The Alpha’s Public Rejection

Everyone froze at this sudden intrusion. The hall went deathly quiet.

Selene's expression shifted immediately. She rushed forward to intercept him.

"Darian! What are you doing here? Stop this madness!"

Darian threw her off with a violent shake. He raised a document clutched in his hand, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at me, his voice raw and anguished.

"I'm the one causing madness? Selene, look at him!"

"He's holding my pup, accepting the glory and status that should belong to me! He's the one making a mockery of everything!"

Darian let out a broken, bitter laugh. He pushed Selene aside and pulled a sealed scroll from his satchel, holding it high above his head.

"Today, I will show everyone exactly how the Ashbourne Pack has wronged me!"

He charged onto the raised platform at the center of the Council Hall, snatching the ceremonial speaking staff from the feast master's hands.

"Look carefully, all of you! This is a blood-scent lineage scroll!"

His voice carried through the great stone chamber, amplified by the ancient acoustics built into the den walls.

"The scroll states it plainly—Rowan Ashbourne and I share a ninety-nine point nine percent bloodline match!"

"I am his true sire!"

The entire hall erupted into chaos.

Every gaze turned toward me like the focused beam of moonlight through a hunter's lens.

Doubt. Contempt. Barely concealed satisfaction at my humiliation.

Elder Alpha Alaric's expression twisted into something terrible, and the pack elders beside him fixed me with eyes full of accusation.

Selene rushed onto the platform, trying to wrestle the scroll from Darian's grip, her voice soft and coaxing.

"Stop this now. We can discuss this back at the den, can't we?"

But Darian ignored her completely. His eyes were bloodshot, and he glared at me with raw hatred.

"Kael Stormclaw! You're nothing but a thief! You stole my pup and stand here pretending to be honorable—you have no shame!"

He pointed at me, his voice cracking with the force of his accusations.

The Mating Feast descended into utter disarray.

Selene lunged forward to cover Darian's mouth, but he shoved her away with brutal force.

"Selene, you only have one choice now—reject your bond with him and come with me!"

My pack liaison moved silently to my side, placing an ancient black lacquered chest at my feet.

I drew a deep breath and walked calmly onto the platform.

I took the blood-scent lineage scroll from Darian's hand without resistance, without even glancing at its contents.

Then I lifted the speaking staff and looked out at the sea of shocked faces below.

"That's correct."

I acknowledged it openly, a faint smile even touching my lips.

"Everything he said is true."

The chaos in the hall reached its peak.

At that moment, my liaison stepped onto the platform and placed a heavy sandalwood chest into my hands.

I opened the lid. Facing the assembled wolves, I looked at their stunned expressions and spoke slowly.

"Please, remain calm."

"Because tonight, I also have a revelation to share with you all."