Chapter 3 Chapter 3

SERENA'S POV

A throbbing ache in my neck yanked me awake. I blinked open my eyes, the unfamiliar room coming into focus. Where was was I? I looked around the room before looking down at my body.

I began to panic as I realized I was lying naked in a bed – a bed that wasn't mine. What the fuck..

Glancing beside me, I found a muscular werewolf still asleep. Taking a deeper look I realized it was Joshua, a young member from Derek's pack who I had seen a few times before.

My blood ran cold. If anyone came in I would a walking corpse. But I don't remember how I ended up here. Had Derek. No, that couldn't be right.

"Joshua?" I croaked, my voice was hoarse.

He bolted upright as if stung and his eyes widened with terror. "Serena! What.what happened?"

I narrowed my gaze, my brows were furrowed, "I don't know you tell me!" I yelled.

But before he could offer any further explanation, the door to the room slammed open. Leading the surge was Derek, his face was masked with fake fury.

Close behind him stood the Lycan King. Following them were Cora, and several other pack members.

The sight of them, especially the King's presence, sent shivers down my spine. "What is the meaning of this?" I stammered, desperately trying to pull the flimsy sheet over my bare body.

Derek didn't waste a moment. With a theatrical gasp, he stumbled forward, clutching his side as if he was in pain. "You. you treacherous bitch! You ask not to be disturbed only to find you in bed with another man that isn't me!" he roared.

He turned to the Lycan King. "Your Majesty, I present to you the evidence of my mate's treachery. After years of devoted service, she has chosen to betray me with another."

My jaw dropped. Treachery? Mate? The audacity of it all made me want to scream. Since when did Derek care about me? Since when did he ever consciously refer to me as his mate.

My eyes darted to the Lycan King, desperately searching for a shred of disbelief. I wanted him to see me for my innocence, but his expression remained stoic.

Cora, however, stepped forward to add more fuel to the already blazing fire.

"It's no surprise, Your Majesty," she purred. "Serena has always been.troubled. In fact, she carries a terrible curse. Alpha Derek, in his infinite kindness, chose to claim her. But it seems, her true nature has prevailed."

The room began to spin. Curse? Claimed? The lies twisted my head. I tried to speak, to defend myself, but the words wouldn't come. My voice was lost in their lies.

"Derek, I-" I began, my voice trembling. But he cut me off with a snarl.

"Silence!" He grabbed me by the arm, his grip tight enough to leave bruises. "Explain yourself to the King!"

I jerked my arm away, I was furious. "Explain what? I don't even know what's going on!"

These weren't trials or accusations; it was a play, a carefully crafted narrative designed to destroy me.

Desperate for any shred of support, I looked at Joshua, who sat frozen on the other side of the bed, his face covered with fear and guilt.

I was alone, a pawn in a game, and the odds were stacked impossibly high against me.

The Lycan King stepped forward. "Calm yourselves, Alpha Derek. Let the woman speak." He turned to me. "Serena, what is your story?"

***

ARDAN'S POV

Tears burst from the eyes of the woman on the bed as she choked out, "I. I don't know how I ended up here. When I woke up, I was already like this-and he was beside me!"

She pointed at Joshua, a regular werewolf who was now staring at us in terror.

"She's lying!" a she-wolf shouted. Who was she? I didn't care.

Just then, a strange scent lingered in the air-subtle, yet incredibly pleasing. My eyes shot toward the bed. They locked onto the sheets. Serena?

Impossible. My mate. is Derek's unfaithful Luna? The Moon Goddess has to be fucking with me!

I quickly shoved the absurd thought out of my head. My wolf was pacing restlessly in the back of my mind-something unusual-but he hadn't said a word.

I needed to understand what had really happened between them.

"What exactly is going on here, Derek?" I forced my wolf into silence and turned to him, my voice cold.

"Your Majesty," Derek said with a frown, "I'm as confused as you are. But clearly, Serena doesn't want me. That's why she cheated. Please, allow me to reject her as my mate."

He placed his palm over his chest in a pleading gesture.

"That's not true!" Serena burst out angrily. She leapt from the bed, hastily throwing on her clothes and running to me. She grabbed me. "Your Majesty! This is a setup! Derek betrayed me long ago! The she-wolf by his side is his mistress!"

I stared at her as she touched my skin-and my wolf let out a satisfied groan. Something crackled in the air. My sharp gaze pierced into her, and hers met mine just as steadily. She didn't flinch.

I could smell it-she was an Omega.

But why could she withstand my Alpha pheromones?

No she-wolf had ever stood under my gaze without collapsing.

I had to admit, my dick was starting to respond-but I forced myself to focus. "Do you have proof?" I asked.

She immediately pulled up her sleeve. Her skin was smooth-completely unmarked.

What was she trying to show me?

"No. no way," she muttered.

"Enough!" I snapped. "You betrayed your mate! You deserve to be punished-right after you're formally rejected by your Alpha."

I shoved her away. This feeling-it had to be false. Her pain unsettled me, but my wolf, though restless, still hadn't claimed her.

I looked at Derek and commanded, "I grant your request."

The mate bond is sacred. It is rare. And she had so easily betrayed it! That could not be tolerated.

Derek's eyes turned cold as he formally rejected Serena on the spot. In an instant, she collapsed.

And then-something exploded from my chest.

I felt the entire room shift. A surge of illogical energy was forming in the air. It hit me like a tidal wave, pinning me in place, chaining my soul to the woman now standing before me. Her eyes were wide with shock.

The change in her expression was almost insane-her pain and rage were suddenly washed away by a look of stunned realization.

"What. what's happening to me?" she stammered, barely above a whisper.

I stared at her, my heart pounding, disbelief swirling inside me.

Could it be true?

Could this Omega. really be my mate?

It couldn't be. The prophecy couldn't be this cruel, this irrational.

"Well then, she's accepted the rejection," Derek said. "Take her away. She'll find her place in the dungeons."

Before I could react, Derek's Beta lunged toward Serena with a cold smirk. "This traitor deserves punishment!"

Before the whip could strike her face, I moved-without thinking, without hesitation.

In a blur, I surged forward, faster than even I expected. I caught the Beta's hand mid-swing and threw him across the room with effortless strength.

He slammed into the wall, coughing in pain. Silence fell over the room.

Serena stared at me, eyes wide, mouth agape.

Derek and Cora gaped at me, pure disbelief on their faces.

I pulled her into my arms and shouted,

"No one touches her!"