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."

Tessa Frostmere POV

Across the heavy oak dining table of the Frostmere Cottage, Commander Garrick Frostmere patiently fed his injured wife, Lady Elira Frostmere, spoonfuls of broth before the obsidian communication mirror chimed with an incoming spirit-link.

Garrick tapped the glowing stone, his dark face cold. "Speak, Odran. You rarely seek out my line unless you want something you haven't earned."

Through the shimmering mirror, High Alpha Odran Thornwyck’s voice rasped with forced warmth. "Commander Frostmere, let us set aside old territory disputes. I call out of concern for your household. Word reaches my court that your younger brother travels alongside a low-ranking omega named Tessa Frostmere. Are you aware of her presence?"

Garrick set the silver spoon down, his jaw tight. "I am. What of it?"

"You cannot know her full history," Odran pressed, his tone rising with pious anger. "Tessa is an uneducated, destitute female who feeds off high-ranking male wolves. Years ago, she sank her claws into my grandson, Alpha Kaelen, chasing his status and silver. When she found wealthier males in the southern packs, she abandoned him without a second thought—"

"Grandpa, stop!" Alpha Kaelen Thornwyck’s deep, harsh command echoed in the background of the mirror link. "You do not speak her name to foreign lords!"

Odran ignored him, shouting into the stone. "I speak truth for the honor of our packs! I do not wish to see the Frostmere name dragged through the dirt by a scheming omega!"

Garrick let out a low, terrifying growl that rattled the bone utensils on the table. "My household manages its own affairs, High Alpha. If you call my hall again to slander my bloodline, I will take it as a declaration of border war."

He severed the link with a heavy snap of his claw.

Garrick’s eyes blazed as he looked at his wife. "How dare that old fool call me to slander my sister! Have they forgotten how Kaelen Thornwyck nearly destroyed Tessa three winters ago?"

Lady Elira sneered, her hand resting on her husband’s arm. "If Tessa hadn't begged us to let her handle the Thornwycks with her own hands, I would have sent our vanguard to burn the Alpha Keep to ash months ago."

Meanwhile, inside the stone walls of the Thornwyck Alpha Keep, High Alpha Odran slammed his heavy wooden staff onto the floor, his face flushed red.

"Kaelen! That omega brought utter disgrace upon my birthday banquet!" Odran roared. "If she does not drop to her knees, issue a public apology before the Silver Howl Heralds, and clear Vespera’s name, I will unleash the full weight of our pack laws against her!"

Kaelen stood near the hearth, his 5.8-foot frame cast in shadow. He slowly reached up, taking off his clear-lens glasses, folding them closed—one temple at a time—before sliding them into his dark leather coat. His golden eyes flared in the dim light. "I heard you, High Alpha."

By the next sunrise, the Moon Scroll Messengers carried a widespread projection across every territory crystal in the Silvermoon Dominion.

On the glowing screens, Vespera Nightthorne stood before the Silver Howl Heralds, tears streaming down her pale face, looking fragile and tormented.

"Tessa Frostmere has always harbored deep jealousy toward me," Vespera wept softly into the recording crystal. "During our years at the Silver Fang Academy of Elders, she forced her way into Alpha Kaelen’s presence, using her status as a pitiful omega to drain his pack tokens and tuition resources for three long winters."

"We believed she truly cared for Kaelen, so the pack allowed her to stay at his side," Vespera continued, her voice trembling with engineered sorrow. "But during her final year at the Academy, she was caught scent-marking a wealthy rogue male from the southern borders. When Kaelen suffered the agony of mate rejection, I stayed by his side, nursing his beast back to health. Through all those years, I asked for nothing."

"Now, Tessa returns with forged memory crystals to destroy my honor," Vespera cried out, pressing a hand to her chest. "She wants to break the bond between Kaelen and me because Kaelen is now the supreme Alpha of the Dominion! Tessa Frostmere, no matter how you slander me, my love for Kaelen will not break. We will complete our mating ritual and secure the bloodline. Please... stop hurting us."

