Chapter 227

AURELIA’S POV The preparations had already begun, even though no one knew the exact date. My wedding gown had not yet been sewn, the contracts not yet signed, and still, the pack hummed with the excitement of my supposed future. By now everyone has gotten the news about my arranged marriage with the Alpha Draven and how I was able to “impress” him. None of them were excited for me or the wedding. Everyone whispered about the alliance, the power Alpha Draven could offer, the way our lands would be shielded under his name. To them, I was no longer Aurelia—the quiet, overlooked daughter. I was currency, a bargain sealed in lace and gold, and they celebrated as if my sacrifice was a festival. But beneath the laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the hollow congratulations that echoed through the packhouse, my reality was far darker than anyone cared to notice. On the surface, I smiled, I nodded, I pretended to belong among the cheerful voices celebrating my supposed good fortune. Yet deep