---- "The ceremony is all set up! All the guests are here! Where are you going?!" "Ts it that little bitch Aria! Did she feed you some more lies?! What tricks did she use to confuse you this time?!" "Why can't you understand! She's your enemy! The daughter of a bitch! Are you going to ruin the sacred Marking ceremony between a pureblood Alpha and Omega for a lowly beta, a bastard child?! " Elena shrieked hysterically, her Omega scent turning acrid from her loss of control. Connor's face was grim. He violently flung her hand off, so forcefully that Elena stumbled back awkwardly. "Elena, I'm warning you one last time! Aria is my marked beta! Watch your mouth!" His voice was ice-cold, and his Alpha presence crashed down on Elena mercilessly. "If she's not found in a day, the Marking ---- ceremony is postponed a day! If she's not found in a month, it's postponed a month! You better pray she's safe! Otherwise, I, Connor, will never let you off the hook either!" He turned and left the chaotic ceremony site without a backward glance. His father's furious roars and calls from the elders, full of questions, rang in his ears one after another. But he ignored them all, not answering a single one. Just as he got into his private car, Marcus, out of breath, ran up and blocked his way. "Connor! What are you doing?!" "This Marking ceremony, you planned it for six years! And now you just cancel it out of the blue! How is your father going to explain this to the pack? What about Miss Elena? What will the elders who support you think?!" ---- "Let them do whatever they want! He was the one who forced this ceremony on me! So let him deal with the mess!" Connor roared, out of control, his eyes shot with a crazed light. "I don't believe it! I don't believe Aria would just leave like this! This has to be her revenge on me! A trap she set!" "Whether she's alive or... or dead! I'm going to find her! Bring her back to my territory! She won't escape my control!" The moment the words left his mouth, even Connor himself was stunned.