Sting of betrayal by Comfort Shettima

Athena's POV

"I, Damian Jasper, the Alpha of Cone pack, reject you, Athena George, as my mate." The words tore through me, a scorching pain gripping my heart.

An unspeakable hurt consumed me as he should have declared me as his Luna. Maybe it was a mistake, I thought desperately.

Before I could comprehend the unfolding scene, he declared Ashina, my cousin and only friend, as his mate.

Tears gushed down my face as I witnessed her acceptance. Was this a twisted nightmare or a cruel reality?

"What is happening?" I managed to choke out, desperate for an explanation.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a wolf," Damian insulted. Each word cut through the air, exposing my vulnerability to the entire pack.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" I barely whispered, my voice barely audible.

"You're a disgrace to all werewolves, a disgrace to our kind," Ashina cursed, her hand intertwined with Damian's.

"Accept the rejection!" she smirked, her mockery visible.

"I... I can't," I stammered, the weight of humiliation settling over me.

"Her word is law, and you will abide by it!" Damian ruthlessly declared, sealing my fate in front of the watching pack.

Frozen, I felt the gaze of everyone on me, accompanied by silent whispers.

"I, Athena, accept your rejection," I managed to utter. There was a long dead silence.

"Let's continue the celebration!" Damian announced, lifting his wine cup in a mocking toast.

Shame enfolded me as I stumbled out of the arena. My body weakened. Alone in the shadows, I unleashed a scream, the anguish echoing through the night.

How could I endure life in this pack now? No wolf companion, rejected, and to add to the agony, my cousin as his chosen mate. Perhaps I should commit suicide. But running away seemed the only escape.

I managed to get myself to the house, and I collapsed on the floor. Recalling the events that led to my anguish. I sifted through the pieces of my shattered trust.

Ashina, the friend turned betrayer, had left faint hints of her ulterior motives in our shared memories.

My relationship with Damian began innocently during a full moon ceremony, when I was sixteen until now that I'm nineteen.

Little did I know that the ropes of fate woven that night, would untangle into a cruel portrayal of rejection.

Ashina's incremental closeness to Damian had gone unnoticed by my naive heart. Being my cousin and only friend, I saw no harm in her growing closeness to the Alpha.

Hints appeared in Ashina's occasional attempts to badmouth Damian in my presence. Blinded by loyalty, I brushed off these warning signs, never suspecting the veil of her seemingly friendly advice.

Together, Ashina and I engaged ourselves in the preparations for Damian's coronation. We shopped for new dresses, and contributed to the festivities by cooking at the Alpha's home.

Up until the moment she helped me get dressed for the occasion, I remained unaware of the impending storm. The heartbreak surged anew as I replayed these scenes in my mind.

Amid these reflections, I decided to leave. Gathering what little strength remained, I resolved to leave. As I proceeded to pack my belongings, my mother entered. Embracing me tightly.

"I always knew Ashina was a snake, but biting her family? I never saw that coming," she consoled. Unable to endure the pain, I confessed to my mom.

"Mom, I can't stay here. I need to leave this pack."

Before she could respond, footsteps surrounded our home. My mother gasped as she looked outside the window, which sent shivers down my spine.