(Audrey’s POV)

I had expected many ufortable encounters in the Northern Territories, but sitting beside Elder Shadowcrest while facing Arthur and Emma was not one of them. The tension in the room was palpable as Elder Shadowcrest’s sharp question hung in the air.

“I heard you just severed your mate bond?”

Her tone was direct, almost usatory. I kept my gaze fixed on the window, trying to make myself as small as possible. This was not my battle, and yet here I was, caught in the crossfire.

Arthur’s face remained impassive, though I could sense the slight tension in his jaw. “Yes, Elder. That’s correct.”

I didn’t dare look at him directly. The wound of our severance was still too fresh. It hurt just being in the same room as him, especially with Emma standing proudly at his side.

Elder Shadowcrest’s eyes narrowed, her gentle demeanor from earlierpletely vanished. She turned to Emma, who was still standing possessively close to Arthur.

“And did you, my granddaughter, have anything to do with that severance?” she asked, her voice cold as northern ice.

Emma’s confident posture faltered slightly. “Grandma, their mate bond was already falling apart-”

“Answer my question,” Elder Shadowcrest interrupted sharply. “On the day you announced your nned mate marking ceremony, had they obtained their mate bond severance certificate?”

The directness of the question left no room for evasion. Emma’s face reddened slightly.

“No, but-”

“No,” Elder Shadowcrest repeated, her voice cutting through Emma’s excuse. “So you publicly imed a wolf who was still mated to another.”

Emma’s eyes shed with defiance. “He was willing to sever his mate bond for me! That proves his feelings!”

The elderly she-wolf’s face darkened with fury. I had never seen such anger from someone who had seemed so gentle just moments before. Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped the armrests of her chair.

“You shameless child!” Elder Shadowcrest hissed, her wolf presence ring despite her age. “If such words were spoken outside this pack house, I would no longer recognize you as part of the Shadowcrest bloodline!”

The threat hung heavy in the air. Even I was shocked by its severity. To be disowned by an ancient bloodline was no small matter. It would mean losing pack protection, status, and resources.

Emma’s face paled, then flushed with anger. Her eyes darted to me, narrowing with suspicion and hatred.

“What did you tell her?” she demanded, taking a threatening step toward me. “What lies have you been spreading to my grandmother?”

My wolf bristled within me, ready to defend itself, but I remained outwardly calm. I had done nothing wrong here.

Elder Shadowcrest ced a protective hand on my arm. “This is my honored guest, Emma. She has told me nothing about you.”

Emma looked between us, her confusion evident. “Your honored guest? Do you even know who she is? She’s-”

She stopped abruptly, suddenly realizing that her grandmother might not know about my connection to Arthur. The revtion would only make Emma look worse. I held my breath, wondering if she would expose me.

Arthur stepped forward, his presence filling the room. “Elder Shadowcrest, the impropriety of the situation is my responsibility. I should have handled things differently.”

His formal tone and precise words reminded me of the Alpha I had known for years-always diplomatic, always controlled. He never let his emotions show, not even now.

Elder Shadowcrest’s anger seemed to subside slightly at his admission, but her eyes remained critical as she assessed him. She looked him up and down, as if measuring him against some invisible standard.

“Even if you’re a good Alpha,” she dered firmly, “you’re still not good enough to be my granddaughter’s mate!”

The statement was harsh, especially considering their location in the northern territories where the three great pack bloodlines held considerable power. Arthur stood alone, supporting the Moonstone Pack without the backing of ancient bloodlines like the Shadowcrests.

Yet, to my surprise, Arthur showed no sign of embarrassment or offense. His face remainedposed as he replied.

“I understand your concerns, Elder. I will prove myself worthy.”

Emma’s eyes lit up at his words. “See, Grandma? He’s willing to prove himself! He knows our bloodline’s value!”

I watched her face, seeing the smug satisfaction there. She thought she’d won, that Arthur’s willingness to prove himself was a victory for her.

Elder Shadowcrest’s response was devastating in its simplicity.

“He’s good enough for you, but if it were for Serena, he would be far from sufficient.” She paused, the blow not yetplete. “For you, he’s more than adequate.”

Theparison to her missing sister struck Emma like a physical blow. Her face contorted with humiliation and rage. Her wolf eyes shed amber as she struggled to control herself.

“You always think I’m inferior to her!” she shouted, trembling with emotion. “What kind of grandmother are you!”

With that, she turned and stormed out of the room, heading toward her private den within the family house. In her anger, she’d even forgotten about Arthur, leaving him standing awkwardly in the wake of her outburst.

The room fell silent. I could hear the ticking of an antique clock on the mantle, marking each ufortable second.

Arthur’s dark eyes found mine across the room. Something unreadable flickered in their depths-a restraint, perhaps, or a message he couldn’t voice in Elder Shadowcrest’s presence. The moment stretched between us, heavy with unsaid words. My wolf whined softly inside me, still recognizing him despite our severed bond.

Elder Shadowcrest cleared her throat, breaking the spell.

“Audrey, dear, why don’t you go check if that fresh venison is ready?” she suggested, her tone making it clear this wasn’t merely about food.

I nodded, understanding that she wanted to speak with Arthur alone. As I stood to leave, I felt Arthur’s gaze follow me, but I didn’t look back. I couldn’t bear to see more of the coldness that had reced what I once thought was love.

Walking down the corridor, I couldn’t resist pausing just around the corner, my wolf ears straining to catch their conversation. I knew it was wrong, but I needed to know what Arthur would say when I wasn’t there.

“Alpha Moonstone,” Elder Shadowcrest’s voice drifted to me, “what do you truly want from the Shadowcrest Pack through this mate marking?”

I held my breath, waiting for his response. Would he admit to some political alliance or territorial advantage? That would at least make sense of his actions.

“It’s because of feelings, Elder,” he replied, his voice calm and sincere.

My heart twisted painfully in my chest. In our three years as mates, he had never spoken of feelings so directly, so assuredly. Yet here he was, iming to have developed them for Emma after knowing her for such a short time.

The pain was sharp and immediate. I leaned against the wall, trying to steady myself. How could he lie so easily? Or was it possible that he truly felt something for Emma that he had never felt for me?

“You’re nothing like your grandfather, Elder William,” I heard Elder Shadowcrest remark. “He, at least, never lied to my face. Tell me the truth, young Alpha. What are you really after?”

There was a pause, and then Arthur’s voice again, lower this time.

“I’m trying to protect someone who-”

A hand pped on my shoulder, making me jump. I spun around to find Florian Stormhowl standing there, a knowing smirk on his face.

“Eavesdropping again, Audrey Winter?” he teased, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement.

I red at him, my heart still racing from the scare. “Do you have trackers on me or something? You always catch me whenever I’m secretly observing or listening.”

His smirk widened. “Maybe I just know you better than you think.”

Florian nced past me toward the room where Arthur and Elder Shadowcrest were still talking.

“Still have feelings for him, despite the mate bond severance?” he asked, his tone mockingly casual.

“No,” I denied immediately, perhaps too quickly. “I’m just curious about what exactly caused me to lose so thoroughly.”

I started walking away, eager to escape both Florian’s knowing gaze and the pain of Arthur’s words about “feelings” for Emma. My wolf growled softly within me, angry at the betrayal and confusion we both felt.

Behind me, Florian’s voice floated softly through the corridor. “What a pair of star-crossed lovers.”