Adrien.

Sonia was definitely up to something the moment she asked what had happened.

I didn’t miss the way her eyes gleamed, nor the slight curve of her lips as she spoke. It wasn’t curiosity, it was calculation. She wasn’t asking because she cared; she was asking because she wanted something to unfold.

And I wasn’t about to give her that satisfaction.

I wanted Maria.

That much was clear.

But as much as that desire burned within me, I couldn’t afford to act recklessly...not now. Not in a way that would hurt her or, worse, damage her reputation in front of everyone. No matter how badly I wanted to claim her right then and there, I had to think beyond the moment.

I would stop the wedding.

That, I was certain of.

And I would reclaim my mate.

But not like this... not in a way that would make her look bad, or give others something to use against her.

It had to be done properly, with control and with dignity.

So I forced myself to play along, to act calm, to act reasonable and too act like I had already let everything go.

The apology, the handshake, the embrace, it was all part of it. A carefully constructed image for the elders to see. I needed them to believe that I had overlooked everything, that there was no issue left to address.

That way, the matter would die down.

And when the time came... no one would see it coming.

"Just you wait, Noah..." I muttered under my breath as the room gradually emptied, my gaze darkening for a brief second before I masked it again.

One by one, everyone began to leave.

The tension eased.

The noise faded.

And once things settled, I let out a slow breath, forcing myself to calm down. My eyes instinctively began to search the room, scanning every corner until...I found her.

Maria.

She was already leaving.

Of course she was.

I knew her well enough to understand that she would want to avoid me after everything that had just happened. So instead of calling out to her, I followed behind her slowly, keeping my distance.

Careful not to draw attention.

She walked aimlessly at first, then eventually turned toward a quieter part of the pack, somewhere more secluded.

And just when I thought I might finally have a chance to approach her...Daniel appeared out of nowhere.

My expression darkened instantly.

What the hell was he doing here?

I stopped in my tracks, choosing to stay back instead of stepping forward. Something told me to wait... to watch.

So I did.

And then....He confessed.

I blinked once, almost in disbelief.

Seriously?

My jaw tightened slightly as his words reached me.

Was my mate really that irresistible... that every Alpha felt the need to claim her?

A low irritation simmered within me, rising steadily as I watched him stand there, pouring out his feelings like it was something noble.

My fists clenched tightly at my sides, the urge to walk up to him and shut him up growing stronger by the second.

But I barely held back, because I knew this wasn’t the moment.

This wasn’t the way.

So I stayed where I was, watching everything unfold.

And then Maria spoke, firm and clear.

She handled him.

Properly.

A flicker of something, pride, perhaps, rose within me as I listened to her reject him without hesitation, without wavering.

That was my Maria—strong, decisive and untouchable but then...her final words came.

"I’m getting married soon."

The moment those words left her lips, something in me snapped. The irritation I had been holding back surged forward, sharp and undeniable.

My jaw clenched harder, my gaze darkening as I watched her walk away from him without looking back.

The moment she disappeared from my sight, I didn’t hesitate.

My feet moved on their own, closing the distance between Daniel and me in long, determined strides until I was standing right in front of him.

"Don’t you dare think of taking what’s mine, Daniel!" I thundered, my voice sharp and heavy with restrained anger the instant I faced him.

He didn’t flinch.

If anything, he looked... amused.

"What’s yours?" he asked, raising his brows slightly, that irritating calm still plastered on his face. "She doesn’t even want you, Adrien."

The smile that followed only made it worse.

Something inside me snapped.

"You—" I grabbed the collar of his shirt instantly, my grip tight, my knuckles turning white as I pulled him slightly forward but instead of reacting the way I expected, Daniel laughed.

The sound grated against my ears.

Without effort, he shoved my hands away from him, breaking free like it meant nothing.

"Pathetic," he said loudly, the word cutting deeper than any blade. "You and your brothers are pathetic."

My jaw tightened, but I didn’t speak.

"You treated her like a prize," he continued, his voice now laced with contempt. "In front of so many Alphas. Like she was something to be won, something to be shared... and now you’re here talking about ’what’s yours’?" He scoffed. "Dream on."

Each word landed heavily because as much as I wanted to deny it... I couldn’t.

His words pierced through me, tearing down every defense I had tried to build. And for the first time, I didn’t see him as an enemy.

I saw the truth in what he was saying.

Did Maria...hate us that much?

Did she truly see us as monsters who had reduced her to nothing more than a prize?

My chest tightened painfully.

I staggered back slightly, my steps unsteady as I tried to process it, to control the storm rising inside me.

"Even if Maria deserves to be with someone," Daniel went on, his tone firm, final, "it can’t be you... or your brothers."

I didn’t look at him, because I couldn’t.

"So back off, Adrien," he added. "You don’t deserve her."

Silence followed heavy and crushing.

And without waiting for a response, without even sparing me another glance, he turned and walked away, his figure gradually disappearing into the distance.

Leaving me behind.

Alone.

With nothing but his words echoing over and over again in my head.

You don’t deserve her.

I shook my head slowly, my breathing becoming uneven.

"No... no... no... no..." I muttered, my voice trembling before it rose louder, bouncing off the walls around me. "It’s all a lie!"

It had to be.

"I do deserve her!" I yelled, my chest heaving as the words forced their way out. "I’ve changed... I am a changed person!"

But even as I said it... it didn’t feel convincing.

My strength gave out beneath me without warning.

My back hit the wall as I slid down to the ground, the impact barely registering as I sank there, helpless, drained.

And then...A tear slipped down my face.

"I’m sorry, Maria..." I whispered, my voice breaking as the weight of everything settled over me.