hapter 23

bChapter /bb23 /b

“bDid /bbsomeone /boffend Gamma ra again?” Co’s bvoice /brang out, syrupy–sweet andced with venom. Her beyes /bbscanned /bthe dining hall as she stepped in beside Mi. b“/bbPlease/b, blet’s /bnot bupset /bher again—we know how she can get when she bfeels/bb… /bbdisrespected/b.”

Her mocking tone turned ba /bbfew /bbheads/bb. /bSome of the guests whispered among themselvesb, /bclearly swayed by Mi’s version of the bstory/b.

Co didn’t miss the shift in attention. She stepped forward, chin tilted high. “Looks like someone forgot ball /bthe manners I taught her. I don’t care what title you wear now, ra. You’re still our blood. And you owe your bsister /bban /bapology. Get on your knees and make it right.”

I stared at herb, /bstunned by the absurdity. Before I could open my mouth, Jory snarled beside me.

“Like hell she will!” Jory growled. “She doesn’t owe any of you a damn thing. If anything, it’s you snakes who need to apologize to her.”

The tension in the room thickened. Jory, all muscle and fury, stood like a shield in front of me. The security guards hesitated, unsure whether to intervene.

Co flinched and pointed a trembling hand. “What is this beast doing here? This bis /bfor nobles and Alphas, not rabid dogsb! /bGet him out!”

Jory snarled, his fangs shing. I could see the feral glint in his eyes, the instinct to protect rising like a wave.

I touched his back gently. “It’s alright, Jory. No need to tear anyone apart… yet.”

He turned his head, eyes searching mine. “Did I mess up? I just wanted to shut them up for you.”

“You didn’t mess up,” I said, voice low and steady. “You stood up for me. That means more than you know. But now, let me handle this.b” /b

I stepped around him and faced Co. “He’s here because I invited him. No oneys a finger on him unless they want to deal with me.”

My voice cut clean through the tension. Co’s mouth quivered, but she didn’t respond.

Then sheughed bitterly. “Is he another one of your lovers? What is it now, ra? Alpha Thorne, Alpha Cael, and now this pup? Are you even keeping count?”

My hand moved faster than I thought.

bSLAP/b.

The sound echoed through the hall. Co crashed to the floor, clutching her face.

b“/bYES!” Jory whooped behind me, pping like he’d just watched a championship fight.

Co tried to push herself up, but I stepped on her hand.

“You want to talk about family?” I hissed. “Where was family when I was left outside in the snow? When I was starved, beaten, ignored? Where bwere /byou when I was dragged away by rogues? You didn’t lift a finger.”

The dining hall fell deathly silent. Whispers faded into gasps.

Co trembled beneath my bfoot/b. “I braised /byoub! /bYou bowe /bme your lifeb!/bb” /b

“I repaid you,” bI /bbsaid /bcoldly, bpressing /bdown just enough to make her wince. “I repaid everything when you sold me out. And I owe you nothing nowb./bb” /b

“bPlease/bb!/bb” /bMi suddenly dropped to her kneesb, /btears streaming down her face. “Don’t hurt her! bPlease/bb, /bra–this bisn’t /byou. The kind bsister /bbI /bknew wouldn’t do this.”

b“/bYou’re right,” I said tly. “She wouldn’t. But she died in the snow, rememberb?/bb” /b

I stepped back and looked down at them both.

“If you want to eat, sit in a corner and shut your mouths. One more insult, and I won’t be so forgiving.”

Just then, someone called out, “Alpha!”

Every head turned toward the entrance. Thorne stood there, his tall frame still and silent, face unreadable.

He walked in slowly, his gaze scanning the scene–the toppled chairs, the crowd, Mi on the floor beside a disheveled Coi. /i

Mi rushed forward. “Alpha, she–she pped my mother! She humiliated us!”

The crowd chimed in:

“She stomped on Lady Co’s hand!”

“She threw Mi out of her own room!”

Thorne raised a single hand. The room silenced immediately.

He looked at me. His eyes searched mine. I braced myself, every muscle tensed.

“Let me be clear,” Thorne said, voice calm but firm. “Gamma ra is a guest in this pack. A guest of honor. Anyone who disrespects her… answers to me.”

A hush fell over the room.

Mi gasped. “You can’t be serious! She just-”

“I am,” he said, his voice turning cold. “You want to test it, Mi?”

She dropped to her knees again, stunned.

But it was me who stood frozen in ce. My heart pounded in my chest.

Thorne had just defended me. Out loud. In front of everyone.

bI /bblinked, unsure of what to feel.

Confused?

Relieved?

No. Not yet.

Because I didn’t know what this meant.

But for the first time in a long time–bhe /bstood on my side.