Chapter 33: Alpha's Protection
(Aspen's POV)
The glass tipped, spilling golden liquid down the front of my ceremonial dress, soaking it completely. The sharp, cold wetness spread quickly, clinging to my skin like a second layer. A collective gasp echoed through the hall. Every gaze snapped toward me, and the weight of their attention pressed down heavily.
The whispers began immediately, faint at first, then swelling to a roar beneath the surface.
“Did you see that?”
“Attacked in the middle of her own recognition ceremony…”
“How humiliating!”
I forced myself to remain calm, carefully controlling my breathing as I steadied my posture. My heart, however, thrummed with restrained anger. I gripped the edges of my dress tightly, pretending to tremble with shock.
Karl, the patheti
