Book 3: "Blood and Ashes"

Chapter 5: Betrayal's Sting

Betrayal’s Sting

As Riley moved silently through the dim corridors of the fortress, her heightened senses sharpened by months of survival under Cannibal’s reign, she caught the unmistakable sound of Mango’s voice, low and conspiratorial.

“I’ve done what was asked of me,” Mango said, his tone dripping with arrogance. “The pack is fragmented, their Luna broken. Cannibal’s grip tightens with every passing day. They won’t rise again.”

Riley froze, her pulse pounding in her ears. The words struck like daggers, each one sinking deeper than the last. She had trusted Mango—or at least, she had wanted to, despite the doubts that had gnawed at her since their paths first crossed. He had claimed to be one of them, a wolf who had suffered at Cannibal’s hands, someone who understood the pain of losing family, of losing home. Yet here he was, revealing the sinister truth: he wasn’t a victim, but the architect of her torment.

Her claws dug into the stone wall as she forced herself to listen, staying hidden in the shadows.

“The pup was the key,” Mango continued, his voice laced with cruel satisfaction. “Threatening the boy was enough to shatter her resolve. Cannibal didn’t even need to get his hands dirty. She practically threw herself at his feet to protect him.”

Riley’s breath hitched. The memory of that moment—of begging Cannibal for her son’s life, of submitting to his will—seared through her mind. She had believed she was saving her child, protecting her pack, making the ultimate sacrifice for their survival. But it had all been orchestrated, a game played by Mango and Cannibal, with her as their pawn.

Her blood boiled, the sting of betrayal mixing with a fiery rage that threatened to consume her. Mango had wormed his way into her life, pretending to be an ally, all while weaving a web of deceit. He had watched her suffer, watched her struggle to hold her pack together, and all the while, he had been feeding their weaknesses to Cannibal.

The conversation ended abruptly as the lieutenant departed, leaving Mango standing alone in the corridor. Riley stepped out of the shadows, her eyes blazing with fury.

“Mango,” she growled, her voice low and dangerous.

He turned, startled for only a fraction of a second before his expression shifted into one of calculated calm. “Riley,” he said smoothly, “I didn’t hear you approach.”

“Spare me your lies,” she snapped, advancing on him, claws unsheathed. “I heard everything. You’ve been working with Cannibal this entire time. You betrayed us—betrayed me!”

Mango’s mask of indifference faltered, replaced by a flicker of something that might have been regret. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, and he straightened, defensive. “I did what I had to do, Riley. You think loyalty is enough to survive in Cannibal’s world? It’s not. I chose the winning side.”

“The winning side?” Riley spat, voice trembling with rage. “You chose to destroy your own kind, to sell out your pack for power? Safety?” She shook her head, her golden eyes narrowing. “You’re a coward, Mango. And worse, you’re a traitor.”

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, it seemed he might argue, might try to justify his actions. But then his expression shifted, a smirk curling on his lips that only fueled Riley’s anger. “Call me what you want,” he said coldly. “But look around you, Luna. Your pack is gone. Your son is alive because I made it so. You’re alive because I kept you useful to Cannibal. You may hate me, but you owe me.”

Riley’s claws lashed out before she could stop herself, slicing through the fabric of his shirt and leaving shallow cuts across his chest. “I owe you nothing,” she snarled. “You think I’ll let this betrayal go unpunished? You don’t know me as well as you think.”

Mango’s smirk faded, replaced by a glimmer of uncertainty. For the first time, he seemed to realize the depth of Riley’s fury—the unrelenting strength of a mother, a leader, and a wolf pushed to her limits.

“You’ve made your choice, Mango,” she said, her voice cold and resolute. “And now, so have I. You’re no longer one of us. You never were.”

She turned and walked away, her heart heavy with the weight of yet another loss. Mango’s betrayal was a wound deeper than she could have imagined, a reminder that even in the darkest moments, the people she thought she could trust could become her enemies.

But as she strode down the corridor, her resolve hardened. Mango might have played his part in her downfall, but he would not define her. She would find a way to reclaim her strength, to rebuild what had been torn apart. And when the time came, Mango and Cannibal would see the full force of the fire they had tried to extinguish.