Chapter 25 The Announcement
Zoe's POV
Three days later, the pack hosted the yearly Eastern Pack Gathering.
All the eastern packs came together. Alphas. Lunas. Elders. Warriors.
A celebration. A show of unity.
The great hall was packed. Decorated. Beautiful.
I wore a silver dress. One of Olivia's favorites, Scarlett said.
Ryan stood beside me at the head table.
We hadn't spoken much since that morning.
Since Sierra.
Since everything fell apart.
"Smile." Ryan whispered. "Everyone is watching."
I forced a smile. Fake. Empty.
The night went on. Music. Dancing. Speeches.
Then... Sierra stood up.
Walked to the center of the hall.
Everyone went quiet.
"I have an announcement." Her voice rang clear. Confident. "Something I need to share with all of you."
Ryan tensed beside me.
"What is she doing?" he whispered.
Sierra smiled. Wide. Triumphant.
"I'm pregnant."
Gasps filled the hall.
Whispers. Murmurs.
"And the father..." She paused. Looked directly at Ryan. "Is Alpha Ryan."
The hall exploded.
Voices. Shouts. Chaos.
"What?"
"That's impossible!"
"But the Luna..."
"Sierra and Ryan?"
My world stopped.
Everything went silent in my head.
Pregnant.
With Ryan's baby.
"That's a lie!" Ryan stood up. His voice thunderous. "I never touched you!"
"Didn't you?" Sierra pulled out papers. Photos. "I have proof."
She held them up. High. For everyone to see.
Photos of her and Ryan. In his room. On his bed.
"These were taken that night. The night you were so drunk you couldn't remember." Her smile was cruel. "The night you needed... comfort."
"No." Ryan's face went white. "No, that's not... we didn't..."
"Didn't we?" She walked closer. "You don't remember. You said so yourself."
The pack erupted again.
Louder. Angrier.
"The Alpha betrayed the Luna!"
"With his ex!"
"Disgraceful!"
I couldn't breathe.
Couldn't move.
My chest felt like it was caving in.
"Olivia..." Ryan turned to me. "Don't believe her. Please. She's lying."
But I couldn't hear him.
All I could see were those photos.
Him and Sierra.
Together.
My vision blurred. Darkened.
"Zoe!" Scarlett's voice cut through. "Zoe, can you hear me?"
She grabbed my arm. Pulled me up.
"We need to leave. Now."
"I didn't... Olivia, please..." Ryan reached for me.
But Scarlett blocked him.
"Not now, Alpha." Her voice was hard. "She needs air."
"Let me talk to her...I didn't do anything! Sierra is lying!"
"Then prove it." Scarlett's eyes blazed. "But not now. Not here. Not when she can barely stand."
She was right.
My legs barely worked.
My chest hurt. So much.
Everything hurt.
Scarlett led me out of the hall.
Through the corridors.
Away from the chaos.
Away from Ryan.
Away from Sierra's triumphant smile.
"Breathe." Scarlett said. "Just breathe."
But I couldn't.
How could I breathe when my world was ending?
"It's not true." Scarlett kept talking. "You know it's not true. Sierra is lying."
"The photos..."
"Can be faked. Can be staged." She squeezed my hand. "Don't believe her."
"But what if..." My voice broke. "What if it's true? What if he really..."
"He didn't. I know he didn't."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know Ryan." She stopped walking. Looked at me. "He loves Olivia. Only Olivia. He would never betray you. Not even drunk."
"But the photos..."
"Are lies. Just like everything else that comes out of Sierra's mouth."
Behind us, footsteps.
Fast. Heavy.
"Olivia! Wait!"
Ryan's voice.
"Keep walking." Scarlett pulled me forward.
"Please! Just let me explain!"
"There's nothing to explain!" Scarlett shouted back. "Leave her alone!"
"I need to talk to her!"
"She doesn't want to talk to you!"
Ryan caught up. Blocked our path.
His face was desperate. Broken.
"Olivia, please. Look at me."
I couldn't. I couldn't look at him.
"Those photos are fake. Sierra staged them. I swear on my life."
"Alpha..." Scarlett stepped between us. "This might not be the best time."
"I don't care about the time!" His voice cracked. "My wife thinks I betrayed her. I need to fix this!"
"You can't fix it right now." Scarlett's voice was firm. "She needs space. She needs time."
"I've given her time! I've given her space! And look what happened!" He gestured wildly. "Sierra is spreading lies and my mate won't even look at me!"
"Because she's hurt!" Scarlett shouted. "Because she's breaking! Can't you see that?"
Ryan looked at me then.
Really looked at me.
And I saw his face crumble.
"Olivia..." His voice was a whisper now. "Please. Don't shut me out."
I opened my mouth.
But no words came.
Just pain.
Just this crushing, unbearable pain.
"Come on." Scarlett pulled me around him. "Let's get you to your room."
"Olivia!" Ryan called after us. "I love you! Please believe me!"
But I kept walking.
One foot in front of the other.
Down the hallway.
Up the stairs.
To my room.
Scarlett opened the door.
"Go inside. I'll get you some water."
I nodded. Walked in.
She closed the door behind me.
I stood there in the darkness.
Alone.
Sierra's words echoing in my head.
"I'm pregnant. And the father is Alpha Ryan."
The photos flashed in my mind.
Him and her.
Together.
My chest tightened. Squeezed.
I couldn't breathe.
Couldn't think.
Everything was spinning.
My legs gave out.
I fell.
Hit the floor hard.
Pain shot through me.
But not as much as the pain in my chest.
In my heart.
I tried to breathe.
Couldn't.
Tried to move.
Couldn't.
Everything went dark around the edges.
Fading.
Slipping away.
The door opened.
Light from the hallway.
"Zoe, I brought..." Scarlett's voice.
Then... silence.
"ZOE!"
Footsteps. Fast. Running.
"Oh goddess. Zoe. ZOE!"
I felt her hands on me.
Shaking me.
But I couldn't respond.
Couldn't move.
Couldn't do anything.
Everything was fading.
Going dark.
"Stay with me!" Scarlett's voice was far away now. "Please stay with me!"
But I couldn't.
I was slipping.
Falling.
Into darkness.
Into nothing.