Since Dominic had arrived before I was attacked, I didn’t suffer any serious injuries. After returning home, I watched in amazement as my parents and Dominic’s advisors discussed and finalized all the dates and procedures for announcing our bonding.
My mother was practically glowing with excitement. “We need to make sure every major pack leader receives a formal invitation,” she said, scribbling notes furiously. “This isn’t just a bonding announcement–it’s a political alliance that will reshape the entire territory.”
Dominic’s beta advisor nodded seriously. “The Northern Territory Council has already approved the union. They’re calling it the most significant alliance in decades.”
My father clapped Dominic on the shoulder. “You’ve made our daughter happier than I’ve ever seen her. That’s worth more than any political advantage.”
I felt warmth spread through my chest watching them all work together. This was what a real family looked like–supportive, loving, united.
A few days later, we officially broadcast our bonding announcement across all territories. The response was immediate and overwhelming.
Within minutes of the broadcast, congratulatory messages started flooding in from every major pack. The Silvermoon Pack Alpha sent a formal apology for the disruption at my original ceremony and a promise of continued alliance.
The Western Territory Council issued a statement calling our union “a beacon of hope for inter–territorial cooperation.”
Even packs I’d never heard of sent gifts and well–wishes.
The entire region was shocked, followed immediately by congratulations from packs throughout the territories. After all, this was essentially an alliance between the strongest families of the Eastern and Northern Territories.
My phone buzzed constantly with messages from old friends and colleagues.
“Aria! I can’t believe you’re bonded to the future Alpha King!” texted my former roommate from healer training.
“Girl, you really traded up from that loser Marcus,” wrote another friend, adding laughing emojis.
The social media response was even more intense. Photos of Dominic and me from the broadcast were trending across all platforms. Comments ranged from supportive to envious to outright thirsty.
“Power couple goals!”
“She really went from zero to hero!”
“Lucky girl–he’s gorgeous AND powerful!”
After the broadcast ended, I was preparing to go home and celebrate privately with Dominic when suddenly there was a commotion near the main entrance of the broadcast center.
Security guards were wrestling with someone trying to force their way through the barriers.
“Let me through! I need to see Aria! Please!” a desperate voice shrieked.
It turned out Marcus’s mother was trying to break through the guard line to find me.
I hadn’t seen her since that day at the hospital, and she looked absolutely terrible. Her hair was unwashed and stringy, her clothes were wrinkled and stained, and her face was gaunt with stress.
When she saw me notice her, she immediately fell to her knees right there on the concrete, not caring about the cameras still rolling or the crowd of onlookers.
1/2
fiomnis unmediately shielded me behind him, his body tense and ready for action. His security detail moved closer, hands on
their weapons.
“Stay back,” he warned her coldly “You have no business here?
But she ignored him completely, her desperate eyes fixed only on me,
She said pleadingly, her voice cracking, with emotion: “Aria, wie is kneeling, before you. Please, I’m begging you.”
“Stop being angry with Marcus. Can you two make up? He’s learned his lesson, I swear!”
Tears streamed down her face as she continued, “the enforcement squad arrested Marcus today. They said he embezzled family resources and abused his authority. They want to imprison him for ten years and legally exile him from the territory forever.”
Her voice rose to a wail: “Aria, for auntie’s sake, please don’t pursue this anymore, You loved Marcus so much–can you bear to see him suffer like this? He’s my only son!”
1 felt nothing but cold disgust. This woman who had once treated me like family was now trying to manipulate me with the same fake affection.
1ignored her completely and walked around her like she was a piece of trash on the sidewalk.
But she wasn’t finished. She crawled over on her hands and knees to kneel before my mother, grabbing at her dress with dirty
hands.
“In–law, in–law, please talk to Aria! You know how much she loved him! Surely she can find it in her heart to forgive!”
My mother jerked her dress away and stepped back, her face twisted with revulsion.
“Don’t you dare touch me,” she snapped. “After what your family did to my daughter? You have some nerve showing your face
here.”
By now, pack members who knew the inside story had started pointing their phones at Marcus’s mother. The live streams were already going viral.
One young beta called out loudly: “If you don’t leave now, I’ll expose all your family’s dirty business online. Besides Marcus, your whole family might not be able to survive the shame.”
Soon other pack members pulled out their phones too, forming a circle around the pathetic woman.
“Film this, film this! Post it online so everyone can see this kind of weirdo,”
“Look how she’s begging! Where was this energy when her son was cheating?”
“The audacity! Coming here on the happiest day of Aria’s life!”
The comments were vicious and immediate. Social media exploded with clips of Marcus’s mother groveling on the ground.
