Tessa Frostmere stood her ground in the high-end silk boutique of the Silvermoon Dominion, her small four-foot-five curvy frame radiating absolute authority. The moment Lady Lyssara Thornwyck recognized her, the noble female's eyes widened in sheer panic, but that shock instantly turned into toxic wolf rage.

"Tessa Frostmere, you shameless omega bitch!" Lyssara roared, her sharp claws extending as she pounced forward. "How dare you try to creep back into the Dominion to hit on my brother again! I'm going to rip your throat out on my sister-in-law's behalf!"

Tessa didn't even flinch. She shifted her plump weight half a step to the left, taking advantage of Lyssara's wild, uncoordinated lunging. Lyssara tripped over her own heavy silk skirt and hit the polished stone floor hard, landing flat on her cheeks.

Tessa snorted softly, her dark eyes looking down with cold amusement. "Lady Lyssara, you used your noble status to drive me into the wilderness three years ago, but I didn't expect you to be so polite as to bow down at my feet today. Thank you for your kindness."

Her sharp words hit Lyssara like a slap, twisting the female wolf's face into a mask of embarrassment. "Bitch! I'm going to tear your skin off!"

Tessa narrowed her eyes, her inner omega alert and lethal. As Lyssara scrambled to her feet and rushed her again, Tessa simply lifted her small foot, hooking it neatly behind Lyssara's ankle. Lyssara hit the stone floor a second time with a loud, painful crash.

"Ouch!"

"Lyssara!"

A sleek, fair-skinned female wolf trotted quickly into the boutique, rushing to Lyssara's side. "Are you all right?"

Lyssara had never been so publicly humiliated in front of the shop attendants and noble customers. Glaring up at Tessa, who stood above her with a triumphant, sharp smile, Lyssara pushed herself up with Vespera Nightthorne's frantic help.

Lyssara's eyes burned with red anger. "I'm all right, Vespera. No worries. I just didn't expect to meet this exiled omega trash so quickly. Vespera, she must have snuck back into the Silvermoon Dominion to steal Alpha Kaelen away from you!"

Vespera turned slowly, her pale face locking eyes with Tessa.

No! Impossible! How could Tessa Frostmere be standing here...

Tessa didn't miss a single shift in Vespera's flickering green eyes. The scent of fear radiating off the noble female was intoxicating.

Tessa mocked her coldly, "Vespera Nightthorne, you really didn't expect to see me step foot in the territory again, did you?"

Vespera's body stiffened completely, her breath catching in her throat.

Lyssara looked back and forth between the two of them, her eyebrows furrowing. "Vespera, what does she mean by that?"

Every drop of color drained from Vespera's face. Tessa could tell in an instant that Vespera had kept her dirty schemes hidden from Lyssara all these years. Tessa withdrew her dark gaze, letting out a heavy, disdainful laugh.

"Lady Lyssara," Tessa said, her rich voice cutting through the store. "You are utterly mistaken. I have a broad-shouldered older brother in the Frostmere pack, so I have zero interest in stealing your brother's territory or his bed. It's been three long years, but why do you high-blooded wolves still love stealing things that don't belong to you? What is wrong with your mind?"

Lyssara went completely ballistic, her claws digging into Vespera's arm. "Stop lying, you omega filth! You know exactly what you came back for! You're a delusional psycho!"

Before Lyssara could take another step, Brynna Ashvale stepped up from behind her. Reaching out with a ruthless grip, Brynna grabbed a massive handful of Lyssara's styled hair, dragging her backward until Lyssara was forced to tilt her head all the way back.

Brynna chuckled dangerously into her ear. "Who are you calling a psycho, Lyssara Thornwyck?"

Lyssara shrieked, "I wasn't talking to you, Ashvale! What does this have to do with you?!"

Brynna snorted, her hands pulling tighter on the silk-smooth hair. "Tessa is my pack sister and my bestie. How dare you hurl insults at her in the middle of the Dominion! I've listened to your arrogant mouth for three years and I've been dying to teach you how an omega bleeds a noble bitch like you!"

