"Moon Goddess above! Is… is that even a wolf's face? It's scarier than a hellhound!"

"I heard Miss Sera was captured by Nightshades and forced a shift in magical fire… Is it true?"

"Poor future Alpha, having to marry such a… monster as Luna!"

The moment the words were out, Elara expertly dropped to her knees in front of me again.

She raised her hand and started frantically slapping her own flawless face.

"Sister Sera, I'm sorry! I didn't do it on purpose! I'm really sorry…"

Her mouth was saying sorry, but her foot was firmly planted on my mask.

Rage blazed within me. I shoved her away hard, trying to get my mask back.

The next second, a powerful force from behind sent me sprawling.

My forehead slammed hard against the stone steps. The barely-healed skin split open instantly, wolf blood trickling down my cheek.

Without even a glance at me, Alpha Mitchell darted forward and carefully pulled the weeping, damsel-in-distress Elara into his arms.

"Seraphina! What do you think you're doing?!" Mitchell's roar silenced the square.

"We're about to publicly announce the bonding date today! Do you have to keep picking on Elara?"

Jax's wolf eyes widened, staring daggers at me, his face a mask of grim warning.

"Sera! I never thought you'd turn into this! If I'd known then what I know now, I never would have agreed to bring her back to the pack!"

"She's just an Omega orphan! Is that any reason for you to target her again and again? You were born with everything! Elara Thorne has nothing! Why can't you show her a shred of pity?!"

The surrounding pack members, already sympathetic towards Mitchell and Jax because of my disfigurement, now completely sided with them, speaking up for them and that "weak, pitiful" Elara.

"Looks like Miss Sera ruined her own face, and now she can't stand to see anyone else happy, huh?"

"A wolf this petty deserves to be Blackwood's Luna? The future Alpha is truly merciful."

"I heard wolves with physical defects tend to have mental problems too. Maybe Miss Sera's gone psycho?"

The group of werewolves stepped back a few paces, as if I were some kind of plague.

I bit my lip so hard I tasted the metallic tang of my own blood, just to stop the tears from falling.

Numbly, I picked up the mask Elara had stepped on and dirtied, and put it back on.

Mitchell let out a contemptuous snort.

"Who are you trying to look pitiful for? Didn't think about the consequences when you made your move, did you?"

"I told you, Seraphina, if you dare touch a single hair on Elara's head again, the bonding ceremony is off! Blackwood will absolutely not have a lunatic as its Luna!"

Jax immediately leaped onto a rock, roaring at all the werewolves:

"Did you all know? That Nightshade ambush last time, that magical fire – it was all planned by our 'esteemed' Miss Sera here!"

"She was jealous of the Alpha candidates' attention on Elara, afraid of losing her Luna position, so she colluded with Nightshade to try and get rid of Elara! A wolf like her not being executed is only because Elara was merciful and pleaded for her! And now she still has the nerve to bite at Elara like a rabid dog! Her bonding ceremony – would you even dare to attend?"

His words hit them like thunder.

"Miss Sera hired Nightshades to kidnap herself and Elara? Just to fight for the Alpha's affection? Is this woman insane?!"

"How is this any different from treason? Calling her names is the lightest punishment, far from enough!"

"Her father, Elder Mooncrest, died young. No one taught her what a Luna's responsibilities are!"

"No wonder she was so desperate to announce the bonding date as soon as she could walk. Afraid the future Alpha would run off! Too bad her face is ruined!"

The mocking words, like poisoned arrows, pierced my heart.

My nails dug deep into my palms. My eyes red, I stared hard at Mitchell.

"Don't worry, Mitchell. I won't bother you anymore, and I will absolutely not be your Luna." My voice was quiet, but firm.

Mitchell actually laughed, as if he'd heard the funniest joke in the world. He slowly walked over to me, roughly grabbing my chin.

"Not be Luna? Sera, isn't everything you've done been to become the mistress of Blackwood? Who are you trying to impress with these noble-sounding words now?" His warm breath on my face made me sick.

"In my entire life, I've never seen such a shameless bitch! If I announced the cancellation of our bonding right now, would you slit your throat in front of me to threaten me next?"

"I've seen too many of your tricks, Sera. Don't think I'll fall for them again! You'd better behave!"

With that, Mitchell and Jax, protecting a still "trembling" Elara, left the square without looking back.

The shaken pack members scrambled to get away.

Two minutes later, Beta Jax's "revelation" had spread throughout the entire Blackwood territory.

I, Seraphina, became public enemy number one for all the packs.

I sat collapsed on the cold stone slabs for a long time, until night fell.

Only then did the pack steward dare to approach cautiously, his voice trembling:

"Miss… Madam… she's coming back soon, you—"

"Help me pack my things. I'm leaving tonight, through the secret passage, to Havenwood."

I didn't want to stay in this place for one more second.

Just as I was about to step into the secret passage, Mitchell's mind-link pierced my thoughts.

"Tonight was just a warning, Seraphina. I won't make your plotting of the ambush public, but there won't be a next time. From now on, you should know what you can and can't do. The bonding ceremony can still happen, on one condition: you kneel before Elara and beg for her forgiveness."

Mitchell, there really won't be a next time between us.

And no 'from now on' either.

I decisively severed all mental links with him.

Dragging my bag, I stepped into the dark secret passage without a backward glance.

Goodbye, and good riddance, to my laughable, so-called destined Alphas.