Chapter 2 2.

"Listen to me, Ethan! I was set up. I was in the forest because..."

"Take her away!" Ethan ordered coldly, his eyes flashing with anger.

The man didn't want to hear anything Gwen had to say. Not only did he refuse to listen to her defense, Ethan even continued to accuse Gwen of murdering Darren.

The Alpha soldier grabbed Gwendoline, clutching her arm.

"Wait! This is all a misunderstanding!"

Ethan just stared at her, as if Gwendoline was the most disgusting creature he had ever seen. The same look he gave to every enemy, he now gave to the woman he once called his wife.

"Take her to the cell. I will punish her."

Ethan never once thought that the woman who had helped him and restored his condition over the past three years was not a cruel woman, and had the desire to kill by poisoning Darren as he saw her now.

Gwendoline couldn't, she felt it was pointless to speak to Ethan, it was all in vain. The man would never believe her, would never listen to her words.

She had to escape. If she was taken to the cell, she wouldn't have a chance to prove her innocence. Even if she managed to clear her name, what was the point? Ethan no longer trusted her. He had rejected and betrayed her.

"Go, Gwen, we have to go. You're a strong fighter, don't let us get trapped without being able to overturn these accusations, Gwen."

Dhena's voice, her wolf, echoed in her mind. Dhena was right, she had to fight. She had to defend herself. She was not a weak woman, at least after the rejection, she didn't want her name to be ruined.

She might not be part of the Luna Black Pack anymore, but she grew up and was raised here. She deserved justice.

With her remaining strength, Gwendoline struggled, pushing the Alpha soldiers. They were caught off guard for a moment. Gwendoline took advantage of the opportunity, running out the door and through the corridor. She ran with all her might.

Behind her, Ethan's shout echoed, "Catch her! Don't let her get away!"

Gwendoline didn't know where to go. No one would believe her now. She was running away from her own pack, from the man she had once accompanied.

But did she really love him? Ethan never trusted her, not since Marian returned.

Gwendoline kept running, through the darkness of the night, far from all these lies and accusations. She had to find the culprit. She had to prove that she wasn't the killer.

"Who is Dhena? Who is the culprit?"

"We'll find out, Gwen, we can't give up! I think this is Ethan's doing. Didn't Darren always remind us to do good, as ordered by Sabian, Ethan's father? I'm sure he didn't approve of Ethan and Marian getting back together."

"So Ethan killed Darren?"

"It's possible. He didn't like being reminded by Darren. Don't you remember, he also brought up the fact that we couldn't have children, even though it was all because Ethan wasn't ready for that."

Was Ethan really capable of setting her up? The tears streaming down Gwendoline's cheeks were now mixed with a cold fear.

She didn't know what awaited her ahead, but she knew one thing: she couldn't go back. She couldn't go back to the place where she was rejected and betrayed, where she was accused of murder.

She was Luna, the rejected one, accused of murder. And now she was just a fugitive.

Gwendoline kept running aimlessly. Her legs felt numb, her lungs felt like they were burning. The howls of Ethan's pack of wolves were getting closer.

They were hunting her, as if she were the most dangerous prey. Her mind was blank, there was only one instinct she trusted: run!

"Gwen, we have to hide. There are too many of them."

Gwen followed Dhena's instinct, sneaking behind thick bushes, trying to cover her tracks. She smelled the river, and she knew it was her only way out.

She jumped into the cold water, letting the current carry her away, hoping the water would wash away her scent.

On the other side of the river, Ethan and Marian stood, looking frustrated.

"Damn it!" Ethan growled. "She got away. Quick, send more wolves. Find her, root her out."

Marian hugged Ethan, smiling cynically. "Calm down, dear. She can't run forever. She has nowhere to go. All the packs will know he's a killer."

"Hmm, you're right! Let's go home. You don't have to come with me to chase Gwen. I feel sorry for my child, whom you're dragging around."

"I just don't want you to feel sorry for him later and give him a chance to not kill him."

Marian's words made Ethan hug her and tell her to calm down.

"No, dear! I'm not weak towards her. I am a fair pack leader. She is guilty, so she must accept the consequences. Don't worry."

"Then I can rest easy, because I am protected by a strong, fair, and wise Alpha," she said as she kissed the Alpha's neck.

"Hmm, you can trust me to be fair."

In his heart, he actually felt something different, but he considered it a weakness because he still felt sorry for Gwen.

"Maybe we just feel sorry for Gwen, Ethan! It doesn't mean anything!" Max, Ethan's wolf, echoed in the man's mind.

He felt the same as Ethan, a different feeling when he looked at Gwen's face. Was he really guilty?

Unfortunately, Darren was dead, so he could no longer ask the man. He also couldn't hear the advice from his beta, who was very similar to his father who had died earlier.

***

Meanwhile, Gwendoline was tossed about by the current. The cold water froze her skin, but it was better than the anger and false accusations.

When she reached land, she was in a strange place. The forest here seemed older and darker. There was a different aura, an ancient and powerful aura.

"Finally, Gwen, we're safe!" Dhena's cheer echoed in her mind.

"Yes, at least I didn't become the target of those evil people. I never thought that after my loyalty and sacrifice, he wouldn't see any of it."

"Indeed, we should never have agreed to share our fate with Ethan from the start. That foolish Alpha is so easy to manipulate."

"Never mind, my heart still aches when I hear his name. But what I will make sure of now is that I must uncover who actually trapped me."

"Right, Gwen!"

She walked into the middle of the forest. Her legs hurt, she could barely walk. In front of her, she saw a large cave. She decided to take shelter there, at least until she regained her strength.

"For now, let's take shelter in that large cave. Hopefully, we can rest. My legs hurt so much, not to mention the wounds on my hands."

As she stepped inside, a rumbling sound startled her. Suddenly, from the darkness of the cave, a large black wolf appeared.

This was no ordinary wolf; it was a Lycan, a creature rarely seen. Its body was sturdy, with fur as black as night and eyes that glowed blue, so large and powerful.

Gwen knew immediately that this Lycan was an Alpha whose power far exceeded Ethan's. The aura he radiated was so strong that it made her bones tremble.

Gwen prepared to fight, even though she knew she would not win against this fierce and dangerous male Lycan.

"Dhena... this time, we won't make it!"

But the Lycan didn't attack. He sniffed the air, his eyes fixed on Gwendoline. The Lycan walked slowly towards her, his head bowed, as if recognizing something familiar.

"Gwen... she... she..." Dhena was transfixed, her voice filled with shock.