Brynna yanked harder, forcing Lyssara down to her knees.

Vespera rushed forward, her hands hovering nervously in the air. "Please let go of Lyssara, Tessa! It was all my fault! Lyssara is innocent in this!"

Lyssara screamed through her teeth, "Stop begging this omega, Vespera! I'm fine! Argh!"

Brynna didn't hit her; she just held her by the roots, and the noble female couldn't bear the physical pain for even five seconds.

Tessa shook her head in sheer disdain. "Vespera Nightthorne, you are just as fake and hypocritical as the day you forged those pack papers. And Lyssara is truly such a simpleton to believe a single word out of your dirty mouth."

"Simpleton?! I dare you to say that again!" Lyssara howled, thrashing against Brynna's tight grip.

Tessa leaned down, her dark face inches from Lyssara's tearing eyes. "Lyssara Thornwyck is a simpleton. A brainless, loud-mouthed idiot."

"You—!"

"Release her right now."

A massive, terrifying presence washed over the shop as heavy leather boots echoed against the stone floor. Alpha Kaelen Thornwyck strode through the entrance, his broad chest filling out a dark leather tunic. He emanated an aura of absolute death, his clear-lens glasses sitting neatly on his sharp nose, making him look deceptively restrained.

Tessa's inner wolf shivered at his dark cedar scent, her core throbbing with a sudden, treacherous heat that made her dark skin flush.

The moment he appeared, Vespera trotted straight to his side, grabbing his muscular arm tightly. "Please help Lyssara, Kaelen! Tessa's friend is hurting her!"

Kaelen didn't even look at Vespera's hand on his arm. His dark golden eyes locked onto Brynna first.

Brynna felt the overwhelming pressure of an Alpha's aura crushing her chest, but she held her ground beside Tessa, refusing to drop her hands.

Then, Kaelen shifted his gaze slowly over to Tessa's four-foot-five frame. His eyes dragged down her dark curves, tracking the rise and fall of her chest under her clothes.

Tessa didn't run. She swung her plump hips casually, stepping right up to the kneeling Lyssara.

Lyssara gritted her teeth, her voice dripping with poison. "Tessa Frostmere, my brother is the supreme Alpha of this entire Dominion. If you don't have a death wish—"

PAK!

Tessa's small, heavy palm flew across Lyssara's face, the crack echoing like a whip through the entire boutique.

"Lyssara!" Vespera cried out in horror, clinging to Kaelen's arm as if she were the one who had been hit.

Brynna gave Tessa a massive thumb-up, grinning wickedly. She had thought Tessa might back down the moment Alpha Kaelen walked into the room.

Lyssara held her swollen, burning cheek, staring up at the short dark girl in absolute shock. "How dare you... how dare an omega strike a Thornwyck..."

PAK!

Tessa slapped her back across the other cheek without a second of hesitation.

"Lyssara Thornwyck, you owed me blood from three years ago. I am merely paying back the first installment," Tessa declared, her dark voice dropping to an icy, lethal whisper. "I don't care if your brother is here. Even if the High Alpha himself stood behind you today, I wouldn't tremble before a single one of you."

Tessa stepped closer, her brown eyes blazing with dark fire. "You will never, ever pay back what you took from my wolf."

"Let's go, Brynna," Tessa said cleanly.

Brynna gave Lyssara's hair one final, violent tug, letting the noble female flop face-first onto the cold floor before stepping over her to follow Tessa.

Lyssara pulled herself up, her face bright red and swollen, ready to scream curses after them. But when she turned her head, she froze. Kaelen was standing completely still, his golden eyes fixed on Tessa's retreating waist with a terrifying, unreadable intensity.

As Tessa passed Kaelen and Vespera, she deliberately brushed her soft, curvy arm against Kaelen's muscular side. She reached up, resting her small hand on his solid shoulder for a fraction of a second, feeling the rock-hard heat of his body beneath her palm.

"You deceitful bitch and your cold-blooded Alpha still haven't sealed your mate bond after all these years?" Tessa mocked right into Kaelen's ear, her sweet honey scent driving his inner wolf wild. "Hurry up and complete the ritual. You'd better tie yourselves together so you never ruin another innocent wolf's life again!"

