Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Publicly Rejects the Marriage, Kicks Her Scumbag Fiancé to the Curb

 The marble of the dais was cold beneath Elaine's bare feet, the weight of every eye in the ballroom pressing down on her like a physical thing. The entire Black Moon Pack had fallen so silent you could hear a single champagne flute clink against a table from the far side of the room, could hear the sharp, panicked inhale of the wolves in the front row, could hear the slow, steady thud of Alpha King Alphard's heart, even over the roar of her own. She had not looked away from him since she'd stepped up the stairs. Not once. His scarlet eyes were locked on hers, unblinking, unreadable, the cold, impassive mask he'd worn for three hundred years never slipping for a fraction of a second. To anyone else in the room, he looked exactly like the ruthless, unapproachable Alpha King they'd always known—his broad frame relaxed against the black obsidian throne, his long fingers resting loosely on the armrests, his face carved from stone, no hint of emotion in his features at all. But Elaine saw what no one else could. She saw the way his fingers had tightened around the armrest the second she'd stepped onto the dais, his knuckles white beneath the fabric of his tailored black suit. She saw the way his scarlet irises had blown wide, just a fraction, the second her eyes had met his, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. She saw the way his chest rose and fell just a little faster than it should have, the only tell that the woman he'd loved for three hundred years, the woman he'd burned the world down for, the woman he'd died to follow into the dark, was standing right in front of him, speaking to him, looking at him, for the first time without fear. In her past life, she'd never dared to stand this close to him. She'd never dared to hold his gaze for more than a split second. She'd always ducked her head, scurried away, convinced that a wolf as powerful, as important, as untouchable as him would never spare a worthless side-branch she-wolf like her a second glance. She'd had no idea that every time she'd ducked her head and walked away, his eyes had followed her, burning with a love so deep, so all-consuming, it had outlived death itself. She knew now. She'd heard his voice as she'd fallen. She'd felt his arms wrap around her broken body. She'd heard him whisper his secret, his grief, his love, into her hair as the world had gone black. She knew the truth now. And she wasn't going to waste it. The entire pack was waiting. Holding their breath. Wondering what the quiet, naive little she-wolf who'd just kicked a Beta across the room could possibly have to say to the Alpha King. Wondering if she was about to get herself killed for daring to approach his throne uninvited. Elaine lifted her chin. Her voice was clear, steady, unshakable, loud enough that every single wolf in the ballroom could hear every single word, crystal clear, even over the sound of their own shocked gasps. "Alpha King Alphard." Her voice didn't waver. Not even a little. She held his gaze, unflinching, and spoke the words that would shatter every rule of the Black Moon Pack, that would rewrite her entire fate, that would send the entire room into chaos. "Will you marry me?" For a heartbeat, there was nothing. No sound. No movement. No breath. The entire world froze. And then it exploded. A roar of shock, of disbelief, of outrage, ripped through the ballroom like a wildfire. Wolves shouted, gasped, screamed, their voices merging into a deafening cacophony that bounced off the high, vaulted ceilings, that shook the crystal chandeliers overhead. The elders in the front row surged to their feet, their faces purple with rage, their mouths open in protest. The young she-wolves in the back clapped their hands over their mouths, their eyes wide enough to fall out of their heads. The Beta warriors around the dais shifted their weight, their hands flying to the daggers at their waists, unsure if they should intervene, unsure if their Alpha King was about to tear this insolent she-wolf apart with his bare hands. No one had ever dared to do this. No one in the three hundred years Alphard had ruled the Black Moon Pack had ever dared to approach his throne uninvited. No one had ever dared to speak to him without being spoken to first. No one had ever dared to propose to him. He was the Alpha King. The most powerful wolf on the continent. A man who'd turned down the daughters of every high-ranking Alpha family in the world, who'd never even looked at a woman twice, who'd remained alone, cold, unapproachable, for three entire centuries. And now a nobody, a side-branch she-wolf with no status, no power, no name, had just stood in front of his throne and asked him to marry her. It was unheard of. It was blasphemous. It was impossible. "Insolence!" The first shout came from Elder Gideon, the oldest, most traditional member of the pack council, his white beard trembling with rage as he stepped forward, his finger pointed directly at Elaine. "How dare