Hailey's POV:

Keaton's thumb lingered on my cheek, the rough pad of his skin a stark contrast to the gentleness of his touch. The warmth spread through me, a fragile shield against the cold stares of the room.

His voice dropped lower, a rumbling growl meant only for me. "Answer me, Hailey. What about Freddy Holman?"

I didn't look away. I met his searching gaze, my own eyes clear and, for the first time, completely honest. "I'm not here to meet him," I said, my voice steady and hard. "I'm here to make sure he dies."

Keaton's pupils contracted. His hand froze. Of all the answers he might have expected, that wasn't one of them.

The word "die," coming from me—the girl everyone dismissed as a weak, wolfless Omega—was a dissonant shock.

I pressed on, the words tasting of vengeance and promise. "He's a traitor to this pack. He has hurt our people. I was a fool to ever listen to him, but my eyes are open now. My only vow is to see him pay for his crimes."

A cold, sharp killing intent laced my voice. Keaton didn't pull away. If anything, he seemed drawn to this new, dangerous edge in me.

He studied my face, head tilted. He was seeing me, truly seeing me, for the first time. Not the petulant girl who argued over a rogue, but someone with a purpose he didn't understand.

I gently took his hand from my face, lacing my smaller fingers through his. The contact sent a jolt through me, a spark of connection I had denied for so long. I looked up at him, my expression softening. "Keaton, our mating ceremony—have the Elders set a date?"

The abrupt change threw him completely off balance. One moment we were discussing death, the next, the sacred bond that would tie us together for eternity.

He blinked. "No... not yet. Because of your attitude..."

"My past attitude was a mistake," I cut in, tightening my grip on his hand. "I want to be your Luna. As soon as possible. I need you to arrange it."

His heart hammered against his ribs. I could feel the frantic rhythm through our joined hands. This was everything he had ever wanted to hear from me—the one thing he believed he never would.

Just as his lips parted to respond, a saccharine voice sliced through the air.

"Keaton, Hailey, what are you two doing over here? Everyone's been looking for you."

Allegra Moreno. She glided towards us, a perfect picture of innocent concern, using his first name with a casual intimacy that made my skin crawl.

In my past life, I never noticed—I thought she was just being friendly. Now, I saw it for what it was: a subtle claim, a way of showing everyone how close she was to the Alpha. I saw the possessiveness in her eyes, the jealousy simmering just beneath the surface.

A frown creased Keaton's brow. He was annoyed by the interruption.

Before he could speak, I did. My voice was polite, but cool. "Miss Moreno, you will address him as Alpha Sexton. Using his given name is disrespectful to our pack's leader."

Allegra's smile froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. I had never, ever spoken to her like that.

Keaton's surprise was evident, but I saw something else in his eyes, too—a flash of intense pleasure. I was defending his honor, declaring my side.

Allegra's mask of innocence quickly morphed into one of hurt. Her eyes welled up with crocodile tears. "Hailey, we're sisters. I didn't mean any harm..."

"It's because we are family that I'm correcting you," I said, my tone unwavering. "In public, the rules of the pack come before everything else."

My words left her speechless. She looked to Keaton for support, expecting him to chastise me for rudeness. He ignored her completely, his attention solely on me, a fascinated wonder on his face. This new Hailey was a puzzle he was desperate to solve.

Seeing his reaction, alarm bells went off in Allegra's head. She had to act now. She took a shaky breath, voice filled with feigned reluctance. "Hailey, I know you might be confused right now, but you shouldn't lie to Alpha Sexton."

That got Keaton's attention. His gaze shifted.

I watched her, a cold smile playing on my lips. Go on, Allegra. Dig your own grave.

She turned to Keaton, her expression one of profound sorrow. "Alpha Sexton, I... I heard her with my own ears. She made plans with someone. She was supposed to meet Mr. Holman tonight, under the wisteria arbor."

Her accusation landed like a boulder in a calm pond. The fragile truce between me and Keaton shattered. The air turned frigid again. Keaton's eyes, which had just started to soften, hardened back into chips of obsidian. He looked at me, his gaze sharp, demanding an explanation.

