---- and make tears stream down his face, until the floor was littered with butts. His private phone suddenly rang. It was his father, the former Alpha, the caller ID radiating pure fury. At the same time, the huge projection screen in the residence suddenly lit up and started playing a disgusting video on a loop. It was footage he'd secretly filmed of their private nights together, meant to 'humiliate' Aria. On screen, Aria looked like a docile, helpless little rabbit, curled up in his arms, enduring his Alpha ' possession! and 'marking.' He tremblingly answered the call. His father's deep, authoritative voice, full of disappointment, boomed in his ear like thunder. "Connor! This video! You explain this to me right now! What the hell is the meaning of this?!" 'What have you been doing to Aria all these years?! Her choosing to leave like this, does it ---- have something to do with you?! Speak!" "How could I have a son like you, worse than an animal! You've completely shamed our family!" As he finished speaking, Connor could faintly hear the murmurs from the Marking ceremony site over the phone-the pack dignitaries' discussions, their unconcealed disdain and curses. Connor completely lost it. He'd... he'd stopped the videos from playing, so why was this still happening?! In an instant, Elena's face flashed in his mind- seemingly innocent, but actually full of malice and triumph. If Aria finding out about the camera was an accident, then this video, shown at the wrong time and in the wrong place to everyone, was solid proof of Elena's guilt! He didn't know how to explain any of this to his ---- furious father. Nor did he know how to stop the vicious rumors about him 'abusing a beta' and being 'morally corrupt' that were rapidly spreading among the pack's upper echelons. All sorts of out-of-control emotions, like countless cold hands, gripped his throat, nearly suffocating him.