Sofia felt a wave of satisfaction as whispers about Austin spread through the ballroom.
She looked Austin straight in the eye, her stare sharp and unflinching.
Across the room, Lena lifted her champagne glass toward Sofia, a sly smile tugging at her lips. It was a quiet nod to their silent alliance.
Sofia returned the smile. If people thought this was dramatic, they had no idea what was coming.
Near Lena stood Mia, daughter of an Alpha from one of New York's mid-tier packs. Her face twisted with disgust as she watched Austin move through the crowd.
"That human thinks she can compete with you for Alpha Kaius ? The nerve," Mia scoffed.
She had been one of the key figures behind the online smear campaign targeting Austin over the past two days. She thought the gossip storm
