The slam of the heavy door echoed in the sanctuary. Rage burned in Roman's eyes as he seized my arm, his voice thick with resentment. "Kira, I went to great lengths to secure this alliance. Now you’ve driven Camilla off, and the Thorne clan will be spooked. This jeopardizes our bonding ceremony!"

Even now, his only concern was power. He grabbed a jacket, threw it over his shoulders, and pulled me toward the door. "Come with me. We have to find Camilla."

We had only taken a few steps when the door creaked open. Camilla's parents, Marcus Thorne and Eleanor Thorne, walked in carrying congratulatory gifts, their faces beaming with excitement.

"We had Camilla come to distribute these to everyone… Oh, Kira, you're here too." They sensed the icy atmosphere in the sanctuary and saw the grim expressions on our faces. Eleanor's voice slowly trailed off. "What's wrong? Did you two have a fight? The bonding ceremony is tomorrow…"

"Mr. Thorne, Mrs. Thorne." I wrenched my arm from Roman’s grasp. "Perfect timing. Tomorrow's bonding ceremony is canceled. Effective immediately, the alliance between the Monroe clan and the Silvercrest Pack is dissolved. All protection over the Thorne clan is hereby revoked."

Marcus staggered backward. Eleanor’s eyes widened in dawning horror. She rushed toward her daughter, who stood shrouded in Roman's jacket, and ripped the garment away. Eleanor froze, her gaze fixed on the fresh, glowing marks of Roman's bonding ritual entwined on Camilla’s skin. But Camilla remained defiant, her voice sharp as she blamed me for forcing Roman’s hand by delaying their bonding.

"Kira, you must be joking," Eleanor pleaded, turning back to me in disbelief. "We're allies, aren't we?"

"We're hardly allies," I said, my voice dripping with contempt as I glanced at Roman. "Besides, the Monroe clan never allies with an unfaithful Alpha."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. For years, Roman had used pack business as an excuse to delay our bonding. The whole damn family had been playing me for a fool.

"Enough," I said. "In the Monroe clan, there is no forgiveness for infidelity."

I turned resolutely to leave. Just then, an urgent message broadcast through the pack’s mind-link exploded in my mind.

[Pure-blood heiress Kira Monroe publicly rejects her mate! Alpha Roman Valerius bonded with she-wolf Camilla Thorne during the ritual.]

"Aargh!" Camilla, who had just stormed out, shrieked as she charged back in. Rage contorted her features as she hurled an obsidian message slate at my head. "Kira! Are you trying to ruin him?"

A dull ache pulsed in my temple as warm blood trickled down my face. I paid it no mind, simply wiping the blood away. Then, with a backhand swipe of my claws, I sent her sprawling to the ground.

In a flat tone, I said, "If I wanted you ruined, you'd already be dust."

Roman rushed in to help Camilla up, hypocritically chiding me, "Kira, whatever Camilla did, you don't drag your own Alpha through the mud for revenge."

I wiped the blood from my temple and smiled at him. "It hasn't sunk in yet, has it? We're over. You are not my mate. Isn't this what you wanted?"

The news must have been leaked by someone in the pack who couldn't stand them. Only a fool like Camilla would think it was my doing.

She pointed a trembling finger at my face. "Get your people to retract that mind-link message. Now. I'll pretend this never happened, and the bonding ceremony will proceed as planned tomorrow."

I wouldn't waste another word on her. I turned to leave, but Roman suddenly blocked my path, only to be thrown back by the pressure emanating from me. Seeing this, Camilla grew even more furious. "Kira! You can't handle your own scandal being exposed, so you resort to violence?"

I smiled at her distorted face. A thought occurred to me. I glanced at Roman on the floor, then coldly demanded of Camilla, "Since the bonding ceremony is canceled, have Roman return the 'Moon Soul Amulet' my grandmother gave him."

Camilla was taken aback for a moment, but she quickly recovered with a cold smile. "Impossible. Roman needs you too much. You've invested so much in this bonding ceremony; you could never really cancel it."

She snatched the amulet from Roman's neck, held it high, and threatened me, "Clarify the message right now, or I can't guarantee your clan's sacred relic will remain in one piece."