Chapter 5
I opened my mouth, desperate to speak, but nothing came. My throat felt like it was closing in on itself, choking off the words I needed to defend myself. I stood there, a prisoner of my own helplessness.
Alpha Lorcan’s eyes met mine–cold, unforgiving. With a dismissive flick of his gaze, he turned away, his posture rigid with disdain. “I expect a full explanation later,‘ he said, his voice a blade cutting through the air. He walked away without another word, every step oozing the arrogance of someone who had already decided my fate.
Marigold lingered just long enough to flash me a smile that dripped with triumph. It was a smile I’d seen before, one that promised she’d won–and I was nothing more than the
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casualty of her game. Then, with a glance as sharp as a dagger, she followed Lorcan, leaving me alone in the cruel spotlight.
The crowd’s murmurs escalated, their whispers like daggers cutting into my skin. Every eye was on me, judging, condemning. I could almost feel the weight of their glares, suffocating me.
Two Pack Enforcers, hulking figures with faces like stone, stepped forward. Their hands gripped my arms like steel, dragging me toward the exit. My heart pounded, panic bubbling beneath the surface, but I couldn’t break free. I was nothing. A ghost, shoved out the door into the cold night.
The chill of the air stung against my skin, a biting reminder of everything I’d lost. But just as the void of despair threatened to swallow me whole, warmth wrapped around
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me–familiar, solid, grounding. A thick jacket fell over my shoulders, and the scent of it- earthy and comforting–filled my senses.
I turned, my eyes locking with Beta Aurelian’s. His gaze wasn’t just concerned. It was something deeper, something primal. His silent strength was the only thing keeping me from breaking down.
“Galadriel,” he whispered, his voice low, commanding. “Enough. You’ve been through enough.”
I swallowed the bitter lump in my throat, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips, though it was far from kind. “I hope Lorcan regrets this. I hope he remembers who put this all in motion when he steps onto that stage.”
Aurelian’s eyes flashed with something
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darker, something raw. “Don’t worry. He’s going to regret this. It’s about time.””
I nodded, my fingers tightening around the jacket’s fabric. “He will. I’ll make sure of it.”
Without another word, we got into the car. The city blurred past, lights turning into streaks of fire as the night consumed us. My mind raced. The stakes had changed. This wasn’t just a humiliating evening. It was the beginning of something bigger. Lorcan had crossed a line, and I would make him pay.
Back in the banquet hall, the host’s voice sliced through the silence like a razor. “Let’s welcome Alpha Lorcan to the stage!”
Applause erupted, but it was hollow. The crowd was too eager, too expectant. They were watching the Alpha like he was a king, but they had no idea that their golden ruler
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was about to fall.
Lorcan strode to the stage, each step resonating with the power of his title. But his confidence–his godlike poise–was about to come crashing down.
He reached the podium, a self–assured grin spreading across his face, as he gestured to the screen behind him. “Now, let’s turn our attention to the project report,” he said smoothly.
But the screen flickered to life with a jolt- and everything changed.
The images on the screen were anything but professional. It was footage–intimate, raw–of Lorcan and Marigold, tangled in the kind of passion that should never have seen the light of day. The room fell silent, shock rippling through the crowd. Gasps echoed,
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and then chaos erupted.
“What is this?!” someone yelled.
“Oh my goddess, they’re-”
Laughter mingled with curses, the guests reacting in a frenzy, some covering their mouths in shock, others snickering. The tension was thick, electric, as Lorcan’s face drained of color. His mask of control shattered, revealing the terror beneath.
He lunged for the control panel, his fingers frantic, but in his panic, he only made it worse. The screen shifted to another video -more explicit, more damning. The sound of their heated exchanges filled the hall, the room thick with scandal.
Lorcan’s usual aura of dominance vanished, replaced by desperation. He slammed his
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fist against the control panel, but it was too late. The damage was done. The screen went black, but the whispers and laughter continued.
The crowd’s judgment descended on him like. a tidal wave. And Marigold–her triumphant smile had turned into something darker, a predator who had outlived her usefulness. Without a word, Lorcan grabbed her
hand, his face a twisted mask of fury and humiliation. Together, they stormed out of the hall, leaving behind a room of shocked Pack members, their loyalty to their Alpha shattered.
As Aurelian and I sped through the night, the weight of what had just happened settled in. I could almost feel the electric tension in the air–the shift in power, the unraveling of a carefully crafted empire.
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By the time we reached home, it was late, but the lights of the house flickered a warm welcome. Inside, my parents greeted me with open arms. The sight of them, their faces older, their hair touched with gray, hit me like a wave.
I had failed them. I had stayed away too long, abandoned them when they needed me
most.
Without a word, I rushed to them, collapsing into their embrace, my emotions spilling over. “I’m not leaving again. I’ll stay. I’ll take care of you,” I whispered, my voice breaking.
“Good, good,” my father murmured, his voice thick with emotion. My mother wiped away a tear, her smile soft and relieved. They hadn’t given up on me. Not like Lorcan had.
Their gaze turned to Beta Aurelian, who
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stood silently by my side, his strength unwavering. He had been there when I
couldn’t be. A quiet protector.
“Aurelian, come inside. It’s cold out there,” my father urged.
Aurelian hesitated, but then nodded, his respect palpable.
As we entered the warmth of the house, my mother pulled me aside. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Galadriel, while you were gone, it was always Beta Aurelian who looked after us. He’s the one who truly cares for you.”
I turned to look at him, his face unreadable, but his eyes–there was something vulnerable in them now, something rare. For the first time, I saw him not as the steady Beta, but as a man torn between duty and something more.
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The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My heart skipped. Was there something more between us? Was this the beginning of a story I hadn’t expected?
Aurelian cleared his throat, his voice low and tentative. “Galadriel, about tomorrow’s wedding…”
I could see the concern etched on his face, but despite everything, I couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t the smile of someone who’d won, but the smile of someone who’d found a new battle to fight.
“Be here on time to pick me up. Don’t be late, okay?” I teased, my voice soft.
His eyes widened, a rare crack in his stoic demeanor. “Alright,” he said, a small, nervous laugh escaping him.
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I watched as he reluctantly left, the door closing softly behind him.
Back in the warmth of my family, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something that would change everything.
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