“What do you mean, Mireya?”
Mireya turned away. She looked at Usher, her raised hand pointing at Vione. “She, the Luna respected by the pack, is a low woman. She betrayed you, Usher. She betrayed you.”
Vione was stunned. She looked at Mireya with an incredulous expression, shook her head and then grimaced. “So, this is your next tactic, Mireya? Not content with taking Usher away from me, now you’re trying to smear me?”
“Slander?” Mireya answered with a confident smile. “Do you think I should bother to slander you? When Usher himself loved me so deeply?” She shook her head. “No, Vione. I don’t need to get my hands dirty because this is the reality of what happened.”
At this point, Vione could not understand Mireya’s plan. As Mireya said, there was no point in accusing Vione anymore. In reality, she had already won Usher’s heart and love without any additional scenarios.
Nevertheless, Vione could not remain silent. She would not let Mireya accuse her of something she had never done.
“I don’t know what your plan is, Mireya. As you said, Usher loves you. So, you don’t need to slander me anymore. In fact, I haven’t done that at all.”
Mireya snorted. “Oh, really?”
“I never cheated on Usher. Even if Usher doesn’t love me, that doesn’t mean I would stoop so low. You have to understand, Mireya, we are different.”
Vione’s determination widened Mireya’s smile. Her manner conveyed a challenge, and Vione accepted it without fear. They looked like two warriors ready for battle, both equally determined.
“I’m sure we are different, Vione. You always accuse me of being a cheap woman for being Usher’s lover, but I admit it. At least I’m not a liar like you.”
“Why should I lie if I didn’t do it?”
“A typical criminal. A criminal will never admit his crime, just like you.” Mireya smiled slightly as she scanned the room with her eyes. She watched Usher and Garth, who seemed perplexed. Then she asked them, “Do you also think that I’m slandering Vione?”
Garth did not answer. He had no right to speak. Still, he looked at the Alpha and wondered what Usher would do.
Usher was confused. It seemed he needed more time to process the situation. So, he asked Mireya, “What do you mean, Mireya? Vi-Vione?” while he pointed at Vione with a strange expression on his face. “Vione cheated?”
Mireya nodded. “You didn’t expect that, did you? All this time she’s been calling us immoral. We are people without morals. But the truth? She’s done the same. Vione cheated on you, Usher.”
“No,” Vione denied, shaking her head repeatedly. She raised her hand and pointed at Usher. “You can put me down, Usher. You can do whatever you want, but I will never accept being accused of something I never did.”
Usher’s face hardened. His jaw stiffened. He stared sharply at Vione. “Is that true?”
“Don’t you believe me, Usher?” Vione dramatically closed her eyes. She lifted her head, and there was an ironic laugh with a hint of sadness. “Of course not. You never believe me. You always trust Mireya more than me.”
Usher growled. “Answer my question, Vione. Who are you cheating with?”
“I’m not cheating, Usher! I’ve never been with a man since I became your mate.”
“You liar!”
“I am not lying. Your mistress is the one who is lying. She’s accusing me-”
Mireya displayed a series of photos she had taken from her bag. She showed several pictures, causing Vione to immediately fall silent. All her words of defense vanished.
“Can you explain what these are?”
Vione froze. She glanced at the pictures. Usher snatched the photos out of Mireya’s hand.
“What are these? I don’t understand.”
Mireya sighed with a feigned look of sympathy. “These are photos I got from the CCTV in the corridor outside your room. You can see for yourself, can’t you? A man visits you every night.”
“That can’t be,” Vione whispered as she turned to Usher. She saw that Usher’s eyes had turned fiery. “U-Usher.”
Usher’s growl intensified. He looked at each photo with boiling emotions. Then his angry outburst exploded.
“Vione!”
Usher threw the photos on the floor. Garth picked up a few and was stunned, unable to believe it.
Most of the photos showed a man arriving in Vione’s room. He looked casual, wearing a jacket and a mask. His body appeared strong and robust, exuding both strength and grace at the same time.
