"Sera, I’m so sorry." Athaliah turned to Seraphine, guilt written all over her face. "My brother told me countless times that he’d fallen for a she-wolf, but I had no idea he was talking about you." She let out a frustrated sigh and added earnestly, "Please... let me handle this."

Seraphine simply smiled and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "It’s okay." Her voice stayed calm and carried none of the irritation everyone expected. "I can handle this myself."

She stepped forward and looked directly at Prince Jasper. A warm smile appeared on her face, soft enough to ease some of the tension hanging in the air. "Prince Jasper..." She spoke gently, careful not to embarrass him in front of so many powerful people.

"I’m truly honored. A man as handsome, successful, respected, and powerful as you showing interest in me, any woman would feel flattered."

The compliment only made Jasper’s chest tighten. If anything, it gave him a spark of hope. Seraphine understood exactly what he was feeling.

She had once lived through the crushing pain of loving someone who couldn’t return those feelings. Even though magic had played a role in her own story, heartbreak still cut the same way.

She knew that rejecting him harshly in front of dozens of Alphas would wound not only his heart but his pride too. So she chose every word with care.

"But..." Her smile turned bittersweet. "You’re a little too late."

Jasper’s expression froze. The color slowly drained from his face. He blinked several times, fighting hard to keep the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes.

After hearing about Seraphine’s divorce, he had searched for her everywhere. He had called countless times, and every single call failed. He asked around, but no one knew where she was. By the time he finally found her, was it already too late?

His voice came out almost as a whisper. "Too late?" His lips trembled. "What do you mean?" He swallowed painfully. "Is... is there someone else?" Every part of him prayed she would say no.

Instead, Seraphine gave him an apologetic smile. "To be honest with you, Prince Jasper..." She lowered her eyes briefly before looking back at him. "I got married four days ago."

"What?!" Shock exploded throughout the gym. The room erupted into loud whispers, and Voren’s heart warmed greatly, a smile thinned his lips.

The unmarried Alphas stared at Seraphine in pure disbelief. Ravyn’s pupils contracted. Even the elders looked stunned. No one had expected those words.

Jasper felt as though the ground beneath him had simply disappeared. Four days... He had been only four days too late. His shoulders slumped as heartbreak settled over him like a heavy weight.

Meanwhile Ravyn’s mind raced. Then everything suddenly clicked into place. Leon. He remembered the man Seraphine had introduced during the Sovereign Circle gathering.

Everyone believed they were close. If she had secretly married anyone, it had to be him. The realization stabbed straight through his chest. He clenched his jaw, trying to hide the bitterness burning inside him.

A humorless laugh escaped his lips. "Sera..." He shook his head. "You never fail to surprise me." His eyes searched hers. "So you settled for a human?" His words carried disappointment, disbelief, and something that sounded dangerously close to regret.

Standing beside him, Daisy couldn’t have been happier. The mood inside the room had completely changed, and better yet, if Seraphine had already remarried, then there was no way she could be involved with Voren.

That thought filled Daisy with pure satisfaction. She quickly seized the opportunity. "If she married a human..." She looked around dramatically. "Then why is she even here?"

Her eyes landed on Seraphine. "And everyone saw her kiss Alpha Voren last night." She folded her arms. "What exactly is she planning to tell her husband?"

Her words instantly pulled everyone’s attention away from Bryan, which was exactly what she wanted. Silence spread through the hall.

Neither Seraphine nor the people standing beside her responded right away. To Ravyn, that silence confirmed everything.

His expression darkened even more, he gave a bitter laugh. "So I was right." He stared at her accusingly. "That’s why you rushed to delete those videos the moment Voren brought them up."

The corner of Seraphine’s lips curled upward. She shrugged as though the accusation meant nothing. "Yeah." Her tone stayed light. "I married Leon." She tilted her head. "So what?" Her smile disappeared. "And he’s more of a man than you’ll ever be."

Those words struck Ravyn like a knife. Every ounce of self-control vanished. How could she compare him to a mere human? His face twisted with rage. "You—" Without thinking he lunged straight at Seraphine, his hand shooting into the air.

Before he could reach her, Kael moved. In a blur he caught Ravyn’s raised arm from behind and locked it firmly in place. At almost the exact same moment, Smack!

Corvine’s palm landed squarely across Ravyn’s face. The sharp slap echoed throughout the gym.

Hidden behind the crowd, Damon quietly rolled a plastic water bottle onto the polished floor. No one noticed him. Still reeling from Corvine’s slap, Ravyn stumbled backward.

His boot landed directly on the bottle. It rolled beneath his foot and his balance disappeared instantly. Crash! The mighty Alpha fell flat on his back with a loud thud.

For a heartbeat the entire gym fell silent. Then laughter erupted from every corner. The sound echoed against the walls. Many Alphas tried to hide their smiles. Others didn’t even bother.

Voren felt warmth spread through his chest. The sight was simply too satisfying. A grin tugged at his lips.

"Goddess, Beta Corvine slapped Alpha Ravyn, and he actually fell," Someone echoed from among the guests.

Only Voren and Kael had seen Damon roll the bottle across the floor. To everyone else it looked as though one slap from Corvine had completely knocked Ravyn off his feet.

Even Corvine blinked in confusion. He stared at his own hand. ’Did I really hit him that hard?’ He had expected Ravyn to stagger, not collapse like a tree.

Flat on his back, Ravyn’s face burned with humiliation. His furious roar shook the entire gym.

"Where the fuck did this bottle come from?" His chest rose and fell violently. Being slapped in front of every Alpha was humiliating enough.

Falling because of a stupid plastic bottle made it a hundred times worse. Whoever was responsible, he swore he would never forgive them.