Aurora’s POV

Strong arms steadied me, stopping me from falling against the food cart. The hard thud of dishes hitting the ground echoed in the hall, and every eye turned toward us.

I looked up slowly. The man holding me was tall, broad-shouldered, with sharp features. His eyes were cold, but his grip was steady.

He tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. “Clumsy, aren’t you?” His tone was mocking, almost teasing, as if the chaos around us amused him.

Before I could pull away, the woman who had shoved me spoke up, her voice sharp. “Alpha Gray, you shouldn’t touch her. Do you know who she is? That’s Aurora, she’s mentally ill.”

Gasps rippled through the surrounding guests. Their voices overlapped quickly, each word sharper than the last.

Another guest sneered, “She’s not just ill. She’s a slut. Everyone knows she slept with a lunatic from that hospital.”

“And she has more than mental problems,” a man added. “I heard she has AIDS. Stay away from her, Alpha Gray.”

Laughter mixed with whispers, filling the hall with noise. The air grew tense, the scene turning sour and awkward.

I clenched my fists, but I said nothing. The words stung, yet I had grown used to them.

At that moment, Alpha Frank and Luna Melissa stepped closer. Their eyes swept over me quickly, my messy short hair, my tattered clothes,

the bruises on my arms, the scars peeking from my wrists, and the faint odor of the hospital that still clung to me.

For a second, their faces froze with shock. But that moment passed quickly, replaced with disgust and embarrassment.

Melissa forced a smile toward Alpha Gray, bowing her head slightly. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Alpha Gray. She shouldn’t have dirtied your clothes.”

Alpha Frank’s voice followed. “We didn’t expect this. Forgive us, Alpha Gray. Aurora should have been more careful.”

Alpha Gray glanced down at me, his expression unreadable. He didn’t seem to mind, his stance relaxed and his smirk still faintly on his lips.

But Alpha Frank wasn’t done. He stepped closer to Alpha Gray, lowering his voice but loud enough for everyone around to hear.

“To be honest, we have been worried about her presence for years.

The negative information surrounding her, the rumors, her condition… they’ve all threatened the family’s reputation and health. At one point, we even thought of giving up on bringing her back.”

The words hurt me. My own father said it so easily, as if I were a burden that could be dropped at any time.

Alpha Keith’s voice cut in, trying to smooth the tension. “Father, that’s not appropriate to say here.”

Then he turned to Alpha Gray with a forced smile. “This is my younger sister, Aurora. I’m sorry for the scene just now.

It is an honor to introduce her to you. I’ve heard of your strength, Alpha Gray. It would be a great opportunity if our clans could collaborate in the future.”

His tone was flattering, almost desperate.

Alpha Gray’s eyes shifted to Alpha Keith. His smirk widened slightly. He didn’t answer right away. When he finally spoke, his voice was slow and dismissive. “Collaboration? We’ll see.”

The arrogance in his tone was impossible to miss, making Alpha Keith’s forced smile falter.

The entire family stood awkwardly, their pride trampled. Alpha Keith cleared his throat quickly. “To ease the mood, Aurora kindly join us on stage.”

No one said anything right away, and though I felt the reluctance in the room, I stepped forward.

The stage lights were bright as I climbed the steps. My shoes echoed on the polished floor.

I moved toward the center where Alpha Frank and Luna Melissa stood, but the moment I tried to stand close to them, their bodies stiffened.

Their shoulders pulled back slightly, a small but clear gesture of discomfort.

Guests in the front rows shifted in their seats, some looking away, some whispering to one another. No one wanted to be associated with me.

The space around us grew colder, and the gap between me and my family became visible to everyone watching.

Then the master of ceremonies raised his microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we celebrate the engagement of Donald Helen and Beta James!”

Applause filled the room. The guests cheered.

Beta James stepped onto the stage, his suit pressed, his steps confident. For a moment, his eyes met mine. His face tightened instantly. He looked away, his jaw clenched, his gaze fixed firmly on Helen.

The disgust in his eyes had been clear. The bright and confident girl he once knew was gone. To him, I was proof of the rumors that I had been sleeping with a vagabond seemed to be confirmed.

Whispers rose among the guests again. “Look at her… so different now.”

“It must be true. She lived like filth in that wolf mental hospital.”

“Imagine once being his girlfriend.”

On stage, James took Helen’s hand, raising it high. Then, with a perfect smile, he turned to the guests and spoke.

“Before I say anything else, I want to give my blessings to Aurora. She has recovered well, and it is good that she has returned to the Silver Moon Wolf Clan.”

Applause followed his words, but I stood frozen. From anyone else, it would have sounded polite. From him, it was cruel.

This was the man who once swore to protect me as the Beta of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan.

But five years ago, everything crumbled, it was this same man who stood in court and publicly accused me falsely of poisoning Vicky with wolf poison.

Now he stood in front of the world, a nationally renowned Beta lawyer, praised for his talent, admired for his reputation. He had risen high by sending the Alpha’s daughter to rot in a mental hospital.

And I had been the price of his success.

Beta James turned toward me, his smile steady, his hand extended in a show of fake kindness.

“Welcome back, Aurora,” he said. “It’s good to see you again.” The hand hovered between us. The crowd watched, waiting.

I looked at his hand, then at his face. My chest was cold. Facing the hand he extended, I responded coldly. “No need.”