Isabella Pov.

As I approached the source of the commotion, I noticed Alpha Kwan also emerging from his office, his expression alert and focused as he too moved toward the unexpected noise.

Within moments, the front doors burst open to reveal a sight that stopped me in my tracks—Mila, Nathan's sister, her face streaked with tears as she practically ran into the entrance hall, a small boy who could only be her son racing to keep pace with her frantic steps.

"Oh my god, is that really Mila?" I thought in disbelief, watching as she came to an abrupt halt upon seeing Kwan and me standing frozen in mutual shock at her unexpected appearance.

"Mila!" Alpha Kwan and I exclaimed simultaneously, both equally stunned by her dramatic entrance into what should have been our peaceful wedding morning.

She stood before us, chest heaving with emotion, eyes red-rimmed and swollen from what appeared to have been hours of crying.

Her normally impeccable appearance was disheveled, hair windblown and clothes wrinkled as if she'd dressed in haste and traveled without stopping.

"I'm sorry to burst in like this," she gasped between sobs, her voice breaking with emotion. "I didn't know where else to go."

The small boy at her side—James, I recalled from my time at Nathan's castle—clung to his mother's leg, his own eyes wide with distress and confusion.

"Mommy, are you gonna stop crying now?" he asked plaintively, tugging at her hand. "You said Alpha Kwan would help us."

My heart immediately went out to both of them, maternal instincts rising to the surface despite the untimely interruption to our special day.

"What happened, Mila?" I asked gently, stepping forward with genuine concern. "Are you hurt? Is James okay?"

She drew a shuddering breath, attempting to compose herself enough to explain, but fresh tears overwhelmed her efforts.

"That bastard," she finally managed, anger momentarily overcoming her grief. "That worthless excuse for a mate cheated on me again with some kitchen servant! I caught them together—fucking right there on the prep table where our food is made!"

The crude language seemed to escape before she could censor herself, prompting her to glance apologetically at her son.

"I'm sorry, baby," she murmured, touching his head. "Mommy shouldn't use those words."

I opened my arms instinctively, offering the comfort of an embrace that Mila accepted without hesitation, collapsing against me as if her legs could barely support her weight.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you," I murmured, holding her steady as she continued to sob against my shoulder. "That's absolutely terrible."

As I held her, I couldn't help noticing the irony of our reversed positions—the last time we'd met, she had been the one offering me protection and support against Nathan's rage.

"Shh, it's okay," I soothed, rubbing gentle circles on her back the way I would comfort a child. "You're safe here with us."

Gradually, her sobs subsided enough for her to speak more clearly, though the pain in her voice remained raw and fresh.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt like this," she apologized, pulling back slightly to look between Alpha Kwan and me.

"Especially today of all days. I just—I didn't know where else to turn. Nathan's useless when it comes to standing up to his friends, and my mate told everyone I was overreacting."

Her expression hardened with renewed anger.

"Overreacting! As if walking in on your husband with his pants around his ankles and some servant bent over the counter is something a wife should just accept with a smile!"

I continued holding Mila supportively while glancing toward Alpha Kwan, whose expression had transformed from shock to simmering fury.

"Please don't worry about interrupting," I assured her gently. "Friends help each other when they're needed."

Despite my calming words to Mila, I couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment about the timing—our perfect wedding day was already experiencing its first complication before it had properly begun.

"It's going to be okay," I continued, focusing on her needs rather than my selfish concerns. "You and James can stay here as long as you need to."

Alpha Kwan's reaction was more visceral, his hands clenching into fists as he processed Mila's story.

"That disrespectful piece of garbage," he growled, protective rage evident in every tense line of his body.

"How dare he treat you this way? After everything you've done for him, after giving him a son?"

I recognized the righteous anger of an Alpha preparing to defend someone under his protection—the same energy that had first drawn me to Kwan when he'd rescued me from Nathan's abuse.

"I'm gonna fuck up his life," he declared with deadly calm, the controlled fury in his voice leaving no doubt he meant every word.

"No one treats family this way and gets away with it—not in my territory."

The fierce protectiveness in his declaration, though not directed at me, nevertheless reinforced my certainty that I'd chosen the right man to build a life with—someone who defended those he cared about without hesitation or calculation.

I realized with growing certainty that our wedding would likely need to be postponed—Alpha Kwan wouldn't rest until he'd confronted Mila's unfaithful mate, and I couldn't in good conscience expect him to ignore such a direct appeal for help, especially from someone who had once helped me at great personal risk.

"Kwan," I began tentatively, hoping to acknowledge the reality of our situation. "Do you remember that we have our..."

I trailed off, unable to complete the reminder about our wedding plans with Mila standing right there, fresh tears still tracking down her cheeks.

The timing felt insensitive, almost cruel given her current heartbreak.

Instead, I made the decision that felt right, regardless of my personal disappointment.

"Okay, Kwan," I said with quiet resolve, meeting his eyes directly so he would understand I meant every word.

"I think you should go and confront that jerk. Make him understand the consequences of his actions—make him crawl back on his knees if that's what Mila wants."

The magnitude of what I was suggesting—essentially postponing our wedding day to address this crisis—wasn't lost on either of us, but Alpha Kwan's grateful expression told me I'd made the right choice.

"Thank you for understanding," he said softly, crossing to press a quick kiss to my forehead. "I promise I'll make this up to you."

Without another word, he strode purposefully toward the door, pausing only long enough to assure Mila, "Stay here where you're safe. I'll handle this personally."

