Chapter 4

　　“It looks like you didn't get it, so I will lay it to you using a simpler term. It's Serra who will be the heir of your father and not you, Eero. Serra will be the next Alpha of Moon River Pack,” Luna Vera told me, and for the second time around today. It felt like I had been betrayed. 　　I was betrayed by my mate and now my parents. 　　I breathe in and slowly breathe out. I needed to do that because if not. It feels like I would suddenly collapse. 　　“Alpha Ameo, is the Luna Vera telling us the truth right now? You will be passed down the ruling rights to Serra? But the firstborn of the Alpha is supposed to be the one to inherit the ruling right and by that term. I should be the next Alpha of our pack and not that mistress!” 　　For the second time around. The back of his palm hit my cheeks and all that I can do is to smile bitterly as I tasted blood coming out from the small cut in my lips. 　　“Enough is enough! I told you to stop it already. I am the Alpha and your father. You should be listening to me. Saying no was never your option, as well as questioning me and my decisions. Who the hell do you think you are, huh, Eero? You are just my daughter! If Cohen failed to cut your bonds as mate. Rest assured that I wouldn't once you finally push me to my limit.” 　　I am so lost and confused. I heard them ask a thousand times today if I have lost my mind and right now. It feels like I am, in fact, losing my mind. 　　I chuckled bitterly. 　　“I am just your daughter? You know what is funny to me, Alpha. You never use that word dearly the way you use it for Serra. Not only that, but you only use that word to me when you feel like mocking me.” I shake my head as I wipe the trail of blood in the corner of my lip with the use of my hand. 　　“For years. I am the one who endured all the hard trainings. Trainings that were given to the next in line. I've faced a lot of nights where I felt like giving up because those trainings are killing me bits by bits, but I couldn't give up. How dare I give up? Those were my responsibility, and so I embraced those hardships. Now you are telling me that this hardship of mine will be wasted because you suddenly changed your mind.” 　　“Even if you weep blood. My decision will remain the same, Eero. It's Serra that will be my heir and the pack's next Alpha, so you should respect him or if not. You will be locked up and severely punished. 　　I nodded my head at Alpha Ameo and to Luna Vera. 　　“Fine. I'll accept her as the next Alpha of our pack only if she can give an answer to my question.” I averted my eyes off my parents and brushed it with Serra, who still looked indecent with that blanket wrapped around her body. 　　"Tell me. Once the Alpha passed down the ruling to you. How are you going to protect our people? How are you going to defend our pack? By sleeping with the pack's enemy?” I said with a raw intention of humiliating her. 　　Alpha Ameo pulled me away from his younger daughter and taunted me with his shaking finger. 　　“That's it. I've had enough of you disrespecting me and your sister.” Through a mind link that I could hear too. He called our head delta to drag me out of the pack house. 　　It only takes a few seconds before Gil, the delta that he was calling for, to show up. 　　“Lock this insolent woman in the dungeon while I think of her punishment.” 　　And because my wolf is currently in great pain and is suffering from my mate's betrayal. There is nothing I can do to fight back. In the end, Gil was successful in locking me in the cold and dark dungeon. 　　At first, I thought that steel bar used as a prison cell were just made from strong material, but when I tried to hold it just for a few seconds. It instantly burns my hand. There was wolfsbanes brushed in those metal that is meant to be a poison to the one locked in this prison cell. 　　Seconds after, I picked up his natural scent. I found Cohen standing outside my cell with his hand on the pocket of his jeans. 　　“I never want this to happen to you, Eero. You are my mate. I still care for you, but when can I do? The future Alpha of this pack is the one that I need to marry, and that is not you. I need to switch sides for me to survive.” 　　“You know that you will be cursed by the moon Goddess for cheating on your mate, right? You'd have an unlucky life ahead you because of this.” 　　“Oh please, Eero. You are making me laugh. I think it is clear that with your current situation. You are the unlucky one here.” 　　Once more. I felt a strike of pain in my chest. My wolf couldn't stand it that my mate was talking to me the way Cohen does. 　　“You tried to reject me, but I could still feel the bond between us… are you feeling it too?” Cohen's eyes softened for a moment, and when I blinked my eyes. It's back to being dead-panned and cold. 　　I might have seen it wrong. After everything that he did. One thing is for sure. He no longer cares about me. 　　“Are you really in love with Serra, or you are just doing this for your pack too?” I asked. Just this once. I wish for him to be completely honest with me.