<h4>Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Social Media Chaos?</h4>


    Cecilia’s pov??


    "Instagram?" I pulled the phone away from my ear, frowning at the screen.?


    I opened the app—and instantly saw what Yvonne was talking about.?


    A certain gossip ount had shared a video clip, and it had already gone viral. Now it was all over the Explore page, reposted and memed by dozens of other users.?


    It showed the confrontation outside the airport yesterday afternoon—but the footage had been edited and re-captioned to make it look like I assaulted poor, helpless Cici out of nowhere.?


    Xavier, the actual male lead in this soap opera??


    He waspletely edited out.?


    The video framed me as the viin—the angry, unhinged woman pping a defenseless sweetheart.?


    But here’s the twist: the inte wasn’ting for me.?


    They wereing for Cici.?


    Somehow, someone had connected the dots and figured out who Cici was. Her name, her background, even old photos—everything was out there now. And thements were brutal.?


    Apparently, the p was already being turned into a meme.?


    And the topments? Things like:?


    "Homewrecker caught in 4K."?


    "She’s lucky that’s all she got away with."?


    "You y stupid games, you win stupid prizes."?


    The message was clear: they weren’t mad I pped her.?


    They thought she deserved it.?


    For humans and wolves alike, there’s nothing more universally despised than a mate-stealer. Public tolerance for such behavior was practically nonexistent.?


    At least 90% of thements supported me.?


    Some gleefully suggested I should have hit her harder. Others were demanding she be publicly humiliated in ways that made me wince. ?


    The original post had gone up anonymouslyst night.?


    From what I could tell, the influencers started resharing it sometime after 2 AM.?


    "Did you do this?" Yvonne asked eagerly.?


    Iughed. "You think I did?"?


    "I can’t figure out who else would! It seems like something you’d do, but also not quite your style. But besides you, who would spin the narrative this way?"?


    "Maybe just a random person who hates homewreckers?" I suggested. "That would make sense, wouldn’t it?"?


    "Please," Yvonne scoffed. "A random bystander paying major influencers to create this kind of firestorm? Come on."?


    "Honestly, who did it doesn’t matter," I said thoughtfully. "The result is what’s important."?


    "The result?" Yvonne’s curiosity was obviously piqued. "Wait—could it be someone who admires you? Like... Alpha Sebastian?"?


    That made me burst outughing. "Darling, I can’t speak to everything else, but I can absolutely guarantee it wasn’t me—and it definitely wasn’t Alpha Sebastian."?


    After hanging up, I immediately called Harper to tell her about the Instagram situation.?


    Harper had spent the night taking care of her mother. She was just waking up.?


    After checking Instagram and connecting the dots with what she already knew, she ventured, "Could it be Luna Dora? The way Xavier was deliberately edited out suggests someone trying to protect him from bacsh."?


    "Luna Dora?" I shook my head. "She’d want this buried in the deepest hole possible, not dug up and paraded around."?


    "True. Then who did it?"?


    "I think..." I paused, "it might have been Cici herself."?


    "That’s impossible," Harper objected. "She’s the biggest victim here—her reputation is in tatters, everyone’s cursing her name. Why would she subject herself to that?" Then Harper’s voice shifted as realization dawned. "Unless... if she did post it herself, then she’spletely unhinged. Like, needs-serious-psychiatric-help unhinged."?


    [Would someone really destroy their own reputation and drag their entire family through the mud just to y victim for Xavier? Was that even possible?]?


    "Let’s wait and see what happens," I said. "About my parents—they’ll eventually see the video, and they don’t know about my injury. Could you please exin the situation to them? Tell them I’ll visit in a few days."?


    "Don’t worry, I already talked to them. They’re taking it surprisingly well."?


    "I should have told them myself..." I felt a pang of guilt. I’d wanted to spare them worry, nning to tell themter, but in the end, they’d learned about my situation through shocking means. I’d failed them.?


    Harper tried tofort me. "Don’t overthink it. Right now, we need to focus on the divorce. I’m nning to meet with Xavier again today."?


    "He’s moved into the apartment above mine," I told her.?


    "WHAT?!" Harper eximed. "Wait—yesterday he literally walked away from you at the airport! He chose Cici, didn’t he? He should be signing those divorce papers without a second thought! What’s he ying at, trying to have it both ways?"?