As the door closed behind Alpha Kwan's determined figure, I found myself alone with Mila and two children—James clinging to his mother's leg and Juan, who had appeared during the commotion and now watched the unfolding drama with wide, curious eyes.

"Damn it," I thought fleetingly, allowing myself one moment of selfish regret. "Our wedding day is ruined."

The beautiful day I'd been anticipating since dawn—the celebration, the ceremony, the official beginning of our life together—would now be postponed indefinitely while this crisis was resolved.

But looking at Mila's devastated expression and the children's confused faces, I knew I couldn't indulge in self-pity.

"Come on," I said brightly, summoning a smile that felt more genuine than I'd expected. "Let's get you both settled in. You must be exhausted after your journey."

Taking charge of the situation felt surprisingly natural—perhaps the first real test of my future role as Luna of this pack.

"I'll show you to a guest room where you can rest," I offered, though I realized with a small laugh that I hadn't actually had a proper tour of the castle myself yet.

"That is, if I can figure out where the guest rooms are in this place!"

The light moment broke some of the tension, drawing a watery smile from Mila as she wiped at her tears with the sleeve of her jacket.

"Thank you, Isabella," she said softly. "You're being incredibly kind, especially considering I'm ruining your wedding day."

I led our small procession upstairs, making educated guesses about which doors might lead to suitable accommodations for our unexpected guests.

"This looks promising," I announced, opening a door to reveal a spacious bedroom with an adjoining bathroom. "You and James can rest here."

Noticing the children's restless energy—both boys clearly uncomfortable with the adult emotions swirling around them—I made a spontaneous decision.

"How about a bath for you two?" I suggested with enthusiasm that was only partially forced. "You can play with bubbles while your mom and I talk for a bit."

The prospect of water play immediately captured both boys' interest, their previous anxiety momentarily forgotten in the universal childhood love of splashing.

"Can we really?" Juan asked excitedly, already moving toward the bathroom. "With lots of bubbles?"

James, slightly more hesitant, looked to his mother for permission before allowing himself to show interest.

"Is that okay, Mommy?" he asked quietly. "I promise I'll be good."

Mila's expression softened as she nodded, clearly grateful for my intervention.

"Of course, sweetheart. A bath sounds wonderful."

While the boys raced ahead to explore the bathroom, I quickly filled the large tub with warm water and a generous amount of scented bath foam I found on a nearby shelf.

"There you go," I announced once everything was ready. "Two brave knights ready for their bubble adventure!"

The childish scenario drew giggles from both boys as they eagerly shed their clothes and climbed into the fragrant water, their previous distress temporarily forgotten in the simple pleasure of play.

With the children happily occupied, I returned to the bedroom where Mila had collapsed onto the edge of the mattress, her shoulders slumped with exhaustion and heartbreak.

"Okay now," I said gently, sitting beside her at a respectful distance. "Tell me exactly what happened. The full story, so I understand what we're dealing with."

She drew a shuddering breath, visibly gathering her strength to recount the painful events that had driven her to our door.

"That dick-headed horny excuse for a man cheated on me with some old, fat, ugly kitchen slut," she began, anger momentarily overcoming grief in her voice.

"Right there in our own home, not even trying to hide it! James was looking for a snack and found them instead—can you imagine what that did to my baby, seeing his father like that?"

Her hands trembled with renewed rage as she continued.

"And when I confronted him, he had the nerve to laugh it off like it was nothing! Said I was 'being dramatic' and that 'all men need variety' as if that justifies breaking our mating bond!"

The raw pain in her voice was all too familiar to me—I'd experienced similar betrayal from Nathan, though in different circumstances.

"And this isn't even the first time," she added, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Just the first time I caught him so blatantly he couldn't deny it."

Though I barely knew Mila beyond our brief but significant interaction at Nathan's castle, I felt an immediate kinship with her pain—the unique suffering of women betrayed by men who had promised to love and protect them.

"I know it doesn't feel like it right now," I offered carefully, "but you will get through this. You're strong, Mila—I saw that strength when you stood up to your brother to protect me."

A sad smile flickered briefly across her tear-stained face at the memory.

"Look where that got me," she observed bitterly. "Estranged from my brother and now betrayed by my mate. I seem to have terrible judgment when it comes to men."

I shook my head firmly, unwilling to let her blame herself for others' failings.

"No, what you have is a good heart that expects others to be as loyal as you are," I corrected gently.

"That's not poor judgment—that's being worthy of better treatment than you've received."

She studied my face for a moment, seeming to draw strength from my certainty.

"You really believe that, don't you?" she asked quietly. "After everything Nathan did to you, you still believe in goodness."

The observation surprised me—I hadn't thought of myself as particularly optimistic after my experiences.

"I guess I do," I admitted, realizing the truth of it as I spoke. "Maybe that's why I recognized it in Alpha Kwan when we met."

Exhaustion was clearly overtaking Mila, her eyelids growing heavy despite her emotional turmoil.

"You should sleep," I suggested, standing to pull back the covers invitingly. "Everything looks darker when you're tired. Rest now, and we'll figure out next steps when you wake up."

She hesitated, glancing toward the bathroom where splashing and giggles indicated the children were still happily occupied.

"What about James? I don't want to leave him alone after what he saw today."

I waved away her concern with a reassuring smile.

"I'll take care of both boys," I promised. "Juan could use a playmate his age, and I could use the practice at mothering."

The gentle joke drew a genuine, if tired, smile from Mila as she reluctantly allowed herself to lie down.

"Isabella, thank you," she murmured as her eyes began to close. "And I'm truly sorry for ruining your wedding."