Third Person's POV Compared to the tense post-event debriefs still unfolding within the Blackwood and Ironhowl territories, the Moonvale Pack had fallen into an uncanny, breathless silence. The shock had struck too deeply. Alpha Remus and Luna Evelyn, drained in both spirit and wolf, had withdrawn to rest. Only the three siblings remained in the dimly lit den-hall. Celestine sat pale beneath the lantern glow. She could already sense-sharp as a wolf's instinct-that her reputation beyond Moonvale territory had likely been torn apart by now. Unlike the natural pity and misplaced protectiveness the Moonvale wolves felt toward her, outsiders saw things with a clearer scent and sharper eyes. They understood truth better than anyone with stakes involved. She had lived far better than the Moonvale Alpha's trueborn daughter. Even those who once doubted Aysel's reputation would, under the overwhelming influence of Magnus Sanchez-Shadowbane Pack's warborn Alpha-instinctively begin to rewrite their impressions of her. Because in the wolf world, public opinion always tilted toward the strongest Alpha. The Moonvale Pack used to believe themselves a loving family, while Aysel was merely a discarded orphan, someone neither Alpha nor Luna favored. They had been all too willing to elevate Celestine above her. But now that Aysel stood behind a far stronger male-the continent's strongest Alpha, his wolf Rafe dark and ancient-suddenly, the outside world grew new eyes, seeing truths hidden for years. Magnus Sanchez... At the thought of that man, Celestine felt a fresh sting in her palm where earlier her claws had broken skin. She clenched her hand as the dried blood began to itch again. Aysel who should have been utterly ruined-had somehow risen again, carried upward by an impossible stroke of fortune.Celestine had spent years weaving plots to claim Damon Blackwood of the Eastern Blackwood Pack, the most dominant Alpha of the region. Yet even after obtaining him, the victory had brought none of the triumph she expected. Was it because of the way Aysel looked at him-cold, distant, as if he were nothing more than refuse? Her carefree departure had made Celestine feel ridiculous. But... could Aysel really not care after so many years of entanglement? Or was it because she had gained the favor of a far greater male? One no one else could even dream of approaching. Her breath trembled. Her coughing worsened-deep, tearing. Jealousy and panic twisted inside her like feral claws, threatening to burst out of her ribs in a frenzy. This rewritten fate-Celestine would not allow it to be corrected. On any other day, even the slightest discomfort from her would have drawn immediate attention from Fenrir and Lykos. They would have scolded Aysel for "triggering her condition," just like countless times before. But tonight, the brothers were distracted-restless, unable to settle their wolves. Lykos in particular was staring at his device, watching a reposted recording of the evening's banquet that he had missed. Even knowing he had an excuse, bitterness churned in his gut. Their closeness-Damon and Celestine-had crossed every boundary. Damon had still been his sister's almost-fiancé. Celestine had still been his sister in their pack's eyes. Lykos looked at Celestine, his gaze conflicted. "Sis... did you two always act like that in front of her?"He had always assumed Aysel was simply jealous, overly sensitive, prone to fits because she was "born wrong." He had never seen for himself what their so-called "treatments" looked like. Now that he had... He found Aysel's anger more than justified. Celestine lifted her head in disbelief, as if struck by a blow. "Lykos... are you blaming me?" Her eyelashes lowered; she let out a faint, self-mocking breath. "I suppose you're right. If it weren't for my episodes, Aysel and Damon would be engaged by now. But I truly didn't know I suffered memory disorder... or that I confused Dariusz and Damon. I don't remember. I never wanted-" Tears gathered and fell. "I'm willing to undergo the neurological risk treatment the healers proposed. If it fails... I'll either die on the table or leave the continent." Lykos raked a hand through his hair, agitated. "Forget it... we only kept the truth from you because we didn't want to trigger you again." He didn't bother offering the usual comforting lines about her health or fragility. Annoyance scented his wolf as he turned and stalked upstairs. Celestine's heart dropped heavy. She turned toward Fenrir, who had remained silent this whole time. "Big brother... are you angry with me too?" He said nothing. She bit her lip. "I can go apologize to Aysel." "Do not go to her." Fenrir's voice finally cut through the air-deep, controlled, Alpha-steady."She does not want to see you. If you go to her now, everything will get worse." "But-" "No ‘but.'" Fenrir's tone hardened. "Stay away from her. From now on, avoid her as much as possible." Shame flushed through Celestine's face; she clenched her hands, trembling with humiliation. Sensing her resentment, Fenrir fixed her with a dark, piercing stare. "Celestine... how exactly did the Dariusz family show up in Moonvale tonight?" Her pupils contracted sharply-wolf-instinct caught. Fenrir stood, his aura sharpening with warning as he turned to leave. "Enough," he growled softly. "Know when to stop."