Bella couldn’t remember the last time she had felt at ease. Ever since Kael had declared her his mate, everything seemed to spiral out of control. The pack, the elders, Esmera—none of them accepted her, and every day felt like another battle to survive.
The days blurred together as Bella struggled to adjust to her new position. It wasn’t just the pack that rejected her; it was the weight of responsibility that hung over her like a storm cloud. As the future Luna, she was supposed to stand strong, to be a guiding force for the pack. But how could she do that when everything she did seemed to be met with hostility?
She spent her days hidden away, trying to avoid confrontation, trying to keep her head down. But Esmera made sure she couldn’t escape. Every time Bella thought she might have a moment of peace, Esmera would show up, ready to tear her down again.
It had been a particularly hard day. Bella had just finished a long walk through the woods, trying to clear her mind, when she had heard the sound of shouting in the distance. It was a pack hunt—an event that the entire pack participated in, and one that was usually a source of pride. Bella had always stayed away from it, knowing that she was seen as an outsider, but today, for some reason, she felt drawn to watch.
As she approached the clearing where the hunt was taking place, she could hear the tension in the air. The pack was on edge, their voices harsh as they argued. Bella hesitated, standing just beyond the trees, watching from the shadows. She knew that if she stepped forward, she’d be met with suspicion, but her curiosity got the better of her.
She stepped into the clearing, her heart racing.
The moment she did, everything seemed to freeze. The pack members turned to look at her, their faces filled with disdain. Esmera was standing at the center, her eyes narrowing when she spotted Bella.
“What is she doing here?” Esmera hissed, her voice dripping with venom.
The pack members exchanged uneasy glances, but no one spoke up. Bella felt a chill run through her as Esmera’s gaze locked onto hers.
“I’m just watching,” Bella said, her voice quiet but steady. She wasn’t sure why she had come here. Maybe it was a need to prove herself, or maybe she was just tired of being invisible. But she couldn’t back down now.
Esmera didn’t seem to care about Bella’s explanation. With a sharp motion, she turned to the pack, her voice ringing out. “We’ve been sabotaged,” she said, her eyes flashing with malice. “Someone in this pack has been tampering with the hunt, making it more difficult for us to catch prey.”
Bella felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. She knew exactly where this was headed.
Before she could react, Esmera’s gaze turned back to Bella, a malicious smile curling on her lips. “I think we all know who’s responsible,” she said, her voice dripping with accusation. “The rogue. Bella.”
Bella’s breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “What? I didn’t—”
“You don’t belong here,” Esmera snapped, her eyes flashing with fury. “And it’s clear that you’re trying to destroy us from the inside.”
The pack murmured in agreement, their eyes filled with suspicion. Bella could feel the weight of their stares, the harsh judgment bearing down on her. She wanted to defend herself, to scream that she hadn’t done anything wrong, but the words caught in her throat.
“You’re lying,” she said, her voice shaking. “I didn’t do anything.”
Esmera stepped closer, her face twisted in anger. “You’re a threat to us all,” she spat. “And I will make sure you never forget that.”
The pack members were still murmuring, but Bella could see the doubt in their eyes. Some of them were beginning to question her innocence. She knew what would happen next—she would be cast out, blamed for everything.
But then, a voice cut through the chaos, low and commanding, filled with authority.
“Enough.”
Kael stepped into the clearing, his eyes blazing with anger. His presence was like a storm, a force of nature that silenced the room.
Esmera’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t back down. “Kael, she—”
“I said enough,” Kael repeated, his voice even colder this time. He turned to the pack, his gaze sweeping over them. “If anyone has any complaints, they can come to me. But no one will accuse Bella of sabotage.”
Bella could see the tension in the pack as Kael’s words hung in the air. They were afraid of him. They respected him. And in that moment, he was showing them exactly who was in charge.
“If anyone harms her,” Kael continued, his voice low and filled with a dangerous calm, “they will answer to me.”
There was a long, heavy silence, the air thick with unspoken words. The pack members shifted uneasily, their eyes flicking between Kael and Bella. No one dared to speak, no one dared to challenge Kael.
Esmera, however, was seething. She stepped forward, her eyes burning with rage. “You can’t protect her forever, Kael,” she sneered. “She’s a rogue, and she will always be a rogue. She doesn’t belong here.”
Kael’s eyes flickered to Esmera, his expression darkening. “And if you keep pushing, you’ll regret it.”
With that, he turned back to Bella, his gaze softening just slightly. He didn’t need to say anything. The message was clear. He had her back.
Bella stood there, her heart pounding in her chest. For the first time in a long while, she felt a spark of hope. Kael was standing by her, and maybe, just maybe, she could survive this.
Kael publicly defends Bella, declaring, “Anyone who harms her answers to me.”