you, girl? How dare you approach the Alpha King's throne uninvited? How dare you speak to him with such disrespect? You will apologize at once, and you will remove yourself from this hall, before you are punished for your insubordination!" The other elders nodded, shouting their agreement, their voices loud with outrage. "She's lost her mind!" "A side-branch whelp, daring to ask the Alpha King to marry her?" "She's making a mockery of the pack! Of the throne!" "She should be locked in the dungeons for this!" Elaine didn't even glance at them. She didn't care about the elders. She didn't care about the shouts, the outrage, the judgment. She didn't care about any of them. The only person in the entire room that mattered was the man sitting on the throne in front of her. The man who'd loved her for three hundred years. The man who'd died for her. The man who was the only one who could help her get her revenge, who could help her take back everything that was hers. She held his gaze, unflinching, even as the shouts of the elders grew louder, even as the entire room descended into chaos. She didn't back down. She didn't look away. She didn't apologize. And then, a sound cut through the noise. A low, rumbling growl. It wasn't loud. Not at first. But it was deep, guttural, vibrating through the very floor beneath their feet, carrying the full, unfiltered weight of an Alpha King's power. It was a growl that commanded silence. A growl that promised pain, death, destruction, to anyone who dared to disobey. The room went dead silent. Instantly. The elders snapped their mouths shut, their faces draining of color, their bodies freezing in place. The shouting stopped. The gasps died away. The entire pack fell still, their heads bowed, not daring to meet the Alpha King's eyes, not daring to make a single sound. That growl had told them everything they needed to know. He was not happy with their interruption. Alphard's scarlet eyes never left Elaine's face. Not even for a split second. He didn't glance at the elders. He didn't acknowledge the crowd. He didn't look at anyone but her. His voice was deep, gravelly, low enough that only she could hear it at first, a sound that sent a shiver down her spine, that made her wolf core thrum in her chest, a sound she'd heard in her dreams, in her final moments, as he'd held her in his arms. "Do you know what you're saying, little wolf?" His voice was soft, but there was an undercurrent of something burning beneath it. Something deep. Something hungry. Something that had been locked away for three hundred years. "Do you know what it means, to ask the Alpha King to marry you? There is no take-backs. No second thoughts. Once the bond is made, it is forever. You will be bound to me. For life." Elaine's heart skipped a beat. She knew. She knew exactly what it meant. In her past life, she'd dreamed of a mating bond with Brian, of forever with a man who'd never loved her. She'd thrown away her chance at a real bond, at a real love, for a lie. But this? This was real. This was the man who'd loved her since the day she was born. The man who'd died for her. But she wasn't here for a fairy tale. Not yet. She was here for revenge. She was here to take back her life. She was here to make sure she never ended up broken and dead at the bottom of a cliff again. And that meant she needed to be smart. That meant she needed to make a deal. She stepped closer, just one step, until she was standing right at the foot of his throne, close enough that she could smell his scent—pine and smoke and something warm, something wild, something that made her wolf stir in her chest, something that felt like home. She held his gaze, her voice steady, clear, unwavering, loud enough now that the elders in the front row could hear her, could hear exactly what she was offering. "I know exactly what I'm saying, Alpha King." She didn't flinch. Not even when his scarlet eyes darkened, when his gaze raked over her face, like he was trying to memorize every line, every feature, like he was scared she'd disappear if he looked away. "I know there's no take-backs. I know it's forever. And I'm not here to play games. I'm here to make you an offer. A win-win deal." The elders in the front row gasped. A she-wolf, making a deal with the Alpha King? It was unheard of. It was disrespectful. It was insane. But Alphard didn't growl. He didn't snap. He just leaned forward, just a little, his scarlet eyes locked on hers, his voice low, encouraging, like he wanted to hear every word she had to say. "Go on." Elaine lifted her chin, her voice sharp, clear, full of resolve. "You have enemies. I've seen them. The council that questions your rule. The rival packs that circle our borders, waiting for a chance to strike. The wolves in your own court that plot behind your back, that think you're too cold, too unapproachable, too alone to hold onto the throne forever. They think your weakness is that you have no mate. No heir. No one to stand by your side." The room went dead silent again. No one dared to say these things out loud. No one dared to even think them, not