LOGINThird Person's POVWendy pulled Ampelio and the others aside, quickly explaining what had happened that night and why Lance and Adelaide were temporarily refusing to admit that the one they had rescued was Paisley.They could only swallow their anger and followed Lance's plan. The Royal Patrol and the Ironthorn soldiers quickly seal off the camp, with special attention paid to the mercenaries of unknown origin.Not a single one could be allowed to escape.Alfred was the last to learn what had happened.He had always been careful to protect his position and his future. Under normal circumstances, he would never have involved himself in the conflicts unfolding in New York.But after he heard Wendy's account, his canines pushed down against his lower lip, his wolf thrashed restlessly inside him, and his furious pheromones surged into the air.Alfred pushed aside the people in front of him and lunged straight at Germain."The she-w
Third Person's POVGermain's children were still hiding in the car, none of them daring to get out. They had known nothing about what Germain had planned for tonight.Germain had kept them well protected, never letting them witness real bloodshed or the treacherous undercurrents beneath New York's glittering surface.They had never seen werewolves like Adelaide, Lance, and Paisley—the kind who could strike an enemy dead with a single blow.Raven remained where he was, silently assessing the balance of power.The Capital Guard could arrive at any moment. Eugene's troops were stationed farther away, and even if they received word immediately, it would take at least half an hour for them to get there.If they wanted to escape, they had to deal with Lance and the others within that half hour, then get out before the two forces could close in and trap them.As long as they made it back to Hudson City, the situation would once again b
Third Person's POVPaisley was still breathing hard, securely held in Adelaide's arms, yet she still managed to kick Germain a few times.One kick landed squarely on his ribs. The sickening crunch of breaking bones echoed through the clearing, loud enough for everyone to hear.Paisley's face was livid, her fangs still bared, refusing to retract.She had never been humiliated like this in her life.Tears burned in her eyes, but she forced them back.She would not shed a single tear in front of these bastards.Adelaide deliberately raised her voice, making sure everyone could hear."Thank goodness you and Lance arrived when you did. Otherwise, I'm not sure Wendy, Rachel, and I could have held them off."Paisley still remembered Adelaide bursting into the tent to rescue her.She immediately understood that Adelaide was giving everyone a completely different version of the night's events.Tonight, Paisley wasn't the victim who had escaped from Germain's tent.She was a reinforcement who h
Third Person's POVPaisley threw up until every last bit of strength drained from her body, collapsing backward onto the grass right beside Alistair's horse.As she forced her eyes open, the stallion was already lowering its head, stretching out a wet muzzle to sniff at her face.Startled, Paisley scrambled backward in the dirt. As the dense fog in her mind slowly parted, fragments of her memory began to fall back into place.She remembered riding alongside the supply wagons on her way to the Independent She-Wolf Center.The cargo wagons carrying fabrics and daily necessities had pushed ahead, and to save time, they had opted to cut through a secluded alleyway.The second they entered that narrow stretch, her limbs had suddenly turned to lead.She'd toppled right off the saddle, plunging headfirst into total blackness.When she finally dragged herself back to consciousness, two unfamiliar he-wolves were dragging her up a mounta
Third Person's POVFrom this moment on, Paisley was no longer part of the story tonight.There was only Germain illegally deploying private armed forces outside New York's borders, and detaining those who came to investigate.All the color drained from Raven's face. He could only shake his head in helpless frustration."Gamma Adelaide, you're twisting the facts without a shred of evidence. I have nothing to say to that."Adelaide let out a cold laugh."Of course you have nothing to say. We've come this far—what better excuse could you possibly dream up?"Germain managed to squeeze out a raspy sound."Adelaide... you bitch. You're setting me up..."Before he could finish, Adelaide's fingers tightened around his windpipe again.The rest of his words were cut off instantly, leaving Germain gasping for air in ragged, wheezing breaths.His plan for the night was utterly ruined, his filthy scheme dragged out into
Third Person's POVMaya jumped in immediately."Right. We saved her, and instead of thanking us, you're accusing us. But the truth doesn't lie, and the evidence certainly isn't on your side."Adelaide finally understood why they were so unfazed.If Alpha Germain hadn't succeeded, they could spin the whole thing as a rescue mission.Even if he had, they could claim Paisley was high on an artificial heat-inducing drug and threw herself at him.At the end of the day, Germain would still walk away as the hero who saved a she-wolf.Once the story leaked, public scrutiny would instantly tear Paisley apart.Everyone would interrogate why she was drugged, why her clothes were disheveled, and what she was doing in Germain's tent—leaving the mastermind behind it all completely untouched.Adelaide's wolf let out a low, furious growl deep in her chest, and a searing wave of pheromones leaked from her skin.They were trying to
Third Person's POVClarissa's brow furrowed even more upon hearing this. "Your words lack context and substance. Why would she provocatively confront you? As the sister of the former Lycan King, who doesn't know of your standing? How dare she act in such a manner?"Madison, catching the clear bias
Adelaide's POV"These past days, I've stayed by his side, but he won't respond to anything. He's been poisoned to the point of muteness and won't let anyone near," Lance sighed."He goes crazy when I approach. At first, when I called him 'Cedric,' he reacted a bit, but then he becam
Third Person's POVIt seemed everyone had forgotten her heroic feats at the Southern Border.Gossip swarmed around her like flies until the royal family issued a clarification.Velda could have stayed in the army, but now Adelaide held a nominal position as the Ironthorn Army
Third Person's POVThe ruby necklace had six rubies in the pendant, with the middle one shaped like a wolf's head.It was fancy, not the type you'd find in a regular store—more like something a top jewelry brand would make.Adelaide quickly stood and waved her hands. "Nope, this is way too nice. I







