bChapter /bb48 /b

ra’s POV

“What the hell are you talking about?!”

jerked my hand away from Thome’s grip, trying not to let my anger show. His words, bso /binsistent, burned through my chest.

“bI /bpaid your ransom!” Thorne snapped, his face flushed with frustration. “I thought they’d let you go just like they let Mi got”

“Don’t bullshit me,” I spat, shaking him off, my voiceced with fury. “You didn’t pay for me–you only paid for M! You only care about Mywords hit him like a punch. “If we weren’t mates, you’d’ve married Mi, not me Admiti

There it was. The truth, ugly and raw. It was hard to swallow, hut it had to be said. And I hated him for it.

Thated him for choosing Mi–again and bagain/b, over me.

For so long. I had begged myself not to care, but now… now it all came rushing backb, /band I couldn’t stop it.

Thome’s face bsoftened /bfor a moment, as if he was searching for something in my eyesb, /bsomething he could fix, but I wasn’t ready to give him that chance,

Not anymore.

“You’re wrong, bra/b,” he said, his voice lower now, but still so full of conviction. “There’s been ba /bmisunderstanding, I don’t want this between us.”

The nerve of him

I crossed my arms and stared him down, each word a bitter poison, “Amisunderstanding? bAre /bbyou /bseriously telling me that now? You never cared when i was with you–why? Because I wasn’t the Alpha’s sister bthen/b, was I? I wasn’t good enough for you.” I scoffed, my heart a storm of rage and disbelief.

His jaw clenched, and he looked at me like I’d pped him. But I didn’t care. I was done holding back.

“Is that what you think of me?” His voice trembled with something–anger, or maybe reget, I couldn’t tell. “I tried, ra. I tried to talk to you. I’ve been trying since you came back. His gaze flicked to the floor, then back to me, pleading, You pushed me away every time.”

I felt the rage boil over, breaking free with a scream that wasn’t really a scream but just the rawest frustration I’d ever known.

“BECAUSE YOU GAVE UP ON ME!” I screamed, the words tearing through me. “You walked baway /bwhen I needed you most! You rejected me. Thome. You never cared enough to stay, so don’t you dare tell me you want me back now!”

I saw him flinch, his whole body stiffening. He hadn’t expected that, and for a moment, I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

But then I remembered everything. Every moment of betrayal.

“His voice cracked, but he gathered himself quickly “I rejected you because they all told me you weren’t good enough. Mi, Coria, even my own pack. They said you weren’t Luna material, ra. I listened to them.”

I was shaking my head before he could finish. The words felt like acid on my skin. “And now?” I demanded, my voice dangerous, low “Now that you’ve realed they were wrong, you think it’s easy toeback? You think I’ll just forget everything?”

He stepped forwardb, /bhis breath shaky but his eyes steady. “I won’t give up. I can fix this, bI /bcan make you trust me again

A part of me wanted to believe him–God, I really did–but I’d been down that road before. I wasn’t foolish enough to let him back in. Not now. Not her everything

Before I could say anything else, a voice cut through the tension.

“Gamma tal”

It was Jory, panting slightly as he rushed to my side, His eyes daited between Thorne and me, protective and alert – htt

I didn’t even have to think about It. “No, Jory,” I said, offering him a sinile, my voice steadying “We were jen talking. What are you d you be at the party?”

He nced over at Thome before shaking his head. “The party wasn’t the same without you, I wohnteered to drive you back. Abe you in

“Of course I nodded, taking a step away from Thome. “Let’s po”

I started walking, but then i stopped, turning back to face Thorne. My voice was colil, culfing through the you bother me with your past. I’ll see you at Mi’s trial.”

pha Thorne, Thope this is dieer time

I didn’t wait for him to respond. turned and walked away, Jory by my side. But couldn’t stop the bitter taste i his eyes still on me, burning with something I couldn’t name,

rate in my m

i mouth, onulder’t shake the feeling of

By the morning, it was everywhere. The gossip, the whispers, the shock.

The youngest daughter of the Diaz family–Mi—had tried to frame Alpha Cael for something unthinkable, and then the truth about me hade out. Gamma ra, the sister of the Alpha, the woman they all thought was just a shadow of a past mistake. The gossip spread like wildfire, and for three whole days, it was all anyone could talk about.

Then came the trial.

Thad known this day woulde. It was inevitable.

The first rays of sunlight it up the Civic bSquare/b, and by the time the nobles and Alphas arrived, the crowd was already thick with anticipation. They were here for one thing and one thing only: Mi’s downfall.

I stood

with Jory beside me, my mind already working through the steps ahead. This was more than just a trial for Mi. It was the final chapter in ba /blong. ugly story, I was going to see justice done

The moment arrived. “Let the defendante forward ban /belder bellowed, his voice booming across the square.

Two guards stepped forward, dragging Mi to the center stage, shackled band /bdisheveled. Her face was stained with the remnants of tears, her hair a tangled mess. She wore the same gown from the night of the party, but it was bruined/b–torn and dirty, a mockery of the image she had once presented to the world.

A wave of disgust rippled through the crowd.

“God, what is that awful smell?” Someone gasped, covering their nose.

“Seriously, how did she think she could call herself ba /bdy?” another voice mocked.

I could see her flinch, her bface /bflushing with embarrassment and shame, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t there for her tears or her pain. I was there for the truth.

The guards pulled her to the center bof /bthe stage, and the elder’s voice rang out avain, “Does the defendant have anyone here to speak on her behalf

Mi’s head shot up, her eyes darting frantically around, desperate for any sign of salvation. Her family had arrived.

“They’lle,” she whispered to herself, hope flickering in her eyes.

bBut /bI knew better. It bwas /btoote for bhope/bb. /b

The truth had already been decided