Within hours, the Moon Scroll Messengers were flooded with enraged reactions from pack members across the Dominion.

“What a disgraceful, greedy omega! She should be stripped of her fur and exiled to the rogue lands!”

“A worthless omega trying to ruin a future Luna! Let the pack enforcement hunt her down!”

“She belongs in the subterranean dungeons of the Keep!”

Inside the Frostmere Cottage, Brynna Ashvale smashed her wooden goblet onto the table, her claws digging into the grain. "Tessa! Is High Alpha Odran completely blind?! Any mid-level elder with basic spirit-tracing could verify those memory crystals weren't forged! How can Kaelen sit by and let Vespera play the victim?!"

Tessa sat near the window, quietly sipping her herbal tea. Her dark skin glowed in the morning light, her lush, plus-size curves relaxed against the carved wooden chair. She scrolled through the glowing outrage on her personal communication stone with a small, amused smile.

"Let them howl, Brynna," Tessa said softly, her rich voice steady. "The higher they lift Vespera up, the harder her bones will break when she hits the stone."

"You aren't going to let them drag your name through the mud?!" Brynna demanded.

"I don't react until the trap is fully sprung," Tessa replied, setting her cup down. "Everything is moving exactly as I planned."

Over at the Thornwyck Alpha Keep, Vespera bowed her head gracefully before Lady Morwen Thornwyck. "Thank you, Aunt Morwen. If you hadn't ordered the Silver Howl Heralds to release that statement, I wouldn't have survived the elders' judgment."

"You are to be Kaelen's Luna, Vespera," Lady Morwen said smoothly, reaching into her silk robes to pull out a small, amber glass vial filled with a shimmering liquid. "But statement or not, if Kaelen refuses to mark you, the elders will eventually demand a blood test. Take this."

Vespera stared at the vial, her heart thumping. "What is it?"

"It is a concentrated heat-toxin derived from fire-lilies," Lady Morwen whispered, pressing the vial into Vespera's palm. "It forces an Alpha’s wolf into a blind, primal heat. It is how I secured my place in this Keep decades ago. Use it on Kaelen tonight."

Vespera’s fingers curled tightly around the glass. "I understand, Aunt Morwen. I won't fail."

Later that evening, Kaelen finished a tense negotiation with visiting pack delegates at the Silvermoon Feast Hall. As he stepped into the main dining chamber to clear his head, his golden eyes locked onto a small, breathtaking figure sitting alone at a secluded stone table.

It was Tessa.

She was eating rare spirit-venison with delicate, graceful movements, her lush, 4.5-foot frame wrapped in deep violet silk that accentuated her full hips and dark, radiant skin. She was completely unfazed by the public outrage, calmly watching a battle replay on her small crystal tablet while enjoying a meal that cost more than a high-ranking officer's monthly wage.

Kaelen felt a sudden, violent surge in his gut. His wolf clawed at his ribs, his cock throbbing thick against his leather trousers just from inhaling the sweet, warm honey scent wafting off her skin. The sheer contrast between her calm elegance and the chaotic slurs targeting her name online drove him insane.

He stood up, his heavy boots thudging against the stone floor as he strode straight to her table.

Tessa paused, her silver fork hovering in mid-air. She looked up, her dark eyes flashing with a cold, dazzling light as a sweet smile touched her lips. "Good evening, Alpha Kaelen."

Her voice hit his senses like a physical touch, making his chest heave.

"Are you truly Tessa Frostmere?" Kaelen growled, his voice deep and rough. Three years had completely transformed her. The quiet, timid omega he had once known was gone, replaced by a sovereign female who looked down on him as if he were dirt.

"Who else would I be, Alpha?" Tessa purred, taking another bite of venison. "People change when you leave them to die in the snow."

Kaelen’s jaw clenched so hard his teeth groaned. He reached out, his massive, calloused hand slamming down onto her wrist, gripping her tight enough to bruise. "Tell me what game you are playing! You destroyed my banquet, you released those crystals, and now you sit here acting like a queen! What do you want from me?!"

