Chapter 32: Plan In Motion (5)
It was all Beta Ryan’s fault, they claimed. He had coaxed them into working for him, whispering sweet promises of promotion and power once he became the Alpha.
But when the chips were down, he had abandoned them, leaving them to face the Luna’s wrath alone. And to make matters worse, he had killed one of them, a stark reminder that he could have just as easily killed the all if the Luna hadn’t intervened.
The guards’ resentment and anger boiled over. As self-proclaimed eyewitnesses to the alleged infidelity, they claimed to have heard incriminating sounds - moans, they whispered - emanating from the Beta’s cell.
Furthermore, they revealed that Vivian had been sharing the same cell as the Beta, a fact that seemed to seal the deal in their minds. With righteous indignation, they began to spread their version of events, fueling the fire of gossip and speculation that threatened to consume the pack.
It was not a crime for the Alpha to have mistresses, but in this case, Beta Ryan wasn’t an Alpha yet. To top it all, he was allegedly cheating with the Luna’s stepsister. And while the Luna was out there fighting to protect the pack, the beta was in the dungeon, indulging in illicit pleasure.
Beta Ryan claimed that Luna Reana locked him up, yet, he had the power to control the servants and guards from the dungeon. Shouldn’t he have also had the power to let himself out when the pack was facing an attack? But he didn’t, all because of his own selfish desires.
"The Beta chose Vivian over the pack’s safety!" The rumor spread like wildfire, repeated from tongue to tongue, gathering momentum and malice with each retelling.
....
Luna Reana’s lips curled with satisfaction, a subtle smile playing on her lips as she strolled through her garden, the autumn flowers seeming even more vibrant and beautiful today, their delicate petals swaying gently in the breeze like nature’s own confetti, celebrating her small but significant victory.