---- mother became his stepmother, he'd thought constantly about making this 'inferior bloodline! suffer even more than his own mother had. Every day and night he spent with Aria, looking at that face that somewhat resembled the 'bitch,' he'd vividly remember his own mother's eyes, full of bitterness and despair, as she lay dying. Day and night, the fire of hatred burned through his every nerve. For revenge, he even suppressed his Alpha instincts. He deliberately got close to Aria, using fake kindness and protection to win her trust. He stayed by her side, shared his Alpha scent with her, let her fall for him. But now, Aria was 'gone.' Those videos he'd edited himself, ready to completely destroy her-he just couldn't bring himself to press play. Lost in thought, Elena glided gracefully to his side. Her sweet Omega scent, usually alluring, ---- now just irritated him. She linked her arm through his intimately, her voice seductively sweet. "Connor? What's wrong? Your Alpha scent is all over the place, and you look terrible." "Ts it that little bitch Aria throwing a tantrum. again, refusing to come?" "You know, even though she's your enemy's daughter, you've indulged her for six years. She's just an inexperienced beta, you've spoiled her rotten. I bet after today, she won't dare show her face around you again, right?" Elena's voice held a hint of barely hidden pleasure. "Connor, you're just too soft-hearted. If you ask me, you never should have let that brat live, and definitely shouldn't have let her form any kind of mate bond with you. That way, she and her mother would have had to live out their lives scorned by the pack." ---- "Why go to all this trouble just to get back at her? It hurts me to see you like this..." The unconcealed gloating in Elena's words, in everything she said, was like poisoned barbs stabbing into his heart. He suddenly remembered his private messages with Elena. Planting the mini-camera in Aria's room -that was Elena's idea, supposedly to ' better protect the Alpha's safety.' Besides Marcus, Elena was the only one who knew all the details of his plan against Aria. He grabbed Elena's slender wrist, so hard he nearly crushed her bones. His face was twisted ina snarl, eyes fierce as he growled at her, "How did Aria know about the camera in her room?! Did you tell her?!" "Why would you do that?!" "I made it clear to you, after today's ceremony, ---- Aria would be out of my life for good! Why would you go and tell her all this?!" "Now she's gone! How are we supposed to go on with the Marking ceremony?!"