"Everyone, the one standing beside me is my true intended mate. Don't make the mistake of confusing her with anyone else."

"As for this female? She's nothing but a filthy gold-digger and a den-thief."

"Sentries, seize her."

In an instant, pack guards rushed forward and pinned me in place, their grips like iron shackles. I couldn't move an inch, and fury tightened my brow.

Kael Hartwell released Lily Hartwell's hand and lunged toward me, snatching the pouch from my grasp. He dug through it and pulled out a moonstone ring, its gem as large as a dove's egg.

That ring—he had asked me to bring it tonight. He said it was for the bonding ceremony.

I never imagined I had walked straight into his trap. Now he was accusing me of stealing his own ring.

"See? I haven't wronged you at all."

"You even dared to steal the ring I prepared for my intended mate's bonding."

Lily Hartwell's face twisted into a cunning smile as she approached. Her palm cracked across my cheek.

"Serena Nightveil, you're the shameless gold-digger and thief here. How dare you accuse me of stealing your worthless jade charm back then?"

Another slap landed on my other cheek.

The humiliating whispers from the gathered pack members buzzed in my ears, mixing with Lily's blows. I must have looked utterly wretched.

"Ha! Serena, however you shamed me that day, I'll repay you a hundred times over tonight."

"Did you enjoy receiving those gifts recently?"

"Kael set that trap just for you. There's more hidden in your ceremonial gown, you know."

Lily raised her hand and patted my face mockingly, her laughter sharp and cruel.

Kael stood with his arms crossed, sneering at me. "Why are you looking at me like that? We haven't falsely accused you of anything."

"You've been caught with the evidence right on you."

"You've also damaged my timepiece relic and cracked the bonding ring. Have you figured out how you'll pay for that?"

Lily grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked hard. "Pay? What could she possibly offer?"

"The only skill she has worth mentioning is what she does in the mating den!"

I glared at this scheming, treacherous she-wolf. I wanted nothing more than to break free from the sentries and tear into her.

But I never expected Kael to go even further to cement my reputation as a thief. He began searching through my ceremonial gown.

He ripped the fabric apart, exposing my bare legs.

Every male in the hall let out low whistles and growls. From the torn cloth, he pulled out an emerald ring and a limited-edition necklace worth tens of millions in tribute value.

I had no idea when those items had been planted on me.

Only Kael had been close enough to touch me, close enough for me to lower my guard and trust him.

"Whose necklace is this? And this ring?"

The moment he spoke, two older males shoved their way through the crowd.

"The necklace belongs to me."

"The emerald ring was meant as a gift for my mate."

"Filthy gold-digger! You dared to steal from me? You're asking for death!"

One of the elder wolves rushed forward, snatched up the ring, and examined it. His face contorted when he found a crack running through the stone.

"This is my prized emerald! You disgusting little thief, you've damaged it!"

"And my necklace—it's broken!"

I opened my mouth to explain. I had never even seen these items before, let alone damaged them.

But before I could utter a single word, both elder wolves struck me across the face, one after the other.

Burning pain flared across my cheeks, and my heart plummeted into an abyss.

In all my years, I had never suffered such humiliation. No one had ever dared treat me this way.

Yet here I was, in this unfamiliar territory, betrayed by the male I loved most, drowning in shame and injustice.

What Kael Hartwell didn't know was this—if tonight's pre-bond ceremony had proceeded smoothly, he would have gained wealth and power beyond anything his pack had ever known.

So the one truly suffering loss wasn't me. It was him. Because I was never some scheming fortune-hunter trying to claw my way into a powerful bloodline.

If not for him, I would never have lingered in this territory for three long years.

The disappointment and crimson fury burning in my eyes meant nothing to Kael. He dismissed them with a curl of his lip.

"Why the tears? If you knew this day would come, why steal in the first place? Of all things you could have done, you chose to be a thief."

"You've damaged everyone's relics tonight. Have you figured out how you're going to pay for them?"

"I didn't steal those things. You gave them to me."

I ground my teeth and glared at Kael, but no one believed me.

"Ha! Do you even know who Kael Hartwell is? And who are you?"

"Why would he ever gift a timepiece relic worth millions to someone like you?"

"As if you're worthy?"

I wrenched myself free from the wolves holding me and stalked forward, grabbing Kael's wrist with a fierce grip.

"Tell me. Why are you doing this to me? Why set this trap?"

Kael's expression darkened instantly. "What do you think you are? You're not even worth the effort of trapping."

"You thought being with me for a few years gave you the right to act however you pleased? You knew I cared for Lily. You knew how much I treasured her. Yet you deliberately sent her away to be humiliated."

