The uproar from the banquet hall echoed long after Diana and Ryan had left. Inside, chaos reigned. The elders argued among themselves—some insisting that Luna Diana's words had brought shame to the pack, others whispering that Alpha Nicholas had finally been exposed for what he truly was.
Nicholas stood motionless at the center of it all, fists clenched at his sides. His face was pale, his breath shallow, and his pride shattered.
His Beta approached cautiously. “Alpha… we should address the council. They're demanding an explanation."
Nicholas's gaze was cold. “Tell them there's nothing to explain."
“But—"
“I said nothing!" Nicholas roared, slamming his hand on the table. The sound silenced the room. The elders exchanged uneasy glances, but no one dared to argue.
The humiliation burne
