Chapter 1 Zoey Malik • "No, no." My heart was pounding in my chest as I tried to resuscitate him back to life. My clothes were already stained with his blood. "Please, open your eyes." I continued to beg, even though he couldn't hear me. Soon enough, I heard voices and footsteps coming from outside. "Help! The Beta is dying!" I screamed as I continued to apply pressure with the torn fabric from my blouse on the wound in his chest. The door creaked open and I froze as I saw what felt like the entire pack standing in front of me. Before I could say anything, someone from the crowd pointed at me and shouted. "Zoey killed him. She killed him." My eyes widened in shock. No, I didn't kill him. I was asked to deliver something to him. I found him injured. I shook my head. "No, I didn't kill him." My voice trembled as I tried to defend myself."I was calling for help, but I didn't want to leave him here." But the crowd didn't care. My voice was overshadowed by the angry accusations. No one wanted to hear the truth. They had already made up their minds. A group of men were already walking toward me. As I realized what was happening, I let go of his wounds and stood up. "What are you doing?" I asked, taking a step back. Some of the men checked his pulse, while the others held me. "I am the Luna! You can't do this to me. It's all a big misunderstanding." The desperation in my voice was palpable. "Where's Conrad? You can't take me away." My chest was filled with terror because I already knew what the punishment for murder was. I couldn't pay for a crime that I didn't commit. Before anybody could say anything, Conrad walked into the room. The entire pack went silent. I felt a little bit relieved to see that my mate was there to save me. I looked up at him, my eyes burning with unshed tears. "Talk to them, Conny. Tell them that I'm not a murderer." My voice echoed through the silent room. Conrad's eyes raked over me from head to toe. He didn't utter a word until Wendy walked inside the room. "I told you she was planning to kill him, didn't I?" Wendy said as she interlocked her fingers with Conrad. Why were they holding hands? He was my mate, not hers! But then, my chest tightened when I processed what was happening. Wendy was trying to frame me. I didn't kill the beta and I never planned on killing him. Why was she accusing me wrongly? "She's lying! I didn't kill him." I continued in a slightly cracked voice. My head was spinning and I couldn't understand why Wendy would want to frame me. Alpha Conrad finally cleared his throat and began. "Release her, and the rest of you should leave." I let out a relieved breath I had no idea I had been holding. "But trust, she will get the punishment that she deserves." He added when he noticed that the crowd murmured, expressing their displeasure. My heart dropped. What punishment? I didn't do anything. After the crowd disappeared, I was left alone in the room with Conrad and Wendy. Wendy clung to his hands like her life depended on it. "Conny, you can't believe her. I wouldn't hurt anybody." Conrad scoffed bitterly. "Don't call me that. It's Conrad." My lips parted in disbelief. "What? Do you believe her?" Of course, what was I thinking? He would obviously believe his first love over me. The same person he had cheated with countless times. But I couldn't even leave him because I had nowhere else to go. I didn't have parents. Or siblings. I didn't even have many friends. Selena was the only one I had. And her family couldn't afford to take me in. I had to stay with Conrad even though he treated me badly. Wendy made it clear that she hadn't liked me ever since Conrad and I discovered that we were mates. She continued to make my life miserable in ways both loud and subtle. And now, a murder accusation? This was the cruelest thing she had done yet. I would have preferred if she continued sleeping with my mate, instead of framing me for murder. I stared at both of them, still trying to process what was happening. "I didn't kill him, you have to believe me." Conrad exhaled deeply. "You know he was my best friend, right?" He raised a brow at me, his voice low. "You fucking killed my best friend." "No, no, no." I shook my head, the tears I had been struggling to hold back finally started flowing freely. "I didn't kill him." He looked at me like I was filth. "So why are your clothes soaked with his blood?" "I was trying to save him. I came here and saw him lying in his pool of blood. I had no idea who did this to him." Wendy laughed as I explained. "I told you exactly what she would say, right?" She turned to Conrad. "Don't let her fake tears and explanations deceive you." Conrad nodded and Wendy leaned in for a kiss. I didn't expect him to kiss her in front of me. But he did, slow and deep. My stomach twisted in agony. It was the same pain I always felt whenever he cheated on me with her. As werewolves, when one partner cheats, the other one is left in pain during the whole process. They knew how much pain it caused me, but they still continued. "Stop!" I screamed when it became too suffocating. But they didn't listen to me, they continued until they were satisfied. Then Conrad looked at me, his eyes filled with hate and anger. "You can deny all you want, but everybody already saw you. And there's no way you can escape your punishment." He said spitefully, causing me to look at him in shock. "Conrad, you know me so well. I can't hurt anybody." My jaw trembled. "I'm your mate, Conrad." "You were just a pity mate." He said. "The moon goddess made a mistake."

