Chapter 2

Ivy smashed her forehead against the Hall's stone pillar, bleeding, shaking, sobbing in the women's arms.

"I bear another's mark — I've betrayed the Prince — I've shamed the Ashfords — let me die!"

Everyone glared at me like I was filth.

"The Blackwood family is feral. They think killing a few rogues at the border gives them the right to ravage the Prince's future mate."

"Riding on daddy's war glory to do whatever the fuck they want. It's pure lawlessness!"

"My Goddess. If they're this bold in the capital, imagine how many helpless she-wolves they've forced themselves on at the border!"

I looked at the man shielding Ivy — my mate, Alpha Kael.

I kept my voice flat. "Ivy, are you sure it was my brother?"

She stiffened, tears pouring harder.

"I'm already marked by him — why humiliate me — let me die!"

She lunged for the pillar — the women dragged her back.

Kael wrenched me aside, his face twisted with fury.

"Your brother acts worse than a Rogue, and you bully the victim?"

"Your father bled for the Blackwood name — you two destroyed it."

His grip bruised bone.

I let out a cold laugh.

Half an hour ago, I'd chained Ryan up myself — silver restraints, locked in the east wing.

How the hell could he have gotten out to mark Ivy?

I looked Kael dead in the eyes. "Are you sure it was my brother?"

His jaw clenched. "I knocked the bastard out and tied him up myself — I pulled him off Ivy. You think I can't recognize my own brother-in-law?"

My stomach dropped.

His certainty unsettled me — could Ryan have somehow broken free?

"Selene, how long will you keep bullying this poor girl!" An elder she-wolf snapped at me.

"You're Kael's mate — instead of standing by your mate, you shield your worthless brother."

"You even slander this poor girl!"

I scoffed and swept my gaze across the self-righteous crowd.

"So no matter what, whether Ivy actually lost her purity or not, my brother takes the blame."

"You —!" Ivy looked like I'd slapped her, tears rolling down.

She pulled a blood-stained cloth from her dress and hurled it at my feet, voice cracking like she was coughing up her own soul.

"I was a pure, unmated she-wolf — am I some cheap bitch who'd lie about this?"

"If the Blackwoods won't take responsibility, I'll die right here — I'd rather be dead than tied to your filthy name!"

She spun and lunged for the pillar — the women scrambled to hold her back.