08
His jaw clenched, and his fists tightened at his sides. The veins in his neck bulged as he turned to Amber, hist face a mask of fury
“Y–You?”
Amber stumbled back, her face pale as a sheet. Her lips trembled, saying, “Jester, please… I can explain!”
The murmurs in the crowd grew louder, their anger rising against her.
Suddenly, Amber turned and ran, shoving through the crowd as she bolted toward the packhouse.
“Don’t you fucking run! Face me!” Jester bellowed as he ran after Amber,
“Jester!” I called out.
He stopped in his tracks, his head snapping toward me. For a moment, I thought he might argue, but he
wut he said nothing. His eyes were red, and tears streamed down his eyes. “I never knew any of this. I swear to the moon goddess”
“I don’t care if you’re ignorant or complicit. It doesn’t matter to me at all since I’m finally leaving.” I replied with a raised brow. Before I turned around, I added, “Goodbye, Jester. I’m finally free of you. Best wishes to you and Amber.”
The sound of Mauve’s retreating footsteps echoed in my ears. I’d lost her. Truly and completely. And it was my own damn fault!
But the fury simmering in my chest wasn’t directed at myself. Not entirely. It boiled over, spilling out as I turned to Amber. Her crocodile tears and trembling facade no longer fooled me.
“You lied to me. You manipulated me. And you killed my pup!”
Amber backed away, her hands raised as though to ward off my wrath. “Jester, please, you have to believe me! That video is fake! Mauve’s trying to turn you against me because she’s bitter!”
“Shut up!” I roared, slamming my fist against a nearby table. The glass centerpiece shattered, shards scattering like the remnants of my patience. “You’ve done nothing but lie since the day I met you! Do you think I’m blind? That I’m stupid?”
Amber’s lips quivered, but I saw no remorse in her eyes. Only fear for herself.
8:38 AM
“Jester, I love you,” she whimpered. “Everything I did was for us, for our future!”
I snorted. “Don’t insult my intelligence, Amber. You’ve never cared about anyone but yourself”
She lunged forward, clutching at my sleeve. “Please, Jester, don’t do this! Think about the baby. Think about our family!”
“Family?” I spat, yanking my arm free. “You don’t even know the meaning of the word.”
Before she could protest further, a voice interrupted.
“Alpha.”
I turned to see one of my scouts stepping forward. His name escaped me in the haze of my anger, but his next words ensured I would never forget him.
“Don’t blame her, Alpha. The child isn’t yours. It’s mine.”
The room erupted into a mass of gasps and whispers. My vision tunneled, focusing solely on the man who dared to speak such words.
“What did you just say?”
He swallowed hard but didn’t waver. “Amber and I have been involved for months. The baby is mine, not yours
Amber’s face turned ghostly pale. “He’s lying!” she shrieked. “Jester, don’t listen to him! He’s trying to ruin us!”
The scout’s gaze flicked to Amber, and for a moment, something like pity crossed his features. “Amber, stop. It’s
over. He deserves to know the truth.”
My hands clenched into fists as I fought to keep my composure. I wanted to shred him into pieces, but I realized if Amber’s pup wasn’t really mine, I could finally discard her for good.
The scout lowered his head. “I’ll accept whatever punishment you see fit, Alpha, But please don’t harm Amber. She’s carrying my child.”
Amber’s denial came swiftly. “He’s lying. Jester! You have to believe me! You’re the father, not him!”
I let out a bark of laughter. “Enough of your lies, Amber I’m done listening to you.”
Turning to my soldiers, I barked an order. “Throw them out. Both of them. They’re banished from this territory. I don’t care where they go, but they’re not welcome here.”
Amber’s screams filled the hall as the soldiers moved to carry out my command. She clawed at them, begging. pleading, but her words fell on deaf ears. The scout didn’t resist, his expression one of resignation as he followed the soldiers without a fight.
The following days were a blur of desperation. I called ever
contact, every ally I had. No one knew where she was. Or if they did, they wouldn’t tell me. My calls to Dr. Helen were met with silence, until finally, she sent her guards to block my access to her clinic.
“You can’t keep me from her!” I shouted, my fists slamming against the clinic doors. “Tell me where she is,
Helen!”
But the guards didn’t flinch, and I was dragged away, humiliated and furious.
Back at the packhouse, the whispers started. My pack was losing faith in me. My absence, my obsession with Mauve, had left them vulnerable.
When I returned that night, my beta, Marcus, stood waiting for me at the center of the packhouse.
“Jester, you’ve abandoned this pack long enough. We need a leader, not someone chasing ghosts.”
I bared my teeth, my wolf snarling. “Careful, Marcus. That’s not how you talk to your Alpha!”
But he didn’t back down. It was as though my alpha aura had no effect on him anymore. “You’ve already lost
Π
0:30 AM
Alpha.”
I narrowed my eyes. My claws were already protruding from the tips of my fingers. “Fight me then.”
The duel began behind the packhouse
Marcus shifted first, his wolf large and golden, his growl a deep rumble that vibrated through the earth. I followed, letting my rage fuel my transformation. My wolf was darker, larger, but driven by desperation rather than
strategy.
We lunged at each other, teeth snapping, claws slashing through fur and skin. Marcus was fast, his movements calculated. He aimed for my legs, my sides, forcing me to defend rather than attack
I bit down hard on his shoulder, drawing blood, but he twisted free, raking his claws down my side. Pain flared, but I ignored it, driven by pure instinct. I threw my weight into him, pinning him to the ground, but he rolled, using my momentum to send me crashing into a nearby tree.
The fight dragged on, our snarls and yelps echoing through the forest. I could feel my strength waning. Weeks of neglecting my training and my duties had left me weaker than I realized.
Marcus saw his opening and took it. He slammed into me with brutal force, knocking me onto my back. Before I could recover, his jaws clamped around my neck, his teeth pressing dangerously close to my throat
I froze, my wolf whining in submission. He had won.
Marcus released me and shifted back, his chest heaving as he stood over me. “By the laws of the pack,” he said, his voice cold and resolute, “you are no longer Alpha. And like Amber, you are no longer welcome here. You are banished, Jester. Leave, and don’t return.”
