Scarlett I stood amidst the gathered pack members, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. I had known that attending this ceremony would be a test of my strength, but nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to witness. The atmosphere was charged with tension as Samuel, the power-hungry bastard held my mother captive once again. My mother, the Lycan Queen, was bound and gagged, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and defiance. Samuel's grip on her was unyielding, and his sinister smile sent shivers down my spine. I still couldn’t comprehend how this happened when all of my people had accepted me as their Queen and pledged their loyalty to me. There must be a snitch who informed him about my mother being here or there was no way that he could find her here. My eyes searched for the culprit who dared to betray me but shock was written all over Damon and Jasper’s faces. They couldn’t betray me when they loathed Samuel, too. “Did you really think that I would trust you?