Chapter 21

The photos were crystal clear—

Clarissa was dressed provocatively, embracing several rogue wolves in what looked like a dangerous territory den. There were even images of her drunk and half-shifted, intimately entwined with foreign rogues. The pictures were blurry but explosive, with timestamps showing they were taken a year ago, even just months ago.

Elder Theron's face turned iron-blue instantly. He slammed his goblet of red wine to the ground with a crash.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

Clarissa's face went deathly pale. One hand instinctively covered her belly while the other trembled as she picked up the photos, frantically explaining: "Elder... these are fake, they're doctored. Someone is framing me—"

"Blasphemy!!" Elder Theron slammed his ceremonial staff in fury, his face like iron. "This is the Honoring Ceremony of our Blackmoon Pack ancestors! How dare you humiliate me in front of all these pack members and allied guests?!"

"I didn't! I really didn't!" Clarissa stumbled toward Alpha Damien. "Damien, you have to believe me! I never betrayed you. The pup in my belly is yours, your own flesh and blood!"

"Enough." Alpha Damien gritted his teeth, his expression ugly beyond measure.

He pointed at the photos scattered on the floor and said coldly: "You've brought the greatest shame of my life to my grandfather's Honoring Ceremony?"

Clarissa grabbed his hand in panic: "Damien, it wasn't me! Someone is framing me! I'm carrying your pup. How could I do such things?"

Slap!

A sharp slap came without warning.

Everyone was stunned.

Clarissa staggered back two steps from the blow, covering her face as she stared at him in shock: "You... you hit me?"

"That slap was on behalf of the Blackmoon Pack." Alpha Damien gritted his teeth. "You kept telling me you were pure and virtuous. I treated you like a human being. Now I see you're worse than a rogue."

"You don't deserve to enter the Blackmoon Pack's territory!"

Matriarch Isolde also stepped forward with a pale face, her voice hoarse: "Clarissa, you've played us all for fools! You lied to us that the pup was from the Blackmoon bloodline. What do you take us for? Gullible idiots?!"

Clarissa shook her head, her throat dry: "No, it's not like that..."

Elder Theron pounded his ceremonial staff heavily: "Get out! Get out right now! The Blackmoon Pack would rather have no heir than accept a Luna like you!!"

"Pack Sentinels!" Former Alpha Alaric roared. "Drag her out!"

Just then, someone rushed into the crowd, shouting in panic: "She's fallen—she's bleeding!"

Alpha Damien spun around to see Clarissa had fallen to the ground during the scuffle. Her face was pale as paper, and there was a pool of bright red blood beneath her ceremonial gown.

Everyone froze.

Matriarch Isolde's face changed instantly: "Call the pack Healers quickly!"

They couldn't have someone die on Blackmoon Pack territory!

As Clarissa was lifted onto a healing stretcher, her trembling fingers clutched at Alpha Damien's sleeve: "Damien... save me... save our pup..."

He stood there motionless.

Those dark eyes no longer held their former tenderness, only bone-deep coldness.

He didn't move, watching Clarissa leave with cold eyes.

In that moment, he felt only relief.

My pup brought him happiness, but Clarissa's pup only made him feel controlled.