Seraphina POV:

A deafening roar, not of sound but of pure will, echoed in the cathedral of my skull.

It was the howl of my awakened wolf, a cry of pure, destructive rage.

I reached up and with a single, vicious tug, tore the pure white veil from my head.

The delicate lace ripped, falling to the stone floor like dirty snow.

Julian reached out to touch me, his face a mask of feigned panic.

"Seraphina, what are you doing?" he asked.

I ignored him and moved with a speed that sent a collective gasp through the stunned onlookers.

I grabbed the silver ceremonial sword resting on the altar.

I gripped the leather-wrapped hilt, but the intricate silver of the crossguard still radiated a faint, searing heat against my skin that my healing abilities fought to ignore. I didn't care.

I leaped off the altar steps and charged at the cloaked intruder.

The intruder stumbled back, raising their hands in fear.

I swung the silver blade, catching the thick fabric of the cloak.

With a sharp pull, I sliced the tie at the neck.

The heavy cloak fell away, revealing the person hiding beneath.

The foul scent of the witch's brew faded instantly.

It was replaced by the sickeningly sweet scent of crushed roses and honey.

It was the undeniable scent of an Omega.

Elara stood there, shivering in a loose tunic that was far too large for her.

She let out a high-pitched scream.

Her voice was no longer rough, but delicate and distinctly female.

"How dare a filthy Rogue disrupt a sacred Mating Ceremony?" I yelled.

I stepped closer, the fury emanating from me a palpable, shimmering heat.

"You dare wear male clothing to ruin the reputation of a high-ranking female?"

I reached out and grabbed the collar of her tunic.

With one fierce pull, I tore the fabric down her shoulder.

Her slight, fragile Omega frame was thus laid bare before the assembly.

I grabbed the bone crown holding up her hair and crushed it in my hand.

Her long, golden hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall.

As the whispers grew louder, I took a half-second to focus my will, sending a silent, urgent command through the Mind-Link to my most trusted guard hiding in the shadows of the cathedral pillars.

The heavy pressure of my dominant aura crashed down on her.

Elara's knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the uneven, mortar-dusted flagstones, a small cloud of ancient dust rising around her as she sobbed.

The mood in the cathedral shifted in a heartbeat.

The Pack members who were whispering about my purity a moment ago were now disgusted by her.

An Omega masquerading as a male to sabotage a noble wedding was an unforgivable offense.

I raised my hand and slapped Elara across the face.

The sound echoed loudly against the high vaulted ceilings.

"Who gave you the courage to frame a Warrior general's daughter?" I demanded.

My mind raced with the memories of my past life.

In that timeline, Julian was supposed to step in right now to play the hero.

He was supposed to calm the crowd and save her from the Warriors.

Elara sat on the floor, biting her lip so hard it bled, refusing to speak.

I took a deep breath, preparing to use my Alpha's Command.

The vocal power would force her into immediate submission.

Before I could speak the command, a heavy force shoved me from the side.

Julian pushed me away with all his strength.

He quickly took off his expensive suit jacket and wrapped it tightly around Elara's trembling shoulders.

His scent of damp earth covered her sweet rose scent.

"Have you lost your mind, Seraphina?" Julian yelled at me.

He glared at me, his eyes full of anger.

"She is just a weak Omega, there is no need for such vicious cruelty!"

*His protectiveness was a confession louder than any words. A true mate wrongfully accused would demand answers—not shield the accuser. My fingers tightened on the sword's hilt as the last piece of the puzzle clicked into place. *

Seraphina POV:

A laugh, brittle and sharp as shattered glass, escaped my lips.

The sound cut through the tense silence of the cathedral.

"A weak Omega?" I asked, my neck muscles tightening as I fought the urge to lunge. I drew my chin in slightly, swallowing the nascent growl in my throat.

I pointed the tip of the silver sword at the floor near his boots.

"A moment ago, you were watching a male Rogue accuse your bride of betrayal."

I took a step toward him, my eyes narrowing.

"You stood there and did nothing while my honor was dragged through the mud."

Julian's Adam's apple bobbed violently against the starched collar of his bespoke jacket. His fingers curled instinctively toward his palm, as if to grasp something, but they unfurled again, limp and useless.

"But the second I expose this attacker, you suddenly find your protective instincts?" I pushed.

I looked at the way his hands lingered on her shoulders.

"Tell me, Julian, do you two already share a bed behind my back?"

The crowd erupted into a chaotic buzz.

I could feel the invisible hum of the Mind-Link vibrating in the air.

The entire Pack was talking to each other mentally, sharing their suspicions.

They were questioning why a noble heir would defend a criminal Omega who just ruined his wedding.

Julian felt the shift in the crowd's energy.

His posture shrank slightly under the collective judgment of the Warriors.

Still, he tried to maintain his arrogant noble pride.

"You are speaking nonsense, Seraphina!" he shouted, his voice cracking slightly.

He stood up straight, trying to look down at me.

"Your father is the revered Gamma, the protector of this Pack."

Julian pointed a finger at me, trying to use guilt.

"He taught his Warriors to protect the weak, not to bully innocent, lowly Omegas in the house of the Moon Goddess!"

I did not back down a single inch.

"My father leads his Warriors to protect loyal, honest Pack members," I fired back.

I glared at Elara, who was hiding her face in Julian's chest.

"He does not protect deceitful liars who use dark magic to destroy a future Luna's life."

Her stunt was designed to strip me of my right to lead.

"She is no innocent," I stated loudly, making sure everyone heard.

I stepped right into Julian's personal space.

"You say you are not involved with her."

I stared directly into his panicked eyes.

"As the future leader of your noble house, tell us all."

I gestured to the elders sitting in the front row.

"How does Pack Law dictate we punish a Rogue who sabotages a sacred ceremony?"

Julian opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Sweat formed on his forehead.

His inner wolf was pacing nervously, unable to find a way out of the trap.

He just held Elara tighter, his silence speaking volumes to the watching crowd.

I saw the exact shadow of my past life in his eyes.

This was the moment he used the chaos to sneak her out the back door.

But I was not the blind, foolish girl from before.

*I would not let them escape the light of truth. And deep in my bones, I felt my White Wolf pacing, waiting—knowing the moment to strike was almost here. *