---- indulgent affection before turning to Kieran. "Was I too subtle for Alpha Blackwood to understand?" Kieran's eyes blazed red like a wounded beast. " And who exactly are you?" He refused to believe anyone in all of Shadow Pack territory was qualified to compete with him for Aria. Sebastian's lips curved. "I'm Evelyn's fiancé. Winters Pack's Sebastian Cross." How could it be him? The southern territory's strongest Alpha, Sebastian Cross. Memories from ten years ago flooded back, making Kieran's head buzz. I was shocked into stunned silence, even forgetting to escape Sebastian's embrace, simply allowing him to hold me. Sebastian was indeed the real Evelyn's fiancé-an arranged childhood engagement. Since Evelyn had lived abroad for years, they'd never actually met. ---- The Winters Pack had arranged this meeting specifically to discuss dissolving the engagement. With the real Evelyn gone, they neither wanted to deceive the Cross family nor force me into an unwanted situation. Now Sebastian's public declaration complicated everything. The intimate way Evelyn and Sebastian appeared together deeply wounded Kieran. "No, she can't be your fiancée. She's my wife, Aria Rivers." I was speechless with anger at his behavior, so I raised my voice. "If Luna saw Alpha Blackwood acting so passionately toward another woman, she'd surely be heartbroken." Kieran nearly collapsed. Aria stood right in front of him but refused to acknowledge him. His voice choked with emotion. "My wife has a scar on her back from a rogue wolf attack. I just want to see it -just one look-to know if you're my mate." The crowd below stopped everything and gathered ---- to watch the drama unfold. Involving Winters Pack's heir, plus the current Alpha of a neighboring pack and southern territory's strongest Alpha Sebastian Cross-not even romance novels were this exciting. "Do you think this Winters heiress is really Luna?" "T've seen Luna from a distance. They do look very similar." "Anyone want to place bets? I say she's not. The Winters Pack is such high nobility-their precious daughter is so honored that even the Blackwood family would be marrying up. Why would she be so humble?" "Of course she's not! Young Master Cross already claimed her as his fiancée. Miss Winters marrying down might be acceptable, but the Cross family has no reason to want a used wife." "] think Alpha Kieran is just lovesick and delusional." "T was hoping to fight for my son's chance, but ---- now with both the Cross and Blackwood families involved, we can only watch from the sidelines." Sebastian sneered. "Alpha Blackwood, after all these years of elite education, they taught you to publicly strip women's clothing? They taught you such disrespect toward women?" Kieran was speechless, then frantically apologized to me. "I'm sorry, Aria. I was just too anxious. I'm too afraid of losing you. I lost my composure-I'm sorry." Alpha Winters was so furious he immediately had Kieran and his entire group thrown out. Only then did I belatedly struggle free from Sebastian's embrace. ''Thank you, Alpha Cross, for the rescue." Sebastian didn't deflect, his smile impossible to hide. "My honor."