Natalie shivered against the cold stone wall, the shackles around her wrists biting into her skin. She had lost track of how long she had been locked in this cell, her body aching from the countless lashes she had endured. Yet no matter how much they hurt her, she refused to admit guilt to a crime she did not commit.
The pack may believe her capable of such a heinous act, but she knew the truth. As the Luna, Natalie had worked hard to earn the respect of every wolf. She ruled beside her husband Adam with kindness and compassion. Their courtship had been the fairy tale romance every young shifter dreamed of.
Which made Adam's betrayal cut so much deeper.
Natalie lifted her head as the cell door creaked open. Hope leaped in her chest when she saw Adam stride in, his tall frame casting a shadow across the floor. His handsome face was cold and remote, so different from the tender gazes he used to give her.
"Adam," Natalie rasped, her voice weakened from lack of use. "You have to listen to me. I would never harm Lexie or her baby, no matter how much pain she's caused us."
Adam crossed his arms, his hazel eyes hard. "I don't want to hear your lies. The evidence against you is clear."
Natalie shook her head desperately. "Evidence can be fabricated. You know I'm not capable of such evil. We've been friends since childhood, lovers for years. You know me better than anyone!"
For a moment, Natalie thought she saw a flicker of doubt cross Adam's face. But then his expression closed off once more.
"If you want me to believe your innocence, you'll have to prove it," he said. "Was there anyone who can corroborate your whereabouts when Lexie lost her child?"
Hope leapt in Natalie's heart. "Yes! Find my handmaiden Rosie. She'll tell you I was with her, not anywhere near Lexie."
Adam considered her words, then nodded sharply. "Very well. I will speak to Rosie myself and determine if you're telling the truth."
He swept out of the cell, leaving Natalie to wait in agonizing suspense. The minutes crawled by at an agonizing pace as Natalie paced the tiny cell. She could hardly breathe, her heart pounding against her ribcage. Rosie had to defend her. She just had to. The loyal handmaiden had been by her side for years. Surely their bond was stronger than any bribe or threat.
After what felt like an eternity, heavy footsteps sounded down the hall. Natalie froze, bracing herself as Adam entered with Rosie in tow. The sight of her handmaiden was a relief so intense it made Natalie's knees weak.
But when Adam prompted Rosie to speak, the words that left her mouth turned Natalie's blood to ice.
"It's true, Alpha. I saw Natalie put the herbs in Lexie's drink that caused her to lose the babe."
No! Natalie thought in horror. Rosie couldn't be betraying her too!
"Liar!" Natalie shouted, lunging against her chains in desperation. "I never told you to do such a thing!"
Adam bared his teeth, eyes burning amber with rage. He grabbed her by the neck and roared, "Enough! Your own servant has condemned you. The pack will have justice."
He tightened his grip, feeling her pulse race under his fingers. He wanted to make her suffer, and now he hated her with every fiber of his being, and he wanted her to know it.
Natalie gasped for air, feeling his nails dig into her skin. She looked into his eyes, hoping to find a trace of mercy, of compassion, of love. But all she saw was cold fury and burning hatred. She knew he would never forgive her, never understand her, never love her again.
It felt like centuries, and Adam finally let her go. He nodded to the Beta guard and said coldly, "She is to be executed at dawn."
As Adam stalked away, Natalie collapsed to her knees. This couldn't be happening. She had lost everything—her position, her husband, and now her life. Sobs wracked her body, hot tears streaming down her cheeks. The cell door clanged shut behind them with dreadful finality.
***
Soft footsteps approached. Natalie snapped her head up to see Lexie standing before her cell, a smug smile curving her lips.
"Oh, don't look so sad, Natalie," Lexie purred. "This is your own fault, after all."
Rage boiled up inside Natalie, momentarily overwhelming her grief. She squeezed the bars between them with white-knuckled fists, wishing she could wrap her hands around the sly wolf's throat.
"I know you're behind this, somehow. That child was never Adam's!" Natalie hissed.
Lexie laughed, the sound grating against Natalie's ears. "No, he wasn't. But who would ever believe a barren Luna over your husband's pregnant fated mate?" Her smile turned vicious. "I'll be sure to comfort Adam properly once you're dead. As his true mate, it's my duty."
Natalie widened her eyes, feeling incredible that Lexie indeed betrayed Adam. She felt just so pissed off that she was making irresponsible remarks that Lexie's child didn't belong to Adam. However, Lexie just confessed that she truly cheated on Adam with someone else!
"How could you do this to Adam? He's your true mate, for Moon Goddess's sake!" Natalie shouted, her anger rising.
"So what? My true mate should kill his wife once when he found my existence, yet he didn't do that. And all these days I had to find my way to get rid of you. He should never blame me for carrying others' pups!"
Lexie's grin only widened at her silence. "Rosie works for me now. Has for a while, thanks to my fat coin purse. The tea she gave you every morning made sure you stayed nice and childless. Didn't want you reproducing and threatening my place."
Natalie reeled at the revelation. Her own handmaiden had betrayed her in the worst possible way. All this time, while Natalie had trusted her, Rosie had been poisoning her dreams of motherhood. An anguished sob escaped her lips.
Lexie leaned in close to the bars, her voice dropping to a malicious whisper. "I'll be Luna soon, Natalie. Enjoy hell."
The urge to violence rose up in Natalie again. She couldn't believe that all these years her efforts to keeping the harmony in the pack turned to be a joke. She couldn't believe she had been foolish enough to trust this serpent and let herself get caught up in her schemes. The very sight of her smug face made her blood boil. She jumped to her feet and stormed over to the bars separating them.
However, she could do nothing to this she-wolf now. Being injected with wolfsbane and whipped by those guards who forced her to tell the truth, she had lost all her power.
"I'll get you for this!" Natalie shouted powerlessly as Lexie turned to walk away. "I promise, you'll regret the day you crossed me!"
Lexie just waved a dismissive hand at her enraged threats. As soon as she was out of sight, Natalie let out a scream of rage and slammed her body against the cell door. The unforgiving iron bars refused to budge, but she didn't care, bruising herself again and again as she tried to break through. She had to make Lexie pay!
Finally, her battered body gave out, and Natalie slid down the door in defeat. Panting, she stared at the floor, hatred and pain burning through her veins. She had never imagined her life could end this way, betrayed by those she loved most.
'I won't let it,' she vowed fiercely. 'Somehow, someday, I will have my revenge.'