Chapter 3

*Katerina pov*

I watched as Rick carried Nancy and ran off to the pack infirmary,I ran over to my room and locked it with speed not giving cara a chance to get in

"Yna please open the door I do not want you crying like this ,Rick is an asshole he is not worth your tears " cara said and her words pierced my heart more ,how could Rick do this to me ?

Sitting inside my room was not helping me in calming down , Krystal also needed a touch of fresh air from the woods ,I stood up and jerked my door open with force am sure I spoilt it ,cara fell down from the impact before she called form a word I was already out of the pack house and running into the woods as I transformed to my wolf form .

I don't know how long it's been that I have been running,two hours?four hour's?I don't know.

Finally calmed down a bit I sat down under one of the trees after I turned back to my human form .

Gazing up into the dark sky I couldn't help but wonder why Rick had to do this to me ,why did he take away my happiness with just a snap of a finger .

"Moon goddess why?why??why???why will you let this happen to me ,why will you let Rick met his fated mate ,if only he didn't met her he would not have been torn between choosing more power over love "I cried bitterly

" Maybe moon goddess just wanted to show you his other side ,what if he would have abandoned you in the later years to come ,the sooner the better right plus moon goddess has reason for everything "Krystal tried to reason with me , I knew she made sense but I didn't want to listen ,I didn't want to believe that a man I loved for six years choose power over me ...

I didn't know how but I feel asleep to be woken up by Cara's voice through mind link " Katerina where are you ?you have been out all night" cara said as I looked around myself and found out it was already morning and I was still sitted under the tree

" Rick's so called fated mate is awake and she keeps asking for your presence "cara said through mind link

" I will be there" I replied as I stood up and dusted myself up  before running straight towards the hospital, reaching there I didn't see Rick

However, I didn’t have to think for long as Nancy  turned to me and smiled.

"Look, who we have here if is not  the almighty  only daughter of Alpha Blackwood. But, are you really a Luna  anymore ? I mean, as far as I remember, Rick is the alpha now, and he has chosen me. So I am Luna here, right?" Nancy scoffed, her gaze not wavering from me even for a second.

"I can imagine how you feel being stripped off your status in your own father's pack"Nancy said but I was not focused on what she was saying I was more focused on the energy coming off of her ...

I remember last night ,the energy coming off of her was that of an omega but now it wasn't the main point is that I can't even hold her status ...

Looking into her eyes I knew she was hiding her true self but what could the reason be ?

"Why are you doing all this? Would you be really happy being called a second woman all her life? Rick  has married me. So no matter what you do or  you are, I will always be his first one," I tried to reason with her.

It was a sick move which I didn't believe I'm making but knowing she was acting like who she was not I had this feeling that maybe she did something to Rick and I had to fight for our love at least I believed that Rick would not intentionally do what he did to me last night .Honestly, the Katerina when her parents were alive would've never done that. I am sure of it. Begging and reasoning with the person who took away my happiness?

I may not be arrogant but I will definitely not plead with someone called it the Alpha syndrome I don't know but here I am begging a totally stranger ...

"Why are you acting like this, Luna Katerina? I know you think I came between you and your husband, but don't you think you are wrong? I am his fated mate. He is supposed to be with me for eternity. You were the one who has come between us. You are the third person between us, the second woman, and in local language, the names slut, and a homewrecker," She said, and krystal growled inside me, her words feeling like a slap on my face.

"How dare you provoke me like this!" I growled at her, and she whimpered at my voice.

"Please don't act like this, Luna Katerina. You are scaring me now. I am sure my mate, the alpha of this pack won't like it. I don't want you to get humiliated in front of your pack again," She said in her pretentious voice, and before I could understand what was happening, she suddenly stood up from  the bed and came towards me as she grabbed my hand ,making me widen my eyes.

What is she doing?

"Luna Katerina, please don't do this to me. I am sorry. I wanted to die myself, but I failed. Please, for the sake of the alpha of the pack, don't do this. It's hurting. If you want to kill me, just do it. Don’t torture me like this," she  fell to her knees before hiting her head on the ground and scratching her arms, making me look at her in horror.

Why was she doing all this? What was this all about? Is she mad or -

My thoughts were interrupted when Rick opened the door with a loud bang, and before I could do anything, she tugged my hair, making me swat her away, the pressure being a bit too intense as she fell a few feet away from me."Nancy!" He shouted before looking at me accusingly.

"You crossed your limits, Katerina!" Rick  growled at me as his eyes glowered, representing his wolf.

"Rick do not tell me you are seriously going to believe her without even hearing what I have to say " I threw the question to but seeing he wasn't buying what I was saying I decided to try harder

"Rick , I didn't do anything. She is nothing like you think she is. It’s all her plans. She isn’t even an omega. I bet she is tricking you by acting pitiful. Believe me, she did it -"I could barely finish my words as Rick cut me off

""Oh, cut it out Yna! I knew you were competitive, but I didn't know you could be this cruel, ," Rick seethed at me.