With those sharp, burning words, Tessa pulled her hand back and walked straight out of the boutique alongside Brynna, never looking back once.

Lyssara scrambled up, her claws reaching out. "Kaelen! Did you hear how that ugly omega cursed us?! She called me a simpleton and called you a cold-blooded bastard! How could you just let her walk out of our territory's shop?!"

Kaelen didn't look at his sister. He reached out, his massive fingers closing around Lyssara's forearm with crushing strength.

"Lyssara. Enough is enough."

Lyssara looked at him pitifully, tears of rage welling in her eyes. "Kaelen, she hit me! She said we could never pay her back for what we owed her! What did she mean by that?!"

Lyssara tried to meet his eyes, but Kaelen's golden gaze was so dark and suffocating that she subconsciously ducked her head, unable to look at her brother.

Vespera's hands trembled against Kaelen's sleeve as she quickly tried to break the heavy silence. "Kaelen, didn't you come to the Forge to help me pick out a silk gown for High Alpha Odran's grand birthday feast at the Keep? Look at that crimson dress over there... it would fit the occasion perfectly..."

Kaelen slowly folded his clear-lens glasses closed, one temple at a time, and tucked them into his tunic. He walked over to the crimson dress Tessa had touched just moments before, his dark scent filling the entire room.

Vespera let out a small, relieved breath, believing she had successfully diverted his mind.

By the weekend, the grand territory of the Silvermoon Dominion was alive with red banners and howling horns. The grand birthday feast for High Alpha Odran Thornwyck was being held at the massive stone gates of the Thornwyck Alpha Keep.

Alpha leaders, noble warriors, and elders from dozens of visiting pack delegates filled the great stone hall, presenting rare furs, enchanted silver, and monster cores to honor the old ruler.

When Alpha Kaelen Thornwyck entered the grand hall with Vespera Nightthorne by his side—Vespera wearing the striking crimson silk dress—every eye in the room locked onto them.

Kaelen was the undisputed ruler of the Dominion. Since taking control of the pack resources three years ago, he had expanded their hunting grounds, crushed rival packs, and multiplied the territory's wealth tenfold.

Though he was only twenty-five winters old, he possessed the unyielding presence of a legendary warlord.

The elders of the Thornwyck bloodline had been pushing for him to take a formal Luna to secure the bloodline, and since he had walked alongside Vespera for years, the entire pack treated her as the future Luna of the Keep.

Whispers rippled through the gathered delegates as the pair walked toward the high thrones.

"Alpha Kaelen and Lady Vespera truly look like a match made by the Moon Goddess herself."

"Indeed. They have been standing together for nearly six years now, haven't they? When will the Alpha finally mark her and host the grand Luna binding ceremony?"

Vespera lifted her chin proudly, holding onto Kaelen's thick arm as they approached High Alpha Odran's throne.

The old Alpha sat on his carved wooden seat, his grey eyes looking down at his grandson with heavy authority. "Kaelen. You bring honor to the Keep today. But a true Alpha needs a true Luna by his side to rule the winter moons."

Vespera's heart leaped with violent excitement. This was the moment she had engineered for three long years. She leaned closer to Kaelen, her voice dripping with soft submissive heat. "High Alpha Odran, Kaelen has worked so hard for the territory. I am ready to serve the Keep whenever he wishes."

Kaelen remained completely silent, his face an unreadable block of ice. He reached into his pocket, pulling out his clear-lens glasses, and slowly unfolded them, sliding them onto his nose to mask the lethal golden fire in his eyes.

Before he could utter a single word, the massive iron doors of the Alpha Keep burst open with a booming crack that echoed off the high stone rafters.

The heavy guard horns failed to blow. The entire hall fell into a dead, stunned silence.

Standing in the grand archway was a short, breathtaking figure.

