Aidan.

I had expected something, anything, to change in her expression the moment I told her the truth.

Probably relief, shock or even the slightest flicker of hesitation but there was nothing, and instantly I felt s dull ache spread across my chest.

Becuse, instead she stood there, calm and unmoved, telling us, no, declaring to us that she was getting married to Noah in a few days. And not only that... she had the audacity to ask us to stay and watch it happen.

To watch her marry another man.

My jaw tightened at the mere thought, my hands curling slowly into fists at my sides as her words replayed in my head like a cruel echo.

No.

There was absolutely no way I was going to let that happen. No matter what it took, I won’t let it, because there was no way I would stand by and watch my mate...my marked mate...belong to someone else.

And of all person, it had to be Noah...That ingrate I had constantly regretted saving.

Damien had been the one to suggest this...to come here, to face her, to bring her back, even if it meant swallowing our pride and begging. And for once, I had agreed without hesitation because nothing else mattered.

Not even the shame of standing before her like this... knelling and begging.

At first, they had considered leaving me behind. The whole issue with Vanessa had made things complicated, messy in a way I couldn’t ignore. Their doubt had been clear, their hesitation obvious.

But luck and fate, for once, had been on my side, as her pregnancy had been nothing but a lie.

A well-crafted one, but still a lie and that alone had cleared the path for me to stand here now.

Before we left, I had made sure everything in the pack was under control. Every responsibility, every command, every detail...I had handed it all over to Beta Torin.

I could still hear my own voice, firm and unwavering, echoing in my mind.

"After three days, Anabel is to be released from the dungeon and be locked in her room till we come back," I had said, keeping my tone controlled, even as something darker simmered beneath it.

I hadn’t allowed myself to show the anticipation, the quiet satisfaction building inside me.

"As for Vanessa..." I had paused, my expression hardening slightly. "She is to be punished by hanging, but I will see to that myself when I return."

The words had felt heavy and deliberate.

"Until then, she is to receive the same punishment as Anabel... and to be added to her punishment is fifty whips." There had been no hesitation in my command, nor doubt.

"Yes, Alpha," Beta Torin had replied immediately, bowing his head in submission.

Everything had been set, and everything had been handled, which meant there was nothing left tying me down.

Nothing left to distract me.

Nothing left to stop me.

I opened my eyes slowly, the weight of everything pressing heavily against my chest, only to be met with the sight of Maria’s retreating figure.

She was already walking away.

No...she wasn’t just walking, she was leaving us behind again.

Each step she took felt like a silent rejection, like a door closing right in front of me, and before I could even gather myself, she disappeared from sight completely.

Just like that.

Gone.

A sharp emptiness settled in my chest.

"Damien, you need to think of something. We can’t let that happen," Adrien’s voice broke through immediately, urgent and strained. He reached out, grabbing Damien by the arm as if holding onto him would somehow force a solution out of him.

His panic was obvious.

And for once... it mirrored exactly how I felt.

"It’s all my fault!" The words left my mouth before I could stop them, raw and heavy, dragging the attention of all my brothers toward me instantly.

Their gazes locked onto me, filled with something I couldn’t quite place...anger, frustration... but also understanding.

"No, Aidan," they said together, their voices blending in unison. "It’s all our fault."

The weight of their words hit just as hard.

For a moment, everything blurred.

I felt it then, a single tear slipping free, trailing down my cheek before I could stop it. The sensation startled me more than anything else.

I wiped it away immediately, almost roughly, as if erasing it would somehow restore the control I was losing.

"What do we do now?" I asked, my voice lowered this time, my head dropping slightly as the question hung heavily between us.

Silence lingered for only a second before Davian spoke.

"We try to make her see us," he said firmly, his tone carrying that familiar authority. "We can’t give up now."

"True," Damien added quickly, nodding in agreement. "We’ve come all this way. We can’t go back without our Luna."

His words settled into me, sparking something stubborn and unyielding.

"Definitely," Adrien followed, though his voice had softened just slightly. "But I suggest we approach her separately. Coming at her together will only push her further away... make her reject us even more."

There was logic in that. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Painful, but undeniable.

"I agree," I said, lifting my head again, determination slowly replacing the earlier helplessness. "Then we ruin this so-called wedding."

The words felt harsh, but necessary, because there was no way...no possible way...we were going to stand by and watch her marry someone else.

Not after everything, not after the bond we shared and just as the resolve settled among us...A sudden sound cut through the air.

Clap.

Clap.

Clap.

Slow and deliberate.

All four of us turned instantly toward the source, our attention snapping to the figure standing not too far away.

"Well," she said, a smile spreading across her lips, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "I also want the same thing."

My body stiffened immediately.

"Let’s ruin the wedding." Her words echoed, sharp and clear.

And in that moment...I froze.