Chapter 2 Zoey Malik • His words shattered something inside me. It wasn't the first time he had something like that to me, but it was different this time. The first few months when Conrad discovered that we were mates, he made my life a living hell. I was just a mere maid in the pack. Just because I lost my parents, everyone looked at me like I was nothing. I hadn't even had my first kiss, not because I was waiting for the right person, but because nobody even looked at me. But I was the happiest when I found out the alpha was my mate. I remembered the smile on my face as our wolves sensed each other. It didn't last for long though. He condemned me and said mean things to me. But eventually, he marked me and took me into his home. I had no idea why he did it, but I was grateful. At least I didn't get to work tirelessly for meager wages anymore. And people finally noticed me. I was the Luna of the pack. But still, it was humiliating. They would often talk about how I was with a man who was always on Wendy's bed. With time, I grew a thick skin to their gossip, but it didn't stop the excruciating pain I always felt whenever he cheated on me. Whenever I woke up in the morning, I always prayed to the moon goddess to make things right between me and Conrad. I was tired of the embarrassment and humiliation. I wanted him to love me. I always compared myself to Wendy. What did she have that I didn't have? I thought to myself. As time passed, he gradually warmed up to me. He stopped cheating on me but didn't let me forget that he wouldn't be with me if the mating bond was up to him. His words hurt me but I found a way to live with the pain. I was happy that he had finally changed. But now, everything was crumbling right before my eyes. "You know I didn't do this, please tell him the truth." I turned to Wendy, my voice dripping with tears. "I didn't kill him, I just found him here." Wendy rolled her eyes at me. "There's nothing you can say or do that would save you. Just stop lying and accept your punishment." Did she realize the gravity of what she was doing? She wanted me to suffer for a crime I didn't commit. Wendy was blinded with jealousy and was willing to do anything just to bring me down. She wanted me to be thrown into the dungeon. That was the punishment for murder in our pack. It was an unforgivable sin. I had witnessed a few people who have been thrown into the dungeon as punishment. Just watching them was a terrible experience. I couldn't imagine myself actually being thrown inside. "Please, you don't have to do this," I whispered, my voice cracking. Conrad looked at me without any trace of warmth. "Go back." He said quietly. "Pack your things." But he didn't mean it the way it sounded. He didn't want to give me a chance to run. He wanted the maids to burn whatever I had packed because I wouldn't need any of it where I was going. Not when I was being thrown into the dungeon. Not when I was being buried alive in darkness for a crime I didn't commit. Just as I was about to open my mouth to speak, he shunned me. "Don't say a word." His voice was loud. "Just leave." I wiped off my tears with the back of my hand and walked out slowly, my gaze fixed on the ground. As I left, I could hear Wendy giggling triumphantly. A part of me wanted to turn back around and drag her by the hair. I wanted her to suffer the way I was suffering. I would have preferred if she was the one in place of the beta. But I couldn't. Conrad wouldn't hesitate to kill me if I tried something like that. Once I got outside, I could feel everyone's eyes on me. Hushed whispers rippled through the crowd. Their stares were sharp and suffocating. They all thought I was guilty and waiting patiently for my punishment. I needed to think of a way to prove my innocence or there was no way I could escape the dungeon. Only the moon goddess could save me. I needed a miracle. Letting out a deep breath, I increased my pace and walked faster to the house. By the time I got to the house, Selena was already waiting for me at the gate. She pulled me into a warm hug as soon as she saw me. "Hey, I heard about what happened. Are you okay?" She asked with a hint of concern in her voice. I scoffed. "How can I be okay when I'm being framed for murder?" I asked, shaking my head. "Why can't Conrad believe that I'm innocent?" Selena sighed. "I believe you. I know that you're innocent and we will find a way to prove it to them." Her voice was reassuring but it didn't make me feel any better. How could we possibly prove my innocence? Selena didn't have any power in the pack. Her parents couldn't be of much help either. I felt so helpless and the thought of being thrown into the dungeon was suffocating. "Zoey, nothing is going to happen to you." She added when I remained silent. "He asked me to pack my things. He kissed Wendy in front of me." My stomach churned as the image replayed in my head. "Wendy knows the person behind the murder," Selena muttered, more to herself than me. "That's why she's hellbent on pinning it on you." "What if Wendy was actually behind the murder? And framed me to take the fall?" Selena shook her head. "No, I don't think she would go as far as killing Conrad's best friend. She knows what would happen if he finds out she did it." Selena had a point. I knew I didn't kill the beta. And I couldn't take the fall. The real killer was still out there.