where the Alpha King could hear. But Elaine was saying them. Right to his face. In front of the entire pack. The elders paled even further, their mouths falling open in shock. Elder Gideon looked like he was about to have a heart attack. The warriors around the dais shifted nervously, their hands tightening around their weapons, waiting for the Alpha King to snap, to punish her for her insolence. But he didn't. He just kept looking at her. His scarlet eyes never leaving her face. His fingers tightening just a little more around the armrest of the throne. He nodded, just once, a silent signal for her to keep going. Elaine took a deep breath, and kept speaking. "I can fix that. If you marry me, I will be your mate. Your Luna. I will stand by your side in front of the council, in front of the rival packs, in front of the entire world. I will show them that you are not alone. That you have a mate who is loyal to you, who will stand with you, who will help you hold onto your throne. I will give you the stability they think you lack. I will help you crush your enemies. Just like I crushed mine tonight." A small, sharp smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she glanced over her shoulder, at the spot where Brian had crashed into the punch table, the shattered glass still glinting on the carpet. The crowd followed her gaze, a low murmur rippling through the room, a mix of amusement and awe. She turned back to Alphard, her smile fading, her gaze serious, unwavering. "And in return? You help me. You help me get my revenge on the people who hurt me. On Brian. On Lena. On everyone who ever laughed at me, who ever manipulated me, who ever thought I was weak. You give me the protection, the power, the status to make them pay for what they've done. You make sure no one ever dares to hurt me again. That's the deal. I help you secure your throne. You help me burn down the people who broke me. Win-win. No loss for you." She stopped speaking. The room was dead silent. Everyone was waiting. Waiting for the Alpha King to laugh. To snap. To throw her out of the hall. To punish her for her insolence, for daring to make a deal with him, for daring to think she was worth his time. Elaine waited too. Her heart was slamming against her ribs, but she didn't let it show. She kept her back straight, her head held high, her gaze locked on his. She didn't beg. She didn't plead. She didn't back down. She was making him an offer. An equal offer. And she would not apologize for it. For a long, heavy, endless moment, Alphard said nothing. He just looked at her. His scarlet eyes raking over her face, over her body, drinking in every inch of her, like he couldn't believe she was real. Like he couldn't believe this was happening. Like he was waiting for himself to wake up from a dream he'd been having for three hundred years. And then he moved. He stood up. The entire pack gasped. Alphard rarely stood from his throne during pack ceremonies. Rarely left the dais at all. He was the Alpha King. He ruled from his throne. He did not stand for anyone. Not for the elders. Not for visiting Alphas from other packs. Not for anyone. But he was standing now. For her. He was tall. Taller than anyone else in the room, his broad frame towering over her, his presence filling the entire space, raw, unfiltered Alpha power rolling off him in waves, so strong it made the weaker wolves in the back of the room drop to their knees, their heads bowed. But Elaine didn't bow. She didn't look away. She didn't flinch. She stood her ground, holding his gaze, even as he stepped down from the throne, even as he walked towards her, even as he stopped right in front of her, so close she could feel the heat of his body, so close she could feel his breath on her forehead. He looked down at her, his scarlet eyes burning into hers, his face still cold, still impassive, but there was something in his eyes now. Something raw. Something desperate. Something that had been locked away for three hundred years. He lifted a hand. The entire pack held their breath. Everyone thought he was going to grab her. To throw her out. To punish her. Even Elaine tensed, just a little, her muscles coiled, ready for anything. But he didn't hurt her. He brushed a strand of hair back from her face, his knuckles brushing gently against her cheek, his touch so soft, so gentle, so careful, like she was the most precious thing in the world. Like she would break if he held her too tight. The entire room erupted. Gasps. Screams. Shouts of disbelief. The elders looked like they were about to pass out. The young she-wolves in the back clapped their hands over their mouths, their eyes wide with shock. No one had ever seen the Alpha King touch anyone. No one had ever seen him be gentle. No one had ever seen him look at anyone the way he was looking at Elaine right now. Elaine's breath caught in her throat. Her heart skipped a beat. She'd felt his touch before, in her final moments, when he'd held her broken body in his arms. But this was different. This was real. This was alive. This was him, touching her, looking at her, like she was everything he'd ever wanted. He leaned down, his mouth right next to her ear, his voice low, gravelly, deep, only for her to hear, a promise, a confession, a truth three hundred years in the making. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to ask me that, little wolf." And then he pulled back, his scarlet eyes locking on hers, and he spoke loud enough for every single wolf in the ballroom to hear, his voice ringing through the hall, clear, unshakable, final. "Yes." The world stopped. "Yes?" Elaine whispered, her voice barely audible, her eyes wide, her heart slamming against her ribs. She'd known he'd loved her in her past life. She'd known he'd died for her. But she'd never expected him to say yes. Not this easily. Not this quickly. Not in front of the entire pack. Alphard's lips tugged up into a small, almost imperceptible smile. A smile no one in the pack had ever seen before. A smile that was only for her. "Yes. I will marry you, Elaine Voss. You will be my mate. My Luna. The future queen of the Black Moon Pack. From this day forward, you are under my protection. Anyone who dares to hurt you, to disrespect you, to even look at you the wrong way, will answer to me. And they will not like the consequences." He turned, his arm wrapping around her waist, pulling her tight against his side, and faced the crowd. His scarlet eyes swept over the room, cold, sharp, ruthless, the gentle look he'd had for her gone in an instant, replaced by the cold, unforgiving gaze of the Alpha King. The entire pack dropped to their knees, their heads bowed, not daring to meet his eyes, not daring to make a single sound. "Hear me, Black Moon Pack!" His voice roared through the ballroom, loud enough to shake the walls, carrying the full weight of his Alpha power, every single word final, unbreakable. "Elaine Voss is my betrothed. My future mate. Your future Luna. You will treat her with the same respect you treat me. You will obey her commands as you obey mine. Any wolf who defies her, who harms her, who speaks ill of her, will be guilty of treason against the throne. And the punishment for treason is death. Do I make myself clear?" A deafening chorus of "Yes, Alpha King!" rang through the ballroom, every single wolf shouting in unison, their voices shaking, their heads still bowed, not a single wolf daring to defy him. Elaine stood there, pressed against his side, his arm wrapped tight around her waist, his body warm and solid against hers, and felt the weight of what had just happened settle over her. She'd done it. She'd rejected Brian. She'd humiliated him. She'd walked up to the Alpha King, the most powerful wolf in the world, and asked him to marry her. And he'd said yes. She was no longer the worthless side-branch she-wolf everyone had laughed at. She was the future Luna of the Black Moon Pack. The Alpha King's betrothed. The most protected woman in the entire continent. Brian and Lena could never hurt her again. Not now. Not when she had the Alpha King standing by her side. And as she looked out over the sea of bowed heads, over the entire pack on their knees for her, she felt a cold, sharp smile tug at the corner of her lips. This was only the beginning. She'd promised herself she'd make them pay. And now, she had the power to do it. The crowd was still on their knees, their heads bowed, when a voice cut through the silence. A voice full of rage, of humiliation, of disbelief. A voice Elaine knew all too well. "WHAT?!" Elaine turned. Brian was standing in the entrance to the ballroom, his face bright red with rage, his suit still soaked through with punch and champagne, glass shards still stuck to his jacket. He'd run out of the room after she'd kicked him, humiliated and furious, but he'd heard the shouts, the chaos, the Alpha King's roar, and he'd come back. And now he was staring at her, at Alphard's arm wrapped around her waist, at the entire pack on their knees for her, his eyes wide with disbelief, with rage, with terror. He stormed into the room, pushing his way through the crowd of kneeling wolves, his face twisted with fury. "Elaine! What the hell is this? Are you insane? You can't marry the Alpha King! You're my fiancée! We're supposed to be together!" The room went dead silent. Every wolf froze. No one had ever dared to speak to the Alpha King's betrothed like that. No one had ever dared to claim a woman that the Alpha King had marked as his own. It was a death sentence. Pure and simple. Alphard's arm tightened around Elaine's waist, pulling her even closer to his side. A low, dangerous growl rumbled in his chest, his scarlet eyes locking on Brian, cold, ruthless, deadly. The air crackled with his Alpha power, so strong it made Brian stumble, his face draining of color, his steps faltering. But he didn't stop. He was too angry, too humiliated, too stupid to see the danger he was in. He kept walking, until he was standing at the foot of the dais, staring up at Elaine, his voice shaking with rage. "Elaine, you can't do this! We've been together for months! You love me! You told me you loved me! You