Tessa Frostmere stepped onto the black marble floor, her four-foot-five frame dressed in a jaw-dropping, form-fitting dress of dark gold spider-silk that hugged every single luscious curve of her plump body. Her smooth, dark skin glowed under the torchlight, and around her neck sat a heavy silver necklace—the ancient, sacred crest of the original Frostmere Luna lineage that had been stolen three years ago.

Beside her stood Garrick Frostmere, clad in full elder armor, carrying a sealed wooden chest stamped with the old Dominion seal.

Tessa walked into the center of the hall, her short heels clicking sharply against the stone, completely ignoring the stunned gasps of the noble elders and the sudden, violent thrum of energy radiating from Kaelen's chest.

Tessa lifted her small head, her dark eyes locking directly onto High Alpha Odran and then shifting slowly to Kaelen's rigid face.

"Forgive the late arrival, High Alpha," Tessa's rich, smooth voice carried across the silent room like a war horn. "The Frostmere bloodline has returned to the Keep to deliver a gift... and to demand the immediate return of our stolen Luna sacred items!"

Vespera Nightthorne cast a shy, practiced glance at Alpha Kaelen Thornwyck, waiting with bated breath for him to claim her before the assembled lords. As the pack elders whispered, they had been seen walking together across the Silvermoon Dominion for nearly six years. Vespera was growing anxious; if she did not secure her position as Luna of the Thornwyck Alpha Keep tonight, she would become the ultimate laughingstock among the northern territories.

However, Kaelen did not seem to hear a single word from the murmuring crowd.

A sharp spike of bitter disappointment pierced Vespera’s chest.

Kaelen stepped forward, approaching the high seat of High Alpha Odran Thornwyck. His posture was rigid, his voice deep and respectful. "May the moon grant you strength on your birthday, High Alpha."

Vespera quickly echoed, stepping into his shadow. "Happy birthday, High Alpha Odran. I brought this rare spirit-root from the eastern borders for you. May your claws remain sharp and your pack thrive."

High Alpha Odran took the carved wooden box, a doting smile breaking across his weathered face. "Brave child! Thank you for the gift, Vespera. I am pleased. I only hope you and Kaelen seal your mate bond soon so I can hold a strong Alpha great-grandpup before my time comes."

The old leader’s declaration practically stamped Vespera as the future Luna in front of every visiting pack delegate.

Vespera lowered her head, acting coy. "Please be patient, High Alpha. Kaelen and I are still focused on securing the territory borders."

"Yes, you are young," High Alpha Odran grunted warmly, "but I am an old wolf. If you do not give me an heir soon, my spirit will cross to the ancestral grounds without seeing the bloodline secured."

"Oh, High Alpha!" Vespera played at being sweet, her voice soft. "Do not speak of such things. Your wolf is as strong as ever."

"Sweet-talking female," Odran chuckled, clearly pleased.

Lady Morwen Thornwyck, Odran’s daughter-in-law, exchanged a knowing, smug look with Lyssara.

Lady Morwen stepped closer to the throne, gently reminding the old wolf, "Father, didn't you state you had an official decree to read to the delegates tonight?"

High Alpha Odran raised his heavy staff, signaling the pack heralds. "Ah, right! I have crucial news for the entire Dominion. Noble elders, visiting delegates, thank you for honoring the Thornwyck bloodline tonight. I take this opportunity to officially announce—"

Vespera held her breath, her heart slamming against her ribs. Tonight, she would finally be named the official Luna candidate. Even if Kaelen had remained icy earlier, she knew he would never publicly defy High Alpha Odran's command.

Suddenly, a heavy, iron-reinforced war carriage drawn by twin shadow-beasts pulled up to the main iron gates of the Thornwyck Alpha Keep. A low-ranking guard at the perimeter spotted the crest on the wood and gasped aloud.

"Is... isn't that Garrick Frostmere's iron carriage? The elite commander of the Frostmere bloodline? Why has a Frostmere set foot in our Keep?"

"The Thornwyck name carries deep respect, but the Frostmeres haven't attended a territory banquet since the betrayal three years ago!"

