Third Person's POV The evidence was irrefutable-laid bare under the cold lights of the Grand Hall. Celestine, who had always slipped through conflict like a silver-tongued fox, finally found herself with no room to run. For the first time in her life, she was cornered. The Moonvale Pack wolves exchanged conflicted looks. Their suspicions had existed, yes... but they had still believed in her, still trusted her. None of them imagined the truth would be this vicious. What should have been the brightest moment of her life had instead become the stage of her public downfall-her glorious coronation turned into a ceremonial burial. No one had foreseen this twist. Several enforcers from the regional Alpha Council stepped forward, moving through the crowd with the steady, predatory gait of trained wolves. All gazes followed them as they approached Celestine. "Miss Ward," one of them announced, "you are suspected of hiring rogue wolves to inflict grievous harm. You will come with us." Celestine's fingers clamped desperately around Damon's arm. Her nails-sharpened from years of dance and discipline-dug so deeply into his skin that his wolf stirred beneath the restraint. Her eyes lifted toward him, filled with panicked, pleading submission. Even the Moonvale wolves, furious and betrayed, felt a flicker of helpless concern. The air inside the theater was suffocating-thick with dominance, fear, and pack-instinct tension. "Celestine." The single, icy voice sliced through the standoff. Giovanna stepped forward, Lunar-cold eyes locking onto Celestine. "Do you know why, despite your outstanding performance that year, I did not take you as my apprentice?" Several wolves murmured in shock. No one had imagined Celestine Ward shared history with the master Giovanna herself. Celestine's instinct screamed not to listen. But Giovanna continued, calm and inexorable."The cub I wanted... was your sister." A ripple ran through the hall. "But your family came to me," Giovanna said. "They said you also trained in dance. That your skill was no less than hers. They asked me to give you a chance." "So I opened the trials. Publicly. Whoever excelled would be chosen." Her gaze softened, briefly. "You never had Aysel's instinct. But you were diligent. Fierce. You pushed yourself until your claws bled. And I was moved by that." She paused, eyes dim with old memory. "Before the evaluation began, I had already made my decision. I would take the one destined for my path-your sister. But I wanted to lift you as well." Murmurs choked the hall. "But before the evaluation," Giovanna said, voice turning heavy, "Aysel was in a car crash. She was forced to say farewell to the stage." "And you," her voice sharpened, "the one I still held hope for... walked into the audition and performed a dance choreographed by your sister-claiming it as your own." Celestine froze, disbelief painted across her face. "You want to ask why I didn't expose you?" Giovanna asked quietly. "I recognized the piece instantly." Celestine swallowed hard. "That choreography was created by your sister under my private guidance," Giovanna continued. "I had seen the full version-the one far beyond the fragment you performed." "There were other masters present. You were young. I held back. I chose not to shame you in front of them." "But after the trial, I spoke privately with your parents." Her voice lowered. "They begged me not to reveal your theft. They said Aysel had lost her future. That you two were close. That she wished for you to walk onto the highest stage in her place.""They said you carried two wolves' dreams." "They begged me not to destroy you." Giovanna's eyes flickered with sorrow and anger. "Aysel was injured then-hopeless, heartbroken. No one grieved more than I did. So I relented. I stayed silent." Her voice turned sharp, frost-like. "I do not know what lies they told you afterward. But I regret it." Her gaze grew as cold as winter steel. "If I had called out your plagiarism that day, perhaps you would not have walked so boldly into this path of ruin." She turned her eyes toward Alpha Remus and Luna Evelyn, who stiffened as her stare pinned them. "In fact," Giovanna said, voice a low blade, "I now wonder if what your parents told me was even true. Were you two ever truly close? Did Aysel ever willingly give you that dance?" Both Alpha Remus and Luna Evelyn instinctively averted their gazes. Their flinch said everything. Comments in the live broadcast exploded like sparks in dry tinder: [Damn! So she had a history of this! No wonder she does evil so smoothly.] [Anyone noticing the pattern? Agnes was targeted before her crash, and Celestine's sister was injured right before her apprenticeship.] [Not gonna lie... I have a theory.] [Say no more, we all do.] [Which means the truth is obvious...] [Her sister must have been terrifyingly gifted. Chosen personally by Giovanna? And her future ruined like that? Horrific.] [She never mentioned she even had a sister. Everyone thought she was Moonvale's only daughter. Someone's guilty.][And the parents' attitude is weird as hell. The favoritism is insane.] [I shudder thinking what the sister's life in that house must've been.] [Insider here-Aysel cut ties with Moonvale years ago.] [Grab that wolf-tell us EVERYTHING!] Truth unraveled piece by bloody piece, each revelation fanning the storm. The Moonvale Pack could no longer control the spiraling outrage. Inside the dressing chamber, Aysel stood up from her seat. Her golden eyes glinted with the cold satisfaction of a wolf who had waited far too long. "Come," she said softly, a cruel edge beneath the calm. "Let's go take one last look at our drowning mutt."