I said nothing. I just stared at him coldly, my gaze catching on the bite mark hidden beneath his collar—a mating mark, fresh and deliberate.

We hadn't shared heat in a long time. So where had that mark come from?

My eyes drifted to Lily. She smiled back at me, bold and shameless.

The truth hit me then. Kael's heart had already shifted.

He was no longer worthy of my love.

I released his wrist and stepped back, a cold laugh escaping my throat.

"You've bedded her, haven't you?"

Kael stood there with that distant coldness, not answering directly. But the heated glances he exchanged with Lily told me everything.

My hands clenched into fists. I slowly closed my eyes.

No wonder Grandfather had warned me not to rush bringing Kael home. He'd insisted I court him for three years first—a test of his true loyalty.

I never expected to discover his betrayal right as that three-year trial ended.

"Hey! Gold-digger!"

"You broke our things. You owe us tribute!"

"Stop standing there feeling sorry for yourself."

"Exactly. If you can't pay what you owe, you're finished."

Hearing those words, I turned to face the gathered wolves with ice in my veins.

These so-called precious relics? I could easily afford to replace them all. But the items weren't stolen by me—they'd been planted on me deliberately.

I had no way to prove my innocence. No one would believe me.

Was I supposed to accept being branded a thief? I pulled out my Moonstone Comms Sigil, preparing to summon the pack authorities.

I would let proper investigation clear my name.

But before I could activate the connection, Lily kicked the sigil from my hands.

"You want to call for help?"

"Let me tell you something—even if enforcers come, they can't save you. Everyone here knows who holds power in this den. They know exactly whose side to take."

"If anyone's making a report, it'll be us. Because you're the thief. When they arrive, you'll be the first one seized."

The moment she finished speaking, everyone regarded me with contempt and disdain, as though I were some ignorant pup who didn't understand how the world worked.

But their scorn couldn't touch me.

Because my precious comms sigil—priceless beyond measure—had just been shattered by Lily.

"What a worthless device. It's barely breaking. Someone bring me a hammer to smash it properly."

I tried to stop her, but it was too late. The sigil was destroyed.

That wasn't an ordinary communication device. The enchantments and moon-crystals embedded within it—the pack artificers had poured years of effort into crafting them.

Money alone couldn't settle this debt. I retrieved my Moonstone Comms Sigil and found it shattered beyond repair.

"I can pay tribute for what you claim I took, but you destroyed my sigil. You owe me restitution as well."

"Ha! That worthless little trinket? Worth maybe a thousand silver at most? I could toss scraps at you like feeding a stray omega." Lily Hartwell's lips curled with contempt.

"But what you owe us isn't just a thousand—it's ten million in blood-price!"

The pack hall erupted in mocking laughter.

They thought I had no resources to pay, and that I was foolish besides.

"You're wrong. My sigil isn't worth ten million. It's something wealth alone cannot purchase."

"Listen to this!" someone howled. "The gold-digger claims her broken trinket is priceless!"

"She's completely moon-touched."

Kael Hartwell regarded me with open disgust, as if the years we'd spent as intended mates now made his stomach turn.

The two elder wolves had lost patience. They stalked closer, pressing me to pay.

"Worthless female, stop playing dumb. Hand over the tribute now."

"If you can't pay, I'll have someone take a blade to your fingers. That'll teach you proper submission."

Lily heard this and let out a sharp laugh.

"Cutting fingers is too simple. I want her stripped bare, a submission chain locked around her throat, and paraded through the territory like a disobedient pup."

The gathered wolves erupted with approval, clapping and howling their agreement.

"Now that's a proper punishment. Strike at the heart of her pride—it'll warn off any future thieves."

"Yes, yes! Lady Lily is so clever."

My eyes burned crimson as I glared at Lily. She merely pulled out a slim cigarette, placed it between her lips, and lit it. She drew in smoke and blew it directly into my face.

"What? Don't like looking at me?"

"Too bad. Choke on it." She laughed coldly.

Rage unlike anything I'd ever felt surged through me. But I couldn't act against her. Not yet.

Lily had made it clear—even if I called for pack law enforcement, the local authorities would side with the Hartwells.

The urgent matter was settling the tribute first.

"If we're exchanging debts, then let's settle them all at once."

"I'll pay their claimed losses. But you shattered my sigil. You must pay me in return."

Lily narrowed her eyes and looked at me sideways. "Fine. I'll pay."

She reached into her pocket and threw a thousand silver notes at my body.

"Is that enough for your precious trinket?"

I smiled coldly. "Not even close."

"I told you, its value—"

"Are you trying to test my patience?" Lily snarled, throwing her cigarette to the ground.