Lily returned to the mansion with her heart pounding, each step heavier than the last as she walked through the grand entrance.
The silence of the vast hallways only amplified her dread.
She knew that facing Alpha Dean would be inevitable, but she hadn’t anticipated that her first encounter would be with Ariel, the twins’ mother—and the Luna.
Ariel’s face showed nothing but disappointment, her gaze slicing through Lily with a fierceness that made Lily’s stomach tighten.
Lily stopped short, her mind scrambling for words, something, anything that could alleviate the intensity of Ariel’s stare.
“Luna Ariel… I… I’m sorry,” Lily stammered, feeling herself shrink under Ariel’s piercing gaze.
But before she could finish, Ariel raised her hand and struck her sharply across the face.
The
