Chapter Three
RUE
I was standing at the edge of the driveway, staring up at the house that had been my home for so long. After seeing the news, I knew Kael was right. He'd not been lying, so it wasn't a surprise why I had this strange feeling how something so familiar like the Packhouse and the Pack suddenly felt like a place I no longer belonged.
I sauntered through the healthy lawn and onto the moat, the grand doors of the entrance were now looming before me like monsters, the same ones I'd walked through countless times. Right then, my heart was heavy and my stomach twisted in knots. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, hoping- praying- that my father would understand. That he would believe me. But as I approached the front door, two guards stepped in front of me, their faces blank and cold as they blocked the way.
"Rue, you cannot be here."
A very bad feeling slid down my spine when I heard him call me by my name. A guard. A commoner.
I froze, my heart sinking. "What? What do you mean I can't be here? This is my home."
"Not anymore," the other guard said, avoiding my eyes. "Alpha John has made it clear. You're not welcome."
I felt like I'd been stabbed. I staggered back, shaking my head in disbelief. "No... he wouldn't do that. I need to talk to him. Please, just let me in. I have to explain-"
The first guard shook his head, his face tight with regret. "I'm sorry. Orders are orders. And just so that you are aware, we were given orders to have you disgraced and thrown out the moment we set our eyes on you, so why don't you back off before anyone with such intent recognises you? I'm only letting you know because I respect you, Princess."
The tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them away, refusing to break in front of them. "This is my home," I whispered, my voice cracking. "My family."
But they didn't move. They didn't care. To them, I was just another problem to keep out.
My father... had disowned me.
My legs felt weak, and for a moment, I didn't know what to do. I wanted to scream, to cry, to break down. But instead, I turned around and walked away. My heart was heavy with shame. The shame of what Cassie and Jessica had done to me. The shame of being rejected by my own blood. And of the crushing feeling that I had nowhere left to go.
With nowhere else to turn, I found myself back at Kael's. The man I barely knew, the rogue who had somehow become my only ally. As soon as I walked into the room, he looked up from his desk where he'd been sitting. His sharp eyes softened slightly when he saw the look on my face.
"Didn't go well, did it?" He asked, though it wasn't really a question.
I wouldn't be here if it did. I shook my head, unable to speak. I didn't want to say the words out loud. I didn't want to say the words out loud. I didn't want to admit that I'd been cast aside like I didn't matter. Kael stood up and walked over to me, his presence solid and steady.
"You're not alone in this, Rue," his voice had that same soothing tinge to it. "I'm on your side."
The words were meant to comfort me, but they only made the tears I'd been holding to spill over. I sank into the nearest, my body trembling as the weight of everything hit me all over again.
"I've lost everything," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "My father, my home... even my wolf. I feel like she's abandoned me."
Kael crouched in front of me. "Your wolf hasn't abandoned you. She's just just because you're in pain. But she's still there. Trust me. And so am I."
I looked up at him, trying to find some strength in his words. But all I felt was broken. "I don't know what to do." I admitted. "I don't know how to fix this."
Kael's gaze didn't waver. "We start by finding out the truth. We go back to where it all happened. The hotel."
I flinched at the mention of that place. The last thing I wanted was to relive that night. But Kael was right. If I wanted to clear my name, I had to face it. I had to know the truth.
The hotel room looked exactly the same as it has that night, but everything felt different. Darker. Heavier. I stood in the doorway, my heart pounding in my chest as memories of that night flooded back. The betrayal. The pain. The shame.
Kael stood beside me. His expression was unreadable. "Take your time"
I stepped inside, scanning the room. The bed. The curtains. The place where everything fell apart. "I don't remember much," I said softly, my voice shaky. "It's all a blur."
He nodded. "Just tell me what you do remember. Start from the beginning."
I closed my eyes, forcing myself to go back to that night. "Jessica called me... she sounded scared. She told me to come here. I thought she needed my help. I opened my eyes, my fists clenching at my sides. "But it was a trap. She... and Cassie... they planned this. They set me up."
His jaw tightened. "Go on."
"I came here to help her, but when I got to the room, everything was wrong. The smoke, the noise... then I was hit on the head." I swallowed hard, the memory making my skin crawl. "When I woke up, I was tied down. I couldn't move. And then..."
I couldn't finish the sentence. The shame was too much.
Kael's eyes were dark as he stepped closer, and rested his hands on my shoulder. "You don't have to say it."
But I did. I had to face it. "They recorded it. They made it look like I paid the men to... to..." I couldn't say the rest.
Tears stung my eyes, but I fought them back. I couldn't let this break me. Not again.
Kael was silent for a moment, then he turned, scanning the room. "There has to be something here. Something they left behind."
We started searching the room, looking for anything-anything- that might give us a clue. It felt hopeless, like we were chasing shadows. But then, Kael's eyes narrowed as he spotted something on the floor. He bent down and picked it up. It was a necklace. A simple, silver chain with a small pendant attached.
"What is this?" I took it from him, frowning. Kael studied it for a moment, then looked at me. "It's not yours, is it,"
I shook my head. "No. I've never seen it before."
His eyes darkened. "This might belong to Jessica."
The thought of Jessica made my blood boil. How could she have done this to me? She had been my best friend. My sister in all but blood. And now... now she was my enemy.
"Why? Why would she betray me like this?" His eyes met mine. "That's what we need to find out."
I clenched my fists. "I'm going to pay her a visit."
That night, I found myself standing outside Jessica’s house, angry and betrayed. I didn't bother knocking, I walked straight in.
She was in the living room, surrounded by a few other Pack members. And when she saw me, her eyes widened in surprise, but it gave way to a smug smile.
"Well, well, well. Look who decided to show up."
I didn't waste any time. "Why did you do it?" I demanded, my voice shaking. "Why, Jessica?"
She shrugged, her eyes cold and calculating. "You really have to ask? It was easy, Rue. You made it so easy. All that talk about being Luna, about being perfect... I got tired of living in your shadow."
I felt like someone had punched me in the chest. "You were my best friend," I whispered. "We were supposed to have each other’s backs."
Jessica laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "We were never equals, Rue. You were always the golden girl, the future Luna. I was just the sidekick. I wanted more."
Before I could respond, she raised her voice, calling out to the people around her. "Hey, everyone! Look who's here- the Pack's newest slut!"
A crowd began to gather, then the whispers and sneers followed. My stomach turned as they all stared at me with judgmental eyes, feeding off the lies that Jessica had spread. I turned to her, my heart aching. "Where did we go wrong?"
But she didn't answer. She just smirked, enjoying the spectacle she had created.