were going to confess to me tonight! You were going to give me your mating mark! What the hell changed?!" Elaine looked down at him, her gaze cold, empty, devoid of any of the love, the adoration, the softness she'd had for him in her past life. She felt nothing for him now. Nothing but contempt. Nothing but rage. Nothing but the memory of his hands pushing her off that cliff, of his laugh as she fell to her death. She stepped forward, out of Alphard's arms, just for a moment, and walked down the steps of the dais, until she was standing right in front of Brian, face to face. The entire pack held their breath, watching, waiting to see what she would do. "What changed?" She repeated his words, a cold, sharp laugh escaping her lips. She leaned in, her voice low, venomous, only for him to hear at first. "What changed, Brian? I woke up. I finally see you for what you really are. A greedy, manipulative, worthless liar. Who never cared about me. Who only ever cared about my bloodline. Who was going to drain me dry and throw me away, the second you got what you wanted." His face paled. Real panic flashed in his eyes, just like it had earlier. He knew. He knew she'd figured it out. He just didn't know how. "You're lying," he snapped, his voice loud now, desperate, trying to play the victim, trying to make her look like the crazy one. "You're just upset! You're making this up! I've never cared about your bloodline! I care about you! I love you, Elaine! Why can't you see that?!" "Love me?" Elaine laughed again, louder this time, cold and sharp, loud enough for the entire room to hear. She stepped back, putting space between them, so the entire pack could see her, could see him, could hear every single word. "You love me? Is that why you've been sneaking around with my stepsister Lena for the past six months? Is that why you've been meeting her in the east wing storage closet every single night, after I've gone to bed? Is that why you two have been planning how to trick me into giving you my bloodline, how to drain me dry, how to get rid of me once you've taken everything I have? Is that your idea of love, Brian?" The room erupted. Gasps. Shouts. Whispers, loud and frantic, bouncing off the walls. Every eye turned to the back of the room, to the spot where Lena was hiding, her face white as a sheet, her eyes wide with terror, her hands shaking. Lena had been hiding in the crowd, watching, praying that no one would notice her, praying that Elaine would forget about her. But now, every single wolf in the room was staring at her. Pointing. Whispering. Judging. Brian's face went from red to white, then to purple with rage and panic. "That's not true! You're lying! Elaine, stop this! You're making a fool of yourself! There's nothing between me and Lena! She's your sister!" "Oh, am I lying?" Elaine raised an eyebrow, a cold, sharp smile on her face. She turned to the crowd, her voice loud, clear, unshakable. "Is there anyone here who saw Brian and Lena sneaking into the east wing together last night? Anyone who saw them kissing in the gardens after the pack meeting two days ago? Anyone who heard them talking about how to trick me out of my bloodline?" For a heartbeat, there was silence. And then a hand went up. Then another. Then a dozen. A young kitchen maid stepped forward, her head bowed, her voice shaking, but clear. "I saw them, Luna. I was cleaning the east wing last night, and I saw them go into the storage closet together. I heard them talking. About your bloodline. About how to get you to give it to them. About how stupid you were." Another hand went up. A young warrior stepped forward. "I saw them kissing in the gardens two days ago. I didn't say anything. I didn't think it was my place. But it's true. They're together." Another. A maid from Elaine's own household. "I heard Lena on the phone last week, talking to Brian. She was telling him to keep leading you on, to make sure you confessed tonight. She said once you gave him the bloodline, they could get rid of you, and she could take your place." The crowd roared. Angry shouts. Boos. Jeers. The pack hated traitors. Hated liars. Hated people who manipulated and used others for their own gain. And now, the entire pack knew exactly what Brian and Lena had been doing. Exactly what they'd planned for Elaine. Brian's face was white as a sheet now. He was shaking, his eyes darting around the room, looking for a way out, looking for someone to believe him, but there was no one. Everyone was staring at him with contempt, with rage, with disgust. Elaine looked at him, her gaze cold, sharp, unforgiving. "Still think I'm lying, Brian?" He didn't answer. He couldn't. There was nothing he could say. No lie he could tell. No way out. The entire pack knew the truth. Elaine stepped closer, her voice low, venomous, every word a blade. "You thought I was stupid. You thought I was weak. You thought I'd let you manipulate me, drain me dry, throw me away, and get away with it. You thought no one would ever know. You thought you could get everything you ever wanted, at my expense. Well, you were