headed over to the chamber where Drake usually stayed. Instead of finding someone who might be worried, I was met with a gaze filled with anger and hate.

"Where have you been?" His voice was heavy with resentment, as if he held something against me.

"I..." Just as I began to speak, he slammed his foot on the floor and approached me.

"For the last time, where have you been?"

I stared into his eyes, unable to comprehend why he was behaving this way. I had known Drake for many years, and even though he was an Alpha, I had never seen this side of him before. He was usually calm and composed, but today it felt as though I was facing a different person

He held my hand tightly as he pulled me closer towards him. I yelped in pain as I tried to get away, but his grip on me was so strong that it felt like my hands were burning.

"I will ask you again, Emily. Where are you coming from?"

I stared at him, not understanding where he was going with this line of questioning. He knew perfectly well that I had gone to Lia's birthday party, so why was he acting as if I had been somewhere else entirely?

"I went to Lia's birthday party last night to support her. Why are you doing this? Let me go, Drake."

He pushed me away, and I landed on the floor, looking up at him. Why was he so angry? What had gotten into him?

"Did you go to Lia's birthday party, or did you go there to have sex?

His words shocked me, and I slowly stood up, staring at him.

"What are you saying, Drake? I went to Lia's birthday party. Why would you think that I went there to have sex, and with whom?"

He threw an envelope at me, and I looked at it, confused.

"I should be asking you that same question. I can't believe a Luna would stoop so low and disgrace me, the Alpha. Not only that, but you have brought shame upon this pack."

I knelt down, picked up the envelope, and studied it for a moment before looking back at Drake.

"Go on, open it and see the shame you have brought upon this pack."

I carefully opened the envelope, a sense of foreboding washing over me as if I were about to discover something that would change my life forever.

Inside, I found a picture and turned it around, only to drop the envelope and stare at the image in shock.

"Now tell me, Emily, is this from the birthday party you attended?"

I glanced up at Drake, unable to comprehend what this image meant. How did I end up here, and who was the man next to me, appearing as though he was embracing me? Why was I asleep in a bed with a different man who wasn't Drake? I slowly looked back at Drake, but before I could speak, he raised his hands to stop me.

"I thought I had found a mate I could call my own, but now I can't believe that I have a cheater as a Luna."

I felt a surge of shock and confusion, unsure of what to say. Who took this picture, and who was the man beside me? Why wasn't his face clearly visible in the image?

"Why would you do such a thing, Emily?" I turned around to see Lia standing behind me.

"What?" I asked, bewildered, as she walked over to me.

"You should be ashamed, Emily. I suggested we leave last night, but you said you had something to attend to. If Alpha Drake asks me, I should tell him you went for a business meeting.

I couldn't believe this was the 'business' you were attending behind your mate's back."

I was stunned by her words. Was Lia the one saying all this? What was really happening? I turned to look at Drake, tears streaming down my face, and tried to walk towards him, but he stepped away, blocking my path.

"A disgrace like you is not fit to be the Luna of this pack. You have brought shame upon me, and you are a disgrace to this pack. How could you betray me? You are not worthy to be my mate."

I felt shattered; I didn't know what to say or do. Why was he acting this way?

Then, I remembered the news I was about to share with him – the news that I was pregnant. Perhaps if I told him, things might improve, and we could forget all of this.

"Drake, I know you may not believe me, but the truth is, I didn't do anything wrong. I don't know why that image exists or why I was there, but you have to believe me."

He hit the wall hard as he stared at me. "Believe you? You just expect me to believe you? How can I trust someone who sleeps with whoever she wants? Am I not good enough? I do everything to please you."

I tried to hold back my tears. I knew I hadn't done anything wrong; he was just getting angry for no reason.

"Drake, I have something I've been hoping to tell you... I am pregnant."

Silence filled the room. Then I heard him laugh.

"You're pregnant? I highly doubt that the child is mine. You should go find the father if that thing is indeed growing inside of you."

I stared at him in shock. Why was he telling me to look for the father of my child when I knew that the father was standing right in front of me?

"Drake, what are you saying? You are the father of my child. Why are you acting this way?"

He walked over to me, gripping my neck as if he were about to strangle me to death.

"If you utter one more word about that thing being my son, I will kill you before the sun sets."

He pushed me away and then turned his back on me.

"I regret having a mate like you, and I regret not rejecting you from the start."

As I tried to speak, he yelled, "Guards!"

I watched as his guards rushed into the room. He pointed at me with his back still facing me and commanded, "Take her out of my sight and throw her into the dungeon. I don't want to see her face ever again."

As the guards held me, I attempted to scream, to tell him the truth, to make him believe me. But every word I uttered or pleas I made fell on deaf ears.

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