Chapter 11

The official statement made no attempt to explain the real reason behind the dissolution of Darius and Dorothy's mating bond. There was no mention of the photo that had gone viral—Darius asleep on the velvet lounge of his private suite, Isolde Reed's head pressed close to his collarbone. Not a word about Selene, or about Lyra, the subordinate who had “borrowed” the Luna ring. No acknowledgment. No responsibility. And the public? They weren't buying it. Scathing comments bloomed beneath the post, vines of accusations and speculation twisting into the hundreds. Reddit threads dissected the timeline. Shifter gossip boards lit up with theories and secondhand sources, most unconfirmed—but altogether damning. Some wolves, with too much time and not enough sense, even made it their mission to identify Isolde publicly. Darius didn't read the comments. Not really. He just kept refreshing. Over and over. But Dorothy never responded. No follow-up. No statement. Nothing to mirror his silence. She