Chapter 4: 4: Imprisoned

ARIEL

All hell is breaking loose.

My fangs extend from my mouth as I snarl at Natalia.

My claws are ready to tear into her flesh.

All I see is red.

I want blood. I want to smell it. Taste it.

No, I don’t just want it—I ~need~ it.

It’s like some sort of carnal desire.

At first, my wolf instinctively wanted to fight Natalia for Xavier.

He’s my destined mate after all.

She’s just an imposter.

~No! I don’t want to hurt her! Why can’t I stop this?~

But now, I can barely even sense my wolf.

Something else has taken over.

A blind rage.

I don’t feel in control of my own body.

I’m just along for the ride.

Something deep inside me wants to harm Natalia, and I can’t stop it.

I don’t even understand where it’s coming from.

Xavier stands in front of Natalia, blocking her from me, but I won’t be stopped.

I hear screams and shouting, my squad, maybe even my dad’s voice, but everything is muffled.

I’m focused on only one thing.

My feet start moving of their own accord as I charge at Natalia.

Xavier swipes his claws at me, but I dodge him and circle around behind.

Crouched down on all fours, I feel myself start to shift even further.

Patches of fur are sprouting out of my skin.

My bones are cracking.

Drool drips off my tongue as I look at my terrified target.

Everyone else is just a blur.

I lurch forward, pouncing on Natalia, but Xavier’s claws connect with my ribs in midair.

I fly back and hit the ground hard, clutching my wound.

As Xavier walks toward me, he looks absolutely furious.

Even though he’s supposed to be my mate, there’s no desire in his eyes.

“Finish her, Xavier. She doesn’t deserve to be your mate,” Natalia calls from behind a group of warriors guarding her.

I’m snarling and howling on the ground like a feral animal as my body fights itself in its half-shifted state.

Xavier attacks me.

For a moment, feeling his body against mine is comforting, what I’ve always wanted more than anything.

But this is not a loving embrace—my destined mate is trying to kill me.

The last thing I remember is my sister yelling for my blood as Xavier brings his fist down on my head.

***

Waking up in a cell was not how I envisioned the homecoming.

I should be drinking hot cocoa with my family.

I should be snuggled up to the fire with my mate.

Instead, I’m shackled by silver chains in a dungeon.

Again.

The chains immediately remind me of my time with the hunters.

I try to repress the memories, but they come flooding back in an instant.

~The torture.~

~The taunting and abuse.~

~The endless experiments.~

The silver burns my wrists and ankles as I struggle against my restraints.

My wolf is howling inside, and it makes me want to scream.

It seems as though my healing ability isn’t working again.

I still don’t understand how this works, but it’s becoming clear that it’s somehow conditional.

The last time I didn’t heal immediately, I was killing all those hunters.

This time, I tried to hurt Natalia.

~Maybe I can’t heal if I’m hurting someone?~

I can’t process this right now.

My head is throbbing, and my side is still wounded from where Xavier clawed me.

~My own mate clawed me.~

Last night is still a blur, but I know that I tried to attack Natalia.

Even though she’s a spiteful bitch, she’s still my sister.

~How could I attack her like that?~

I have to wonder if this is because of the hunters…

What did they do to me with all of those experiments?

Kane always said I was his best specimen.

Maybe they created a monster…and that monster is me.

My arms start to go numb from the awkward position in which they’re hanging.

I’ve been here all night, and no one has come to check on me.

What must the pack think after seeing me go berserk?

I wonder what my fate will be.

~Fate.~

I suddenly remember Selene telling me that her sister, Fate, interfered with Selene’s plans before.

I wonder if this is all her doing?

~Goddess, why did you bring me back here? You said to find my mate. Well, I fucking found him, and he’s mated to my sister, and he probably wants me dead.~

This whole thing feels like a sick joke.

I hear the creaking of my cell door opening at the top of the stairs.

Probably Xavier, here to execute me, his destined mate.

Instead, I see my dad running down the stairs, and my eyes well up with tears.

He throws his arms around me, fighting back his own tears.

“Dad, don’t…the silver. You’ll get burned,” I say, choking back sobs.

“I don’t care,” he says, stroking my hair.

“My little warrior…I’m so sorry. I can’t stand to see you like this.”

“What’s going to happen to me?” I ask. “Has Xavier said anything?”

