Seated in a hall of opinionated Lycans, I popped the button of my suite in restless agitation. “Idris, calm down. I’m sure Saira will be fine.” Luna Nazia said, looking warm and relaxed in her seat near the fireplace. So unlike a Luna whose clan had narrowly escaped a disaster. I felt stuffy. Saira was missing, and I couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that every wolf and Lycan sitting in this hall was safe because of her. “Fine? Heh. Saira runs off, refusing me to accompany her. The second she enters the woods, a bomb explodes and she goes missing. Nothing about this seems fine to me, and you’re asking me to calm down?” Every second we were separated from her, Malko drew closer to the edge. He wasn’t listening to me. Growling and snarling was about all he did. I had the feeling that if I hadn’t kept him on a tight leash, he would’ve already broken to the surface and slaughtered anyone and anything in his way to get to her. And that was the problem. For as long as I have known

**Caira** 8 hours ago. "Caira Mirza, daughter of Mirza Orabi, former Commander of the Pacific Sea, do you accept Einas Raed as your Chosen Mate and Lycan Commander, your husband and...” No. Why would I accept a worthless bastard as my mate? He could neither give me the throne nor the power I desired. Forget about throne and power. This mongrel didn’t even have the wealth Idris Raed possessed! Though I thought this, my lips remained fixed in the gentle smile I’d perfected over the years. When the Shaman completed his words, I opened my mouth and a resounding BOOM exploded through the air. “Haha! Hope the she-wolf croaks to death!” Isra cackled in the back of my mind, making me smile in agreement. A commotion ensued in the clearing. Omegas pushed and shoved as they fled the scene. Einas wrapped his arm protectively around my waist. I couldn’t help but internally ridicule the fool. “Go easy on him, Cai. He doesn’t know we’re behind the explosion.” “A complete loser. And he calls

“She tried to kill you.” Not a question. The Lycan Leader stared at me with unblinking eyes, probably trying to figure out what I was thinking. I nodded my head at him and said with a smile, “That she did. However, what she does has nothing to do with me. Just because she’s vicious, doesn’t mean I have to be the same. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not the forgiving or easy to bully kind of she-wolf. I just don’t want to stoop to her level.” I shrugged and retracted my gaze. Asma Mirza was neither my goal nor my greatest worry. She could stoop to the level of planting a bomb in a region where her family members were present, because that was her nature. A reflection of her true character. Though I was still skeptical about the notion, I didn't care enough to waste my energy on her. I had greater problems to worry about. A few nods of approval spread through the hall. The Lycans and their Lunas exchanged meaningful glances, before looking at me with unnerving smiles that raised the hackles

She had a point. However, that didn’t make me feel any better. Especially when I saw how fiercely the she-wolf was defending me. “Would we blame her if she’d accepted the Caribbean Leader’s decision? Asma Mirza would’ve been dead by now, and we wouldn’t be on pins and needles wondering what horrid plot she would cook up!” “I agree with Elder Nash. Saira Malivik’s plea to spare Asma’s life gave her the chance to escape. Otherwise…” “Otherwise, what?” I couldn’t watch anymore. The twisted reasoning of these Lycans kindled an unidentifiable rage within me. I swept my eyes over the mob, who were surprisingly made up of more clan elders than ordinary clan members. My eyes narrowed. Could this just be a coincidence, or… “You don’t need to dwell on it. I smell conspiracy here.” “Oh? Conspiracy has a scent?” Zaria snorted and I could almost imagine her rolling her eyes in disdain. “Whether it has a scent or not, isn’t important. What’s important is that I recognize one when I see one.

Floating bodies. Cold and lifeless, without any features. No eyes. No mouth. No nose or ears, exactly like the scene from the night seven years ago. With every passing second, the universe never failed to remind me how of shitty my life was. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, this had to happen. “Saira Malivik, are you going to continue acting mute? You and your friends disappeared for the entire night without a word or any form of communication. Do you seriously expect us to believe this has nothing to do with you?” The usual nonchalance was gone from Luna Nazia’s demeanor. The woman standing before me stared me down with an aura of gravity I would’ve never associated with her in the past. If looks could kill, I had no doubt the rage in her eyes would've set me ablaze. Which was funny, because this incident was as much of a shocker to me as it was to her. My stomach churned as I recalled the scene at the shore. Slap! “Are you ignoring me, slut?” Luna Nazia sna