Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 8

**TITLE: Healing Slowly But Surely By R. Joseph**
**Capítulo 8: An Unknown**

Leilani.

The stillness that enveloped us after my words hung in the air like a thick fog, suffocating and heavy. I twisted my fingers together nervously, my heart racing as I silently pleaded for them to just leave me alone. Perhaps, I thought, if we could just get through this moment, we could tally our losses and part ways, each of us carrying our burdens in silence.

—At least that was the hope I clung to for them… for Chalice. For myself.

But reality had a different plan in store.

My mother, the one who had always been my fiercest critic, looked utterly taken aback, her expression morphing into one of disbelief. And then—

*Crack*

“You ungrateful bitch!” she screamed, her hand connecting sharply with my cheek. The sting radiated through my face, a burning reminder of her rage. “After everything we’ve done for you, this is how you repay us?!”

I wanted to retort, to ask her what they had truly done for me since I was six years old, other than eroding my self-worth and turning my existence into a cruel joke. But the words died in my throat. Instead, I lowered my gaze, squeezing my eyes shut as if that could shield me from the weight of their stares, the palpable tension swirling in the air like a storm about to break.

“You would go this far just to demonstrate how hateful and jealous you are of your sister? Unbelievable!”

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, stinging like fire. The ache in my cheeks from her slap pulsed through my head, which felt like it was filled with lead. But I fought to stay upright, to endure. Until my father’s voice cut through the haze like a jagged knife;

“I don’t care if you want to sever ties with us.” He spat, each word laced with venom. “In fact, I don’t care about you at all. But first, you will be punished for everything you’ve done. You will be punished for killing your grandmother—”

“Have I not been punished enough for that already?!” I burst out, my voice trembling as vivid memories of the lashings I had endured over the past two days flooded my mind.

The sharp crack of his palm against my face was the last thing I registered before a wave of pain erupted on my left cheek, splitting my lips in the process. I crumpled onto the bed, tears flowing freely now, each drop a testament to my anguish.

My father’s expression twisted into a grimace of contempt. “No. No punishment is sufficient for a hateful loser like you.” He hissed, his eyes glinting with fury. “You need death! You deserve it!”

For a fleeting moment, my gaze flickered to Chalice. To my horror, she wore a smirk, her face a mask of satisfaction. Her grin widened as she turned to my father, whispering conspiratorially,

“Daddy, she’s suffered enough. Just look at her! So please…”

“She’s this spoiled because you coddle her too much!” Gavin interjected, his tone harsh and accusatory. “And she will continue to commit these petty crimes if we don’t take action.”

“You call her crimes petty?” my father growled. “She killed my mother! She invited rogues into the pack! That’s murder and treason—crimes that warrant death!”

The weight of his words hit me like a physical blow, my breath catching in my throat. A heavy silence descended upon the room, and I could see the malicious delight flickering in my father’s eyes, as though he reveled in the cruelty of his proclamation.

“I’ve disowned her. She even has emancipation documents to sever ties with us. She’s no longer part of our family.”

“Malakai… what do you mean?” My mother’s voice trembled, betraying her fear as she spoke, her eyes wide with disbelief.

I doubled over, as if physically struck, squeezing my eyes shut to block out the painful tableau before me. My mates were in the room, witnessing my torment, yet they stood idly by, doing nothing.

“Guards!” Caelum’s voice shattered the silence, and my head jerked up at the urgency in his tone. Two guards burst into the room, their presence a harbinger of doom. “Take her away,” he ordered coldly. “Make sure she’s whipped ten times for hurting Chalice, twenty times for hurting her grandmother, and an additional fifty times with the hot whip for committing treason.”

“Also, make the female slaves parade her around the pack house when you’re done. Ensure everyone knows what she’s made of and the crimes she’s committed,” Kael added, his voice dripping with disdain. If I had felt wounded before, I was utterly shattered now.

“I didn’t do anything!” I cried out, my voice thick with agony. “I really didn’t! How can I prove my innocence to you?”

“So you’re saying that grandma pushed herself down the stairs? And that the chat on your phone was fake?” Gavin sneered, stepping closer to deliver a brutal smack to my forehead that sent stars dancing across my vision.

I recoiled but stood my ground. “I swear, I didn’t. I would never.”

“She’s so stubborn. Take her away!” My father seethed, and with that, the guards surged forward.

A choked sob escaped my lips as their strong arms clamped around mine, dragging me away from the only life I had ever known. And as I was pulled from the room, I cast one last glance at my family and mates, my heart aching with betrayal.

Chalice, the spiteful witch, couldn’t conceal her glee as they dragged me into the unknown.

And in that moment, I couldn’t help but wonder how no one else could see the truth behind her facade but me.