High Alpha Odran froze mid-sentence, his eyes darting toward the stone archway in anticipation. The Thornwycks held immense military power in Silvermoon Dominion, but the ancient Frostmere bloodline carried deep, sacred lineage. When the Keep had sent out the parchment invitations, the Frostmere elders had flatly refused to respond.

To everyone's absolute shock, they were standing at the gates now.

The heavy carriage door swung open, and a polished iron boot hit the stone floor. A broad-shouldered, massive male wolf stepped down, adjusting his dark leather armor with effortless authority. The females in the courtyard caught their breath.

"Is... is that Commander Garrick Frostmere? He looks far more lethal than the rumors say."

"Look at his presence! He carries the strength of a true warrior."

Garrick nodded curtly to the surrounding guards, his expression like forged steel. He turned back toward the carriage, extending his large, calloused hand to shield the top of the doorframe.

A moment later, a short, dark-skinned female stepped down into the light.

A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the entire stone hall.

A visiting pack leader let out a low gasp. "By the Moon... who is she? Her scent is staggering!"

"She stepped out alongside Commander Garrick... she must be his high-ranking mate or a noble lady of their court!"

Tessa Frostmere naturally slid her small hand onto Garrick's armored forearm. Her plus-size, four-foot-five body moved with absolute confidence, her curves wrapped tightly in the dark gold spider-silk gown. A warm, genuinely sweet smile softened Garrick’s severe face as he looked down at his younger sister.

To every wolf watching, the two of them looked completely unstoppable.

Tessa smiled up at Garrick softly, her dark eyes glowing with quiet triumph.

Standing several yards away, Alpha Kaelen Thornwyck felt a sudden, violent thrum in his chest. His golden eyes locked onto her waist, a sharp, physical pain shooting through his inner wolf as he saw her touching another male wolf's arm.

Vespera caught the dramatic shift in Kaelen's posture, her blood turning to pure ice. She dug her manicured nails into her palms, forcing herself to stand taller beside him to remind the room who held the Alpha's side.

Garrick led Tessa straight toward Kaelen, stopping just a few paces short. "Good evening, Alpha Thornwyck."

The air between the two powerful male wolves crackled with instant, territorial tension.

"Nice to meet you again, Commander Frostmere," Kaelen replied, his voice dropping an octave into a low, rumbling Alpha register.

They exchanged a brief, crushing grip before letting go.

Kaelen could not tear his golden gaze away from Tessa.

Standing beside her brother, her dark face was radiant, her soft lips pulled into a bright, dangerous smile. The shimmering gold fabric clung to her plump hips, making her small frame look impossibly tempting. Kaelen felt a dark, possessive urge roar to life inside his gut, his cock hardening thick against his trousers just from the sweet honey scent rolling off her skin.

His golden eyes darkened behind his clear-lens glasses. He hadn't realized how badly his beast craved to pin her down right here on the stone floor.

What is her true connection to Garrick Frostmere? he demanded silently, his wolf snarling at the back of his mind.

"Tessa Frostmere?!" Lyssara’s shrill voice shattered the tension as she forced her way through the guards. "Why are you here?! Who allowed a weak, banished omega like you to step inside our Alpha Keep?!"

Lyssara had been praying for Kaelen to announce Vespera as Luna tonight, and seeing the very omega Tessa crash the feast sent her into a blind rage.

Garrick stepped forward instantly, his broad chest blocking Lyssara’s path as his powerful voice boomed through the hall. "Is this how the Thornwyck pack treats invited delegates? Tessa, we are leaving."

"Apologize to Lady Frostmere right now, Lyssara!" Kaelen ordered, his voice cutting through the room like a steel blade.

Lyssara flinched, remembering the slaps Tessa had dealt her at the boutique, but her pride refused to yield. "Kaelen! I am speaking the truth for your own good! This omega likes crawling between high-ranking male wolves! You think she cares about the Frostmere name? She only hungers for territory power and silver resources! If she finds an Alpha stronger than you, she'll abandon—"

"Silence!" Kaelen snapped, his Alpha command echoing off the stone walls, forcing Lyssara’s throat to lock up.

