Chapter 3

Serena POV

It took a full twenty minutes for Zane's Alpha Command to slightly recede, allowing me to barely stand up.

My muscles ached unbearably as I stumbled out of the tavern.

I pulled my phone out of my bag, preparing to call a cab.

Instead, the screen was flooded with hundreds of notifications from the pack's internal network.

My hands trembling, I clicked into the main forum.

A video was pinned right at the top of the front page.

It was the scene that just happened in the tavern, but maliciously edited.

In the footage, I was sitting next to Cedric, smiling politely.

The next second it cut to Cedric cursing at me, calling me a shameless she-wolf.

As for the part where Zane lied about holding my mating token, it was completely cut out.

I scrolled through the comment section below.

"Disgusting Omega. She actually went to seduce another man right after a fight with the Alpha."

"She betrayed our Pack!"

"People like her should be banished to the wasteland!"

I looked up and happened to see a few pack members walking down the street toward me.

They looked down at their phones, then pointed at me.

As they walked past me, they deliberately bumped my shoulder.

They even spat on the sidewalk in disgust, treating me like a plague they needed to avoid.

Vivian had just posted a new update on her social media.

In the photo, she was wearing the shiny silver badge symbolizing her status as the Alpha's personal deputy.

The caption read: "Loyalty is a werewolf's most important quality. Sadly, some people simply don't have it."

She was adding fuel to the fire, completely dumping the dirty water of a traitor onto my head.

My phone buzzed as a call came in.

It was the Grand Elder—the man who controlled all the business operations of the pack.

"Serena," his voice was cold and strictly business. "Come to the administration building immediately."

When I rushed to his office, he didn't even offer me the courtesy of a seat.

"The scandal caused by the video has an extremely negative impact and is intolerable."

He stood with his back to me, looking coldly out the window.

"You ruined our alliance project with the neighboring territory."

"That video was maliciously edited!" I stepped forward quickly to defend myself.

"It was Zane who suddenly barged in and ruined the meeting!"

The Grand Elder raised his hand to cut me off, signaling me to shut up.

He didn't care about the truth at all.

In his eyes, a lowly Omega would always just be a scapegoat to protect the Alpha's reputation.

"Your personal emotional disputes have damaged the pack's interests," he said sternly.

"From this moment on, you are relieved of all your duties."

"Hand over all core defense data files immediately. Vivian will take over your position."

"I built those defense systems from scratch with my own hands!" I couldn't help but yell.

"Hand them over, Serena. Now. Or you will face the pack's prison."

I walked out of his office, completely numb like a walking corpse.

I returned to my cramped, crowded cubicle in the basement.

My old colleagues, who had worked closely with me for years, all looked away and pretended not to see me.

No one dared to have anything to do with me at this juncture, afraid of getting burned and bearing the Alpha's wrath.

I was completely, utterly isolated by the entire world.

I dug out a brown cardboard box and silently started packing my belongings.

The narrow walls of the basement felt as if they were pressing in on me step by step.

The heavy oppression brought by the pack's hierarchy almost suffocated me.

I picked up the mug printed with the Silver Moon Pack crest.

I stared at the totem of the giant wolf howling at the sky on the cup.

It was the symbol I had poured my entire heart and soul into serving since I was a child.

I walked straight toward the large trash can in the corner.

I let go, smashing the mug hard into it.

With a sharp crack, shards flew everywhere.

I ripped off my pack identity badge, took off my uniform jacket, and pulled out my territory access pass.

I threw them all into the trash can.

I picked up the cardboard box and strode toward the exit.

I had had enough of this hellhole.

I would never again let anyone exploit and oppress me at will.

I pushed open the heavy glass doors, stepped outside, and walked into the stormy territory.

The sky had unknowingly turned as black as charcoal.

A violent thunderstorm suddenly arrived, the torrential rain pouring down like a waterfall.

I walked straight toward the pack's border, and within seconds, my clothes were completely soaked.

I had nowhere to go, but my only thought was: leave this place completely.