wrong, Brian. Dead wrong." She lifted her chin, her voice loud, clear, ringing through the ballroom, for the entire pack to hear. "I, Elaine Voss, hereby reject any and all mating claims, any and all betrothal agreements, any and all ties between myself and Brian Hale. From this day forward, he is nothing to me. Less than nothing. If he so much as speaks to me, looks at me, or comes within fifty feet of me, he will be punished. Severely." The crowd cheered. Loud, deafening cheers, echoing through the ballroom, every wolf shouting their approval, their support. Brian stared at her, his mouth open, his eyes wide with terror, with rage, with humiliation. He'd lost everything. His reputation. his standing in the pack. his chance at the power he'd been craving. All in one night. And then he snapped. He lunged forward, his hand raised, his fingers curled into a fist, aiming straight for Elaine's face, a snarl ripping from his throat. "You crazy bitch! I'll kill you!" The crowd screamed. But he never got close. Before his hand could even come within a foot of her, a massive black blur slammed into him, sending him flying across the room, crashing into the stone wall with a sickening crack. Alphard. He'd moved so fast no one had even seen him move. One second he'd been on the dais, the next he was standing over Brian's crumpled body, his scarlet eyes blazing with unadulterated rage, his wolf half-surfaced, his fangs bared, his claws extended, a low, deadly growl rumbling in his chest, so loud it shook the walls. He'd shifted halfway. His body was still human, but his fangs were out, his claws were extended, his eyes were fully wolf, bright scarlet, burning with the need to tear the man who'd dared to raise a hand to his mate apart. The entire room went dead silent. Frozen. No one dared to breathe. No one dared to move. They all knew what was coming. The Alpha King was going to kill Brian. Right here. Right now. Alphard leaned down, grabbing Brian by the throat, lifting him off the ground with one hand, like he weighed nothing. Brian gasped, his hands clawing at Alphard's grip, his face turning purple, his legs kicking uselessly in the air. "You dare." Alphard's voice was a snarl, low, deadly, full of a rage so cold it burned. "You dare to raise a hand to my mate. You dare to threaten her. You dare to manipulate her, to hurt her, to plot against her. You have no idea what you've just done, boy." He tightened his grip, and Brian whimpered, tears streaming down his face, his eyes wide with terror, begging for mercy. "Please," he gasped, his voice barely audible. "Alpha King, please. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I was stupid. I was wrong. Please spare me. I'll leave the pack. I'll never come back. I'll never bother her again. Please." Alphard laughed. A cold, harsh, humorless sound. "You think you get to walk away from this? You think you get to live, after what you've done? After what you planned to do to her? You think I'd let you breathe the same air as her, after you dared to lay a finger on her?" He lifted Brian higher, slamming him back against the wall, hard enough that the stone cracked behind him. Brian cried out in pain, his body going limp, his eyes rolling back in his head. "Alphard." The voice was soft, but clear. Elaine stepped forward, walking down the steps of the dais, until she was standing next to him. She placed a hand on his arm, her touch gentle, calming, and the growl in his chest faded, just a little. His scarlet eyes turned to her, the rage softening, just a fraction, when he looked at her. "Don't kill him." Her voice was steady, clear, unwavering. The crowd gasped. Everyone had expected her to let him kill Brian. To let him tear the man who'd hurt her apart. But she was telling him to spare him. Alphard blinked, his brow furrowing, his grip on Brian's throat loosening just a little. "Elaine. He hurt you. He tried to kill you. He deserves to die." Elaine smiled. A cold, sharp, cruel smile. She looked at Brian, who was staring at her, hope flickering in his eyes, like he thought she was saving him out of mercy. Out of the last remains of love. He was wrong. "I don't want him dead, Alphard." She looked back at the Alpha King, her smile never fading. "Death is too kind. Too quick. He wants power? He wants status? He wants to be respected? I want him to live. To live with the shame of what he's done. To live with the entire pack knowing exactly what he is. A liar. A traitor. A manipulative coward. I want him stripped of his Beta status. I want him stripped of his title, his land, his wealth. I want him reduced to nothing. To the lowest of the low in the pack. I want him to watch me. To watch me become Luna. To watch me have everything he ever wanted. And I want him to live with that. For the rest of his miserable life." Her voice was cold, sharp, unforgiving. There was no mercy in it. No kindness. Only a cold, calculated cruelty that made even the strongest wolves in the room shiver. This was worse than death. For a wolf like Brian, who'd craved status, power, respect his entire life, being stripped