Lyssara looked at her brother with tear-filled, aggrieved eyes. "Kaelen, I am telling you what she did three years ago! Back then, she—"

"I apologize, Commander Frostmere," Kaelen interrupted coldly, keeping his eyes glued to Tessa's face. "My sister has forgotten her manners. I offer an apology on her behalf."

Lyssara gaped at her brother in absolute disbelief.

Garrick, however, did not drop his defensive stance. "I traveled to these grounds strictly to deliver our father's formal greetings to High Alpha Odran. Since my sister is subjected to insults the moment she steps over your threshold, no member of the Frostmere bloodline will ever honor this Keep again."

"Please wait, Commander Frostmere!" High Alpha Odran called out, hurrying down from the raised dais with his heavy staff.

The old Alpha glared fiercely at Lyssara as he reached them. "Foolish girl! Where are your manners?! Bow your head and apologize to Commander Frostmere this instant!"

Lyssara trembled, terrified of her grandfather's wrath. With both her brother and High Alpha forcing her hand, she lowered her head, squeezing the words through her teeth. "I am sorry, Commander Frostmere. It was my misstep."

A cold, mocking sneer played on Garrick's sharp lips. "You do not owe your apology to me, Lady Lyssara. You owe it to the future Luna standing by my side."

Lady Lyssara Thornwyck yanked up her head in utter disbelief, her jaw slack. How could her proud bloodline ever be expected to bow her neck and apologize to a worthless, low-ranking omega like Tessa Frostmere?

High Alpha Odran Thornwyck turned his withered face to Commander Garrick Frostmere, attempting a soft, diplomat's smile. "Commander Frostmere, let an old wolf explain. Our territories shared hunting pacts years ago, and I speak only out of concern for your sacred bloodline. We knew this female beside you long ago when she roamed our borders. She is an indecent, greedy omega who craves nothing but pack resources and status. We only fear your family is being deceived..."

Before the old Alpha could finish his speech, Garrick lowered his dark eyes, pinning Odran with a look so cold the old man’s words choked right in his throat.

Tessa let out a small, musical laugh, stepping forward so her small frame took center stage. "Long time no see, High Alpha Odran. After three long winter moons, you are still just as fond of spewing lies to the surrounding packs."

Odran’s face twisted with deep revulsion as he stared down at her curvy, dark figure. "Tessa Frostmere, you know full well what dishonor you brought to this Keep three years ago. My guards welcome Commander Garrick to step through our stone gates, but an exiled omega like you will never cross this threshold!"

The visiting pack delegates began whispering among themselves, watching the bitter confrontation with wide eyes. Despite his age and status, the High Alpha was publicly barring a noble commander’s sister from entering the hall.

Before Garrick could unleash his inner wolf, Tessa pinched her brother’s forearm under his sleeve, her brown eyes slowly sweeping over the high stone arches of the Thornwyck Alpha Keep.

A sharp, mocking smile curved her lips. "The Thornwyck Alpha Keep? Do you think I actually care to step inside your bloody den? I only came to make every single one of you choke on your own pride. Now that I’ve seen your desperate faces, my task is done. I won't waste another breath here."

Tessa paused, her dark eyes locking directly onto High Alpha Odran's trembling jaw.

"However..."

Her rich voice dropped into a dark, lethal register that carried over the silent crowd.

"High Alpha Odran, you lock your gates against me today. But mark my words—a day will come when you and your entire bloodline will kneel in the freezing mud, begging this very omega to step inside your Keep to save your pack. And on that day, I will step over your heads. You cannot undo what is coming."

Her words slammed into the Thornwyck family's pride like a physical blow. Lyssara lost her mind, roaring out, "Who do you think you are, you filthy omega?! Beg you?! Who would ever—"

Garrick turned his head slightly, his Alpha aura flaring so violently that the air around Lyssara grew suffocatingly thin, cutting her off mid-shriek.

Garrick’s face remained impassive as steel. "My sister is leaving, which means the Frostmere delegation is leaving as well. Good evening, High Alpha."

