Arien
"The council members don't think you're responsible enough to take over the pack."
My father's words hit me like a brick. My head snapped up so fast I nearly felt dizzy.
"What do you mean, Dad?" My frown deepened as I studied his face.
We were seated outside the meeting room, waiting to be called in. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating.
"They called your mother and me to a meeting," my father continued, his voice clipped and stern. "They believe you might not be fit to lead. They're considering passing the Alpha position to someone else."
The weight of his words pressed down on my chest. I glanced at my mother, hoping for reassurance, but she refused to meet my eyes. Her expression was tight with anger, the same resentment she had directed at me for weeks now.
A sharp pain shot through my chest, a dull, constant ache I had been dealing with for weeks. I pressed my palm against my sternum, trying to steady myself, but it was useless.
Ever since the pack found out that Zuria had run away, nothing had been the same. My mother, my father, even the pack members—I felt their judgment, their disapproval in every glance, every whisper. It was suffocating.
And now, the council was considering stripping me of my birthright.
This was bad.
Three weeks ago…
I was lounging on my couch, shirtless, flipping through channels without really watching anything. My chest ached—a dull, persistent pain—but I ignored it like I had been for the past few weeks.
Something was off. I felt it.
Harry hadn't spoken to me in days, which was unusual. My wolf had been eerily quiet too, restless but unwilling to communicate.
I exhaled heavily, closing my eyes for a moment.
Then, the door slammed open.
I shot up instantly. My mother stormed inside, her expression thunderous. My father followed behind, trying—and failing—to calm her down.
"Arien Alver Calloway!" she bellowed.
I blinked. "Mom? What's wrong?"
"Don't you dare call me your mother!" she spat, her voice shaking with rage. "Because I cannot believe I gave birth to an idiot like you!"
I stood up, alarmed. "What are you talking about?" I shot my father a questioning look, but he merely sighed, rubbing his temple.
"Don't act clueless!" she snapped. "Use that useless brain of yours and think about what you've done!"
I ran a hand through my hair, thoroughly confused. "Mom, I seriously don't know what—"
"Where is your mate?"
Her words made my heart stop.
"As far as I'm concerned, you had one yesterday," she continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Oh, that."
"Oh, that?" Her voice pitched higher, her nostrils flaring. "Oh, that?!"
My father exhaled sharply. "Do you have any idea how big of a problem this is?"
I scoffed. "Mom, stop overreacting. I just rejected her. It's not like I killed anyone."
"You might as well have!" she screamed. "Never in the history of this pack has a mate been rejected. And never has a future Alpha rejected his future Luna!"
I watched as she stalked toward the wall, pressing a hand against it as though trying to ground herself.
"Arien," my father said, stepping in. "Are you aware of what could happen if the people start revolting?"
I rolled my eyes. "The people won't revolt, Dad. It's not that deep. I repeat—I just rejected my mate. That's all."
My mother turned back to face me, her expression cold and unrelenting. "So let me ask you this, why did you reject Zuria?"
I shrugged, completely unbothered. "She wasn't my type. Too naive, too innocent, too gullible. She wouldn't make a good Luna. She's got too many problems, and honestly? I don't have the patience to deal with all that."
The silence that followed was deafening.
My mother stared at me as if I had grown two heads. Her mouth opened slightly, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"You rejected her… because she was too naive? Too innocent?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. Then, her gaze hardened. "Did the Moon Goddess make a mistake, then?"
I didn't answer.
"Do you have any idea what that young girl has been through?" she continued, stepping closer. "She has been rejected at every point in her life. And the one person who was supposed to accept her—you—shattered her."
I clenched my jaw.
"Just the other day, she was at our house," she said, her voice softer now, almost heartbroken. "She was so excited to learn about the duties of being a Luna. She was happy, Arien. Enthusiastic." She exhaled sharply. "And you didn't just reject her—you humiliated her."
I swallowed.
"You drove her out of this pack," she said, her voice quivering. "She left, Arien. She had nowhere to go, and she still left. Do you understand what that means?"
I averted my gaze, staring at the floor.
"I let you run around with your childish, reckless behavior because you were young," my father added. "But this? This is beyond irresponsible."
I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "How did you even find out so quickly?"
"The whole pack knows about it!" my mother snapped. "Every single person knows!"
I winced. There was only one way that could have happened.
Cherry and her big mouth.
She must have bragged about it to her friends, who told others, and now the entire pack was talking about it.
I really needed to stop seeing that girl.
"The council will call for a meeting soon," my father said grimly. "And if they decide that your actions were reckless enough to strip you of your title…"
"We'll be banished," my mother finished. "Do you understand what that means?"
I stiffened.
"If we are exiled, the moment we step outside our borders, we are as good as dead," she continued. "The enemy packs will hear of it. They will attack. They will kill us."
A lump formed in my throat.
I didn't regret rejecting Zuria. I never would.
But losing my Alpha title? That was something I couldn't afford.
I exhaled sharply, my mind racing. "Mom, I'll fix this. I swear."
She scoffed. "Fix it?" She shook her head. "If the Alpha title leaves our bloodline, Arien… I will never forgive you."
Her words were final.
She turned on her heel and stormed out, my father following after her. But before he left, he shot me a look.
A warning.
And then I was alone.
Present…
"You can enter now," Beta Kevin said, stepping out of the meeting room.
My heart pounded in my ears.
I swallowed thickly, rising to my feet.
"You better pray we can sort this out," my mother hissed before walking inside.
My parents entered first, and I followed closely behind, hoping—praying—that my life wasn't about to fall apart.