Chapter 3

• Olivia's POV
• The heavy iron gate slowly slammed shut behind me.
• The thud of metal echoed in the basement, like a final verdict on my fate.
• Chill air rose from the ground, sending shivers down my spine as goosebumps rose on my skin.
• Just when I thought I was gonna be alone in the dark forever, I heard footsteps approaching.
• Beta Jeffrey showed up holding a dim oil lamp, the flickering light dancing on his stern face.
• I looked up at him, a glimmer of hope welling up inside me.
• "Jeffrey," I called out, my voice echoing in the empty cell, "you know I'm innocent, right?"
• He avoided my gaze, a helpless look on his face.
• "Luna Olivia, I..." he hesitated, clearly torn between loyalty and justice.
• "Please get me outta here," I pleaded, my voice shaking a bit. "This isn't right."
• His eyes showed sympathy, but it was soon replaced by determination.
• "Luna Olivia, I'm sorry, but I can't defy the Alpha." His voice was low, laced with a hint of helplessness.
• And just like that, I was left alone in this cold, dark cell again.
• The next day, I was woken by the light seeping in through the cracks in the door.
• With the sound of the key turning, Beta Jeffrey walked in.
• Standing at the doorway with a frown, he piped up, "Luna Olivia."
• After a moment of hesitation, he went on, "Alpha Marsh wants me to ask if you're willing to apologize to Emily."
• I looked up to meet his gaze before firmly replying, "Not gonna happen. I didn't do anything wrong."
• "I get it, Luna. But Alpha..." he sighed.
• "Enough," I interrupted him, "I know you mean well, but I'm not gonna say sorry for something I've never done."
• Jeffrey fell silent.
• A while later, he added, "If you refuse to do it, Alpha Marsh won't let you out."
• Not feeling like arguing with him, I just shut my eyes.
• He let out a sigh and walked out, closing the door shut.
• The silence returned, yet the agony and fury kept simmering inside me.
• I called out to my wolf in my mind.
• She just replied with a whimper. Apparently, she was as hurt as I was.
• Just then, a bold idea hit me.
• "We should end things with Marsh," I told her.
• Elara countered, but her protest got weaker and weaker.
• I could feel her pain and her disappointment with Marsh.
• "I know it's tough," I continued, "And our company has merged with his. We can't just leave now. Without money and pack, we'd end up as rogues."
• Just when I was trying to figure a way out, I felt a rumble at the pack border.
• This rumble mostly represented danger and invasion.
• I rose to my feet, listening carefully.
• As the rumble grew stronger, I could feel the unease in the pack.
• I closed my eyes in the basement, trying to mind-link the shifters in the pack.
• Mind-link was a special gift for werewolves. It enables us to communicate through the mind.
• I concentrated and soon sensed the alarm from the pack guards.
• Their voices sounded urgent and horrified, telling me that there was a rogue attack on the pack border.
• "Beta Jeffrey," I urgently called out to him through mind-link.
• "Let me out, I'm the Luna. It's my duty to protect our pack!"
• After a moment of silence, Jeffrey's voice finally came through.
• "The cell and the gate have already been unlocked, Luna."
• I immediately dashed out, my heart beating like a drum as I ran down the dim corridor.
• When I arrived at the pack square, all I could see was complete chaos.
• Many shifters were retreating in a panic, fear written all over their faces.
• 'Time to join the fight,' I told myself.
• I shifted on the spot, my silver fur shining under the sunlight.
• As I raced towards the pack border, a sense of bloodlust boiled inside me.
• As soon as I got there, I saw five rogues attacking our guards in their wolf form.
• Their eyes flickered with wildness, their claws flailing in the air.
• Marsh had shifted too, and he was fending them off with all his might.
• Without hesitation, I joined the battle.
• Just then, Emily let out a scream.
• Her shrill, panicked voice caught Marsh's attention.
• Distracted, he took a swipe from a rogue.
• Despite howling in pain, he didn't retreat.
• Another rogue, noticing me, made a lunge. I nimbly dodged to the left, avoiding his claws.
• As he turned to face me, I leaped onto his back, all swift and decisive.
• With my front paws gripping his fur, I sunk my teeth into his neck.
• In the blink of an eye, I took him out.
• Then, I turned my focus to another enemy.
• This rogue appeared stronger, with a fierce gleam in his eyes.
• Instead of fighting him straight up, I started circling him, looking for a weak spot.
• When he was trying to attack me, I sprang up and landed a solid kick to his gut with my hind legs.
• Then I spun away, dodging his counterattack.
• My cooperation with the pack guards was perfect. Whenever a rogue attempted to breach our line, one of us would step in to deliver a lethal blow.
• Finally, the fight wrapped up with all invaders down except one escaping.
• I shifted back to my human form behind a tree and put on the spare clothes.
• The minute I returned from behind the tree, I heard Emily's cry.
• She rushed towards Marsh and then turned around to accuse me, "It's all your fault! You're the reason Marsh's hurt!"