He wrapped his broad arm around Tessa's small waist, turning to lead her back toward the heavy iron war carriage.

Tessa giggled softly as they walked, her small hips swaying. "Oh, Garrick, we shouldn't leave without delivering our tribute, should we? The visiting packs will think the Frostmere bloodline has no manners. How could we crash High Alpha Odran's grand feast without handing over his special birthday surprise?"

Lyssara had a terrible gut feeling, her chest heaving as she screamed, "What did you do, Tessa Frostmere?!"

Suddenly, the large scrying crystals mounted along the stone pillars of the Keep flickered to life, blazing with bright magical projection light. Every single crystal in the grand courtyard aligned, forming a massive, glowing image above the feast tables.

A familiar female wolf appeared on the floating screen.

It was Vespera Nightthorne.

The projection showed her from four or five winters ago, dressed in cheap leather straps and glowing paint, staggering drunk inside a dark tavern outside the territory borders.

Her hair was dyed a wild, chaotic silver, and her face was coated in thick makeup as she pressed her body intimately against a dozen male rogues on a wooden dancing platform. Low-ranking male wolves were running their dirty hands all over her bare waist and thighs, and instead of pulling away or using her wolf, Vespera was tossing her head back, laughing wildly and soaking in the vulgar touch.

A pack delegate from the northern borders gasped, pointing at the sky. "Is my sight failing me? Isn't that Lady Vespera? The future Luna candidate of the Keep?!"

"By the Moon Goddess! What kind of filthy behavior is this?!"

Before the crowd could recover from the shock, the projection shifted to even darker, more explicit memories stored in the crystal.

Vespera wasn't just dancing with rogue wolves; the crystal laid out graphic, undeniable proof of her engaging in wild, multiple-partner heat sessions in the outer border dens, completely unbonded, indulging in raw, degraded mating acts with nameless wanderers. The graphic visual of her lying bare beneath male rogues sent a wave of utter disgust through the noble lords and elders.

Vespera’s face turned paper-white. She dropped to her knees right in the middle of the stone path, clutching her head as she screamed hysterically, "That's not me! That isn't me! It's a curse! It's a dark illusion!"

However, not a single wolf in the courtyard believed her lies. The noble lords looked at her with pure disgust, pulling their own mates back as if Vespera were a disease standing exposed in broad daylight.

Desperate, Vespera scrambled across the stone floor on her knees, grabbing Alpha Kaelen's dark trousers with trembling, sticky hands. "Kaelen! Please, you have to believe me! I never did those vile things! Tessa Frostmere forged those memory crystals! She's using dark magic to frame me because she hates me!"

Kaelen stood like a mountain above her, his golden eyes completely void of warmth. He looked down at her small, panicking hands clutching his clothes, his voice dropping into a terrifyingly cold whisper.

"Take your hands off me."

Vespera tried to tighten her grip, weeping frantically, but the lethal murder in Kaelen's golden gaze terrified her so deeply that her fingers slowly slipped off his fabric, letting her fall limp onto the stone.

Kaelen stepped back, his posture rigid. "If those memory crystals are forged, why did she target your memory crystals instead of anyone else’s? Vespera Nightthorne, don't you think you owe your Alpha a complete explanation?"

Vespera froze, her jaw trembling violently, completely unable to utter another lie.

Trying to suppress her own rising panic, Lady Morwen stepped forward quickly, putting her hands on Kaelen's arm. "Kaelen, you have walked alongside Vespera for six years! Don't you know what kind of pure female she is? Have you forgotten how that snake Tessa betrayed your trust three years ago? How can you take an exiled omega's word over your own bloodline's companion?!"

High Alpha Odran was trembling so hard his wooden staff rattled against the stone floor, his blood pressure spiking dangerously. "Tessa Frostmere! What madness are you inflicting on my Keep?!"

Watching their desperate, hypocritical panic unfold, Tessa paused near the iron carriage, letting out a soft, beautiful laugh that echoed over their frantic screams. "What did your Thornwyck family do to my wolf three years ago? Every tear, every drop of blood, every piece of stolen dignity—I am returning it all to your doorstep, piece by piece."

