Aysel's POV "That's everything..." Dariusz whimpered, voice trembling like a cornered deer. "I took the money and fled overseas. Celestine ordered me never to return for the rest of my life-but she would wire me a sum regularly." Coward's scent poured off him-sour fear, stale deceit, a hint of old greed. In truth, both Dariusz and his family had once wanted more. Far more. But Celestine... Celestine Ward was vicious in a way only a wolf raised on resentment could be. Venomous. Patient. A predator whose smiles were traps. Even while pretending to be her mate for the mission, Dariusz had sensed it-the prickle on the back of his neck, the cold breath of danger sliding down his spine, as if her shadowed aura was always inches from tearing into him. He carried a deep, primal fear of her. A fear etched into scent-memory. A sharp CRACK split the air. Skylar's palm connected with his cheek-hard enough to whip his head sideways. Not satisfied, the Frostfang she-wolf struck him again. And again. And again. Until Dariusz's face swelled like a bruised boar, his features distorted beyond recognition. "Celestine Ward is poison," Skylar snarled, fangs bared. "But you-" she jabbed a finger at him, "-you're filth of your own making." Who would've thought that the once "noble, gentle senior" everyone adored-Dariusz of the so-called pure heart-was this rotten on the inside, reeking of decay and cowardice? After his staged "death," countless people had painted him with halos. Those he had "saved" naturally became Celestine's loyal defenders, which brought endless trouble to me. Yuna Ward's death had nearly crushed me once. Now Dariusz's truth... was a nightmare rising all over again.Thinking of how people like Damon Blackwood's old entourage once used "gratitude" as a weapon against me, I saw Skylar's rage ignite anew beside me. Dariusz didn't dare resist. He had already learned Celestine Ward was in prison. When Skylar hit him earlier, the guards outside-the ones with pistols at their hips and the blooded aura of wolves who had seen real battle-had even cracked open the door to check. He wasn't stupid. If he fought back, he wouldn't be leaving this room with all his limbs intact. He burst into loud, ugly sobbing-snot, tears, blood all mixing-nothing like the stylish, charming man who walked in moments ago. He threw himself toward me, forehead slamming into the floor again and again. "Miss Vale, I'm sorry-I'm sorry-I know I was wrong! I had no choice! Celestine forced me! I only followed the script she wrote! Please, forgive me-I'll do anything-anything you want-" That last sentence was laced with the same disgusting insinuation he used with wealthy patrons. He even tried to throw me a seductive glance-out of habit. Pathetic. Given the mess of his face, the result was simply grotesque. Skylar grimaced and kicked him. "Burn my eyes, why don't you." She then turned to me. "Well? What do you think? Drag him back to the homeland and expose Celestine with him?" My gaze settled on Dariusz, cold and silent. He flinched under the weight of it-my Moonvale bloodline aura pressing down on him. "You want me to spare you?" I asked softly. "What will you use to buy mercy from me?" After all, he'd been with Celestine for years. Even after leaving, Celestine kept sending him money. There was no universe in which he wasn't holding leverage-insurance against her.Dariusz's expression twisted-fear, calculation, greed, panic all warring beneath his skin. He didn't know whether Celestine was truly finished, or if I was exaggerating to coerce him. The evidence he held was valuable. As long as the Moonvale Pack didn't truly fall, he could still squeeze benefits from the shadows. But if he handed it to me... he'd lose his last bargaining chip. And what if I lied? What if I took the evidence and killed him anyway? If he were me-after what he'd done-he would want him dead, too. "Ah-!" A shriek tore out of him. Cold sweat burst from his pores. While he hesitated, a fruit knife buried itself through the back of his hand-metal punching into flesh, pinning him to the table like a specimen. Blood soaked the wood. "You think," I said, voice calm as winter, "that I was negotiating with you?" The room's sound-warding was excellent. Outside, the music only grew louder. When Skylar moved, Dariusz still had hope. But when I moved-when I remained seated, silent, steady-it destroyed him completely. Because he finally understood: I was far, far more ruthless than Skylar. Real terror swallowed him whole. My eyes reflected in his were the eyes of a wolf who had once been gentle-until wolves like him and Celestine tore her open. I was no longer the soft, easy-to-deceive girl he once manipulated. "I'll talk-I'll talk!" he babbled, trembling uncontrollably.Tears and sweat drenched his face. He didn't dare wipe either; even blinking seemed like a risk. "Celestine-Celestine Ward, to build her ‘genius' reputation, she ruined several girls back then. One of them was strong-willed and tried to sue her. Then-then the girl's father got into a car accident... he's paralyzed from the waist down now... still in the hospital..." He sobbed harder, the scent of his terror filling the room.