Chapter 3 The False Accusations

Chapter 3: The False Accusation Lena turned away from Damian,her heart pounding with a mixture of pain and rage. She had come here hoping for answers, but all she received was further confirmation of Damian's betrayal to her. He had chosen Selene—publicly, shamelessly. There was nothing left for her in this pack. She was still in shock that the Damian she knew could do such a thing to her. She took a step toward the exit, willing herself to leave with what little dignity she had left. But just as she reached the doors of the grand hall, a sharp voice cut through the murmuring crowd. "She is the one!" The sudden accusation froze Lena in place. Gasps echoed through the banquet hall, and all eyes turned to the source of the outcry—a young maid standing near the banquet table, her expression painted with righteous indignation. Lena furrowed her brows, confusion washing over her. What? The maid pointed a trembling finger at her, her voice laced with conviction. "Lena tried to poison Luna Selene! She offered me gold to slip poison into her drink!" A shocked silence fell over the hall, thick with disbelief. Then, like wildfire, whispers spread among the pack members. "Poison?" Someone sneered "Lena would never do such a thing. Or could she? Another member cooed "Maybe she’s bitter. She was rejected, after all." A third voice chimmed in Lena’s stomach twisted. This was a setup. A blatant, ridiculous setup. She turned to face the maid, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her. "That’s a lie." But Selene, ever the manipulator, gasped dramatically and clutched Damian’s arm. "Oh, Goddess! I knew she hated me, but to stoop this low?" She turned tearful eyes to Damian, trembling like a delicate flower. "What if I had drunk it? I could have—" She choked back a sob, playing her part to perfection. Lena clenched her fists. The gall of this woman. Damian’s expression darkened as he stepped forward. His piercing blue eyes locked onto Lena with a cold intensity. "Is this true?" Lena stared at him in disbelief. "Damian do youu think I would do something like this?" He didn’t answer immediately. That hesitation cut deeper than any blade. Lena’s wolf snarled within her. He really doesn’t care. The maid pressed on, emboldened by Damian’s silence. "She came to me in secret," she insisted, her voice trembling just enough to seem authentic. "She said she wanted revenge, that she couldn’t let Luna Selene have everything. She offered me gold—more than I could ever make in my lifetime. But I am loyal to our Alpha and Luna. I refused." A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd. Lena’s fingers twitched. Every word spilling from the maid’s lips was a carefully crafted lie, designed to paint her as a villain. But why? Who put her up to this? Selene. The realization struck like lightning. This wasn’t just about getting rid of her. Selene wanted her disgraced, destroyed, exiled. Lena took a step forward, her gaze locked onto the maid. "You’re lying. I never approached you. I never offered you anything." The maid shrank back, as if afraid. "Please, don’t hurt me! I only spoke the truth!" Selene buried her face in Damian’s chest, her voice muffled. "Damian… I don’t feel safe." And that was all it took. Damian’s entire demeanor shifted. His expression hardened, his jaw tightening. When he turned to Lena again, his eyes were void of the warmth they once held. "You’ve done enough, Lena," he said, voice low but firm. "Leave." Lena inhaled sharply. "Leave? You’re not even going to question this? You’re just going to believe her?" His gaze remained cold. "You’ve already caused enough trouble." Her blood ran cold. He really was going to throw her away. Just like that. Selene let out another delicate sob, sealing Lena’s fate. Damian’s next words shattered the last bit of hope she had. "Lena, as Alpha, I cannot overlook such a crime. You are hereby banished from the pack." The room spun. Banished. A sharp pain lanced through her chest, an ache deeper than anything she had ever felt. Her vision blurred, but she refused to let the tears fall. She wouldn’t give them that satisfaction. Taking a shaky breath, she lifted her chin. "You’re making a mistake, Damian." His expression didn’t change. "The only mistake I made was ever letting you stay this long." Lena exhaled slowly, letting the words sink in. There was no love left in his eyes. No regret. Just indifference. She glanced at her parents, standing in the crowd. Her father looked away. Her mother’s expression remained unreadable. Neither of them spoke up for her. She was alone. Lena swallowed the lump in her throat and immediately turned away. She wouldn’t beg. She wouldn’t plead. She refused to let Damian see more of her weakness. Without another word, she walked past the pack members who once called her family. Past the warriors who once followed her command. Past the mate who had betrayed her so easily. Past her parents. Past her friends. Each step she took felt heavier, the weight of exile settling on her shoulders. Selene made Damian ensure that she was escorted out by two Omega's just to confirm she was truly banished . The moment she crossed the border, an invisible force slammed into her chest. A searing pain ripped through her body as the bond with the pack snapped like a thread. She stumbled forward, gasping for breath. Her wolf howled in agony, the severance more brutal than she imagined. But she refused to stop. She started hearing sounds of creatures in the woods. She kept walking, deeper and deeper into the rogue lands, the shadows swallowing her whole. She was afraid but the thought of going back to beg did not do a mistake to cross her mind. As she collapsed onto the co ld earth, exhaustion and weakness pulling her under, one thought burned in her mind. I will make them pay.