Fated to Be Theirs

Ember's POV.

Today was my wedding day.

A soft smile tore across my face as I stirred and could hear the chatters across the hallway; memories of my bachelorette party filled my mind, and I frowned as it suddenly became hazy.

“GET THAT SHAMELESS MURDERER OUT OF THAT BED!”.

Murderer?

I groaned in discomfort; the noise was making me increasingly uneasy. I shifted in bed, trying to ease the discomfort, but a smile crept onto my lips as I cleared away those thoughts.

“Murderer! She's a murderer! Get her out of the bed!” The words pierced through my thoughts once more, leaving me in a state of confusion.

Was I hearing things? My eyes slowly fluttered open, and through my blurry vision, I saw a figure standing in front of me.

What is going on? I wondered, sitting up straight. Everyone had gathered around me, their expressions filled with shock as they stared at something beside me.

Confusion and dread swirled inside me as I turned to see what they were staring at. When my eyes landed on it, I screamed in horror and bolted out of bed. My hands were clutching a dagger, its blade stained with blood. I cried again, flinging the weapon away in terror.

On the bed, soaked in blood, was my soon-to-be father-in-law. My hands trembled violently as I stared at them, realizing they were covered in his blood. I screamed once more, collapsing to the ground, my entire body shaking uncontrollably as my heart pounded in my chest. This was a nightmare—what the hell was happening?

“You murdered my father?” Brandon's voice cut through the chaos, seething with anger. His face was filled with rage and betrayal. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I tried to speak, but fear paralyzed me, making it impossible to form any words.

This couldn't be real—it had to be some twisted nightmare. All I could remember from the previous night was my bachelorette party. I danced, laughed, and drank until I blacked out. But now… how did I wake up next to my father-in-law's corpse?

“Brandon,” I called his name desperately as I ran toward him, grabbing his hands. But he wouldn't look at me. His eyes were locked on his father's corpse with shock etched deeply into his features. “I didn't do it, I swear. I don't know what's happening!” I pleaded.

He finally turned his gaze down at me, and my heart pounded as he barked, “Get away from me, you filthy murderer!” With that, he yanked his hands free, shoving me so hard that I fell to the floor.

Pain shot through my body as I clutched my stomach, instinctively trying to protect my baby.

“How dare you touch me with those filthy hands stained with my father's blood?” he growled, his face twisted in anger. My hands shook violently, my heart racing with fear.

My eyes caught sight of Emily, huddled in the corner, crying. “Emily…” I whispered, crawling frantically toward her. “Emily, please tell them I didn't do it! I was with you all night. You believe me. Please, help me.”

“Leave me alone!” Emily screamed as she stood up, looking at me like I was some monster.

“Why would you do this? Father cared about you. Why would you do something so evil?” I froze, her words cutting through me like a knife. Was Emily doubting me? Did she believe I could commit such a heinous crime?

Emily was my friend, Brandon's adopted sister. She had shown me nothing but kindness since we had known each other, and now hearing her accuse me felt like the ultimate betrayal. Tears streamed down my face as I struggled to comprehend the situation.

“Drag her out of the room! Punish her until the council arrives and passes judgment,” Brandon ordered coldly. My heart sank as I realized there was nothing I could say in my defense. I had woken up next to the dead Alpha, his lifeless body beside me, my hands stained with his blood. Nothing made sense anymore.

“She's practically naked, Alpha,” a guard pointed out. I had been so overwhelmed by the shock that I hadn't even noticed I was wearing a transparent nightgown that did almost nothing to cover me.

“What use is keeping her shame when she has committed such a heinous crime? Drag her out anyway!” Brandon barked at the guards, who immediately followed his orders, grabbing me roughly by the arms. As they prepared to drag me out of the room, I yelled, “I promise I didn't do anything!” I struggled against the guards as they hauled me into the hallway. The moment we stepped out, I saw everyone gathered outside. They all stared at me with surprise and disgust, whispering to one another, some loud enough for me to hear.

“Did she murder the great Alpha? How could a lowlife like her do that? She should be killed.”

“What a bitch, I never knew she was this stupid!”

“Death is what she deserves, and to think she was about to be out Luna,” another spat at me before trying to lunge at me.

