Alice led Vivian out of the house, her eyes never leaving her friend's face. She could sense the guilt and nervousness radiating from Vivian, like a palpable aura surrounding her. Alice's mind whirred with suspicions, her instincts screaming that something was amiss. But she pushed those thoughts aside, choosing to let the matter simmer on the back burner for now.After all, she had bigger fish to fry. Her focus was on reclaiming her rightful place, and she wouldn't let Vivian's antics distract her from that goal. Alice came to a stop in the garden, her heels sinking into the soft grass as she settled into the chair beneath the umbrella. The gentle burble of the fountain and the graceful dance of the fish mesmerized her, a welcome distraction from the turmoil brewing in her mind. The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the scene, and Alice couldn't help but envy the carefree existence of the fish, their worries limited to the confines of their watery world.Her thoughts, however

Damian's senses were on high alert as he approached Alice in the garden. He could pick up a foul scent emanating from her, like a pungent odor that clung to her skin. It was a scent he had never smelled before, but it screamed deception. He could tell she was trying to hide something from him, her entire countenance shifty and evasive since he had joined them.As he looked at her, he realized there was a huge memory gap between his lunch and the present. He couldn't remember how he had gotten there or why he had slept at all. Last he remembered, he had been with his mate, Alice, and now, looking at her, he tried to decipher the secrets she was trying to keep away from him. "What's going on, Alice? What are you hiding from me?" The scent of deception only grew stronger, and Damian's instincts screamed warning. Something was very wrong. He eyed her suspiciously, his mind racing with questions, but he didn't voice them out loud, not yet.Alice's voice was sugary sweet as she offered, "M

Luna Seraphine continued, her voice cracking with emotion. "When she refused your uncle's advances and equally refused to court his squire, who would have been a puppet in his hands, alpha or not, he sent spies to monitor your mother's movements. He ultimately learnt of her affair with your father and about the pregnancy. He had your mother killed and would have put you to the same fate. But a few of us stood up for her and insisted that she be given the respect for being the late alpha's daughter. She died having you."Arya burst into loud tears, her son waking up and matching her tears. Luna Seraphine, the calm and composed woman, broke down in tears with them, and Arya was touched. The weight of the secrets and lies crushed her, and she wondered how people could be so cruel. Her uncle's greed and selfishness had overcome his conscience, leading him to kill her father.Arya voiced her concerns, "But who will believe me? Who would accept that my words are true when I show up to court

Alice's gaze narrowed as she watched Vivian standing at the doorway, her eyes wide open in guilt and shock, like a rabbit caught in the rays of a vehicle's headlight.A surge of anger and betrayal coursed through her veins, and she wished to kill her friend where she stood. Her mouth filled with bitter bile and hatred for the woman standing several meters from her, and Vivian could only thank the distance that she still had her head on her neck.The air was thick with tension as their eyes locked, the silence between them palpable and heavy with unspoken accusations.Everything Damian had accused her of was Vivian's fault. Vivian had suggested she hire a man to get her pregnant, to save face before her mother-in-law and keep her mate. But Vivian had planted a camera in the room to tape the act, to use as leverage.Alice's mind raced with anger and betrayal as she realized Vivian's deception. She couldn't believe she had trusted her manipulative friend. The thought of Vivian's treacher

Arya clutched her baby tightly to her chest. He had been very cooperative all evening, and even though she was yet to feed him, he hadn't cried.She looked down at him, and he smiled. Her heart went warm with love and affection for the little life in her arms.She remembered her parents, but instead of a void in her heart at the thought, she felt warm and loved. They would never be apart from her; their love and memory lived on through her child.She felt a sense of peace wash over her, knowing that she was carrying on their legacy and that their love would continue to grow through her son. Luna Seraphine reached down to touch Akira on his tiny cheeks. "He's beautiful," she said, her voice full of warmth.Arya smiled and whispered a soft "thank you" in response to the compliment.As she did, she felt the heat of Damian's gaze piercing her from his throne behind them. She had been offered a seat beside the Luna's throne at the foot of the elevation where Damian's alpha throne sat, and