Everyone was stunned by the slap. Aevia’s hand on Yuki loosened. "You shouldn’t have..."

The Beta’s wife, Yvonne, shook her head, her expression shifting from fury to regret in an instant. "Sorry, I lost myself. Please accept my apologies. I will handle this." She beckoned to a nearby maid. "Take the young lady upstairs to change. I should have something that fits." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Yuki wanted to refuse, but the woman insisted firmly. She glanced at Aevia, who gave her a subtle nod. Not wanting to appear rude in front of so many important guests, Yuki swallowed her unease and followed the maid.

"This way, my lady." The maid bowed politely and led her out of the bustling party. The lively music and chatter faded behind them as they climbed the grand staircase. Yuki was taken to a quiet guest room.

The maid showed her to the attached bathroom and soon returned with a new dress. Yuki didn’t like how quickly things were moving, but she had no choice. She needed to change.

Without the maid’s help, the new dress proved difficult to put on. She struggled with the zipper and fastenings for several minutes, still half-dressed, when the door suddenly burst open.

Eloise stood there with several maids behind her. Her face was twisted in anger, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks. "How dare you!" she barked, lunging forward and delivering a sharp slap across Yuki’s face. Yuki’s head snapped to the side, her ears ringing from the force.

Before she could react, two strong maids grabbed her arms. A terrible feeling sank into Yuki’s stomach.

"What is going on?" she demanded, but no one listened. They dragged her roughly from the room and across the hall into the opposite suite. The room was in complete chaos—destroyed dresses and presents scattered everywhere. Her eyes immediately fell on a pale Aevia standing among the crowd.

Eloise ran into her mother’s arms. Yvonne looked disheveled, still in her silk robes as she had been getting ready for the night. She held her daughter tightly.

"Mum, I’m scared," Eloise cried. "She destroyed all my presents!"

Yuki’s head snapped up in disbelief. *She did what?*

"What the hell is going on?!" Yuki snarled, twisting against the maids’ bruising grips. "Let me go!"

Eloise stormed ahead, her cinnamon curls wild and mascara streaking down her flushed face. "You ruined everything!" she screamed, her voice cracking with fury and panic. "What did I do to deserve this?"

Yuki shook her head, taking in the destruction around her. She had never entered this room, she had been in the opposite one the entire time. She looked desperately at Aevia, seeking help. ’ I didn’t do anything,’ she cried through their mind link. Aevia’s fists clenched tightly at her sides.

The room was utter chaos. Designer gowns lay shredded across the floor like fallen soldiers. Expensive perfume bottles were shattered, their heavy floral scents mixing sickeningly with spilled champagne. A full-length mirror hung cracked, reflecting fragments of the destruction. In the center of it all stood a crowd of influential guests, including Eloise, Yvonne, Alexander, the Beta Maddox, and several other high-ranking wolves Yuki could sense were important.

Kieran and Kaden, two of the Alpha triplets, were also present. Their expressions remained unreadable, jaws clenched, but they stayed silent.

Aevia couldn’t hold her gaze. She looked pale as moonlight, her hands clasped so tightly in front of her that her knuckles were bloodless. Alexander hovered just behind her, his face equally unreadable.

"I didn’t do it. I was in the other room changing," Yuki explained desperately. "I didn’t do anything!" She was still pleading when another slap crashed across her face.

"You are still lying even after being caught," Yvonne snapped. Something dark flashed in Aevia’s eyes as her hands tightened further.

Eloise whirled on her, chest heaving. "Your sister’s little pet thought she could sabotage me. Look at this!" She kicked aside a torn emerald-green gown, the same color as the bracelet still circling Yuki’s wrist. "These were gifts from the triplets. You destroyed them out of jealousy, and you’re still lying even with evidence!"

Yuki’s mind reeled. What evidence? "I didn’t touch anything! I was changing in the opposite room. The maids must have seen something!" Yuki’s argued.

One of the older maids stepped forward, her voice trembling but obedient. "I... I saw her slip away earlier, Miss Eloise. Toward this room."

Lies!!

The word burned in Yuki’s throat. Before she could protest, Eloise slapped her again. Yuki’s head snapped sideways, her vision sparking white. Her cheeks burned bright red. She was completely humiliated. This was a setup, starting from the spilled wine earlier. She glanced up, trying her best not to glare at Yvonne, but their acts were far too convincing.

