PROLOGUE
"Let's make a deal, Casey, sweetheart. You will accept every single allegation I lay on you, and in exchange, I'd provide the much sought-after elixir that would save your Alpha's life."
Casey drew in a deep breath, feeling an unfamiliar tightening in her chest. She knew she was probably making a mistake; she knew how vicious her twin sister could get, and yet she didn't see much of a choice. The Alpha was her mate, and despite how his family treated her with disdain, she loved him. Prepared to do anything for her mate, Alpha Trent, Casey nodded.
"I'd accept more than a nod, Casey," her identical twin snapped saucily. "Let's make a vow between ourselves and bind the vow with our wolves. That way, none of us would be able to break away."
Tears formed in Casey's eyes at those words from her twin. For Macey to demand a vow as serious as wolf-binding meant she was planning something very vicious. "Do we really have to, sister?"
Macey's answering laughter was a mixture of sauciness and disdain. "Of course we do, Sister. Just make sure you love your Alpha enough to make this sacrifice for him."
Casey straightened her back. "Of course, I love him that much – I… we are expecting our first child." She bent her head slightly to stare lovingly at her lower belly, missing the look of pure envy her sister shot her way.
"Good. Now, make the wolf-binding vow."
Casey nodded. "I, Casey, bind my wolf to my vow…"
Several hours later…
"On behalf of Alpha Trent, whom you put in this very condition, I, his most trusted beta, reject you, Casey, as his mate and the Luna of our pack."
Tears formed in Casey's eyes at those cold words from her mate's beta, Jason. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. How could she defend herself from his allegations, especially when they stood in the trial chamber, and all the betas present thought she was guilty as charged?
"What? You can't speak?" Jason prodded, his tone filled with anger. How could he not be angry? He was a loyal beta, and Alpha Trent was currently in a coma after eating dinner cooked specially by Casey. Of course, everyone thought she had poisoned him.
"If you have nothing to say in denial of the accusation laid out before you, then accept the rejection of Alpha Trent as your mate, so that you can be dealt with accordingly, as the traitor that you are," Rogar, one of the betas in council, known for his no-nonsense approach, added.
Casey's eyes shot towards him, her large blue eyes already cloudy with unshed tears, staring pleadingly. Unknown to her, at that moment, she looked very innocent and enchantingly beautiful. With the look of brokenness in her eyes, she could have softened the heart of any man – well, as long as he wasn't one of Alpha Trent's council betas. These men were cold, ruthless; their only goal was protecting the Alpha and the pack, and at this moment, they saw Casey as a threat.
"I – I did not harm the Alpha. I swear it on my life. I love Trent; he is my mate, and I would never do anything to harm him," she managed in a shaky voice, her eyes roaming around the seven men in council, pleading with them – daring them to believe her. If only one of them could just believe her! She didn't really care that much for herself, but if they took her away from her mate and the love of her life, how would she ensure he was okay? A lone tear slipped down her cheek, and she swiped quickly at it.
"You should know your feminine tears mean nothing here," Farok, another beta, snapped. "They wouldn't get you any favours, not when you've put the Alpha's life at risk."
Casey shook her head, desperately fighting the tears that threatened to overflow. She must not cry; that would only make the council distrust her even more. "The more time we spend here, the more the Alpha's life is at risk. Please, I implore this honourable council, let's focus on making sure Trent gets better, then you can do whatever you like with me."
Casey got down on her knees, both hands raised, palms clasped together in a sign of supplication. "Please. I am begging you."
Deep within, Casey felt a little confused. According to the deal she had with her wicked twin sister, Alpha Trent should have gotten the remedy to whatever ailed him by now. Her twin sister had promised that she knew exactly what was wrong with Alpha Trent, and she had the antidote. She had promised that she knew how to sneak it to him for his quick recovery, and yet, several hours later, the Alpha had not recovered, but instead, Casey was facing trial for trying to kill a man she loved more than her life.
"The Alpha should be of the least concern to you. After all, you have proven yourself a traitor," Farok snapped, cutting right to Casey's heart with his words. His eyes took in the look of youthful innocence, the sheen of unshed tears in her eyes, and the trembling of her lips, yet he was not moved by it. In his line of work, he had come across many pretentious women in the past, and they always looked innocent at first.
Casey herself drew in a shaky breath, but before she could speak, a barrage of questions, insults, and commands came tumbling in from all directions in the council, until she wanted nothing more than to crumble up into a ball and cry her eyes out.
"Enough!" Jason commanded, putting an end to the mini chaos. "There is no need for all this. Accept the rejection immediately, and sever your ties with the Alpha. You are not worthy of him, Casey; you are a traitor."
"Well, I would not. I will not accept that rejection, because firstly, I am not a traitor. I love my mate, but most importantly, only Trent can reject me. You have no right to do that on his behalf." There was a new boldness in her voice. The strength came from memories of the time spent with Trent. She loved him, and she knew he loved her too.
Casey had discovered only a few days ago that she was pregnant with their first child; the dinner date had been for her to tell him the great news, but unfortunately, he collapsed instead after taking a few bites of her food, and immediately went into a coma.
"Trust me, Casey, this trial is going the easy way, but things could get pretty rough for you very soon. I, Jason Mane, Alpha Trent's most trusted beta, reject you, Casey, as Alpha Trent's mate and the Luna of the pack. Now accept this rejection, or you would be tortured till you are ready to accept it."
"No. I can't. I can't accept for the bond between me and my mate to be severed," the father of my unborn child, she added silently, but she did not say it out loud. She could not share the big news with them, not when she hadn't yet told Trent. The tears finally slipped through, and once the tears started, Casey found she could not stop them. She stood before the merciless council, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I would ask you one last time," Jason cut in with a cold voice, totally unaffected by her tears. "Do you accept the rejection on behalf of Trent?"
"No," Casey managed to choke out through her tears. "You do not have the right to reject me, only Trent does."
Jason nodded. "Alright then. Just know that you were warned. Guards!" He raised his voice to call out, and just immediately, there were several guards in the room. "Arrest this traitor and take her to the dungeon. She must be treated accordingly for her stubbornness."
"No…. Please no…" Casey sobbed. She had never been to the dungeon before, but she was sure she would not be able to survive whatever they were planning to do to her, not when she was pregnant. She shot one last pleading look at everyone in the council, but none of them seemed the least bit Inclined to show her mercy. Farok had an even angrier look on his face, and he looked as though he was about to say something, but then the entire council chambers went deathly quiet at the voice that spoke next.
"She's right. I alone have the right to reject her."
Everyone turned to face the man who had just walked into the council chambers, it was Alpha Trent.