Riley's POV From that moment on, everything unfolded just the way they had planned-like a spell perfectly cast, dark, twisted, and horrifyingly seamless. Elira Blackthorn survived the transplant. And not only that-her daughter, Scarlett, the child she had with Caden Blackthorn, was brought into the Ebonclaw household by Alaric himself, right under Zara's broken heart and blind trust. Caden, unable to bear being apart from the daughter he and Elira had created in secret, changed his surname to Blackthorn, claiming to be Elira's younger brother. Elira, ever the skilled manipulator, introduced him to Alaric with a perfect mix of motherly concern and calculated charm. "I just worry so much about Scarlett," she had said, her voice trembling with practiced fear. "She's still so young. I'm afraid she'll be mistreated in this unfamiliar home. My brother, Caden, has always been protective of her. If he could work for the Ebonclaw estate, maybe as her driver... it would give me peace of mind." And Alaric, the so-called Alpha, nodded without hesitation, never questioning the story, never seeing the truth. And just like that, Caden was brought into the pack. Every day, he picked up and dropped off Scarlett from the Halston Academy. Every day, he stood at Elira's side. Every day, he played the role of the devoted uncle, the ever-loyal driver. But the truth was-they were a family. A true family. And they were living happily under the roof of the very woman they had all helped destroy. Elira's health stabilized, her career soared, and her place by Alaric's side was secured. And not long after, she got pregnant again-this time with a boy. That child is now twenty, studying overseas under a new name, protected and pampered, receiving millions in monthly "allowance" from the man who still believed him to be his only biological son.Alaric had no idea that the boy bore no trace of his blood. That none of the children he raised as his heirs were his own. That the woman he thought he'd conquered had belonged to another man all along. And worst of all? The only five minutes he ever had to offer her in bed-Elira had mocked behind his back for years. The longer I stared at the documents, the more twisted the story became. But I couldn't look away. The truth was like blood-I needed to see every drop spilled, every lie uncovered. This wasn't just vengeance anymore. This was justice. Alaric, you thought you had won. That you had outplayed Zara, Kael, and me. That you had rewritten your place in this pack's history with lies, betrayal, and cruelty. But look at you now. Your one and only son sits rotting in a prison cell, framed by your own hand. All the wealth you siphoned off over the years-gone. Hidden under the name of a woman who never loved you. Your legs, broken. Your name, disgraced. You deserve it. You deserve every second of your downfall. The satisfaction that surged in my chest was so intense it bordered on euphoria. One moment, I laughed-uncontrollably, breathlessly-relishing the image of Alaric being reduced to a pathetic, humiliated shell of a man. But then the laughter twisted, tangled with pain. A tightness gripped my heart, and I remembered everything Zara had lost-her mate, her father, her daughters. I remembered the coldness of the Rogue caves, the hunger, the humiliation. The way Scarlett used to smirk when the guards kicked me down, the way Elira's hand lingered too long on Alaric's shoulder. Tears blurred my vision. My knees buckled. I would have hit the floor if not for someone catching me. Familiar hands. Steady, warm, and strong. I looked up. Lucien. His deep green eyes were filled with concern, the kind of worry that made my throat tighten. "I'm fine," I whispered, forcing a shaky smile. I wasn't. But I would be. Because now I had the truth. And the truth was a weapon. Once I steadied myself, I met Lucien's gaze again, this time with a spark of cold resolve. "I want to go to the infirmary," I said quietly. "I want to see Zara." He didn't ask why. He didn't need to. He knew. It was time to let her know the truth. The full truth. About Scarlett. About Alaric. About everything. Let her taste the betrayal. Let her look into her mirror and see the ghosts of every wrong she ever overlooked.Lucien opened his mouth to speak, but just then, his comm crystal pulsed to life-a message from the Council. The Eastern Borderlands Expansion Plan was being reviewed again. They needed him. Urgently. I could see the apology in his eyes before he even said a word. "I can't go with you," he muttered, jaw clenched. "They want me in the council tower now." "I'll be fine," I said, my voice calmer now. He turned to Caelum-who had remained quiet until now, leaning against the wall like a silent sentinel. "Caelum," Lucien ordered, "from this moment forward, you're her shadow. You don't let her out of your sight." Caelum didn't even flinch. He simply nodded. And with that, the tides turned.