Agony fell short; she was shattered.
Charlotte, a werewolf, endured relentless abuse, leaving her utterly fractured. Austin, her supposed mate, subjected her to constant mistreatment and even infidelity.
In a daring escape, she fled, only to encount...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"But then only she and Kenzie were there!" The council asserted.
"That doesn't mean she did it! She would never do that!" I protested vehemently.
"Kenzie had a longer history with your mother, and they were very close. I can't say the same for your mate," they argued.
"No, you can't just throw her in the dungeon for something she didn't do!" Fury surged through me, and I slammed my hand onto the table.
"The decision is final. Either you put her in the dungeon or we kill her. Your pack is in turmoil, and there are constant calls for her execution. It's not permanent, just for a while," they replied resolutely.
I knew pushing them further might lead to Charlotte's immediate execution without my knowledge. It was far from fair, though. If she was to be imprisoned, then Kenzie should share the same fate.
"Then put Kenzie in the dungeon too. There's no evidence proving her innocence either. We must be fair; have you not heard the phrase 'keep your friends close, your enemies closer'?" I demanded.
My words stung, feeding the burning fire inside me. Each phrase violated my sense of justice, adding fuel to the flames. My fists clenched, and my jaw tightened.
The council huddled together, clearly biased toward Kenzie. However, I was determined not to let this injustice stand.
"We've discussed it, and we've decided to place her in an abandoned house, far from the pack. She'll stay there for the same duration as Charlotte, while we conduct our investigations," one council member declared.
Though I had hoped for the dungeon, removing Kenzie from the pack and placing her in an isolated location was better than having her remain and potentially causing chaos.
Ensuring Charlotte ended up in the dungeon would be a challenging ordeal.
The pack members were in disarray as I saw Charlotte standing there, dazed. I pulled her closer to me, hearing her murmur that she was innocent.
I did my best to suppress any display of affection, but I couldn't help feeling an overwhelming urge to hold her tightly.
When she asked if I believed her, I resisted the urge to affirm my trust. Instead, I replied that I had no idea. I didn't want her to have false hope or to think there was a chance with me. My actions had only caused her pain, nothing else.
"But to ensure the pack's stability and prevent further chaos, I have an idea," I began.
Seeing her silent, I continued, "I will place you in the dungeon temporarily, but don't worry; it won't be for long."
Her eyes widened, and she asked, "What...did you just say?"
Unable to bear the situation any longer, I muttered an apology and administered a sedative to make her fall asleep temporarily.
I held her close, kissing her forehead, and ordered, "Take her to the dungeons."
Afterward, I retreated to my room, slowly comprehending the gravity of my actions toward my mate. The heartbreak felt like a chill settling in my chest, like concrete hardening.
This unexpected heartbreak left me bewildered, as they always do – one moment feeling on top of the world, only to be shattered the next.
I spent the entire day alone in my room, forbidding anyone from entering. Despite my workload, I knew I had made a heavy choice.
Several hours later, John came to inform me that Charlotte had awakened and wanted to see me. I was torn, knowing that seeing her would likely overwhelm me.
I also understood that my actions had left her with no hope. I had hoped to be the one to mend her after what Austin did, but I had failed. I was no different, just another source of pain for her.
The floor seemed to soak up my despair, a testament to my heartache. It dripped from my mouth, choked in the air, and bled from my ears and chin. My head hung heavy, laden with thoughts of Charlotte.
Days passed, and I immersed myself in work to avoid thinking about my mate. Sometimes, though, thoughts of her in the dungeon would intrude. I imagined her anger and confusion, not comprehending my motives.
But I couldn't bear the thought of causing her more heartache; I believed I was shielding her from the devil that I had become.
the amount of plot twist in this book omg 😂 so, this was what really happen!!