“A slut, too; she must have slept with the Alpha's dead body before falling asleep in his hands!”

“I'm pretty sure the Alpha prince isn't responsible for her bastard child,” I heard one scoff and a gasp escaped my lips; I was already tired of crying as it wasn't doing me any good.

With my eyes shut, all I prayed for was to wake up from this and continue my life. The chaos around me couldn't let me be. This was happening then.

Panic rushed through me as I broke free from the guards’ grip, rushing toward Brandon and pleading desperately.

“Look at that cursed bump; she probably had it all thought through”

“I know what this seems like, but please, let me explain— there has to be some kind of explanation,” I begged, rubbing my hands together as tears poured uncontrollably down my face.

“Just give me a chance to prove myself. I swear on our unborn baby that I didn't do anything.” I looked up at Brandon, hoping for a sign of understanding, but his expression remained cold.

Suddenly, Emily stormed toward me, shoved me away, and slapped me hard across the face, making me fall to the ground. “Why do you keep lying, Ember? Why do you keep lying?” she barked.

She turned to Brandon and said, “I was waiting for the right time to tell you this, but I think it's best to reveal it now. You're not the real father of the child she's carrying.” Emily pointed at me, her eyes burning with accusation.

“This witch here told me that you're not the real father, and I was waiting for her to tell you herself. But now, after she's gone and killed father…” Her voice broke with emotion as she added, “You deserve to know that she's been lying and deceiving you all this time.”

I couldn't believe my ears. Gasps echoed around, and murmurs quickly filled the air.

“What kind of shameless woman is she?” someone whispered, loud enough for me to hear.

What was Emily talking about? Never once had I said anything like that. Brandon was the father of my unborn child. Where were all these lies coming from? Why was she doing this?

“Take her outside and punish her,” Brandon ordered, and the guards nodded obediently. They rushed toward me, lifting me off the ground as they dragged me, nearly naked, across the floor.

I watched in disbelief as Emily moved closer to Brandon, sobbing into his chest while he hugged her warmly, comforting her. I wanted to scream, to plead for someone to listen, but it was painfully clear that I was utterly alone.

Without giving me a chance to speak in my defense, Brandon commanded, “For her first punishment, give her two hundred lashes. I want it so painful that she bleeds.” The guards pushed me to the ground, forcing me to fall with my belly pressed against the cold floor. I groaned in pain, looking up at Brandon with tear-filled eyes.

“We are mates,” I whispered desperately. “I would never lie to my fated mate…”

“You have been nothing but a disgrace to me, and to think you would do this on my wedding day? To a man who loves you so much?” He took a deep breath as if trying to control his emotions, then declared, “You and I can no longer be mates, Ember. You have proven you do not deserve to be my mate, just a stranger wearing my enemy's face…”

“No,” I muttered with more tears streaming down my cheeks.

“I made a big mistake by accepting you as my mate in the first place, and now I will rectify that mistake…” He took another deep breath before saying, “You have proven to be an abomination to our kind, and for that, I, Brandon Ryder, now made Alpha by you reject you, November Adams as my mate, now accept my rejection”.

When those words left his mouth, my heart stopped beating. Tears flowed uncontrollably as I felt a sharp, unbearable pain in my chest.

Whether or not I accepted this, I was going to die.

“Accept it, you murderer!”

“I, November Adams, accept your rejection” I whispered as my wolf howled in pain.

I felt Ivy Rose, my wolf, begin to fade away until this unbearable void entirely replaced her.

My eyes met his and I saw nothing in it, all the love I once saw in them was gone.

One minute, I had been looking forward to my wedding, and the next, I was waking up beside my future father-in-law's lifeless body.

The guards ripped my flimsy nightdress off, leaving me completely naked, but I didn't care. The pain of the broken bond took over me, overshadowing everything else. Then, the first lash hit my back, and I crumbled to the floor, gasping for breath. But they weren't done with me yet.

The guards picked me up and hit me again, the pain increasing with each blow. Through my pain and agony, I saw a mischievous smile on Emily's face and I couldn't understand why she was doing this.

My eyes shifted to Brandon, who remained cold and indifferent, indifferent to the fact that I was suffering and carrying his child. The beating continued, each lash more brutal than the last until I couldn't take it anymore. I collapsed to the floor, taking one last breath before slipping into unconsciousness.

