Aliana POV:

Debi's apartment smelled of sage and old takeout.

"Sit," she commanded.

She took the USB drive and plugged it into her laptop. *"I have a friend in forensics who owes me a favor. I'm sending him the chemical data from the shipping manifests. He can confirm the toxicity levels."*

*She then grabbed a syringe.*

*"I need to run a blood panel, Ali. Basic alchemy. If there's Wolfsbane in your system, the reagent will turn black."*

I extended my arm.

Debi placed the blood sample into a glass vial with a clear liquid. She swirled it.

It turned pitch black immediately.

"That's lethal," Debi whispered. "You should be dead."

*But then, the black liquid began to bubble. It hissed, turning a violent, glowing white.*

Debi gasped. "Ali... look."

*"It's metabolizing it," she said, her voice shaking. "Your blood is eating the poison. That's not normal Alpha blood. That's..."*

"The White Wolf," I whispered.

"It's real," Debi said. "*Your parents knew. That's why they had to suppress it. A White Wolf isn't just a Luna. You're a Supreme. You outrank everyone.*"

The realization hit me. *I wasn't broken. I was a nuclear weapon they were trying to keep offline.*

"They fear you," Debi said. "And tonight, they're going to finish the job."

"Let them try," I said. I reached for a stack of papers on Debi's desk.

A Severance of Ties document.

"I'm signing it," I said.

"If you sign that, you become a Rogue in the eyes of the law."

"I don't want their names," I said.

I signed my name. Not *Aliana Hughes*. Not *Aliana Donovan*.

Just *Hope*.

*"I've got a private charter lined up," Debi said. "My cousin runs cargo to the North. He can take you. Wheels up at 9 PM."*

"Plenty of time to burn their world down," I said.

I drove back to the mansion one last time.

I went to the master bedroom. I packed a single bag. Just jeans, boots, and my grandmother's locket.

I walked into the bathroom. On the counter sat a silver goblet.

A note was propped against it. *Drink this before you come, darling. - Mom*

I lifted the goblet. It smelled of mint tea, masking the bitter almond scent.

My phone buzzed. *I opened the security app on my phone. I'd installed a backdoor into the camera system weeks ago when Ivan was bragging about the new 4K upgrades.*

Ivan, Kiera, Leo, and my parents were in the VIP suite. Laughing.

"She'll be dead by the fireworks," I heard my father say.

I stared at the screen.

I lifted the goblet to my lips. I took a tiny sip. Just enough to coat my tongue.

Then I poured the rest down the sink.

I went to the toilet and purged. *I needed the symptoms-the pallor, the sweat-but not the death.*

*Debi had given me a stimulant shot to counteract the residual effects.* I jammed it into my thigh.

Fire raced through my veins.

My bones creaked. *Pop.*

*It's time,* my wolf roared.

"Not yet," I gritted out. "Hold it."

I stood up. I looked like death warmed over. Perfect.

I grabbed the present I had prepared. A box wrapped in black paper.

Inside was a digital audio player and the photos.

I called a courier service. *"Priority delivery. VIP Suite at Silver Moon Park. Don't stop for anyone."*

I walked out of the house.

I was done being Aliana the Victim.

Tonight, I was the Executioner.

Aliana POV:

The Silver Moon Park was a cacophony of lights and noise.

I stood on Lover's Point, overlooking the park. *It was the perfect vantage point.*

I pulled out my binoculars.

Inside the VIP suite, the party was in full swing. Ivan was playing the doting father. Kiera was preening.

I checked my watch. 7:15 PM.

My phone vibrated. It was Debi.

*"I'm in the server room," she whispered. "I bribed the night tech. He's got the feed queued up. Just say the word."*

"Wait for the box," I said.

Through the binoculars, I saw a beta guard enter the suite holding the package.

Ivan frowned. He took it.

He tore off the paper. He opened the lid.

I saw him freeze.

Inside, the audio player was rigged to start automatically.

*She smells of death already... Put the mule down, Ivan...*

I saw Kiera's face go white. My father stepped forward, shouting.

"Now, Debi," I said.

The giant screens in the park suddenly flickered. Static hissed, silencing the crowd.

Then, my face appeared. *Pre-recorded an hour ago.*

"My name is Aliana Hughes," the video-me said. My voice boomed across the park. "And today is my thirtieth birthday."

In the VIP suite, Ivan was frantically trying to find the remote. *But Debi had locked the system out.*

"For five years," the video continued, "I have been sick. My husband told you I was broken."

The crowd gasped.

"But I wasn't sick," I said, holding up the medical report. "I was poisoned."

"Lies!" I could almost hear my father screaming.

"Wolfsbane," I said. "Administered by my parents... and my mate."

A low murmur of growls started to ripple through the crowd.

"They did this to hide a secret. And a secret about him."

On the screen, the photo of the fake DNA test appeared, followed by the real one.

"Leo Reese is not the Alpha's son," I declared. "He is the son of a Rogue."

In the suite, Ivan shoved Kiera away.

"I am leaving," the video-me said.

I took a deep breath on the screen.

"I, Aliana of the White Wolf bloodline..."

The crowd screamed.

"...reject you, Alpha Ivan Hughes, as my mate."

The words hit the air like a shockwave.

Up on the hill, I felt it. The bond snapped.

Pain ripped through my chest. *It felt like open heart surgery without anesthesia.* I fell to my knees.

But in the VIP suite, it was worse.

Ivan collapsed. He clutched his chest, screaming.

"I reject my parents," I continued. "And I sever my ties to the Silver Moon Pack."

The video cut to black.

Silence.

Then, chaos.

I stood up. The pain was fading, replaced by a strange lightness.

I turned away from the park.

*My body began to shift. It wasn't painful anymore. It was a release.*

My vision sharpened. The night air smelled richer.

I didn't need a mirror. I knew my eyes were glowing.

*And somewhere deep inside, the White Wolf threw back her head and howled.*