For a moment, Garth was stunned. A strange feeling crept through his mind as he studied the photos. He found an unfamiliar yet familiar feeling.
Garth put that feeling aside. More importantly, another oddity caught his attention – how could this man enter and leave The Palace so easily?
“How could you bring your lover into The Palace?!”
Usher’s cry struck Vione’s soul. She staggered with a trembling, cold body. She took steps backwards, shaking her head repeatedly.
“No, Usher. I don’t cheat, and I never brought anyone to The Palace. I swear!”
Usher stepped forward and grabbed Vione by the throat. “Are you still going to lie to me, Vione?”
“U-Usher,” Vione whispered in a choked voice. She tried to free herself from Usher’s grip. “Let me go. I can’t breathe.”
At this point Garth had no choice. He tried to free Vione from Usher’s grip.
“Alpha, calm your mind. You can hurt your Luna.”
Usher remained unmoved. He ordered Garth without even looking at him. “Step aside, Garth.”
“Alpha, I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding. We must investigate with a clear head.”
“Garth.”
Usher’s voice sounded different. In all his life, Garth had never heard Usher say his name like that. He swallowed hard, clearly recognizing the implied warning.
“I told you, step aside!”
Garth stepped back reluctantly. He could not disobey Usher’s order; disobeying an Alpha’s command was an unforgivable mistake.
“You really are bold, Vione. I never thought you’d dare to betray me.”
Usher’s anger was uncontrollable. He paid no attention to Vione’s flushed and distraught face. He persisted in his blinded emotions.
Vione tried again and again to defend herself. “N-No, Usher. I-I didn’t betray you.”
“You lie to me, Vione. You say you love me, but is that what you do to me?”
“N-No.”
“You always put Mireya down, but do you realize that you’re even lower? At least Mireya has never betrayed her Alpha.”
Vione continued to suffer while Mireya enjoyed it. She enjoyed the scene like a world-class orchestra performance. A gleeful smile adorned her face, which did not escape Garth’s watchful eyes.
Mireya’s attitude made Garth suspicious. He decided to investigate what had happened later. Right now, he had to find a way to save Vione. If something bad happened to her, it would undoubtedly stir up the whole pack.
Garth took out his cell phone. Their only hope was Jemma. Everyone knew how much Usher respected his mother, and maybe this was the only way to stop the chaos that was about to break out that night.
“I-I never cheated on you, Usher. I didn’t betray you. Th-the man, the man who came to my room, it was you.”
Garth’s eyes widened. His intention to contact Jemma had been momentarily halted. Now, when he thought about it again, he could sense the source of the strangeness and the familiar impression he had felt earlier. This figure was exactly like Usher. But could it be?
“What did you say?” Usher snapped as he lifted Vione until her feet no longer touched the ground. “You said the man in the pictures was me?” Usher was furious. His eyes bulged and his grip tightened. “Can’t you come up with a more reasonable defense?”
“D-Don’t pretend, Usher. All this time you’ve been coming to me in the middle of the night. You sleep with me and leave before dawn.”
“You’re crazy, Vione. It’s impossible for me to come to your room and sleep with you! Don’t make me even more disgusted! Do you really want to see my anger?”
Vione struggled. Now Usher’s voice was a relentless buzzing in her ears. She could no longer hear clearly. Her vision began to blur. Everything began to fade along with her shattered hopes.
Resignation set in. Vione closed her eyes and calmed her heart. Maybe this was the end of her life. Maybe she had to face death at the hands of her Alpha. It was sad and painful, but she had never imagined that her life would end so tragically.
“Alpha! You could kill Vione!”
Vione was thrown to the ground, landing hard. She coughed for a moment before taking a deep breath. Meanwhile, Usher, finding Vione free of his grip, turned an angry glare on Garth. His eyes bulged with rage and he scolded his Beta with overwhelming fury.
“Do you realize what you have done, Garth?”