Tessa turned her head, offering a sweet, deadly smile to the old leader. "Consider that your official birthday gift, High Alpha. See you around the Dominion."

Tessa and Garrick turned, stepping into the dark interior of the iron carriage. As she passed Kaelen, her sweet dark honey scent brushed against his nose one last time, but she didn't spare him a single look, treating the supreme Alpha as if he were nothing more than invisible dust on the road.

High Alpha Odran barked orders for the guards to seize the carriage, but not a single warrior in the Keep had the courage to draw a blade against Commander Garrick Frostmere.

The heavy war carriage lurched forward, its iron wheels crushing the gravel as it sped away from the Keep.

Inside the quiet carriage, Tessa leaned her curvy body against the carved window frame, her brown eyes staring out into the dark pine forests of the Dominion, lost in heavy memories.

Garrick sat across from her, his arms crossed over his leather chest as he observed her quiet face. "Was he the one?"

Tessa let out a small, tired hum, nodding her head softly against the glass.

Garrick's claws extended slightly, digging into his dark leather armor. "Humph. They will bleed for what they did to you."

Three years ago, Tessa had insisted on leaving the Frostmere territory to attend the Silver Fang Academy of Elders on her own, wanting to prove that an omega could survive without relying on her family's name. Garrick and their parents had been terrified for her, but they had respected her independent wish.

Three years later, Tessa had dragged herself back to the Frostmere pack house, bruised, broken, her inner wolf clinging to life, her body so damaged she had spent three full months bedridden near death.

Garrick had conducted a secret investigation in the dark, discovering that a high-ranking noble female had intentionally driven a heavy war wagon over Tessa's body to destroy her wolf core. At the time, Tessa had begged Garrick not to slaughter the culprits, insisting that when she recovered, she would personally shatter the ones who tried to bury her.

Garrick had honored his little sister's pride and waited.

He knew the female wolf had done it to steal an Alpha's favor. And after seeing the Thornwycks' arrogant faces tonight, Garrick realized Kaelen's pack had inflicted far deeper scars on Tessa than he had ever imagined. The blood debt of the Frostmere line would be settled in full.

Meanwhile, inside the main hall of the Thornwyck Alpha Keep.

Vespera remained collapsed on her knees in the middle of the floor, shaking her head hysterically as the visiting delegates began leaving the feast in deep disgust.

"High Alpha! Kaelen! I swear on the Moon Goddess I am innocent!" Vespera wept, her voice hoarse. "Tessa Frostmere knew I was walking by Kaelen's side, so she bought dark crystals from outer territory merchants to destroy my name!"

Kaelen narrowed his golden eyes, stepping closer until his shadow completely swallowed her small, trembling body.

Vespera couldn't bear the intense, suffocating pressure of his Alpha aura and ducked her head, unable to look him in the eyes for even a second.

High Alpha Odran slammed his heavy wooden staff onto the stone floor, his voice roaring with dark fury. "I see through her game! Tessa Frostmere holds a grudge because Kaelen cast her out three years ago! How dare a weak omega pull such a dirty stunt at my birthday feast! Does she think having Commander Garrick by her side makes her untouchable?!"

Odran turned his furious, bloodshot eyes toward the pack heralds. "Send a high-priority messenger bird to Lord Frostmere immediately! I want to see if the old commander will allow his daughter to tarnish the sacred reputation of our entire Dominion!"

Kaelen didn't say a word. He slowly reached up, taking off his clear-lens glasses, folding them closed—one temple at a time—and sliding them into his dark leather tunic. The harmless mask was completely gone, leaving only the predatory, bloodthirsty Alpha shining in his golden eyes.

He didn't care about Vespera's ruined reputation. His inner beast was clawing violently at his chest, demanding he track down the sweet honey scent that had just vanished into the night.

Kaelen turned on his heel, his heavy boots echoing against the stone floor as he walked away from Vespera's weeping form, his deep voice carrying a terrifying promise over his shoulder.

"Clean up this mess. I am hunting down my mate."