Chapter 1

Lyra's POV.

“I, Dorian Vale, reject you, Lyra Thorn, as my mate and my current Luna.”

For a long second, I couldn't understand what the fuck I had just heard.

I stared at my husband, waiting for him to take the words back, but he only looked at me with such coldness that it hurt. My chest tightened as my wolf howled inside me, curling up at the pain of our newly broken bond.

The hall was filled with gasps, but I was barely listening. Probably because none of this even made sense. Surely there had to be a mistake somewhere.

Maybe this was all some cruel prank, but the more I stared into his eyes, the more it dawned on me that this was reality.

“What?” My voice came out barely above a whisper. “Why are you doing this?”

Dorian didn't move.

“I said I reject you.” His words were said with such finality that they knocked the air right out of my lungs. My heart felt like it had been ripped from my chest.

I had spent three years married to this man, believing that despite everything that everyone had said—that I wasn't worthy of love, that an overweight weak Luna wasn't fit to sit the throne.

I believed that I could take it all because at least I was loved by him.

Apparently, I had been wrong.

“What the hell is happening, Dorian,?” I demanded, my voice shaking despite my attempt to keep it steady. “You are my husband. Why are you doing this?”

“I have found my true mate.” He announced coldly.

A woman stepped out from behind the elders. Cecelia. My eyes moved from her to Dorian as she walked directly to his side and slipped her hand into his.

“You knew,” I whispered. “You married me knowing she was your mate?”

“I made a mistake,” he corrected.

Three years of marriage, and he called it a mistake as easily as if it was casual.

But it was anything but that.

I looked around at the people surrounding us, and slowly, the pieces began falling into place.

The elders stood behind Dorian in a straight line, while the pack members filled the courtyard around us.

This was why he had called everyone here. This was why I had felt uneasy when I was informed that my husband and Alpha had summoned the pack.

I was the center of attraction now. This wasn't just a stupid coincidence. I knew Dorian better than that.

One of the elders stepped forward holding a sealed document.

"You have been accused of conspiring against the Alpha and attempting to undermine his authority."

Wait—

I stared at him.

"What?"

A few people in the crowd began to whisper and I turned toward Dorian.

"That's a lie. What the hell is happening? You know that I would never."

Dorian's expression remained emotionless. "I know exactly what you've done, Lyra.” He said. “You are a fat and weak Alpha from a useless bloodline who could never hold a candle to me. You got jealous of my power and you have tried to off me to get back the power.”

My eyes bulged.

“That's not fucking true!”

“I have evidence!” He bellowed. “You are unfit to rule this pack beside me. You are a mental patient who possesses a risk ti the rise of this pack,” he continued.

He drew in a sharp breath.

“You should leave.”

I gasped.

“What?”

My chest ached and it felt like my vision was swimming already.

“You planned this,” I said.

Dorian's face hardened.

“Watch your words, Lyra.”

“No.” My voice grew sharper. “You watch yourself. You stood beside me for three years while secretly preparing to take everything that belonged to my family.”

He threw his head back with a chuckle.

“The throne belongs to the Alpha.”

“My father left that throne to me,” I hissed. “I gave it to you. It was I who made you Alpha of this pack!” Streams of hot tears rushed down my face.

He shrugged.

“And now I've been crowned.”

I stared at him. So this was what this was about? All along all he had wanted was my father's throne? And now that he had gotten it, he didn't need me anymore?

But apparently, taking my father's throne away from me was not even enough.

Oh I've been so foolish.

I should have seen the signs.

“So what do you want now?” I said after I tried to swallow a lump and failed.

“You are a risk to the pack. You need to be exiled, removed from the pack so that your weakness and fat illness does not affect the offspring of this pack too.”

That made me freeze, my heart feeling like it was going to combust.

“But I haven't done anything. You are my husband. You know I haven't!”

The elder stepped forward again.

“Your title has been revoked. And all of your belongings will be removed from the Alpha's residence with urgency. You are stripped of all authority within this pack from henceforth. You are no longer of royal lineage or fit for the throne.”

I laughed once, but there was nothing funny about it. “So that's it?”

No one answered and I felt anger boil in me.I looked at Dorian one last time.

“You could have simply told me that you stopped loving me. I would have let you go to your Cecelia. You didn't have to go the extra mile to frame me, Dorian.”

His expression didn't change.

“I never loved you.”

That stung harder than expected. I swallowed hard and refused to cry.

“Fine.”

The elder frowned. “You will be escorted from the territory immediately.”

“Where am I supposed to go?” I spun to look at the corrupted old man.

Another elder exchanged a look with Dorian before answering.

“You won't be leaving freely.”

My stomach dropped.

“What does that even mean?” I demanded. “You have thrown me away and you still won't let me go?”

I scoffed.

“Take the throne all you want and leave the life of this weak Alpha alone!”

Dorian shook his head.

“You will be transferred immediately to an establishment outside our territory. The pack has carried your family's debt for years, and the establishment agreed to settle it in exchange for your body.”

My eyes grew wide.

“You are selling me?”

No one answered.

They all just stared at me.

No—

“Take her away,” Dorian announced.

“No, no, no!” I screamed, shaking my head in terror as I began to take several steps back, trying to move away.

But two guards stepped forward, their strong arms holding me tight. I struggled against their grip, thrashing about.

“No, please!” I begged.

No one did anything.

This couldn't be happening.

“Dorian, you can't do this!” I cried out in horror. “Please don't sell me off!”

But he said nary a word.

The crowd cleared a path as I was dragged outside. My life was over. I knew where they were taking me—a brothel.