Not only did I attack my sister, I attacked the ~luna.~

And she’s pregnant with the alpha’s heir.

It doesn’t get much worse than that.

“I’m arguing in your defense,” he says as his yellow eyes meet mine. “You just found out that you were mated, and your wolf instinctively tried to claim that mate. Everyone can see that. It’s a normal defensive reaction for a she-wolf.”

I know that it’s much more than that, and I think he does too.

My reaction was anything but normal.

I’m just glad Dad is on my side.

“How is Natalia?” I ask, suddenly feeling guilty.

“Your mother is taking care of her. She’s shaken, but she’s fine, and so is the baby.”

“Dad, why is this happening?” I ask as tears fall down my face. “I didn’t want any of this. I just wanted to come home.”

“I know, little warrior, I know,” he says, kissing me on the forehead. “I love you. Don’t lose hope. Everything will work out.”

Despite my dad’s comforting words, the pained expression on his face doesn’t give me much hope.

~Goddess—Selene—please, if you’re listening…give me strength.~

***

Dad managed to get Xavier to agree to a pack meeting, where he’d announce my punishment.

I know I won’t get off lightly, but maybe being his destined mate will at least soften the blow.

Amy let me come over to shower at her place and prepare for the tribunal.

Her face looks puffy and red, like she’s been crying all night.

“I can’t lose you again,” she says, as I pull on a fresh T-shirt and jeans. “You only just got back.”

“No matter what happens, you’ll never lose me,” I say, sitting next to her on the bed. “You’ll always be my best friend.”

~Why am I reassuring her? I’m the one on trial.~

Maybe the Goddess really did give me a little bit of strength.

“This is all just so fucked,” Amy says, her sadness turning to anger. “He’s ~your~ mate. You had every right to claim him.”

“I don’t think Xavier or Natalia will see it that way,” I say, slumping down on the bed and staring at the ceiling.

“I’m the interloper, not her. Everyone probably wishes that I’d just stayed with the hunters.”

“Don’t say that!” Amy shouts, swatting me with her hand. “You’ve been through so much. Everyone knows that. Xavier will have to take that into account.”

I hear a soft knock on the door, as James opens it and comes in. I half expect him to put me in chains, but he gives me the biggest bear hug instead.

“I requested to be the one to escort you to the tribunal,” he says, finally letting go. “This is so messed up. But just know that the entire squad is behind you, one hundred percent.”

I’m touched by James’s words. Maybe there are still a few people left fighting for me.

“Are you ready?” he asks hesitantly.

I take a deep breath and nod. “Let’s do this.”

I don’t know what Fate or Selene have in store for me, but I’m about to find out.

***

I hold my head high as the crowd parts and I walk toward Xavier and Natalia at the front of the pack. She’s surrounded by several guards, which I suppose is fair.

Dad stands off to the side with Mom, though she refuses to even look at me.

When I stop in front of Xavier, I keep my eyes locked with his. I don’t care if he’s my mate or my alpha; I won’t act like a submissive bitch.

My old squad stands grimly behind Xavier with the rest of the warriors, and James shoots me an encouraging smile.

A low growl escapes Xavier’s lips as he speaks. “Ariel Thomas, you stand here before your alpha and your pack, to answer for your crimes.”

There’s no emotion in my mate’s voice. Destined or not, he has no love for me.

“You attacked your Luna, who is pregnant with my son,” Xavier says coldly.

“This can, however, be attributed to your wolf’s instincts to claim your mate. It’s natural for she-wolves to claim what is theirs, as determined by the Goddess.”

I feel a massive wave of relief. Maybe Xavier actually does care for me in some way?

“But I am not yours,” he says, narrowing his eyes at me.

My relief instantly turns to fear.

“I reject you as my mate and Luna,” he says coldly, not a moment of hesitation in his voice.

An intense pain shoots through my body, and I howl as my legs buckle and I fall to the ground.

Natalia smirks at me, loving seeing me at my absolute lowest. Thankfully, I don’t have to endure that smirk for long, as my vision starts to blur.

“You are hereby banished from the Crescent Moon Pack, forever. If you return, it will mean your death.” Xavier’s voice sounds distant and muffled.

I’ve been tortured and tested for two years, and yet I’ve never felt pain like what I’m feeling now.

It’s like my heart has just been ripped from my chest.

My mating bond is broken.