Later in the night, I lay on the cold dungeon floor, unconscious and waiting for my sentence. Suddenly, I felt a hand shaking me vigorously as if trying to wake me from a deep sleep. “Ma'am… Ma'am…” the voice called repeatedly, growing clearer as I slowly regained consciousness.

I opened my blurry eyes, and there, right in front of me, was a maid I recognized all too well. Her name was Ella, and I had always been kind to her. “Ella…” I mumbled weakly, the pain from the broken bond and the whips on my back too much to bear. “What are you doing here?” I asked as the floor beneath me was stained with my blood.

She quickly draped a small blanket over me, covering my nakedness, and whispered urgently, “We need to run away from here. Your life is at risk. The council is not going to spare you.”

I winced as pain shot through every part of my body, and I managed to ask, “Why are you helping me, Ella? If you are caught, they won't spare you either.” She didn't seem to care as she tried to help me stand, but I was too weak.

“You have been so kind to me, and the last thing I will allow is for you to die an unfair death,” she said, struggling to support me. “You have to leave now.”

“I can't,” I sobbed, tears streaming down my face. “I really can't right now. I have to talk to Brandon. If I run away, it will prove I did what they accuse me of, and I don't want that.”

“You still don't get it, do you?” she yelled, confusing me. I stared into her eyes, desperate for answers.

“Get what?” I asked.

She sighed deeply, hesitating, unsure whether to reveal what she knew. I searched her eyes, pleading for any clue.

“This is all a plan to get rid of you. And the Alpha's son, Brandon, is in on it,” she exclaimed.

I gasped, shock flooding my face as I struggled to process the information. A plan to get rid of me? And he's part of it?

Does Brandon want to get rid of me?

Why?

“We are working on borrowed time, ma; we need to go NOW!”

We hadn't run a yard when I suddenly heard Brandon's angered voice, “DON'T LET THAT MURDERER ESCAPE!”

Ember's POV.

A shot rang out followed by a thud causing me to scream weakly as I turned to watch Ella fall down.

"Run, don't look back, or they will get you!" Ella cried out in pain, unable to move or make a run for it. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I forced them back. Taking a deep breath and not daring to look back in such a dire situation.

“You catch that bitch, KILL HER!”

I was terrified, especially since I was heavily pregnant. I didn't want to be in this situation— it was almost too much to bear.

What if my child ends up dying? What if I never get to hold it in my arms? The thought tore at me as I ran, knowing they wouldn't stop until they had me.

They chased me through the thick jungle, branches tearing at my skin, my breathing growing more ragged with each painful gasp.

Ella's words echoed in my mind: Brandon really wanted me gone? He really wanted me to die? It seemed impossible.

The Brandon I loved would do anything to protect me, but he was angry because he believed I killed his beloved father.

I was sure if I could explain the entire situation to him, there was a chance he'd understand and calm down. But as I ran, it felt like forever, and suddenly I had to come to an abrupt stop—I had reached a cliff. I looked down at the raging river below; there was no way I could swim.

I clutched my stomach, turning back to see the wolves walking towards me, baring their teeth, ready to kill. “I didn't do it…” I whispered, tears rolling down my face. I tried to step back but hesitated because of the cliff. “I didn't do it!” I cried out louder, hoping someone—anyone—would hear me. But they closed in, like hunters after their prey, and they weren't going to back away anytime soon.

“It doesn't matter if you didn't do it, Ember, your fate is already sealed,” a voice suddenly through the link. I turned toward the sound and saw Brandon, spinning a small silver pistol in his hands, his expression wicked. “You're pregnant, Ember—should you really be running around like this?”

I moved to run when he said, “Stop right there, Nova! There is no running from your sin; you'd have to pay for your crime,” He growled, sounding so bloodthirsty that I felt fear trickle down my spine.

“HOW FAST CAN YOU RUN FROM ME?” His voice rang once again through the link.

I could feel it…His Rage!

His Hate!

“Brandon…” I called his name. He flashed a small smile that made my skin crawl as he slowly walked toward me. I took a step back, careful of the cliff.

“Brandon, you have to believe me—I could never do something like that. I'm not evil, and I'm not capable of killing your father.”

