CHAPTER 8

BITTER BETRAYAL.
Ava did not sleep well.Actually, she barely slept at all. She kept tossing and turning because she was stressed. She could not sleep when she knew damn well that Alpha Kane wanted nothing to do with her.

She then decided to wake up and go for a walk to clear her clouded mind and that is when the bell started ringing. This screamed one thing and that is, Alpha Kane wanted to announce something very important that could not wait for tomorrow.

Instantly, Ava knew that Alpha Kane wanted to announce his mate. Ava quickly tied a warm robe around her body before she decided to leave her room. She did not want to be late for that important announcement.

She knocked on Cynthia's door but she was nowhere to be seen. When Alpha Kane calls for a meeting, then everyone in the pack must attend. Failure to do that will lead to bitter consequences.

Ava wondered where Cynthia could be but she quickly brushed that away when she recalled that she might be with Beta Ian. She hated Beta Ian a lot. That evil guy was just using her sister. If he loved her then he would not be asking her out for a date.

Even though Ava was not on good terms with her sister Cynthia, she had to pull this code and that is, she will never date someone involved with her sister. She expected Cynthia to do the same. They are sisters. Despite their differences, they should always be loyal to each other. This is what their parents expect of them. May they keep on resting in peace.

Anyway, Ava felt that Cynthia was so stupid to fall for his trap each and every time. If she was in her shoes then she would never allow a man to walk all over her heart just like Beta Ian was doing to her sister.

Ava had this last hope that Alpha Kane would choose her as his mate. She felt deeply that Alpha Kane would not forget the three years that they had been dating.

Maybe all this was a prank he was pulling to surprise her on this very night.

By the time she arrived outside Alpha Kane's house, she found the grounds parked already. Every member of Midnight pack was in attendance. They all loved their Alpha and they really wanted to know what he was about to say.

Cynthia was overwhelmed with sweet emotions. Her body had sweet chills running through her veins.

"Sit here, I will introduce you and that is when you will come out,"Alpha Kane advised and Cynthia nodded.

"I love you, baby,"Alpha Kane kissed her on the forehead before he left to meet the people.

The people cheered once they saw him. It took about five minutes for Beta Ian to finally calm them down.

"Alpha Kane has called you here because he wants to announce something special," Beta Ian stated and Ava could feel her heart beating so fast, threatening to jump out of her body.

This is the moment. It is either her happiness is restored with the announcement, or her heart is broken completely.

The crowd cheered and Alpha Kane began the address. It was late into the night and he did not want to keep them waiting for too long.

"Midnight pack! Midnight people! Midnighters for Midnighters! The reason as to why I have called you here is because I have an important announcement. I have heard your concern. I know that what witch Jezebel did is still fresh in our minds. We need revenge. We need to kill her!" Alpha Kane said in a powerful voice and they all cheered.

"Silence! There is only a way and that is if I give you a strong Luna. You need a Luna who can fight and defend this pack. You need a beautiful Luna your children can look up to and you need a loyal Luna. Someone who is not going to let the pack down!" Alpha Kane shouted and the people cheered. They loved him so much.

Cynthia was sweating. She was nervous to go and meet the people when she would be called upon. She paced around the room trying to calm her nerves.

Ava on the other hand had a strange feeling. She could tell that things were not going to turn out as she expected. She is not going to be the Luna of Midnight Pack. The rejection was real. But who is this whore of a woman taking her position in a night? The same position that she had been in for the last three years?

Adrenaline was released in her lower body but she tried to put herself together. She did not want to lose it now. There was still a possibility that she might be chosen.

"The Luna of Midnight pack is none other than Cynthia Rose!" Alpha Kane added and Cynthia joined him in the podium with a smile playing on her lips. The people cheered. They were proud of their Luna. Cynthia knew how to fight and therefore the people were confident that the revenge against witch Jezebel will be a reality soon.

"Midnighters! Midnighters for Midnighters! Thank you for the love. I promise to love and adore the Alpha, I promise to sire many pups for the continuity of our pack and most importantly, I promise to bring you witch Jezebel's head after he revokes her stupid spell!" Cynthia said in a confident tone and the people cheered.

Alpha Kane was so proud of her.

As per the tradition, Alpha Kane leaned in and captured her lips into a kiss.

Her lips brushed his, softly, delicately, like butterfly wings, just long enough that he could inhale her breath, feel the warmth of her skin, and the taste of her lips.

The crowd continued to cheer.

They interlocked fingers and lifted them in the air.

"Midnight Pack! Meet your Luna Cynthia Rose,"Alpha Kane repeated and they all cheered.

"Tomorrow will be a big celebration. Go now. Enjoy the comfort of your loved ones just like I am going to enjoy the comfort of Luna Cynthia tonight,"Alpha Kane said and the crowd cheered once more before walking away back to their houses.

They were all happy except for two people and that is Beta Ian and Ava Rose.

Beta Ian felt bitter bile tasting at the back of his throat. Seeing them kiss made him realise that he loved Cynthia and he did not want someone else to touch her other than him.

He has to do something about this even if it means killing Alpha Kane. Cynthia belonged to him, not to Alpha Kane.

Ava's eyes popped out as her heart broke in half. How could Alpha Kane do this to her? How dare he reject her and choose her sister instead, in front of the entire pack?

Also, how could her sister do this to her? How could she dare break the sister code and do this to her?

The betrayal made Ava feel weak in the knees. As the people cheered, she ran away. An ocean of tears fell from her eyes like water from a faulty tap. Her chest was so heavy as if it was filled with dried cement.

She hated herself. She hated her life and what it had become. She felt that she didn't have to live anymore. Alpha Kane meant the world to her and now that he had chosen her sister as his lover then it is better if she dies. Truth is that she cannot handle the betrayal. This bitter betrayal is too much for her.

Ava ran to the middle of the forest and suddenly she couldn't move anymore. She collapsed on the cold grass. Her heartbreak at this point left her breathless, like when she is running on a treadmill, or rowing away as if some ghost from the past is chasing her. There is burning in her lungs as she desperately tries to draw in enough air to sustain functionality. She is tired—her muscles are giving out and she just can’t anymore. But she has to do something.

After sitting there for an hour and finally gathering the strength and courage to keep running through the forest at this hour of the night when it is pitch dark and cold, she continued running.

Her tears blinded her but she did not stop. Each time she fell and hurt herself, she picked herself up and kept going.

She ran for about one hour when she couldn't anymore. She was in pain, heartbreak and anger. She was angry at them for betraying her in that manner. She was also heartbroken because she loved Alpha Kane and she was not willing to let go. Lastly she was in pain because she had bruises and cuts thanks to running through the forest at night.

It started raining and Ava decided to sit there and allow the rain to drench her clothes.She sat there shivering and contemplating whether to end her laugh when she heard a weird laughter followed by a talk.

"Listen to me, young queen. We can work together. I will make you beautiful and you will win Alpha Kane back as your lover. I will make him fall for you even harder and he will denounce your sister as Luna and make you the new Luna. I will make you strong, confident and sexy. Everyone in the pack will want to be like you. In exchange, you will do some light duties for me,"She said.

"Who are you?" Ava asked in a shaky voice as she looked around the pitch dark forest. Her body was stiff because she was so scared and cold.

"My name is witch Jezebel, I come here with a purpose of helping you,"