Garth nodded. “I am aware, Alpha. I am only doing my duty as a Beta. I don’t want you to make the wrong decision. You could kill Vione and that would certainly cause chaos in the pack.”
Usher clenched his jaws. Veins stood out on his forehead, and sweat began to pour down his face, drops falling to the ground.
“I don’t want you to regret your actions, Alpha.”
A glimmer of reason acknowledged Usher’s anger. He shouldn’t have let his emotions control him to the point of threatening Vione’s life. He was aware of that, but that did not mean his emotions could be so easily appeased.
“You’re lucky, Vione. You’re safe today.”
Usher sighed as he watched Vione’s suffering. Her body was struggling, gasping for air. She managed to stand, leaning on her knees for a moment before lifting her face. She stared at Usher with a sense of fear.
“Safe?” Vione absorbed the word as her feet finally regained their footing. She propped herself up and held onto her knees for a moment before raising her face. She looked at Usher with despair. “I really wanted to die, Usher. Maybe then I could be free of all this.”
“Don’t make me regret not killing you now, Vione.”
Vione smiled thinly at first. Then, slowly, the thin smile turned into a bitter laugh. “Why? If you want to kill me, go ahead. I won’t resist. Besides, I’m tired of it all, Usher. I can’t take it anymore. Why are you so cruel to me? Why do you keep hurting me? Why did you make me your mate if you wanted me to suffer? Why?”
“Watch your words, Vione. Say one more wrong thing and I might consider rejecting our pairing.”
“Rejecting our pairing?”
Garth shook his head, Mireya beamed with joy, while Vione looked at Usher for a moment, as if pondering the meaning of those words.
“Very well.” A word spoken, and Vione felt heat in her eyes. She took a deep breath and clenched her fists. “Let us part, Usher. Break our pairing.”
Garth stepped forward, trying to stop her. “Vione.”
“Thank you for your help, Garth, but I can’t take it anymore. I don’t want to spend my life in such a miserable state.”
Garth could not do anything when Usher, who had already gone too far, welcomed Vione’s request.
“I hope you won’t regret this, Vione.”
Vione shook his head. “I won’t. Isn’t that what you want? You can make Mireya your Luna and your mate, especially now that she’s carrying your child.”
“You’re right.” Usher nodded with a smile. “Well then, so be it. I’ll grant your wish, Vione.”
Vione had never imagined this day would come. Even though it made sense that Usher did not love her, she never expected such a tragic fate. Her love for Usher, which had grown long ago, had to come to an end.
Vione stared at Usher. She promised herself that this would be the last time she would allow Usher to see the glimmer of her love. She calmed her heart and listened to Usher’s words.
“I, Alpha Usher Thorne, reject you, Vione Celestia Munest. As of today, you are no longer my Luna and mate.”
Vione absorbed every word the Usher spoke. There was no compulsion; Usher spoke each word consciously. He truly intended to sever the mating bond between them, and there was a regret in his heart.
“Forgive me, Usher. It seems that I cannot keep the promise I made to you. I couldn’t maintain this bond when you asked to end it.”
Usher frowned. “Huh?! When did I ask you to promise to keep this bond? On the contrary, I don’t want to be bound to you anymore.” A sudden realization crossed Usher’s mind and he glared. “Don’t try to win my sympathy, Vione. It won’t work.”
Vione grimaced. Usher’s accusation made her snarl ironically. Unexpectedly, Usher blamed her instead.
“No, Usher. I don’t want your sympathy at all.”
She steeled her resolve. She looked at Garth and Mireya. Vione ignored Garth’s subtle plea and Mireya’s triumphant smile. This time she did not want to think about anyone else. Her focus was solely on herself.
Vione let the air wrestle in her chest. She clenched her fists as tightly as she could. She gathered what was left of her strength. Then she spoke.
“I, Vione Celestia Munest, accept your rejection as your Luna and mate, Alpha Usher Thorne.”
*