    "Who knows what’s going through his mind," I sighed. "At this point, I just hope he sticks with Cici and leaves me alone."?


    As I thought about the Instagram post, a tight feeling settled in my chest.?


    Something told me it was only a matter of time before Cici and the Shadow Pack came after me.


    Then again, this wasn’t exactly a surprise—after what happened at the charity g, I’d pretty much made enemies of them.?


    Author’s pov?


    Alpha Xavier’s head was pounding.?


    He groaned and turned over in bed, the shame fromst night still fresh in his mind, even through the fog of alcohol. His phone kept buzzing nonstop. With a low curse, he grabbed it and squinted at the screen.?


    Alpha Gavin .?


    Cici’s brother.?


    He answered. Gavin’s voice was tight and urgent.?


    Cici had tried to kill herself. She’d cut her wrists. They wanted him there right away.?


    The color drained from his face.?


    On the way there, he scrolled through Instagram, each post making his emotions more tangled.


    Meanwhile, in the Blood Moon Pack’s Alpha house, Luna Dora sat stiffly at the breakfast table, her phone buzzing over and over again. The viral video had thrown their whole family into chaos.


    On the screen were two women: the human girl who had somehow won her son’s heart, and the she-wolf who had taken him away. Luna Dora stared at them, her eyes cold with anger. She wished both of them would disappear.?


    Alpha ude was eating breakfast quietly next to her.?


    Alpha ude, Luna Dora’s mate and Alpha Xavier’s father, had flown back from Switzend after the disaster at the charity g. ?


    His health was already poor—he’d been receiving treatment overseas—but the news of Alpha Xavier’s affair, Cecilia quitting thepany, and the public drama at the g had nearly given him a heart attack.?


    He wasn’t an emotional man. ?


    At first, he had shared Luna Dora’s doubts about Cecilia’s background—just a regr human—but over time, he hade to respect her intelligence and hard work.?


    "Cecilia was capable, loyal, steady," he said that morning at the table, calmly cutting his steak. "She’s done more for this pack than most born into it. Not to mention smart and attractive. Good genes for our Pack."?


    Luna Dora rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. ?


    "Invite her to dinner," he said. "Apologize the right way. And tell the Shadow Pack she-wolf to stay away from our son."?


    In Alpha ude’s mind, if the Blood Moon Pack was willing to swallow its pride, fixing things wouldn’t be hard.?


    Luna Dora shoved her phone across the table.?


    "Look at them—trouble, both of them," she snapped.?


    Alpha ude barely nced at the screen.?


    "Cecilia’s always been strong," he said. "The Shadow Pack she-wolf? She seduced Xavier. That p was well-deserved. If you won’t invite Cecilia, I will."?


    "Fine. You do it," Luna Dora muttered as she stood up, her chest tight with frustration. "I’m done."?


    As she stepped outside, her phone rang again. She nced down—and froze.?


    It was from Cici.She declined the call without thinking.?


    A few secondster, a voice message popped up.?


    "Luna Dora," came Cici’s soft, hurt voice. "It really hurts that you hate me so much."?


    There was a pause. Then a low, creepyugh.?


    "By the way, I found your little secret at Devil’s Thumb Ranch. Wow. I had no idea you were so... energetic for your age. Heh heh heh."?


    Luna Dora’s blood ran cold. She quickly looked around, heart racing, suddenly afraid someone might be watching her. With shaking hands, she called Cici back.?


    "How did you find out? What do you want?!" Luna Dora’s voice trembled as she backed away a step.


    No answer. Just silence. But she knew.


    This wasn’t some silly, love-struck girl chasing after her son.


    Cici was dangerous.


    And now, she had power.


    "Don’t get upset," Cici said softly, her voice almost fragile—butced with something cold beneath the surface.


    "I just want to bond with you, Luna Dora. After all... I’ll be joining the Blood Moon Pack soon. You’ll be my mother, won’t you?"


    She smiled sweetly. Sickeningly sweet.


    "Don’t you agree... Mother?" The word hit like ice.


    Luna Dora’s blood ran cold. The realization sank in, deep and merciless.


    This wasn’t a girl in love—this was a predator.


    A predator she had invited into their Pack.


    And now, it was far toote to turn her away.