Third Person’s POV

“Wonderful! All our guests are gone. Just wonderful!” Ulrik bsnarled/b, his voiceced with sarcasm and fury.

Velda’s wolf fur prickled beneath her dress.

She strode to the Packhouse window, nced at the deserted za, and asked innocently, “Why did they leave?”

“Not enough seats!” Ulrik exploded. “Why did you invite them without telling us? They don’t belong here!”

Velda’s pupils shrank, her belt clinking against her gown. “So they’re discriminating against wolf warriors?”

Her voice carried the chill of a blizzard. “bThose /broyal Lycans and council wolves–do they think our border guards aren’t worthy of respect? After we fight and die to protect them?”

“This isn’t about respect! You invited them without clearance! Did you even inform the base?”

He forced his roar down, his voice trembling with frustration. “Even if approved, you should’ve told Tamara! We set up 200 seats, but you added 150 warriors. Did you expect guests to stand and sip champagne?”

Velda’s ears twitched irritably beneath her headdress. “Now you’re quizzing me on military protocol?”

She grabbed the tequ bottle and drank straight from it. “I became your mate today–not to learn silverware etiquette.”

She sneered, “Besides, Bloodmoon doesn’t prepare extra seats? Tamara’s ipetence is shocking.”

Ulrik’s anger

deted.

He softened. “Were bthey /bactually approved?“”

Velda dodged the question–she’d just sent a bgroup /bmessage to Gamma, “All attend.” No formal request.

But she fixated on another grievanceb: /b“bThis /bis your fault! My friends shouldn’t be left outside eating cold sandwiches!”

Ulrik felt a twinge of guilt.

bMost /bpacks reserved extra seats for such basions/b.

He shifted his bire /bbto /bbTamara/b, who’d organized the event.

“Go to our room,

Seeing the guests gone, Velda conceded. No point in celebrating with soldiers who couldn’t see her shine.

bShe /bnodded. “But you should ask bTamara /bwhy the ceremony bwas /bbso /bbshabby/b.”

Ulrik agreed. “I’ll talk to her. Let me walk you home.”

+15 Bonus

Today’s humiliation stung–especially the royal guests‘ disdainful looks.

Velda was furious too. The event was supposed to be her moment in the spotlight, not a farce.

As the sole female Gamma praised by the Lycan King, she’d envisioned mingling with royalty and powerful Alphas. Instead, bshe’d /b

Gamma praised be aughingstock

She med Rosemary and Tamara for the disaster.

Ever bsince /bVelda learned that Adide’s mating bond with Ulrik was null and void, and that she could join the Bloodmoon Pack as its Luna, she had been looking forward to this highly anticipated bonding ceremony.

She had envisioned the moment when all the guests would be seatedb, /ballowing her to mingle with the royal family and meet the Alphas and Lunas of powerful and reputable wolf packs.

Now, thanks to Tamara’s penny–pinching, it was ruined. Adide would revel in bthis/b, Velda thought bitterly.

In a fit of rage, she overturned the dessert table and champagne pyramid.

With guests gone and soldiers left to their revelry, Rosemary nearly shifted from fury.

Other Bloodmoon members exchanged uneasy nces.

Ulrik confronted Tamara, his temper ring. “If you couldn’t manage the ceremony, why not say so? Now our guests are gone, and bwe’re /bthe joke!”

Tamara, tearful, protested, “I followed the bguest /blist! How was I to know so many woulde unannounced? I wasn’t even managing the pack before! It was all Adide who did such things.”

“Don’t bring her up!” Ulrik snapped. “Even if you weren’t in charge beforeb, /bfor a bonding ceremony this big, wouldn’t you prepare extra seats?”

“I did–two extra tables,” Tamara said, looking to Simon for support.

Put simply, funds were limited.

Simon, protective of his mate, retorted, “If not for bthe /bsudden crowd, nothing would’ve gone wrong.

Rosemary gasped, clutching her chest. “bEnough/b!”

Ulrik, thinking of bVelda’s /bchaotic behavior, felt a growing sense of helplessness.

He left without another word.

He refused to entertain regrets–not when he was waiting for Adide to regret everything