THE ALPHA'S FORBIDDEN MATE

Everyone in the room held their breath.  The stopped their activities to watch the drama unfolding in front of their eyes.  "Shut up!" Celeste screamed again, her voice so loud I startled and took a step back. "How dare you try to seduce my fiancé? On my birthday!"  How could she believe that?  "I-" I start but nothing came out as the entire room fell quiet.  Heavy footsteps clicked across the marble floor. The crowd parted. My stepmother Vivian appeared, her face twisted with false concern. She wore an expensive purple dress, diamonds glittering at her throat and ears.  "What is going on here?" she demanded, though her eyes already held the answer. She'd probably heard everything.  "Mother!" Celeste turned to her, tears suddenly appearing in her eyes. Fake tears. I'd seen her use them before. "Elara tried to steal Damien from me! She threw herself at him!"  "That's not true!" I said desperately. "He came into the room upstairs. He cornered me. He tried to force himself on me and I-"  "Shut up!" Vivian's voice cut through mine like a blade, she put her arms around her daughter, and her eyes judged me.  "You ungrateful little wrench," she said, making her voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "After everything we've done for you. after we took you in when your parents died,  this is how you repay us??"  The accusations. The mention of my parents. The lies.  I broke into sobs before I could stop it.  "I didn't do anything wrong," I sobbed desperately. "Please, you have to believe me. Damien is lying. He-"   "How could he be lying?" someone in the crowd muttered. "Look at her dress. She obviously tried something. " I looked down at my torn dress, and at the exposed bra and shame washed over me. They thought I'd done this to myself. They thought I'd wanted this.  "Please," I begged, looking around at the faces surrounding me. Faces I'd known my whole life. People from the pack. People who'd watched me grow up. "Someone has to believe me. I'm telling the truth. " But no one spoke up. No one defended me. They just stared with judgment in their eyes.  "You all see what I have to deal with" Vivian said, gesturing to me like I am a disease. "All she does is bring trouble and bad luck" she said, address the crowd.  "That's not true!" I cried. "Isn't it?" She turned back to me, her eyes cold. "You're the reason your parents are dead, Elara. You're cursed. Bad luck follows you everywhere you go. " The words hit me like a physical blow and I stumbled back, my legs felt too weak to carry me. "My parents died because-" I started."Your father was a traitor," Vivian interrupted. "Executed for his crimes. And your mother?" She shook her head with fake sadness. "Her heart gave out from the shame of it all. The shame of having a daughter like you.""No," I whispered. "That's not what happened. My father was innocent. He was framed. And my mother died because-" "Because of you!" Vivian shouted. "Everything bad that happens is because of you! You're a curse on this family!" The crowd murmured in agreement.  Some nodded. Others whispered to each other. I dropped to my knees, my legs finally giving out and the tears wouldn't stop.  They poured down my face, hot and endless. Why wouldn't no one stand for me? Why wouldn't anyone believe me? Didn't they all watch me grow? "Please," I begged, my voice breaking. "Please-" I whispered again, unsure of what to say. Beg? Apologize? What do I say when they all looked at me like a beast? "She's nothing but a whore!" someone shouted from the crowd.  "A disgrace!"  "The daughter of a traitor!" another voice called out.  "She deserves to be punished!" an older woman yelled. The voices grew louder, overlapping, feeding off each other's anger and hatred."Cursed child!" "She brings nothing but shame!" "We should get rid of her!" Vivian raised her hands, silencing them "You see, Elara? I have done too much good for you. We all see what you are now. You're nothing but trouble.  A burden. A mistake." "Please," I whispered again, my voice barely audible. "I didn't do anything." "Get her out of here!" someone shouted.  "She doesn't deserve to be among decent people!" "Banish her!" "No, she deserves worse than that!" "Hang her! Make an example of her!"The chant started small, just a few voices. But it grew. More and more people joined in until the entire room was filled with the sound. "Execute her! Execute her! Execute her!" I covered my ears with my hands, trying to block out the noise. But it was too loud.   Too overwhelming. It became hard to breathe. The walls felt like they were closing in. Someone threw a glass. It shattered near my feet, spraying me with wine and broken glass.  I screamed.  Then food started flying. A piece of cake hit my shoulder. Bread rolls bounced off my back. Drinks splashed across my torn dress, they were throwing things at me.  My heart race rose with the quickening of my breathing. I couldn't speak or scream. Even if I could, they wouldn't listen.  They were all righteous people purging the evil from the community.  Strong hands suddenly grabbed my arms. I looked up and saw three large men. Pack warriors. They yanked me to my feet roughly. No. They would truly end my life. "No!" I struggled against them, trying to pull free.  "Let me go! Please!"  "Take her out of here!" Vivian ordered, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Get her out of my sight!" "Please!" I screamed, fighting harder. "Please, somebody help me!" But no one helped.  No one even tried.  The warriors dragged me toward the door. My feet scraped against the floor as I tried to resist. People moved out of the way, creating a path, letting me be dragged out of a party that should have been mine too.   A broken cry leaves my lips as I give up on fighting. I look at my family, Vivian stood in the middle of the crowd with her arms folded.  Another sob left my lips when I watch as the crowd followed, coming to see what would happen to me  Celeste stood with Damien's arm wrapped around her waist, both of them smiling. Then suddenly, a voice cut through the chaos.  "What's going on here?" The voice was deep and powerful.  It made everyone freeze.  The warriors holding me stopped. The crowd went silent. Even the people who had been shouting just seconds ago went quiet. The voice came again from somewhere in the darkness. "I asked what's going on here." Everyone stood still, fear replacing the anger that had filled the air just moments before.  No one dared to say a word.