" Don't ever call me that again you have lost the right to "I said I looked Rick directly in his eyes ,just hearing him call me that I felt so disgusted I wonder how I ever enjoyed hearing that from his lips

Taking my hand in his, he pulled me all over to the hall where everyone had been since earlier, and he threw me in the center, making me snarl as people took a step away from me.

"This is an announcement that your Luna has crossed her limits today and attacked my fated mate  and as the alpha and her mate I deserve to protect her ,if I do not punish her today she will continue with this act who knows the next person she will attack unaware " Rick said as he growled at me  and  I froze.

"Guards! Hold her down so that she doesn't run away  . I am the alpha of the pack, and I don't want people to think that people close to me can get away even after breaking rules," Rick said, his voice devoid of any emotions.

Punishment. How hard his heart has gotten against me for him to mention punishment so easily?

"I just didn't reject my mate, and Idon't see why there is such a fuss about it. Luna Katerina here tried to kill the alpha's mate today. I am still willing to let her go with this if she apologizes to my mate. And if she isn't willing to apologize, then as per the rules of the pack, she will be whipped 20 times," Rick said, and I looked at him in mere amazement.

Is he the same guy who used to tell me he would never let someone even touch me? Is he the same guy to whom I gave my six years of youth?"Does anyone have any objections?" Rick asked everyone, and to my utmost horror, all the pack members that I thought were my family, took a step back, not saying anything.

This was my pack, but they have accepted Rick just like that? Have6they forgotten who I am? Just because I am a female, I am being ridiculed like this?

"You must be out of your mind, Rick!  Katerina is your wife. You broke the agreement by not rejecting your mate, yet you expect her to accept your mate and respect her?

Didn't you know about these things earlier? Or is it because you were eyeing the position of the alpha of the pack that you waited till the wedding before showing your truecolors?" Cara  growled, and I froze when I realized how accurate her words sounded.

"Cara! Whether I waited or I conspired, I am still your alpha. I won't think twice about snapping your neck if you talked to me like that again," cara said, and I looked at him, feeling more and more shocked.

"Cara, stay out of this," I said to my best friend I didn't want her getting punished for trying to defend me.

The man I loved is against me. The pack that belonged to me is against me, so what do I even have to fight for?

I noticed how everyone was looking at me as if waiting for my answer, and I smiled.

"I , Katerina Blackwood, the daughter of Alpha Blackwood, have never and will never  bow down in front of anyone, and I will not apologize for a mistake I didn't even commit. Make it 50, the whips"I said as I stepped forward

"Katerina, don't be so hard on yourself," cara  cried as she hugged me, and I shook my head.

"Caleb! Do it!" I said, and he whimpered before pleading with me with his eyes, my hard stare, making him nod dejectedly.

"Caleb! No! You can't do that to my sister! Caleb! I will forever hate you if that stick even touched her skin," cara  cried as she held his legs, and I looked at her, feeling pity taking over me.

I looked into Rick's eyes, his quivering eyes, making me smile.

I and my wolf have never bowed to anyone, but I was ready to make an exception today to save our relationship, but judging from the look in Rick's eyes, this relationship isn't worth saving.

"Start! One!" I growled, and as soon as I said that, I felt a piercing pain in my back when the stick hit me, making me take a sharp breath.

"Again! Two!" I growled as he hit me again.

"No!" Cara shouted as she struggled against the guards holding her down.

Ten.Nineteen.

"Katerina you do not have to prove to me that you are strong just apologize to Nancy  and we are good "Rick said , and I closed my eyes the last person I want to see now was him

"What are you waiting for? Continue! Twenty!" I growled at Caleb."Caleb, I will forever hate you!" Cara growled, and I sighed

Thirty-one.

Forty.

Forty-nine.

Fifty!

Growling in pain, I fell forward before supporting myself on my hands and panting heavily.

"Leave me!" Cara  growled threateningly, and I looked at the guards holding her and they let her go .

Cara rushed and slid in front of me, hugging me as she cried, making my eyes brim with tears as I felt pain all over my body.

My body was aching all over, but more than that, my heart was in pain.

"If mom and dad were here, you would've never felt this injustice," cara  said as she looked at Rick's father, who fisted his hands, and I shook my head at her.

He probably knew everything and chose to make an exception. It was useless talking about it now. The damage was done.

"Stop it," I said to her before smiling, feeling less hateful toward myself now.

Turning to Rick where Nancy hung to him like a leach "Rick you know is today I found out that you're nothing more than a weakling,a coward who had to use corny way to get the power he wanted " I said through clenched teeth