"What are you going to say now?" Eloise sneered.

Aevia could no longer stay silent. She stepped forward, positioning herself protectively in front of Yuki. Her pleading gaze turned to Alexander. "Can we relax? Just a maid’s testimony can’t prove everything. Yuki isn’t that type of person. She has no reason to sabotage Eloise."

"Are you saying we set her up and are lying?" Yvonne sneered.

Aevia shook her head quickly. "I am saying maybe there is a misunderstanding somewhere..."

She suspected foul play but could not openly call Yvonne and Eloise liars.

Alexander sighed. This was getting out of hand. A few minutes ago, Eloise had run downstairs crying in her robes, drawing everyone here. Now Yuki stood accused of sabotage. His eyes scanned the wreckage.

"Wait," Alexander said, stopping the escalating accusations. "Is there any other evidence? We can’t judge her based on a maid’s word alone..especially after she was locked up in the cold room this morning." Alexander’s words carried accusation.

Eloise froze for a moment before snapping out of it. "Alpha, I wouldn’t play with my own party." Tears broke across her face like clockwork. She then fell to her knees. "I am sorry for earlier. It was a joke, but you didn’t have to ruin my party." She cried dramatically. Yvonne quickly pulled her up.

"Don’t kneel before her," Yvonne said, shooting Yuki a sharp glare. "I offered her a dress and she did this in return."

Beta Maddox spoke up. "How about we get the CCTV footage to clear things up? Someone fetch it immediately."

Alexander nodded. Yuki’s heart raced. She glanced at Aevia, who gave her a reassuring smile. Kieran’s gaze accidentally met Yuki’s for a brief second before he looked away. He clearly wanted to ask if she had really done it but held his tongue.

This felt like a setup from the stained dress to this. Even Kaden seemed uneasy. Eloise was clearly after Yuki. He didn’t want to believe it, but Yuki had almost died that morning. The footage was their only hope to clear her name, yet Eloise’s unnatural calm made him suspect things wouldn’t be so simple. Had Yuki destroyed everything as revenge?

The door opened and a security guard entered, handing Maddox a tablet. Maddox first showed the video to Alexander and Aevia. Yuki couldn’t see it, but their faces went deathly pale.

Aevia’s eyes filled with immediate disappointment. Alexander fell silent. Maddox then connected the tablet to the large TV screen, and the footage began to play for everyone.

Yuki was seen sneaking out of the changing room or at least someone who looked exactly like her. Same figure, same dress. The woman entered the opposite room, stayed inside for a few minutes, then left and returned to the previous room.

"It’s not possible," Yuki whispered. That wasn’t her, but the footage was foolproof. Eloise’s eyes turned ugly with triumph.

Yuki stood frozen in the middle of the large room as the large screen flickered to life behind her. The footage played clearly for everyone to see. A figure that looked exactly like her moved through Eloise’s private quarters smashing a cherished vase and tearing through expensive gifts. Her hand flew instinctively to the emerald bracelet on her wrist. The woman in the video wore an identical one catching the light with every destructive swing.

******* Chapter Bonus: Character descriptions******

. KADEN RAVENCOURT

Male lead, He is the youngest of the Ravencourt triplets, known for his fiery temper and impulsive nature. He and Kieran bear a very close resemblance mistaking them for twins. Kaden is closest to the warriors of the pack and thrives in combat and action.

PERSONALITY: Kaden is hot-headed, impulsive, and fiercely emotional. He acts first and thinks later, often letting his anger and passion control him. He is loyal to a fault but can be stubborn and reckless. Beneath his explosive exterior lies deep vulnerability and a strong protective instinct. He feels things intensely whether hate, jealousy, or love and struggles the most with accepting his feelings for Yuki. Once committed, he becomes fiercely devoted and territorial.

FEATURES: Kaden has a strong, muscular warrior’s physique and stands at 6’5". He has messy black hair that often looks tousled from training or running his hands through it in frustration. He shares the signature piercing blue eyes of the triplets. His face is strikingly handsome with sharper, more rugged features than his brothers, giving him a dangerous and alluring bad-boy appeal.