Allegra lowered her head, shoulders trembling as if it pained her to reveal this terrible truth.

I looked at her pathetic performance, and instead of fear I felt a thrill. She had no idea what she had just done. She hadn't just set a trap for me. She had handed me the knife.

Hailey's POV:

Keaton's gaze was a physical weight. The air grew heavy, thick with his silent, potent fury, his Alpha power rolling off him in invisible waves that made the hairs on my arms stand up.

"Is what she said true?" His voice was dangerously low.

A flicker of victory crossed Allegra's face. She was certain I would crumble under the pressure. But I was not the same girl. I didn't flinch, didn't cry, didn't even spare Allegra a glance. My eyes were locked on Keaton's.

Then I did something no one expected. I stepped closer, deliberately looping my arm through his and leaning my body against his side—a silent declaration of trust and belonging. It was intimate, possessive. I felt the crushing weight of his aura recede just a fraction. He was too stunned to maintain his rage.

A small smile touched my lips, calm and confident and utterly unnerving. "True or not," I said, my voice carrying easily in the tense silence, "why don't we go and see for ourselves?"

Keaton stared, his mind clearly struggling to keep up. He had prepared for denials, tears, defiance—not this, an invitation to the scene of the crime. Allegra was equally baffled. My refusal to play by her rules was unraveling her scheme.

I turned my head slightly, my smile widening as I looked at my stepsister. "Miss Moreno, since you were the one who overheard this... arrangement, perhaps you could lead the way? Let's all go to the wisteria arbor and meet Mr. Holman together."

I let the word "arrangement" hang in the air, dripping with sarcasm. The color drained from Allegra's face. She never imagined I would call her bluff so publicly.

Keaton looked from her pale, panicked face to my calm, challenging one. The scales of his belief tipped decisively in my favor. A guilty person wouldn't be this eager for a confrontation. He covered my hand on his arm with his own, his grip firm and protective. "Fine," he rumbled—a single word of agreement that sealed Allegra's fate.

With his support, my smile became genuine. I was no longer on trial. I was the one in control. I let him lead me, our steps synchronized, from the corner into the center of the hall. His tall, imposing figure next to my smaller one created a powerful image. We looked like what we were: the Alpha and his future Luna. A united front.

Allegra had no choice but to follow, her face a storm of fury and fear. A sick feeling of dread must have been coiling in her stomach.

Our procession did not go unnoticed. The entire gala seemed to hold its breath. Guests whispered, many of them following at a discreet distance, eager to see the conclusion. The cheerful music faded as we stepped out into the cool night air. The wisteria arbor was just ahead, a tunnel of dark vines and pale flowers illuminated by soft, golden lanterns. A lone figure stood waiting in the shadows.

Freddy Holman.

His face lit up with a practiced, soulful smile when he saw me. "Hailey, you came. I've been waiting."

But his smile died when he saw the man beside me—Keaton, standing like a dark king, radiating absolute authority. The Alpha's power slammed into Freddy, a physical force that made him stagger back. His breath hitched, instincts screaming at him to flee.

He struggled to maintain composure. "Hailey..." he started again, trying to solidify their supposed connection.

Before I could say a word, Keaton stepped forward, positioning himself so that I was completely shielded behind him. He looked down at Freddy, his eyes burning with cold fire.

"Who gave you permission to speak her name?" Keaton's voice was devoid of warmth—a blade of pure ice.

Freddy paled, his throat working but no sound coming out. He took another involuntary step back.

Allegra rushed forward, trying to salvage her plan. "Alpha Sexton, Mr. Holman is a friend of Hailey's..."

"Silence," Keaton snapped, cutting her off without even a glance.

Allegra's face flushed a blotchy red. To be dismissed so contemptuously in front of so many people was the ultimate humiliation.

I peeked around Keaton's broad shoulder, seeing Freddy trembling under our Alpha's power, seeing Allegra's mask of shame and rage. A cold, sharp satisfaction settled deep in my chest. The show was just getting started.