Chapter 3 Zoey Malik • "I, Alpha Conrad of the Crescent Moon Pack, reject you, Zoey Malik, as my fated mate and Luna." His voice was sharp and cold. I stood frozen. For a moment, I felt like I couldn't breathe. The pain of the rejection slammed me so hard. I expected it to happen but I wasn't prepared for it. My wolf let out a whimper, curling in on herself with anguish. "No," I whispered, my voice faint. "Please don't do this," I begged. Conrad looked at me with disdain. "Accept the rejection." My heart shattered into a tiny million pieces. There was no use holding on to someone who didn't want me anymore. He couldn't even give me the benefit of the doubt. He chose to believe that I killed the beta. I didn't even need a mate when I was going to spend the rest of my short life in the dungeon. There was nothing I could do to prove my innocence. I had finally accepted my fate. Tears streamed down my eyes as I cleared my throat and began. "I, Zoey Malik, accept your rejection," I responded, my voice cracking slightly. As our mate bond was severed, I let out a blood-curdling scream. I couldn't believe it was happening. I looked at Conrad who just stood there without any reaction. Wasn't he feeling anything? Didn't the separation sting him? I wallowed in pain while he just looked at me without any trace of warmth. "When you're done crying, pack up your stuff and meet me outside." With that, he stepped out of the room. I stayed in that same spot for a few minutes, I couldn't imagine what my life had turned into. I got rejected by my mate and was about to pay for a crime that I didn't commit. Why did I have to suffer like this? Why was the moon goddess turning her back on me? Soon enough, I wiped off the tears from my eyes with the back of my hand, and then I gathered my remaining stuff. I didn't have a choice anymore, so I carried the bags outside to meet Conrad. My face formed into a frown when I saw Wendy standing beside him. She had a satisfied smirk on her face as she saw how miserable I looked. "It took him a year to reject you. I wonder why he didn't even do it sooner." She condescendingly spoke to me like I was garbage. I swallowed hard, ignoring the lump that had formed in my throat. "I'm done packing," I whispered to Conrad. "Speak up, bitch." Wendy laughed, pulling Conrad's arms tighter. "Let's get this over with. This murderer doesn't deserve to be in our presence." Conrad nodded before he instructed some of the maids to take my bags. Then he walked out of the compound, his hands intertwined with Wendy's. I quietly trailed behind them as I walked to face my punishment. My eyes brimmed with tears but I decided that I wasn't going to cry anymore. And I wasn't going down without a fight. Seeing Wendy laughing with Conrad fueled my rage. She couldn't just ruin my life and enjoy hers. I needed to do something. I couldn't just leave the world without making her pay for all the horrible things she put me through. I had a plan, and I was determined to make it happen. After a short walk, we arrived at the pack's house. My heart was pounding in my chest as I walked through the crowd. Everyone was present to watch them announce my punishment. I scanned through the crowd to see if I could find Selena. She reassured me that she would find a way to save me. She told me nothing was going to happen to me. But she was nowhere to be found. My chest rose and fell rapidly, panic surging through my veins. I knew I admitted that I had accepted my fate, but I was still scared. I wasn't ready to die. Why couldn't Conrad just believe me? Why did everyone look at me like I was a murderer? I pinched myself severally as I sat down on the chair. It had to be a nightmare and I wanted to wake up from my sleep. This couldn't be my reality. No way! But it was. I was about to be sentenced to the dungeon. And my best friend who promised to save me hadn't arrived. As soon as Conrad stood in front of the crowd to address them, everywhere went silent. My eyes were fixed on the ground because I couldn't handle the stares from the other members of the pack. "I'm sure everyone heard about Ethan's death. He was my best friend and the beta of the Crescent Moon Pack." His husky voice echoed through the air. "Unfortunately, he was killed by my former Luna, Zoey Malik." He pointed at me. A collective gasp erupted from the crowd. I couldn't look at them but I could feel their judgemental eyes on me. I was certain that most of them were happy to watch my downfall because they always thought that I didn't deserve to be the Luna of the pack. My hands trembled in my lap, but I clenched my fist to keep myself calm. My throat tightened but I forced myself not to cry. Crying couldn't save me. I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry either. I didn't want to break down in front of them. "This is a betrayal, not only to me." There was a beat of silence before he continued. "But to the entire pack. And we won't let it slide." The crowd murmured in agreement. My life was crashing right in front of me and I couldn't do anything about it. I thought about defending myself, but they wouldn't believe me. There was no point in trying again. They already accepted that I was a murderer. "She will be thrown into the dungeon to pay for her sins." Cheers erupted from the crowd as he announced my punishment. "We will all gather some other time to give Ethan a befitting funeral." After Conrad was done talking, he walked over to me. "Before they take you, I just have one question." He said, narrowing his eyes on me. "Why did you do it?" "I didn't do it, Conrad. I'm being framed. There's a real killer out there and you want me to pay for a crime that I didn't commit." Conrad rolled his eyes. He didn't say anything else. He just signaled his men to take me to the dungeon. But just as they were about to grab my arm, a voice echoed from the crowd. "Mate!" Everyone paused, confusion etched on their faces. The crowd parted as a strange man approached us. I had never seen him before but I couldn't take my eyes off him. He stood tall and handsome, his lips curled into a small smile. He continued walking until he stopped in front of me. "Mate." He repeated, this time louder and clearer. I turned around to see if he was talking to someone else. But he wasn't. He referred to me as his mate. But that wasn't possible. I had just been rejected. There wasn't meant to be someone else for me. What was happening?