The pack members around us gasped, their eyes darting between me, Aris, and Alfred. The tension in the air was palpable.
Alfred finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Lucy... I... I don't know what to say."
"You don't need to say anything," I spat, my anger finally boiling over. "Your actions have said enough."
My mother-in-law's face contorted with rage. "This changes nothing!" she hissed. "Aris is still carrying the true heir. Your child... your child is just a backup."
Her words cut deep, but I refused to show it. Instead, I laughed bitterly. "A backup? Is that what you think of your own grandchild?"
I turned to address the pack, my voice ringing clear across the hall. "You've all witnessed the true nature of your Alpha and his family today. They preach about loyalty and family, yet they betray their own."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Some looked shocked, others confused, and a few even nodded in agreement.
"Lucy, please," Alfred pleaded, reaching out to touch my arm. I jerked away from him.
"Don't touch me," I snarled. "You lost that right when you decided to betray me with my own step-sister."
Aris at least had the decency to look ashamed, her eyes fixed on the ground.
I took a deep breath, straightening my shoulders. "I'm leaving. This pack, this family... I want no part of it anymore."
"You can't leave!" my mother-in-law shrieked. "You're carrying a potential heir!"
I turned to her, my eyes cold. "Watch me."
As I walked towards the pack house exit, I heard footsteps behind me. It was Alfred.
"Lucy, wait! We need to talk about this. About the babies... about us."
I stopped but didn't turn around. "There is no 'us' anymore, Alfred. You made your choice. Now I'm making mine."
With those final words I started walking off when My Husband and his mother's voice yelled at once. "STOP". But I did not listen to any of them and then My mother in law, Cherish yelled at the guards, Stop her right now.
I tried to run faster as I heard those words but the guards were quick enough to stop me from going further.
I struggled against the guards' grip, my heart pounding in my chest. "Let me go!" I shouted, but their hold only tightened.
Alfred approached, his face a mixture of concern and frustration. "Lucy, you can't just leave like this. We need to talk about this rationally."
"Rationally?" I scoffed. "There's nothing rational about this situation, Alfred. You betrayed me, and now you expect me to stay and play happy families?"
My mother-in-law, Cherish, strode up, her eyes blazing with anger. "You will not embarrass this pack by running away like a coward. You have a duty to fulfill."
I laughed bitterly. "A duty? To a pack that treats me like this? I don't think so."
The crowd of pack members had followed us, watching the scene unfold with a mix of shock and curiosity. Some looked sympathetic, others judgmental. My mother in law then asked the guards to dismiss them.
"Think about the child," Alfred pleaded. "Our child. You can't raise a pup alone out there."
His words sparked a fire in me. "Watch me," I growled. "I'd rather raise this child alone than in a pack that betrays themselves."
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the crowd. "Let her go!"
We all turned to see who had spoken. It was Sarah, one of the pack elders, stepping forward with a stern expression.
"This is not how we treat our Luna," Sarah continued, her voice firm. "Pregnant or not, she has the right to leave if she chooses."
Murmurs of agreement spread through the crowd. I felt a glimmer of hope.
Cherish turned on Sarah, her face red with rage. "You dare challenge the Alpha's decision?"
"I dare to uphold our pack's values," Sarah replied calmly. "Values that seem to have been forgotten in recent times."
Alfred looked torn, his eyes darting between his mother, Sarah, and me. Finally, he sighed heavily.
"I am sorry Lucy, but I have to do this."
"Take her to the isolation room," Alfred commanded, his voice cold and unyielding.
Before I could react, the guards tightened their grip on my arms. I struggled against them, but it was futile.
"You can't do this!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the pack grounds. "I have rights!"
Alfred stepped forward, his face a mask of regret and determination. "I'm sorry, Lucy, but this is for your own good. And for the good of the pack."
I spat at his feet, my anger boiling over. "For the good of the pack? Or for your own selfish desires?"
They led me to a small building at the edge of the pack grounds - the isolation room. It was rarely used, reserved for wolves who needed to be separated from the pack for various reasons. I never thought I'd be one of them.
The door creaked open, revealing a sparse room with a single bed, a small bathroom, and a barred window. The guards pushed me inside, and I heard the lock click behind me.
"You can't keep me here forever!" I yelled, pounding on the door.
Cherish's voice came from the other side. "You'll stay here until you come to your senses. This child you carry is important to the pack, whether you like it or not."
I slid down to the floor, my back against the cold door. Tears of frustration and anger streamed down my face. How had it come to this? I was supposed to be celebrating my pregnancy, not being treated like a prisoner.
As the reality of my situation sank in, I placed a protective hand over my stomach. "Don't worry, little one," I whispered. "I'll find a way out of this. For both of us."
I looked around the room, searching for any potential escape routes. The window was too small and too high, and the door was solid. But I refused to
give up hope. I was no longer just fighting for myself - I had my child to think about now.