Chapter 7 - Queen? Diego fixed a deadly stare at Mateo's hand holding mine, his voice suddenly turning sharp. "Valeria! You better explain to me what this is all about!" I impatiently replied, "Is there even a need to explain? We're done, remember?" Diego's face darkened instantly, and I let out a cold laugh. "What breakup? Did I agree to it? Even if we've broken up, couldn't you wait a single day before latching onto any alpha that came your way from who knows where? Valeria, are you so desperate? Do our eight years together mean nothing to you?" Since Diego hadn't officially inherited the Bloodclaw Pack, he didn't have the credentials to meet with the alpha king, so he didn't acknowledge Mateo. I let out a dramatic gasp at our side. "My God! Valeria, even if you're throwing a tantrum at Diego, you don't need to be so... shameless, right? Don't you realize you're making a fool of yourself?" They were the ones who deceived me first, but now it seemed that the blame was on me. Being in a public place, I didn't want to cause a bigger scene and was about to leave with Mateo. But Ivy clearly had no intention of letting the opportunity slip by. She blocked our path, raising her voice deliberately. "I know - being the only daughter of the Storm Fang Pack alpha gives you money and power, so you have no shortage of men around you. But Diego loves you so much, how can you do this to him? You said you were ending things unilaterally, but Diego never agreed! Now, I want you to apologize to him." Diego also stared at me intensely, as if waiting for an explanation. The crowd gradually gathered around us, pointing and whispering about Mateo and me, as if we were adulterous lovers. Unconsciously, my hands trembled as I tightly gripped my sleeves. Mateo sensed my unease and consoled me gently. "Don't be afraid. The alpha king wasn't known for his good temper. He only held back because I signaled him with my eyes not to act. But at that moment, seeing me like that, he couldn't contain his wolf's fury. He stepped forward and landed a strong punch on Diego's face. Diego was taken by surprise and fell heavily to the ground. "Diego!" I cried and ran towards him, weeping pitifully. "Valeria, we only said a few words. How could you let that savage attack Diego?" Diego licked the blood from his lips and was about to get up to retaliate when Mateo kicked him and knocked him down again. Then I revealed the bonding mark on his neck. "Look closely: Valeria and I have already completed our bond. She is my mate, and if you dare insult Valeria with your filthy mouth again, I will revoke your pack's qualification to be promoted to a mid-level status!" Diego was frozen, unable to believe that I had truly bonded with someone else, or that the man in front of him was indeed the alpha king. Mateo scoffed. "What? You can't even recognize a bonding mark? That kind of mark can be forged. Do you think I'll believe that?" Diego looked at me and said sternly, "Valeria, come here right now! Are you not ashamed of yourself?" Just then, Ivy suddenly clutched her stomach and screamed, "Diego... my stomach hurts a lot..." Diego rushed to check on her condition. Taking advantage of the distraction, Mateo quickly pulled me out from the crowd. As we were about to leave the mall, I gradually calmed down. I looked up and saw the contact number on the mall's advertisement board, which made me smile. A few minutes later, the dozens of giant screens in the mall simultaneously started playing the intimate video Ivy had sent me. Although Diego quickly managed to cut off the transmission, the video had already gone viral in the werewolf social media. Within an hour, all his information had been unearthed by netizens, and the situation continued to ferment. Diego desperately tried to suppress the news, but as soon as he managed to push down one trend, more revelations emerged. Soon, Diego was investigated by the Council of alphas, and Ivy was also dismissed. Enthusiastic netizens also discovered that Ivy had cheated on the healer exams and had no real skills. I checked the latest comments and looked up at the man in front of me, who was calmly sipping red wine. "Could it be you, Mr. Mateo, this helpful netizen who keeps releasing information?" I casually took his wine glass. "I chased after you for many years before being able to mark you, and he dared to call me an alpha who came from who knows where? I can hold this grudge for a lifetime." I couldn't help but burst into laughter. Mateo was clearly a very responsible alpha king, but he always spoke with a touch of humor, as if he were joking. It's no wonder that when he used to court me, I never took him seriously.