Ravyn fell completely silent. Everyone already knew the answer without him having to say a word.

If their places had been switched, he would’ve stood by Daisy without a second thought, exactly like he always had every single time she and Seraphine clashed. There was no point pretending otherwise.

He let out a long, slow breath and looked at Seraphine, forcing the words out even though they tasted like ash in his mouth. "I was wrong. Let’s work something out. I’ll compensate you for this, whatever you want."

Seraphine’s eyes turned icy cold in an instant. "Ravyn." His name rolled off her tongue without even a trace of the old warmth it used to carry. "I asked you before we even started this game if you wanted it to continue."

She took one deliberate step toward him, her gaze never leaving his. "You made it very clear that it had nothing to do with you. So stay out of it." Her voice dropped low, calm but dangerously sharp. "Or I’ll deal with her in ways you definitely won’t like."

Ravyn’s jaw tightened until it ached. This right here was exactly why they could never see eye to eye.

Every single conversation with Seraphine somehow ended with him feeling completely frustrated and backed into a corner.

Still, he swallowed his pride one more time. There was one thing he believed might still reach her, his parents.

"Sera..." His tone softened with real hope. "For my parents’ sake... please let this go."

To his surprise, Seraphine didn’t even hesitate. She stared straight into his eyes, her voice firm and unshakable. "No."

The single word rang out through the gathering like a hammer strike, cold, final, and impossible to argue with. Deep down, she knew his parents would’ve supported her. They never would’ve defended Daisy after everything she’d done.

Ravyn closed his eyes for a brief second, the weight of everything crashing down on him. There was nothing left to say. When he finally looked at Daisy again, guilt flooded his face completely. "I’m sorry," he said, his voice sounding utterly exhausted. "You’ll have to accept the punishment."

Unable to stick around and watch what was coming next, he turned around and walked away. Alpha Dante silently fell into step beside him. Neither of them had the heart to witness the humiliating scene about to unfold.

Seraphine’s full attention settled on Daisy, Luna Mayo, and Luna Joyce. Her expression stayed completely unreadable. "What are you waiting for?"

None of the three women moved at first, frozen in shock and dread. Then, one by one, their trembling hands reached for their clothes. The silence around the bonfire grew so thick and heavy it felt like it could crush them all.

Alpha Oren rose from his seat without a word and walked away. Voren followed right behind him. There was no chance he was staying to watch other she-wolves undress.

The only woman he ever wanted to look at was his wife. The only exception would’ve been during battle when wolves shifted back to human form after fighting, and even then, discipline always came first—his eyes stayed locked on faces, never anywhere else.

Corvine exchanged a quick glance with Damon and Kael. Without another word, all three turned their backs. Prince Jasper did the same.

Not everyone shared their respect, though. Several Alphas and Betas stayed right where they were. Some watched openly, while others pulled out their phones and started recording everything.

Daisy’s heart dropped straight into her stomach. Her eyes widened in pure horror as she realized a few of them were actually filming. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

For one desperate second, she almost begged them to stop, but then a brutal memory slammed into her. Seraphine had once exposed her private videos to the public without showing even an ounce of mercy.

The woman standing in front of her now wouldn’t stop them, not for her, and definitely not today.

A few moments later, Luna Joyce’s shaky voice finally broke the awful silence. "We’re done." She stood there completely naked beside the other two women.

Everyone instinctively looked toward Seraphine. She remained totally unmoved. "You still haven’t kissed the ground."

The three women lowered their heads, humiliation burning through every inch of their bodies like wildfire. Slowly and reluctantly, they bent down until their lips touched the cold dirt.

Seraphine finally let out a quiet breath of satisfaction. "It’s over." She gave them a small nod. "You can get dressed." A faint smile appeared on her lips. "And if any of you wants another round... I’m ready."

Laughter erupted around the bonfire, the sound only making the three women feel even smaller and more broken. Another challenge? Not even in their wildest dreams. They hurriedly pulled their clothes back on, their hands still shaking badly from the ordeal.

By the time they finished dressing, the Alphas who had stepped away returned. Corvine, Damon, Kael, and Prince Jasper turned back around as well. The moment Luna Joyce finished buttoning her clothes, she spun toward Daisy, her face burning with raw anger.

"Knowing you has brought me nothing but humiliation." Every word hit like a hard slap. "This entire mess started because of your stupid plan. Look where it got us." Her eyes hardened. "We’re done. I don’t want to be your friend anymore."

Daisy felt her legs turn to jelly beneath her. She barely managed to stay standing, her hair a total mess and her cheeks stained with tears.

The humiliation still clung to her like a second skin, thick and suffocating. At least the Alphas she respected most hadn’t witnessed the worst of it. She opened her mouth, desperate to explain herself, but no words came out.

Before she could pull herself together, Luna Mayo stepped forward. The look in her eyes held nothing but pure resentment.

Before anyone saw it coming, she slapped Daisy hard in the face, Daisy felt dizzy. Ravyn’s eyes widened but he didn’t utter a word.

When Luna Mayo finally spoke, though with just a few cutting words, the last fragile piece of Daisy’s dignity shattered completely.