“He cared about me more than you know, and I would never do anything to hurt him,” I pleaded, desperate for him to believe me at that moment.

"We know you didn't do it, November. No need to try to explain yourself," a voice said from the shadows. I turned toward it and saw Emily coming from the thick forest, an evil smile on her face as she tilted her head to the side.

"You are sweet, kind Ember, after all. Anyone who thinks you're capable of murder is stupid," she added. I was relieved, happy to know that at least someone trusted me.

"If that's the case, then please, let's just go home. I don't feel so good, and I'm so tired. Let's find out who did this together." But instead of agreement, Emily burst out laughing, and Brandon let out a small chuckle.

They both stared at me like I was some kind of comedian who had just cracked the biggest joke known to humanity.

"There is no home for you, Ember, because you will die here," Emily said, and Brandon cocked the gun, making me jump in fear. I was confused, terrified. What was going on?

"You still don't get it, do you?" Emily sneered. "Well, I don't expect you to—you have always been so stupid, so trusting and naive. We knew you weren't the one who killed the Alpha because we did it. We planned everything." My heart pounded in my chest as her words sunk in. What were they talking about?

"Brandon and I have been in love with each other since we were young. Society might see us as siblings, but it doesn't matter—we're not related anyway," Emily continued, taking a deep breath as if trying to control her anger. "We decided to wait until Father passed away—he was old, after all—so we could be together.

But then he brought you into the picture, the daughter of his late best friend he wants his son to marry, how disgusting" she spat. "Why the heck was he forcing you to marry the man I love? You were my best friend; you should have said no!

"How would I have known?" I cried, tears brimming in my eyes. "How could I have known about your relationship when you never told me anything? How was I supposed to know you two were together?”

“ You were my best friend—we've been friends for as long as I can remember. How could I have known when you kept it all a secret?" I still couldn't believe it, Brandon and Emily were lovers?

"It doesn't matter anymore," Emily said coldly. "We got rid of that annoying old man and framed you for it. He was old anyway—he should have died long ago.

We were going to let the council take care of you, but since you have proven to be insufferable, we will have to do it ourselves." Brandon raised the gun, pointing it directly at me. My heart raced with fear as I looked between them.

"You are not the only one who's pregnant, Ember," Emily said, placing her hand over her stomach. "I am too, and for my baby to be born safely, you and your baby need to be gone."

I couldn't believe it, the betrayal cutting deeper than any wound. These were the people who meant the most to me, and just like that, they had turned on me. How could they be so cruel? How could they do this to me?

"Goodbye, Ember," Brandon said and aimed the gun at me.

"The bullet in this gun is laced with wolfsbane, so it should do the job." He paused, a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Tell my father hello when you see him in hell."

“Please Brandon, your child is innocent”

“That BASTARD can never be mine, you Slut!” His accusation rang out, followed by a loud bang, and in hope, my eyes widened in shock.

I stared at him in shock, tears streaming down my face as I struggled to comprehend the betrayal.

Instinctively, my hands went to my belly, as if trying to shield my child.

“Brandon?” I screamed as my foot lost its holding before it gave way for my body to fall backward into the water.

Death…I could almost taste it.

The pain in my chest was too much, though I couldn't tell if it was from the bullet or the betrayal.

As I started sinking into the water, my mind raced, trying to make sense of it all. Why did this happen to me?

Why did the two people I trusted most betray me like this? My fiancé and my best friend.

What kind of mother would I be if I didn't bring it into this world before dying a miserable death? I prayed to any god that might hear me—if I could just get one last chance to live for the sake of my child, I would do everything in my power to make sure those who betrayed me pay for their sins. I would see to it that they are punished severely.

"If I could get one more chance to live, I wouldn't spare any of them—not a single one. I just wanted to live for my child's sake and punish those who dared to harm us.

I just needed a second chance at life. It was as if my prayers were answered by a supreme being when I felt a strong hand grab my arm from above the water and start pulling me to the surface.

At that moment, I was barely conscious, but as soon as that hand touched me, I began to feel strange. My wolf stirred within me as if she was about to burst out at any moment.

It felt strange, yet familiar. She had been like this before, but I couldn't remember when. And just as I was about to lose consciousness completely, my wolf whispered one last word, shocking me:

‘Mate…’