Forbidden Mate, Bound by Fate

Chapter 5

SYDNEY

Just as Gray was about to say something else, the door to his room burst open, and his parents, the Alpha and Luna of the pack, stood in the doorway, their faces shocked and outraged.

"Gray, what's going on here?" his father thundered, his eyes scanning the room and taking in the scene before him.

Gray and I were both still naked, and Alexis was crying on the floor, her body shaking with sobs. The room was thick with tension, and I could feel the weight of Gray's parents' disapproval bearing down on me.

"Gray, explain yourself," his mother demanded, her voice cold and unforgiving.

Gray took a deep breath and tried to explain, but his words were hesitant and unsure. "I... I don't know what happened, Mother. Father. I woke up, and Sydney was... was here."

His parents' faces darkened with anger, and I knew I was in trouble.

"You're telling me that you, the future Alpha of this pack, brought a stranger into your bed and into our pack, without so much as a thought for the consequences?" his father roared.

Gray looked at me, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of guilt and regret in his eyes. But then, his expression hardened, and he turned back to his parents.

"I'm sorry, Father. Mother. I made a mistake.”

But it was too late. The damage was done. Gray's parents turned to me, their eyes blazing with anger and contempt.

"You," his mother spat, "are no longer welcome in our pack. You will leave now and never return.”

Gray's parents looked at me with disgust and anger, but Gray himself looked at me with a mixture of anger and something else—something that looked almost like hatred.

"Wait," Gray said, his voice cold and hard. "You can't just kick her out. She needs to be punished."

His parents looked at him in surprise. "Punished?" his mother repeated. "Gray, what are you talking about? Aren't you going to kill her?"

Gray's eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a chill run down my spine. "She drugged me," he said, his voice dripping with venom. "She put something in my drink, and then she took advantage of me. She needs to pay for that with a heavy price, Mother. Killing her is just an easy escape.”

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. "That's not true! I didn't drug you, Alpha," I protested, but Gray just laughed.

"Don't lie," he sneered. "I can smell the guilt on you. You think you can just drug me, take advantage of me, and then walk away?"

His parents looked at me with even more disgust and anger, and I knew I was in grave danger.

"She needs to be punished," Gray repeated. "She needs to pay for what she's done."

Gray's parents exchanged a resolute glance, their faces stern with determination. His father spoke up, his voice firm and authoritative.

"We will gather the pack and administer her punishment in front of everyone. This will serve as a warning to all who dare to disobey us."

Alpha Gray's eyes blazed with intensity as he added, "This will be a clear message to anyone who dares to disrespect me. They will know the consequences of their actions."

The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, a threat that left no room for doubt. The silence that followed was oppressive, thick with anticipation.

I knew I was in trouble. I knew I had to get out of there, and fast. But as I looked around the room, I realized I was surrounded. There was no escape.

Alexis's crying grew louder and more pitiful, and she threw herself at Gray's parents' feet.

"Please, Mother and Father," she sobbed. "You have to protect me. Sydney is a monster. She drugged Gray and took advantage of him just to try and become the Luna of our pack.”

Gray's parents looked at me with even more disgust and anger, and I knew I was in grave danger.

"How could you, Sydney?" Gray's mother spat. "How could you stoop so low?"

I tried to protest, but Alexis's crying and accusations had already convinced Gray's parents of my guilt.

"You're just trying to cover your mistakes," Gray's father sneered. "But it won't work. You'll pay for what you've done."

Alexis's crying slowly subsided, and she looked up at me with a triumphant smile. I knew then that she had planned this all along. She had manipulated Gray and his parents, using her tears and accusations to turn them against me.

And now, I was facing the consequences of her deception.

Gray's grip on my arm was like a vice, and he dragged me out of his room without even giving me a chance to grab my clothes. I was still naked, and I felt a wave of humiliation wash over me as I was pulled through the hallway.

But then, I saw my chance. As we passed by the bed, I managed to grab Gray's T-shirt that was lying on the edge of the bed. I clutched it to my chest, trying to cover my naked body.

Gray didn't even notice. He just kept dragging me, his anger and humiliation radiating from him like a palpable force. I stumbled and staggered, trying to keep up with him, but my legs felt like jelly.

As we reached the top of the stairs, Gray stopped and turned to me. His eyes blazed with anger, and his voice was low and menacing.

"You're going to regret what you did," he hissed. "You're going to regret ever crossing me."

I felt a wave of fear wash over me, and I trembled with sadness and humiliation. How had things gone so wrong? I had never meant to hurt anyone, and now I was facing the consequences of Gray's anger and Alexis's deception.

Gray's grip on my arm tightened, and he started to drag me down the stairs. I stumbled and staggered, trying to keep up with him, but my heart felt heavy with sadness and fear, fearing for my life and thinking of what was going to happen to me.

As we reached the ground floor, Gray's guards stepped forward, their faces stern and unyielding.

"What is the command, Alpha?" one of them asked, his voice firm and respectful.

Gray's eyes blazed with anger, and his voice was cold and unforgiving.

"Punish her," he growled. "She drugged me and took advantage of me. She must be punished severely."

The guards nodded, their faces expressionless. "Yes, Alpha," one of them said. "What is the punishment?"

Gray's eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a chill run down my spine. "Lash her," he said, his voice dripping with venom.

He paused for a second and shot me a deadly glare before he spoke again and gave his command.

"Fifty lashes, and put a silver collar around her neck," he commanded. "She will wear it as a reminder of her misbehavior."

As the guards moved to carry out Gray's orders, I felt a surge of desperation. I was about to be punished for a crime I didn't commit, and I was running out of time.

Just as the whip was about to come down on my skin, I heard a loud noise coming from outside. The guards stopped, looking at each other with confusion.

"What's going on?" Gray demanded, his voice angry and frustrated.

One of the guards stepped forward. "It seems we have an unexpected visitor, Alpha," he said, his voice hesitant.

Gray's eyes narrowed. "Who is it?" he growled.

The guard swallowed hard. "It's the Beta of the rival pack, Alpha. He's here with a message.”

Gray's face darkened, and I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this unexpected visitor could save me from the punishment that was about to be inflicted on me. But as Gray's eyes locked onto mine, I knew that my fate was still far from certain.