Then he turned toward Aria.
“Choose, Aria.”
His voice dropped dangerously low.
“Your brother… or me.”
For a moment, his eyes softened slightly.
Silently begging her to choose him.
But Aria already knew her answer.
“I will never abandon my brother when he needs me most,” she said quietly.
Caleb let out a hollow laugh.
“Very well,” he said bitterly. “Then tomorrow we present this before the council. And after that… the mate bond between us will be severed.”
“Caleb—” Marcus tried to speak, but Aria stopped him.
“If your sister’s accusation means more to you than our five years together… and the three years we’ve been bound by the Moon Goddess,” Aria said softly, tears filling her eyes, “then do what you must.”
She stepped closer to him.
“But understand this… once the bond between us is broken, it can never be restored.”
Caleb nodded stiffly before turning away, pulling Clara with him.
His mother followed behind them, avoiding Aria’s gaze.
Marcus wrapped his arms around his sister.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Aria smiled gently and patted his back.
Deep inside her heart, she already knew the truth.
Marcus was not the one who destroyed everything that night.
It was Caleb’s pride.