Chapter 0031 – Seraphina’s POV
I couldn’t believe it. “Nothing has even been proven yet! How did the words get out—”
Before I could finish, the crowd’s furious roar drowned me out.
“WHORE! Cheating WHORE!”
“Bitch! How dare you cheat on our Alpha? GO TO HELL!”
Their voices rang out, sharp and venomous, like daggers slicing into my heart. The crowd lining the streets spat at me, hurled stones, and raised their middle fingers in angry defiance.
I tried to dodge the missiles, but the soldier escorting me held me firm. His grip felt like iron chains.
“Don’t move! Are you trying to escape?!” he barked.
A sharp pain exploded on my forehead as a jagged stone struck me. Warm blood trickled down my temple, its metallic tang filling the air.
“Stop it!” I screamed, my voice cracking under the strain. “NO—”
Suddenly, a loud, booming voice cut through the chaos:
“This woman is an ungrateful bitch! She came from that poor shithole called Emerald Howl Pack! If Alpha Damon hadn’t been kind enough to marry her, she’d still be rotting in some backwater! And now she’s betrayed him for a wealthier man! SHAME ON HER!”
The crowd erupted even louder, their anger a roaring tidal wave that seemed to drown out my protests.
“And she stole the Carnival City project!” another voice shouted. “She gave it to Emerald Howl Pack! She’s not just a cheater—she’s a traitor!”
The words hit me harder than the stones. Anger and betrayal churned in my chest like a storm. These were the very people I had worked tirelessly for, as their Luna, ensuring their prosperity and happiness. Yet now, they had turned on me, all because of a baseless rumor.
More stones flew.
I thrashed against the soldier’s grip, shoving at him with all my strength. “Let go of me!!!”
He stumbled back a step, and immediately someone from the crowd screamed, “Look! She’s attacking our soldiers! She really is evil!”
I spun around, searching for the source of the accusation, but the sea of angry faces made it impossible to pinpoint.
And then—BANG!
The deafening crack of a gunshot echoed through the streets.
The entire crowd froze. Even the soldiers flinched and dropped to the ground, their bravado evaporating in an instant.
From amidst the stunned silence, a tall, imposing figure emerged.
“STOP!” the man commanded, his voice ringing with authority. “No more insults! No more throwing stones!”
My breath hitched. “Caleb!”
Caleb met my gaze, his expression hard and unyielding. He nodded slightly before turning back to the crowd, his gun raised high.
“Step back, all of you! Or I’ll blow your heads off!” he roared.
The mob hesitated, their fury tempered by the deadly gleam of the weapon in his hand.
The soldier who had been escorting me growled, “Who the hell are you? Put that gun down—”
“Civilians?!” Caleb sneered, cutting him off. “These people are no better than rabid animals! And since you patrol units are too weak to do your job, Emerald Howl Pack will handle it!”
The name Emerald Howl Pack sent a ripple of unease through the crowd.
“Emerald Howl Pack!” someone muttered, fear creeping into their voice. “Those barbarians from the north! Just like Seraphina—”
BANG!
Another shot fired into the air, silencing the murmurs.
“Yes! Barbarians!” Caleb bellowed, his tone dripping with disdain. “Compared to you spineless fools, we are barbarians! So if anyone has a problem, step forward! A barbarian like me can crush ten skulls with my bare hands!”
The crowd shrank back, cowed by his towering presence and sheer ferocity. Even the soldiers hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.
Liam pushed his way through the gathered mob, dragging a trembling woman by the arm.
“This is the one cursing you earlier,” Liam said, tossing her at my feet. “So, what do you say? Should we knock her teeth out as a little punishment?”
The woman, shaking like a leaf, managed to spit out one last venomous remark.
“What did I say wrong? Seraphina is a cheating slut! She can throw herself at Alpha Caden all she wants, but he’d never take a second look at her! She’s just a pathetic divorcee! I bet she’s dull and boring in bed, too!”
Caleb’s eyes darkened. Without hesitation, he jammed his gun into her mouth, his voice low and menacing:
“Shut your mouth. Or I’ll blow your fucking head off.”
The woman’s eyes went wide with terror. She tried to scream, but the barrel of the gun muffled her cries.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm despite the chaos around me.
“Caleb, Liam,” I said coldly, “keep an eye on her. Once the court proves my innocence, we’ll decide on a fitting punishment—together.”
Both men nodded, their expressions grim with determination.
The woman whimpered as she was dragged away, her bravado completely shattered.
As I turned back toward the courthouse, my resolve hardened.
Let them throw their stones. Let them scream their insults.
I would prove my innocence.
And when I did, I would make every single one of them regret ever doubting me.
