#Chapter 18: Ultimatums

The Alpha's rage was a physical presence in the room, a suffocating pressure that made the air itself feel heavy. Luna Elena hovered anxiously at his side, her fingers brushing his arm in a futile attempt to calm him. "How dare you?" Alpha Marcus snarled, stalking toward Raymond. "In my own home? The night before your wedding?" "Marcus, please—" Luna Elena began, but her husband cut her off with a sharp gesture. "I want her gone," Alpha Marcus continued, jabbing a finger toward Giana, who shrank behind Raymond. "Expelled from the pack lands immediately. This disrespect will not be tolerated!" Raymond squared his shoulders, placing himself more firmly between his father and Giana. "No," he said, his voice steady despite the tension radiating through his body. "No?" The Alpha's voice dropped dangerously low. "You dare defy me?" "She's my fated mate," Raymond declared, his words echoing through the suddenly silent hall. "My wolf has chosen her. I cannot—will not—be separated f