Aliana POV:
The Silver Moon Park was a cacophony of lights and noise.
I stood on Lover's Point, overlooking the park. *It was the perfect vantage point.*
I pulled out my binoculars.
Inside the VIP suite, the party was in full swing. Ivan was playing the doting father. Kiera was preening.
I checked my watch. 7:15 PM.
My phone vibrated. It was Debi.
*"I'm in the server room," she whispered. "I bribed the night tech. He's got the feed queued up. Just say the word."*
"Wait for the box," I said.
Through the binoculars, I saw a beta guard enter the suite holding the package.
Ivan frowned. He took it.
He tore off the paper. He opened the lid.
I saw him freeze.
Inside, the audio player was rigged to start automatically.
*She smells of death already... Put the mule down, Ivan...*
I saw Kiera's face go white. My father stepped forward, shouting.
"Now, Debi," I said.
The giant screens in the park suddenly flickered. Static hissed, silencing the crowd.
Then, my face appeared. *Pre-recorded an hour ago.*
"My name is Aliana Hughes," the video-me said. My voice boomed across the park. "And today is my thirtieth birthday."
In the VIP suite, Ivan was frantically trying to find the remote. *But Debi had locked the system out.*
"For five years," the video continued, "I have been sick. My husband told you I was broken."
The crowd gasped.
"But I wasn't sick," I said, holding up the medical report. "I was poisoned."
"Lies!" I could almost hear my father screaming.
"Wolfsbane," I said. "Administered by my parents... and my mate."
A low murmur of growls started to ripple through the crowd.
"They did this to hide a secret. And a secret about him."
On the screen, the photo of the fake DNA test appeared, followed by the real one.
"Leo Reese is not the Alpha's son," I declared. "He is the son of a Rogue."
In the suite, Ivan shoved Kiera away.
"I am leaving," the video-me said.
I took a deep breath on the screen.
"I, Aliana of the White Wolf bloodline..."
The crowd screamed.
"...reject you, Alpha Ivan Hughes, as my mate."
The words hit the air like a shockwave.
Up on the hill, I felt it. The bond snapped.
Pain ripped through my chest. *It felt like open heart surgery without anesthesia.* I fell to my knees.
But in the VIP suite, it was worse.
Ivan collapsed. He clutched his chest, screaming.
"I reject my parents," I continued. "And I sever my ties to the Silver Moon Pack."
The video cut to black.
Silence.
Then, chaos.
I stood up. The pain was fading, replaced by a strange lightness.
I turned away from the park.
*My body began to shift. It wasn't painful anymore. It was a release.*
My vision sharpened. The night air smelled richer.
I didn't need a mirror. I knew my eyes were glowing.
*And somewhere deep inside, the White Wolf threw back her head and howled.*
