Hey guys! Sorry that this chapter is a little short, I didn't know what else to add. The next chapters are going to be intense. I'm going to make it long, it's going to have lots of pain and depressing things. Just trying to prepare you.

The excitement is going to be starting a little later. As you probably guessed, Hunters have a major role in this story. Also, I finally added names to the packs! Cheesy names, but still names! Xavier's Pack's name is the Midnight Pack. You'll meet the other pack(s) in the next chapters!

Enjoy!

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-Tavita

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Chapter Five

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I felt hands clawing at my sheets and shaking my shoulders, attempting to wake me up. I groaned my resistance, but when there was a slap across my face, my eyes shot up. I sat up in bed and wearily look at Parker, who's standing by my bed, glaring hatefully down at me.   

"W-what's wrong, Parker?" I asked, softly, my voice thick with fear.

Parker scoffed, probably at the tone of my voice before turning away sharply. "Meeting downstairs," he said gruffly. "Get dressed and hurry up," he snapped before stalking out of my small, cramped room.

I followed after him with my eyes blankly until his back disappeared around the bend. Shaking away my uneasiness, I hopped into the shower in the bathroom across my room, brushed my teeth and hair and then dressed in a pair of old, washed jeans and the nicest shirt I owned, which wasn't that pretty. I sighed as I looked at my limp black hair hanging around my pale face. My milky blue eyes looked so lifeless and dull.

Stifling a quiet sob, I quickly rushed downstairs before I could anger the other pack members for keeping them waiting. I checked the living room first, but it was empty, as well as the front yard. When I went out back, Xavier was standing on the big boulder that had been there by the edge of the forest ever since I could remember. I remembered that Alpha Archer used to stand up there when he called meetings. A sharp pain flicked through my chest. Alpha Archer was gone.

Wipe those tears, bring your shoulders back and march out there. Do not show them you are afraid, my wolf commanded.

I tried to not think of the fact that I was actually frightened to death, but I could never shield thoughts from my wolf. We were a part of each other.

Go.

Before my wolf decided to take control of my actions, I timidly stepped out into the background. All eyes turned to me simultaneously. Most were filled with disgust and hatred. Xavier's were blank. Hayden refused to meet my eyes.

I so longed to see Archer in the crowd of faces. He would've smiled at me. He would've shown me love. He would've treated me like I belonged.

"Cadrian," Xavier said my name coldly and bitterly and nodded. I meekly stepped out farther into the yard. Parker groaned in impatience and grabbed my arm roughly, dragging me farther out. I resisted the urge to cry out.

"Now that the rest of our pack is here," Xavier spat, glaring at me, but I, being his mate, could easily see through all the coldness to the deep, raw pain that lay under the façade. "The Alpha and Beta," Xavier looked away before regaining his composure and facing the crowd, "They're dead." There were audible gasps in the crowd and everyone whispered amongst themselves. Hayden stood rigidly next to Xavier, his eyes unseeing.

"But how?" one of the older members of the pack asked, sounding horrified.

"Hunters," Xavier replied and as if on cue, everyone turned to look at me. I cowered back, trying to shrink into the shadows. Parker only grabbed my arm again and forced me in front of him.

"Stop trying to hide, freak," Parker snarled. I cringed at his angry tone.

Holly glared at me, hatefully. She saw me as our parent's killer. Why couldn't they all understand I didn't mean for them to get hurt? I loved my father and my mother. They were everything to me. Then suddenly, Holly's eyes widened as she came up with a plan. "Xavier, you're Alpha now. Why don't you exile Cadrian? Alpha Archer never did it. Now we'll finally be able to get rid of her," Holly said, her voice dripping with venom.       

My eyes widened, panicked. No, they wouldn't do that, would they? I knew I said I'd runaway if I could, but I never meant it. Where would I go? I had no money, no training. I had nobody. Xavier surely wouldn't exile his own mate...Right?

Choruses of agreement arose from the pack. I clenched my eyes closed tightly. This couldn't be happening. A torrent of tears streamed down my face as Parker's grip on my arm tightened to the point where my blood circulation was cut off.

I finally peeked open my eye when everybody became quiet. I saw that Xavier had his hand up, staring at me coldly. Please don't, Xavier. Please don't, I begged through our link. It wasn't common for mates to be able to speak through links before they are marked, but we weren't exactly a normal werewolf couple.

"Xavier," Hayden gripped his arm. "Your father loved Cadrian. He wouldn't want you to do that," he said in a low voice, but I could hear. We all could.

Our new Alpha, my mate, looked down at Hayden with a steely gaze. "I make the rules here, Hayden," he growled, yanking his arm from his best friend's grip. Xavier met my fearful eyes. "Cadrian," he addressed me.

Tears cascaded down my cheeks freely. Don't Xavier, no. I love you. You're my mate, Xavier, you're supposed to love me back!

I didn't expect an answer, but I still got one. It wasn't a verbal one, but I felt his answer and it tore me up, starting from my stomach to my heart. I heard my blood rushing in my ears.

That little click I heard in my brain just cut me off from everything I'd ever known. It severed every link I had to my pack mates and now I was, legitimately, alone. No.

"Cadrian Forrest, I officially exile you from the Midnight Pack. You are no longer welcomed here," Xavier said in an emotionless voice.

"Xavier, no!" I gasped, rushing through the crowd to him. I grabbed his hand, feeling the tiny, miniscule sparks, but then he tore his hand away as if my touch had burned him. "Xavier, where am I supposed to go? I have no one, nothing. Please don't do this Xavier," I begged.

His foot lashed out, kicking me away. He had a big height advantage since he was standing on the boulder. "Leave Cadrian," he ordered.

He cannot really exile his own mate! My wolf outraged.

My tears dripped down my chin to the deep green grass. "I love you, Xavier. Please don't do this," I whispered, tilting my head back, my black hair falling back behind my shoulders, no longer shielding my milky blue eyes. He stared at me, conflicting emotions flicking across his face. "I love you. Please Xavier," I whimpered.

He shook his head, furiously, his dark brown hair falling over his forehead. "If you're still in our territory in the next thirty minutes, whoever from my pack finds you will not hesitate to end your life."

I inhaled sharply, staggering back. He would let his pack kill him mate? I raised my hand, touching my chest where my heart was, feeling the piercing pain that came with his repeated rejection. I never thought Xavier hated me enough to kick me out of my own pack.

I closed my eyes, back away from the pack to the edge of the trees. I regained my composure and opened my eyes, staring at the people I used to call family despite everything they put me through. My face was cold and filled with a newfound hate. I met the eyes of every single one of my former pack, looking at Parker and Holly longer than the others before stopping on Xavier.

"I swear, you're going to regret everything you've ever put me through," I said in a steely voice, staring at my mate the whole time.

With that, I turned and I bolted. I felt proud that I was able to finally stand up for myself, even if it wasn't that much. But soon that moment of pride vanished, replaced by endless waves of agony as I took myself farther away from my home and my mate and everything I'd ever known.