Chapter 5 - The Alpha Was Never Hers

Her scent turned sharp with judgment.

“You expect me to believe that girl tried to kill this one? Sure.”

If wolves could roll their eyes out loud, she just had.

The way Damon brushed Celestine’s hair back, how her trembling fingers clung to his sleeve-it was obscene. The kind of thing that made every instinct in me want to bare my fangs.

But I didn’t.

I just sat there, calm as ice, answering questions, voice steady.

The Enforcer-young, sharp, and probably the only one here with a working brain-watched me for a while, then quietly placed a cup of hot tea in front of me.

And a small bar of chocolate.

I almost smiled. She must’ve noticed how the Moonvale servants didn’t even bring me breakfast. Their loyalty began and ended with whoever the Luna favored.

The case itself wasn’t complicated.

The driver confessed.

He was hired-but not by me.

The name that came out stunned everyone.

Aine Rook.

A dancer from the Bluemoon Pack. Celestine’s rival in their shared troupe.

She admitted everything-said she only meant to injure Celestine lightly, ruin her chance to perform as lead. But she’d used the ongoing family feud as a cover. She’d heard rumors of me “hating my sister,” and decided to frame me, knowing my family would swallow it whole.

Clever bitch.

If I hadn’t walked in to confess nothing, she’d have gotten away with it.

Celestine, of course, chose forgiveness. Because that’s what she does best-turn other wolves’ sins into the stage for her own sainthood.

Aine’s dancing career was over, but she didn’t seem to care. Her scent was cold, her expression unreadable, as she passed me by on her way out.

She paused just long enough to whisper, “You may have proved you’re clean, Aysel Vale, but you still lost. You always will.”

I didn’t answer.

Her words stung less than they used to. Maybe I was just numb.

Back in the hall, silence reigned.

Alpha Remus’s face twisted with something like regret-until he opened his mouth.

“If you hadn’t been so arrogant,” he said, “your classmates wouldn’t have turned against you. You brought this on yourself.”

I almost laughed. “Right. And if she ever sheds a hair, it’ll be my fault for breathing too close? You should just wrap her in glass and light incense for her three times a day.”

He slammed his hand against the table, a growl rising from deep in his chest. “Watch your mouth!”

The young Enforcer snapped, “No physical aggression in the Hall, Alpha.”

The command tone of an officer cut through even Alpha authority, and Remus froze, hackles still half-raised.

Celestine coughed weakly, leaning harder against Damon. Luna Evelyn’s voice dripped with reproach.

“Aysel, look what you’ve done. Your sister’s health is fragile enough-must you drag her through this?”

Fenrir folded his arms, expression dark. “You knew you were innocent. You could’ve handled it quietly instead of embarrassing the Pack.”

Lykos snorted. “Maybe that’s the point. Some wolves crave attention, even if it means a cell.”

I stared at them all-my blood, my Pack, the family I’d once believed would die for me-and felt nothing but cold.

“Right,” I said. “I’m dramatic, I’m jealous, I’m vicious. But at least I’m still a wolf, not some creature that hides behind a saint’s shadow and calls it love.”

The room went still.

Then I tilted my head, lips curling in a tired smile. “Funny how you can all smell lies but never hers. Maybe your noses are just for decoration.”

One of the male Enforcers choked trying not to laugh. The young female officer’s tail flicked once, amused.

Luna Evelyn’s jaw tightened.

The Enforcer turned toward me and said clearly, “Aysel Vale, the case is officially cleared. You’re free to go. As for Celestine Ward, as the injured party, you may be contacted for follow-up.”

Finally.

I thanked her quietly and turned to leave. Damon made as if to follow-but Celestine swayed, clutching his sleeve, and he froze.

Typical.

I didn’t look back until Luna Evelyn’s voice followed me out. “Aysel, wait. You and Damon’s bonding ceremony yesterday had to be halted due to Celestine’s injury, but the High Priest has divined the date of the next one-less than a month from today.. You should stay at the estate until then.”

The words hit like a joke from the gods themselves.

I turned slowly, eyes landing on Damon-on the arm still wrapped around my sister.

“Luna Evelyn,” I said softly, “look again. He’s already holding his Luna. You really think it’s still my ceremony?”

Aysel’s POV

Silence fell heavy. Every gaze turned toward the two of them-perfect pair, radiant in the morning light.

I smiled without warmth. “Don’t worry. The only dirty thing here is how clean you all pretend to be.”

Lykos snapped, “You’re just jealous. He’s helping her because she’s weak!”

“Right, right,” I said, my tone sharp as a blade. “In a room full of people, she’s the only delicate one-and somehow, she just happens to fall into my mate’s arms. And Damon? Oh, he’s just too kind, right? So kind he couldn’t help but hold her. One day if they end up in the same bed, it’ll probably be because everyone else around was blind.”

My chest rose and fell as I forced a bitter laugh. “Honestly, I look at them both and can’t tell who’s filthier-two perfectly matched garbage bins overflowing with lies.”

“Aysel, you’ve misunderstood,” Damon said, his voice tight. He’d already pulled away from Celestine the moment I turned. But hearing him defend her-again-scraped something raw inside me.

“Misunderstood?” I tilted my head, meeting his eyes. “Damon, do you even know how many times you’ve said that to me over the years?”

He froze. “I can explain. There’s a reason-“

“I don’t want to hear it.”

Intentions didn’t matter in the wolf realm. A bond was measured by what you did, not what you claimed to feel. And Damon had stood against me too many times to count.

“About the coronation ceremony-” Luna Evelyn began.

“Coronation?” I cut her off, my lips curling. “The vows didn’t even happen. What’s there to coronate?”

“What do you mean?” Evelyn blinked, startled.

Everyone stared at me-Damon, Alpha Remus, Lykos, Fenrir. Only Celestine’s eyes gleamed faintly in the candlelight, as if she’d been waiting for this moment.

“Do you really not understand?” I turned back to Damon. “Yesterday, when you walked away from me, I told you-if you leave, we’re done. So let me make it clearer: Damon Blackwood, we’re over. I don’t want you anymore.”

“No!” His voice cracked like thunder. “I don’t agree to that.”

He looked like he’d been struck across the skull. I could see the muscles in his jaw trembling.

He’d been in my life since I was three years old-two decades of shared breath, shared hunts, shared promises. He was my destined mate… or so I’d believed.

“You don’t mean that,” he said, trying to steady his voice. “You’re angry. Take it back, Aysel.”

I didn’t answer him. My gaze slid to Luna Evelyn instead. “The breakup’s been made official. If you don’t want an coronation ceremony without a bride, now’s your chance to cancel it.”

“Enough!” Alpha Remus’s roar shook the hall. “The bond between Moonvale and Blackwood was agreed upon long ago! You think mating alliances are some childish game? You begged to marry him when you were a pup. Now you throw it away like it’s nothing? You think the world revolves around your temper?”

I met his glare coldly. “Then you can marry him yourself. Or better yet…” My eyes flicked toward Celestine. “Don’t you already have another daughter?”

“Aysel!” Damon’s voice broke. “You know I only love you.”

I laughed once, hollow. “I used to believe that too.”

Before anyone could respond, the heavy oak door creaked open. A new enforcer stepped in, still smelling faintly of rain and iron.

“Vale?” he said, brows lifting. “Well, well-wasn’t she here last night too?”

The words froze the room.

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