Chapter 4

"No! I won't allow it!"

Anthony's roar echoed across Moonlight Plaza, but he was completely restrained by the warriors of Black Rock Pack.

He struggled and tried to use his Alpha presence to force Sebastian's elite warriors back, but his efforts were futile.

Not a single one of them responded to him.

After completing the mark, Sebastian slowly stood up straight. His fingers brushed gently over the fresh bite mark on the back of my neck before his gaze shifted to Anthony. There was a hint of disdain in his eyes.

"Anthony Landon." Sebastian didn't speak loudly, but his voice could be heard clearly across the entire plaza.

"As the Alpha heir of Gray Mist Pack, you got involved with Lara before the marking ceremony, used suppressants to hide the scent, and deceived your future Luna. Do you take the Moon Goddess' rules as a joke?"

The elders exchanged uneasy glances. Their expressions were grim.

It wasn't that they didn't know about Anthony's behavior, but they had simply chosen to look the other way because Anthony was the only Alpha heir.

Now that Sebastian had exposed everything in public, there was nowhere left to hide.

Anthony's eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the fang pendant around my neck. His voice was hoarse when he spoke.

"Sharon, you're the heir of Moonlight Pack, and yet you let an Alpha from the northern territory mark you? Have you lost your mind? Moonlight Pack will never let this go!"

I walked toward him slowly and looked down at him.

"Moonlight Pack?"

I chuckled. There was a cold glint in my eyes. "Anthony, did you forget? The Alpha of Moonlight Pack is my father. Do you think he'll stand on your side or mine?"

His face turned pale.

Of course he remembered.

The reason he had tried so hard to win me over wasn't just because I was the sole heir. It was because marking me would secure him the power of Moonlight Pack and cement his position as Alpha of Gray Mist Pack.

Now that I had chosen Sebastian instead, all his plans would fail.

"As for Gray Mist Pack–"

I turned to face the elders. My voice was calm. "You all know that Anthony became an Alpha candidate because my father supported this alliance behind the scenes with resources and funding. Now that the alliance no longer exists, that support ends as well."

The elders' expressions changed instantly. They turned to look at Anthony. Their gazes were now filled with scrutiny and dissatisfaction.

Anthony finally panicked.

He broke free from the restraint and stumbled toward me. There was desperation in his voice. "Sharon, let's talk. Calm down. We can fix this. I know I was wrong. I'll cut Lara off. I'll have her leave the pack immediately–"

Lara's face turned pale as she collapsed to the ground. Her white dress was covered in dust.

"Anthony, what are you saying? You promised you'd mark me after the marking ceremony–"

"Shut up!"

He shot her a vicious glare before turning back toward me.

Sebastian stepped forward and blocked him.

A low growl rumbled from his wolf spirit, and the overwhelming pressure of a half-shifted Alpha poured out. Anthony froze mid-step. Cold sweat formed at his temples.

"Stay away from her," Sebastian said softly but left no room for defiance.

Anthony clenched his jaw. His gaze darted past Sebastian to me. His eyes were filled with reluctance.

I placed a hand on Sebastian's arm and said softly, "I'll handle this."

I stepped forward and tore the moonstone pendant from Anthony's neck.

It was the birthday gift I had once poured my heart into making in my past life, and it was still stained with Lara's lipstick.

"Anthony." I dropped it at his feet. "I'll gradually reclaim everything you owe me. As for Gray Mist Pack–"

I turned to the elders again. "Within three days, I will formally submit a merger proposal as the heir of Moonlight Pack. When the time comes, Gray Mist Pack will be absorbed into Moonlight Pack and fall under my direct control.

"If any of you wish to remain, you may stay on as elders. If you refuse–"

I paused. My gaze swept across their faces."Moonlight Pack will reclaim the entire territory."

Silence fell over the plaza.

Anthony jerked his head up in disbelief. "You want to absorb Gray Mist Pack? Are you insane? That's betrayal! The Moon Goddess will never forgive you!"

"Betrayal?"

I turned back to him. My eyes were devoid of warmth. "Anthony, the moment you conspired with Lara, you were the one who committed an act of betrayal. I'm simply cleaning the house for the Moon Goddess."

With that, I walked back to Sebastian and slipped my arm through his.

"Let's go. The rest is for the elders to deal with."

He looked down at me. There was a look of gentle admiration in his eyes.

His fingers brushed lightly over the mark on my neck. "You're more decisive than I expected."

I tilted my head up and smiled.

"I told you. I was changing the male lead of this marking ceremony. As for everything else–"

I glanced back at the Gray Mist Woods that was now covered in rays of dusk. There was a cold glint in my eyes.

"It's only just beginning."