"Move."
"That's not what I meant—"
Ronan planted himself stubbornly in the doorway of the private den, his scent sharp with false concern.
"But Lady Selene is still resting, and your energy feels... agitated. I was worried you might disturb her recovery..."
I didn't waste breath on him. I shoved him aside with enough force that he stumbled against the wall.
"Get out of my way."
The commotion woke Selene. She emerged from the sleeping chamber on her support braces, her brow furrowed at the tension crackling between us like static before a storm.
"What's going on?"
Ronan's tears came before his words, his omega pheromones flooding the space with wounded distress.
"Lady Selene, I'm so sorry—you were exhausted last night, and I just wanted to let you sleep longer. I didn't mean to offend Alpha Kael..."
He wiped at his eyes, turning his face away with wounded dignity. A helpless creature, bullied within an inch of his life by a cruel Alpha.
But his ears burned crimson, and beneath the performance, I caught the acrid undertone of guilt in his scent.
Selene coughed twice before speaking, her voice rough.
"Kael, you've really misunderstood him. Apologize."
I ignored her and dropped onto the carved stone seating.
My gaze lifted to the display alcove. The framed portrait of Selene and me from our mating ceremony—gone.
In its place sat that hand-carved moonstone protection charm Ronan had crafted and polished with his own hands, mounted on a darkwood display stand.
On the low table lay a sleep tunic that wasn't mine.
"No wonder he wouldn't let me through the door." I let out a cold laugh. "Selene, you two have been having quite the time in my absence."
Ronan scrambled to grab the tunic, tears streaming down his face.
"This is mine—I washed it, I was just drying it here by the hearth—"
"Drying it in the main chamber?"
I scoffed.
"With Selene's broken leg, I'm curious—who was taking care of whom? Was it even comfortable? Did you have to be careful of her injuries while you—"
Ronan's face went scarlet. He stammered, "Alpha Kael, you—you really have the wrong idea. Lady Selene and I, we didn't do anything—"
"Enough!"
Selene glared at me, her patience snapping like a dry branch.
"Do you have to say such vulgar things just to humiliate him?"
"He's just an innocent young wolf—not like you, with your head full of schemes!"
I met her eyes, holding her gaze without flinching.
"What exactly am I scheming?"
"You're scheming how to embarrass him, how to destroy his scent-standing, how to make me obey your every command—revolving around you and only you forever!"
Her voice rose with each accusation, her own scent spiking with defensive anger.
"Yes, I let him stay in our den! But nothing happened between us! He took care of me while you were attending your uncle's celebration, and I'm grateful—it's that simple! Why do you have to assume the worst about everyone?"
"Whether wolves' hearts are dirty doesn't interest me."
I pulled out a bound document, the official seal of the Ashvale Pack stamped across its cover.
"But what does interest me is this: six months ago, you used Ashvale Pack resources and territory rights to establish a trade outpost for him. Twenty million in pack wealth. Filed under 'charitable alliance investment.'"
I let that sink in, watching the color drain from her face.
"Selene—did the Pack Elders approve this? Embezzling pack resources to support your secret lover. How does that charge sound before a Council Reckoning?"
Her face went ashen, her scent souring with fear.
"You investigated me? He's not my—"
"Then what is he?"
I rose and walked toward Ronan, my Alpha presence pressing down on him until his knees nearly buckled.
"Ronan Duskvein. Why don't you tell me—what exactly are you to my bonded mate?"
Ronan bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
"I just... I admire Lady Selene. I'm grateful for everything she's done for me. That's why I came to help for a couple of days while you were away..."
"Admire her enough to wear my sleeping robes? Rest in my bed?"
I gestured toward the master sleeping chamber, its door still ajar, the scent of both of them lingering in the air like an accusation.
"Selene, I watched you both walk out of that room with my own eyes. Your scents mingled on the furs. Explain that."
Her jaw tightened, defiance warring with guilt in her expression.
"Believe what you want. Ronan slept on the floor beside my bed to help me if I needed anything in the night. We didn't do anything."
"I don't actually care whether you mated with him."
I tucked the financial document away and placed a formal Bond Rejection agreement on the low table. My tone left no room for negotiation.
"Selene. Transfer full ownership of that trade outpost back to the Ashvale treasury. Sign this Bond Rejection agreement without making this uglier than it needs to be. Assets split according to our original mating contract terms. We end this with our dignity intact."
I paused, letting my words settle like stones in still water.
"Otherwise, I'll bring charges of resource embezzlement and scent-treason before the Pack Council. I'll present everything to the Elders at the next gathering." A thin smile crossed my face. "How do you think those old wolves will react? Think they'll pass up the chance to strip you of your rank and cast you out? Your father may be Elder-Alpha, but even he can't shield you from this kind of disgrace."