of everything, being reduced to an omega, to the lowest rank in the pack, to be laughed at, scorned, pitied by everyone, for the rest of his life? It was a fate worse than death. Alphard stared at her for a long moment, and then a slow, dark smile spread across his face. A smile of approval. Of pride. Of adoration. His little wolf wasn't just brave. She was ruthless. And he loved it. He turned back to Brian, his smile fading, replaced by cold, unforgiving rage. He tightened his grip on Brian's throat, making him gasp, his eyes wide with terror, now realizing that Elaine hadn't saved him. She'd condemned him to something far worse. "You heard your future Luna." Alphard's voice was a snarl, low, deadly, final. "By the authority of the Alpha King, I hereby strip you, Brian Hale, of your Beta rank, your title, your land, and all your possessions. You are hereby reduced to the rank of Omega. You will be assigned to the lowest duties in the pack. You will never again hold a position of power. You will never again speak to, look at, or come within fifty feet of Elaine Voss. If you break any of these rules, I will not hesitate to tear you apart. Do I make myself clear?" Brian whimpered, tears streaming down his face, his body shaking with terror and shame. He nodded, frantically, unable to speak, his throat still crushed in Alphard's grip. Alphard threw him to the ground, like he was nothing but a piece of trash. Brian landed hard, gasping for air, curling into a ball on the floor, sobbing. Alphard turned to the two warriors standing by the door, his voice sharp, cold, commanding. "Get him out of my sight. Lock him in the dungeons overnight, and then assign him to the kennels in the morning. If he so much as steps out of line, you report it to me immediately. Understood?" The warriors nodded, their heads bowed, and stepped forward, grabbing Brian by the arms, dragging him out of the ballroom. He didn't fight. He didn't struggle. He just lay there, limp, sobbing, broken, as they dragged him away, the entire pack booing and jeering as he went. Elaine watched him go, her chest heaving, a cold, sharp satisfaction settling in her bones. She'd done it. She'd kicked her scumbag fiancé to the curb. She'd stripped him of everything he'd ever wanted. She'd humiliated him in front of the entire pack. She'd made him pay for the first of his many crimes. And it felt good. It felt better than anything she'd ever felt in her life. She turned, and her gaze locked on Lena. Lena was still standing in the back of the room, her face white as a sheet, her body shaking, her eyes wide with terror. She'd watched the entire thing. She'd watched Brian be stripped of his rank, dragged away to the dungeons. She'd watched Elaine become the future Luna. She knew she was next. She turned to run. But before she could take a single step, two warriors stepped in front of her, blocking her path, their faces cold, unforgiving. There was no escape. Elaine smiled. A cold, sharp smile. A promise. She wasn't done yet. Lena was next. But before she could walk towards her, before she could make Lena pay for her crimes, Alphard's hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. He leaned down, his mouth right next to her ear, his voice low, gravelly, deep, sending a shiver down her spine. "You did well, little wolf." His breath was hot against her skin, his voice full of pride, of adoration, of something burning, something hungry. "But the night is not over. We have a mating to announce. A bond to discuss. And I think it's time we talked about your deal. Because you think this is just a transaction, Elaine. But you have no idea. I'm not marrying you for a throne. I'm marrying you because you're mine. You've always been mine." His hand slid down to her hip, his grip tightening, possessive, hungry, his scarlet eyes burning into hers. The crowd was still cheering, still celebrating, still bowing to their future Luna. But in that moment, it was just the two of them. Him and her. The Alpha King and his future mate. And as he leaned down, his lips brushing against her forehead, Elaine felt her heart skip a beat. She'd come here for a deal. For revenge. For protection. But she was starting to realize that this was so much more than that. That the man holding her had loved her for three hundred years. That he would burn the world down for her. That he would never let anyone hurt her again. But what she didn't know, what she couldn't have known, was that in the shadows of the hallway outside the ballroom, Brian and Lena weren't the only ones plotting. The elders, furious at the Alpha King's choice of mate, were already on the phone with the rival Red Moon Pack, offering a deal. A deal to get rid of Elaine. A deal to overthrow the Alpha King. A deal that would put the entire pack, and Elaine's life, in mortal danger. And as Alphard pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, as the crowd cheered, as the night went on, the first threads of a trap were already being woven. A trap that Elaine, even with all her knowledge of the future, could never have seen coming.