Raymond turned once at the doorway, his voice sharp with condemnation. “Lenora, how could you? You have everything already, yet you’d take even this from her?”

For a heartbeat, Lenora could only gape. Take from her? Hailey had been the one who refused to let go. Her wolf snarled inside, furious at the injustice.

“That award was mine, Raymond,” she said, her voice trembling with controlled fury. “I bled for it. She clung to it like it belonged to her, and now you’re calling me the thief?”

Her words echoed, but Raymond’s face only hardened. “It’s just a token, Lenora. Hailey’s safety is worth more than any trinket. And if she’s hurt because of you, the least you could do is apologize.”

He turned his back on her then, following Evan and Hailey into the night.

Alone in the silence, Lenora’s gaze dropped to the wreckage on the floor. Her chest heaved with fury as she bent to gather the shards, only to flinch when a sharp sting cut through her calf. She glanced down—blood ran freely from a deep gash, far worse than Hailey’s superficial wound. Her unstable lycan blood wouldn’t heal it quickly; it would fester before it closed.

Grinding her teeth, Lenora bound the injury herself, refusing to wince. She needed no one’s pity.

Her phone buzzed. Her mother’s name lit up the screen.

“Hi, Mom,” Lenora said softly, exhaustion hidden in her tone.

“Sweetheart,” her mother replied warmly, “I’ve sent you pictures of some dresses for the Mateship Ceremony. Choose one you love—we want nothing less than perfect for you.”

Lenora’s throat tightened at the excitement in her mother’s voice. She scrolled through the photos, her chest heavy.

“Mom…” she breathed, weariness leaking into her words.

Her mother’s voice softened instantly. “What is it, darling? Are you alright?”

Swallowing her bitterness, Lenora deflected. “I’ll be ready soon. Just a week more and it’ll all be settled. How are preparations going?”

“They’re going beautifully,” her mother said with joy. “Everything is falling into place. You’ll have a whole new life waiting.”

“About the ceremony—” Lenora began, but the sound of footsteps interrupted her.

Evan and Raymond entered the house, their strides halting as the last words of her conversation drifted to their ears.

“Mateship Ceremony?” they repeated together, disbelief lacing their voices.