Freya's POV "I said it before," I hissed, fists trembling at my sides. "Every time she insults my parents, I'll hit her once. She's still one blow short." Parker's voice cut through the cold air, steady but sharp. "I won't let you touch her again." "And what if I have to?" I shot back, my voice breaking into something feral. "She's a Williams," he said, stepping in front of Jenny. "Not someone you can lay a hand on whenever you please." His body blocked mine, his stance protective-toward her, not me. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. He was doing it for her. The girl who'd spat on our parents' names. A white-hot roar rose in my chest. My wolf's rage surged like a wave, its claws raking beneath my skin. Before I could stop myself, I swung. My fist landed hard against his abdomen. The impact reverberated through my knuckles and into my bones. "Those were our parents!" I shouted, voice raw. "They gave you life! You know who you are, Parker-you feel it, I can see it in your eyes. How can you stand there, protecting the one who mocked them? If they can see you from the Moon's embrace, if their spirits are watching right now, how could they ever rest in peace?" My voice cracked on the last word. The world blurred, my vision swimming with tears I refused to let fall. Even if my brother had lost every memory of who he was-even if the Iron Fang Recon Unit's last mission had erased everything-I could forgive that. I could forgive his confusion, his silence, his denial. But this… this I couldn't forgive. He didn't block the hit. He didn't even flinch until the pain sank deep. I saw the breath leave him in a sharp exhale, but he didn't strike back. Didn't even raise his hand. He only looked at me-his eyes dark, turbulent-and for a heartbeat, I thought I saw guilt flicker there. Jenny's shrill voice tore through the moment. "You hit him?!" She clutched her face, still red from earlier, her voice rising with hysterical delight. "You're finished, Freya Thorne! The Williams won't let this go!" She laughed, a cruel, triumphant sound that clawed at my ears. "He's the only son of the Williams patriarch. You? You're just some stray from a broken branch of the Stormveil Pack. Do you really think anyone's going to take your side?" Before I could reply, Lana stepped between us, her voice fierce as her wolf stirred beneath her skin. "You think the Williams scare us? This isn't the your Dominion anymore-this is the Capital. Watch your tongue, girl." Jenny sneered. "And what, that makes it any less true? She hit me! Everyone saw it!" She turned, gesturing wildly to the SkyVex Armaments guards gathering nearby. "You all saw it! She attacked me and her so-called brother-go ahead, tell them! Tell them what you witnessed!" "Yeah," Lana spat, "and they saw you insult her parents, didn't they? Martyrs of the Legion's Hall? You don't think that counts for anything?" The guards hesitated, their gazes flicking between us, unsure. One of them, the oldest, cleared his throat and said carefully, "Miss Thorne… maybe it's best you apologize. The young lady here-she's a Williams. Everyone in the Capital knows her family's ties to the Ironhold Consortium. You don't want to make enemies you can't handle." "Apologize?" I turned toward him, slowly, letting my voice drop to a chilling whisper. "To her?" My eyes locked on Jenny's. The wolf in me stirred again-icy, sharp, protective. "She isn't worthy of my apology." Jenny's face flushed scarlet. "You-" Before she could finish, the sound of engines filled the courtyard. A line of sleek black vehicles pulled up in front of the entrance, their polished exteriors catching the faint glow of the winter sun. The guards stiffened immediately, forming two neat rows. The car doors opened. And when he stepped out, I felt my whole body seize. Silas. His presence cut through the air like a blade-elegant, composed, terrifyingly distant. He wore black today, the same color as his wolf's eyes. The Alpha of the Ironclad Coalition, the man whose scent still haunted my dreams, now stood just a few paces away from me… and yet felt a world apart. We'd been together on an island days ago-alone, close enough to feel the pull of the bond we both tried to deny. And now, he couldn't even look at me. "Alpha Whitmor!" Jenny called out instantly, her voice turning soft, sweet, calculated. She rushed forward with a pathetic show of tears in her eyes. "You have to help us. This woman-she attacked me and Parker right here! We were invited guests of the Williams family, and she humiliated us like this. Surely you won't ignore it?" Parker's jaw tightened. "It was a misunderstanding," he said quietly. "Misunderstanding?" Jenny shot him a glare. "She nearly broke my ribs! She punched you! I'll have a medic examine the injuries-there'll be reports. Evidence. And you-" she pointed at me, "you think you can hide behind a last name and a temper?" Then she turned back to Silas, voice dripping with venomous curiosity. "Wait… you're not protecting her, are you? You and this Freya Thorne don't have some sort of relationship, do you? That would be… interesting." Silas's gaze finally met mine. Those silver-gray eyes were colder than I'd ever seen them. His voice was steady, precise-cutting through me with every syllable. "I have no relationship with her." The words hit harder than I expected. Harder than any blow. Jenny smiled, satisfied, her smug expression bright enough to make me sick. "Good," she said sweetly. "Because she's about to learn what happens when someone crosses the Williams family in public." "Silas," Lana snapped from beside me, unable to contain herself. "You're not seriously going to take their side, are you? You know why Freya hit her-what that girl said about her parents-" "I don't care to know," Silas said coolly. "Guards, call the police. Let the authorities handle it." "Yes, sir." Jenny practically glowed. "Perfect. And there's surveillance, right? Cameras must have caught her attacking me and Parker. That should be enough to prove everything." She looked straight at me, smiling like a predator. "You're finished, Freya." Parker frowned. "Jenny, that's enough. Don't escalate this." "Enough?" she snapped. "I'm your sister, Parker! You're supposed to protect me. Not her." The silence that followed was deafening. Parker froze, his hand flexing by his side-but he didn't speak. I met Jenny's triumphant gaze, my own voice low and even. "You think this is over? You really don't know the laws of the Capital, do you?" Her smile faltered."You just insulted the names of those who died for the packs," I said, every word burning. "In the Capital, that's not an insult-it's a crime. You mocked martyrs, Jenny. Do you know what that means?" Her color drained, but I didn't stop. "You think you can hide behind a family name," I said quietly. "But even the Moon Goddess turns her face away from those who dishonor the dead."