Tessa didn't scream. She didn't even flinch. She simply tilted her head, looking at his white-knuckled grip on her arm. "If you do not release my wrist in three seconds, Alpha, my brother's warriors will tear this hall apart."

"Answer me!" Kaelen snarled, leaning closer, his dark scent of pine and crushed iron invading her space.

Tessa let out a soft, mocking laugh. "If you want true answers, Kaelen, why don't you go home and ask Lady Morwen? Ask her why she was so desperate to swap your mate three years ago."

Kaelen’s golden eyes narrowed. "What does my stepmother have to do with this?"

"She introduced you to Vespera, didn't she?" Tessa sneered lightly, her dark gaze piercing right into his soul. "I exposed your sweet fiancee’s dirty past to help you see what kind of trash you're bringing into your bed. You should be thanking me, Kaelen."

Kaelen stood frozen, his mind racing.

Tessa pulled her wrist from his grip, standing up gracefully. Her dark, plump frame emanated an aura so powerful it commanded the entire room. "I came here for a quiet meal, but your presence has ruined my appetite."

She reached into her dark silk pouch, pulling out a small, metallic token stamped with the number 100, and slapped it hard against his broad chest.

"What is this?" Kaelen demanded, catching the token as it fell.

"That is your queue number, Alpha," Tessa whispered, stepping close to his ear, her warm, sweet breath causing his earlobe to flush deep red. "If you ever decide you want to crawl into my bed again, take that token and stand in line behind the other high lords. If you lose it... you don't get a turn."

Before Kaelen could react, Tessa flashed him a blinding, seductive smile and walked out of the hall, her full hips swaying with lethal confidence.

Kaelen stared down at the metal token in his palm, his claws extending until they drew blood from his own hand. He crushed the metal into a mangled ball, his inner wolf howling with pure, unadulterated lust and fury.

Before the night could end, a massive broadcast shattered the Dominion's communication network.

Cedran Frostmere—a world-renowned elder scholar and master of spirit-crystal verification whose word was absolute law across all wolf territories—released an official decree. He publicly verified that every single frame of Vespera Nightthorne’s graphic memory crystals was 100% authentic, staking his sacred bloodline status on the truth.

In a matter of minutes, the entire Silvermoon Dominion erupted.

“Merciful Goddess! The memory crystals are REAL!”

“Vespera Nightthorne lied to the entire Dominion! She’s a pure whore!”

“She framed Tessa Frostmere! The Thornwyck Keep is run by frauds!”

Inside the Golden Wolf Tavern, Roric Winterclaw poured a cup of spirit-ale, leaning toward Tavren Greymoor. "Who exactly is this Tessa Frostmere? Commander Garrick protects her, and now Master Cedran stakes his life for her?"

Tavren frowned deeply, sipping his drink. "Her surname is Frostmere. Could she be the long-lost youngest daughter of the Frostmere High Clan?"

Kaelen stepped into the tavern, his massive frame radiating lethal dark energy, his golden eyes locking onto the two lords. "Say that again."

Roric jumped up in surprise. "Kaelen! Where have you been? The whole Dominion is mocking your pack!"

Kaelen didn't answer. His heart was hammering against his ribs as he recalled Tessa’s regal posture, her luxury silk robes, and the absolute authority she carried.

Outside the tavern, Tessa and Brynna walked down the stone path, laughing under the moonlight.

"Master Cedran’s decree completely destroyed Vespera," Brynna cheered. "She won't be able to show her face in the Dominion for a hundred winters!"

"Vespera is just a pawn," Tessa said quietly, her dark eyes glittering with cold malice. "Lady Morwen and Odran are the real targets."

Suddenly, the crystal communicator in Tessa’s pocket buzzed violently with a secret, encrypted spirit-sigil—one that belonged to a shadow informant inside the Thornwyck Alpha Keep.

Tessa pressed the stone to her ear, listening to the hurried, panicked whisper on the other end.

"Lady Tessa... Lady Morwen just slipped a fire-lily heat toxin to Vespera. They are planning to drug Alpha Kaelen at tonight's mating feast... and they have set up a secret binding array under his bed."