Chapter 2

The hall went dead silent.

Evelyn wobbled and instinctively reached for the back of her neck.

Camilla yanked Evelyn behind her. "Shut up. Evelyn's bloodline is flawless. She would never lie. You pathetic nobody. Since you cannot have what you want, you smear your sister's name."

Victor stepped in front of Evelyn, blocking me. "Evelyn has always been kind. Even if there was a misunderstanding last night, you must have put her up to it."

I could only laugh at how ridiculous they were. Evelyn made a baseless accusation, and they believed her completely. I asked for proof, and suddenly I was the evil one.

I raised my voice so everyone could hear. "Does anyone else find this strange? If Lucian really chose her, why did he not announce it publicly? Why did he not claim her?"

Evelyn's cheeks flushed instantly, and she was left completely speechless.

Camilla cut in furiously. "That is enough. How can you be so shameless, putting her on the spot like this in front of everyone? Evelyn does not owe you any proof."

Evelyn's tears streamed down her face, her voice shaky. "Lucian chose me, but he hasn't had the chance to claim me yet. He put this necklace on me himself, though."

"No claiming bite, no public announcement, and we are all supposed to believe you?" I stared at her coldly.

Evelyn sobbed even harder, "Ava, I can't believe you'd think I'd lie about something like this. We're family. Why would I ever make something like this up?

"If you want to be the Luna so badly, you can have it. Stop making things difficult for Mom and Dad."

The crowd erupted. People hurled accusations and insults at me from every direction.

Someone shouted, "The Beta's right here. He must know the truth. We can't let that liar get away with it."

Everyone turned to look at the Beta, who was standing not far away, and the hall went dead silent.

The Beta spoke calmly, "I did not see Ava at the mating night last night. But I did see Evelyn receive a moonstone necklace."

The crowd erupted.

Evelyn's eyes flashed with smug satisfaction, and Victor finally looked relieved.

Camilla strutted over, looking defiant. "Now, get down and apologize to Evelyn! Admit you used dirty tricks to steal her Luna title."

I just kept my eyes on the Beta, calm and unbothered.

The Beta spoke up again, "But last night, Lucian didn't show up at the mating night either."

Beta turned to Evelyn. "I couldn't help but notice you last night."

Evelyn straightened her back, thinking the Beta was about to defend her. "I swear I am not lying. Please help me clear my name."

The Beta stared at her with a blank expression. "Last night, you and Lucian's brother, Lucas, were getting quite close. The two of you left the party together."

The whole hall erupted in an uproar.

Evelyn's face turned white as a sheet, and she shook her head desperately. "No, I didn't—"

Victor struggled to keep his anger in check as he turned to the Beta. "Sir, I have always respected you, but you cannot slander my daughter like this."

Then he whipped around and glared at me. "Ava, you actually bribed the Beta to set up your sister? Are you out of your mind?"

Camilla jumped in loudly. "So that is why the Beta could not wait to announce Lucian picked you the second he walked in. Unbelievable. You will stoop to anything, won't you? Or did you sleep with the Beta last night?"

I shot them a cold glare. "Bribing the Beta? What are you thinking? Are you all out of your minds?"

Victor snapped, his voice booming with anger. "Shut up. How dare you talk to me like that?"

I ignored him and turned to Evelyn, holding her gaze. "Cat got your tongue? Is the Beta telling the truth? Were you with Lucas Blackwood last night?"

Evelyn trembled, tears streaming down her face. "I wasn't. I don't even know him. Why are you teaming up with a stranger to attack me? I already told you the Luna title is yours. Why do you have to destroy my reputation too?"

Camilla rushed over and shoved me hard. "Happy now? You finally broke your sister down. Is that what you want?"

Victor's stare was pure disgust. "This is your last chance, Ava. Apologize to Evelyn right now and admit you paid off the Beta."

Just then, the Beta's phone rang. He answered, listened for a moment, and looked up at the crowd. "Lucian has officially elevated Victor's family to noble status. He has also personally promoted Evelyn to elite werewolf."

The hall went dead silent for a second, then Camilla burst out laughing, practically bouncing with excitement.

Victor was absolutely beaming, his face glowing with joy, and Evelyn stood there looking smug as ever.

She walked up to me and dropped her voice to a mocking whisper. "Relax, Ava. When I become the Luna, I'll make sure you have a job as our maid. We're family, after all. I would never abandon a useless nobody like you."

Camilla turned to the crowd and announced, "The Alpha made Evelyn an elite werewolf. Isn't it obvious who the real chosen one is?"

The rest of the pack immediately crowded around, showering them with congratulations.

Watching them strut around, so smug and self-satisfied, I couldn't help but find it ridiculous.

They had no idea that the honor they were celebrating had nothing to do with Evelyn. It was all because of me.

Years ago, my mom risked everything to save Lucian when he was gravely injured.

Last night, before the mating night even kicked off, Lucian showed up at the old clinic searching for the daughter of the woman who once saved him. The second he saw me patching up a wounded pack member, he knew I was the one.

And then came the real surprise. We turned out to be fated mates.

Without hesitation, he claimed me on the spot.

He had no clue about my messed-up family situation, so he gave them rewards.

Camilla's arrogant voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "You became a noble because of Evelyn, and you cannot even say thank you? Stop standing there like a fool and go thank her."

I ignored her and turned around, pulling my collar aside to show everyone.

The claiming bite Lucian had left was now on full display for everyone to see.

"Last night, Lucian had claimed me as his mate," I said.

Victor and Camilla stared at my neck, their faces full of disbelief.

Evelyn went pale for an instant and then burst out laughing. "You have not even awakened your inner wolf, and you expect anyone to believe Lucian claimed you?

"Some rogue probably bit you, and now you are dumb enough to claim it is the Alpha. Are you trying to get yourself killed?

"Since we are family, I'm willing to be generous. Get down and beg me right now, and maybe I will ask Lucian to go easy on you so you do not get exiled."

Camilla recovered from her shock and sneered, "Faking Lucian's bite? You really do have a death wish."

Victor stared at the bite, frowning. "When did you ever meet Lucian? Why was I not told?"

Of course he didn't know. He had spent all those years wrapped up in Camilla and Evelyn. He had never set foot in my mother's clinic, not once.

The Beta cut them off. "Enough. No one here has the right to question the Alpha's claiming bite."

A guard hurried in and whispered to the Beta, and he turned to the group with a grave expression. "Lucian has arrived. I will go welcome him."

The moment the Beta walked out, Camilla laughed sharply, "See? He ran off because he knows he is lying. He is scared Lucian will expose him right here."

Evelyn looked down at me with smug disdain. "Admit the mark is fake now, Ava, and I might let this slide."

I shot back, my voice icy. "Who do you think you are? What makes you think you can say that?"

Victor's expression darkened completely. "How dare you! Hold her down."

Two guards immediately rushed over, seized my arms, and pinned me to the floor.

Evelyn pulled out a silver knife, smirking as she leaned over me. "For the family's sake, I have to cut this fake imprint off before Lucian sees it and gets fooled by your pathetic lie."

The blade pierced my skin, and the burning pain was so intense, I couldn't stop myself from shaking all over.

I struggled desperately, whipping my head around to look at Victor.

He stared back with cold eyes and actually stepped away in disgust, as if he was afraid my blood might stain his expensive suit.

Just then, a deep, commanding voice echoed from outside the door. "Stop. I'm the so-called rogue you were talking about."

An overwhelming, suffocating aura crashed into the room, so intense that everyone went rigid with terror.

Evelyn's knife froze in midair.