<h4>Chapter 404: Chapter 404 Family Revtions</h4>


    Author’s pov


    The ballroom buzzed with restrained energy, the kind that made every breath feel heavier.


    All eyes were still on Cecilia, standing under the chandelier’s golden light like the center piece of a show she never auditioned for.


    Her smile stayed picture-perfect, that polite, practiced curve she’d mastered long ago. Inside, she just wanted to disappear. The whole "Locke heiress "act felt like a bad reality show she couldn’t turn off.


    If it were up to her, Martha and her grandmother would end this charade and let her go back to Denver. But clearly, she wasn’t the one calling the shots tonight.


    "Elder Luna ck, Miss Jessica, "she greeted smoothly, her tone polite, her smile diplomatic.


    Jessica barely looked at her. Her attention stayed on Martha, her voice shaking just enough to sound sweet and helpless.


    "Grandmother, "she said, her face the picture of hurt.


    She nced at Alpha Sebastian, tall and calm, impossible to read, and jealousy burned in her chest.


    "Martha, "Elder Luna ck said lightly, though her words had a bite.


    "We talked before about how much I like Jessica. You seem to have changed your mind. "Her tone sounded yful, but there was steel under it.


    Then, with a knowing smile, she added, "Or have you decided my Sebastian isn’t good enough ? "


    Alpha Sebastian’s jaw tightened. He didn’t look at the Elder Luna ck .


    His eyes stayed on Cecilia, watching every tiny change in her face.


    He didn’t care about the whispers or the politics.But the idea of her walking away from all this, deciding he wasn’t worth it, was the only thing that really shook him.


    Cecilia, however, gave nothing away. Her smile remained calm, her posture impable, a masterss in quiet control. If she was angry or embarrassed, she hid it well enough to make even the most seasoned socialite doubt their own read.


    "You’ve always been impatient, "Martha said with a warmugh, breaking the tension just enough to draw polite chuckles from the nearby guests. "Some things never change. "


    Elder Luna ck’s eyes narrowed slightly, unwilling to let it go. "Since you know I’m impatient, perhaps you could give me a straight answer. "


    Martha’sughter faded, reced by a calm seriousness. "I haven’t gone back on my word, "she said evenly. "I still intend for Alpha Sebastian to have my best granddaughter. "


    Jessica’s face brightened instantly, her relief visible even from across the room.


    Elder Luna ck’s expression mirrored it, her smile returning with easy confidence. "So your Jessica and our Sebastian will... "


    Before she could finish, Martha lifted a hand, cutting her off. "Not Jessica. "


    The wordsnded like a thunderp.


    Jessica froze, the light in her eyes dying in an instant. Her lips parted, but no sound came out.


    Around them, the room seemed to hold its breath.


    Elder Luna ck’s polite smile stiffened.


    "This isn’t amusing, Martha, "she said slowly. "You may have a few granddaughters, but Jessica is clearly the most suitable match. "


    Martha tilted her head, her voice smooth but firm. "Who said Jessica is my only granddaughter ? "


    Elder Luna ck’s brows shot up. "Another ? "Her tone dripped disbelief. "You can’t possibly mean Zane’s... special daughter ? Now that’s absurd. "


    Her words carried the arrogance of rank, the kind that came from years of unchallenged authority.


    The Elder Luna ck never bothered to hide her opinions; she didn’t have to.To her, Maggie barely registered as worth mentioning. Calling her daughter ‘that special girl’ was already more courtesy than she deserved.


    Maggie’s eyes shed, sharp and poisonous, the kind of look that could cut through ss.


    Zane stood stiffly beside her, his thoughts clearly miles away. The muscle in his jaw twitched, but he stayed silent, lost somewhere between denial and dread.


    Across from them, Elder Luna ck’s irritation was starting to show. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her patience wearing thin.


    Martha, however, didn’t bother to smooth things over. Instead, her smile widened, confident and deliberate.


    "This granddaughter of mine is a perfect match for Alpha Sebastian , "she said, her tone light but her words carrying weight. "I promise you, he’ll find no reason toin. "


    She took Cecilia’s hand and gave it a light pat, a small move that still showed who was in charge. "Cecilia is my granddaughter, the rightful heiress of the Locke family. "


    The ballroom went dead silent. The music faltered, the hum of conversation cut offpletely. You could’ve heard a ss drop.


    Elder Luna ck froze, her expression locked somewhere between surprise and disbelief. Jessica’s painted smile slipped, her confusion in.


    Around them, members of the Locke family exchanged uncertain nces, their faces a mix of shock and outrage.


    If even they didn’t get what was going on, the rest of the guests had no chance. Murmurs spread through the room like a breeze through tall grass, curious and tense. The Blood Moon Pack members looked especially shocked.They knew Cecilia’s story.


    Luna Dora had dug through every piece of her past years ago and found nothing, no connection at all to the Lockes. So how could this be real ?


    Whispers turned into low chatter, spreading fast through the crowd like wildfire on the local grapevine. Spection bounced from one guest to another, the air thick with disbelief.


    At the center of it all, Maggie’s face was unreadable. Her expression was smooth, detached, but her eyes burned with something dangerous.


    "Mother, no. You’ve got it wrong. We all did. "Zane’s voice broke through the noise, steady but tight. "I was mistaken. "


    He couldn’t let this go any further. It had been his foolish assumption, his misced hope, and now it threatened to drag everyone down with him.


    Martha turned to him calmly, her poise unshaken. "How can you be so sure it’s a mistake ? "


    Zane didn’t ask why she was doing this, didn’t want to know what game she was ying or what end she was chasing.


    His illusions had already been shattered once; he wasn’t ready for another blow.


    "I got the DNA results, "he said, sounding tired. "Cecilia isn’t my daughter. "


    Martha just smiled, slow and knowing.


    It wasn’t the look of someone who’d been proven wrong, but of someone still keeping a secret.


    Cecilia heard Zane’s words and felt a wave of relief. "Really, Zane ? You’re sure ? "she asked, her voice careful but full of hope.


    Zane nodded, his face tense.


    There was disappointment in his eyes, but also eptance. The truth was what it was.


    Helena, who had been biting her tongue until now, suddenly stepped forward, voice rising. "Mr. Zane, maybe you’re the one who’s mistaken. Do you even know who Cece’s mother is ? "


    Zane’s brow furrowed instantly, tension snapping through him.


    Cecilia’s heart jumped. She wanted to stop Helena before she said too much.


    The best thing would be to keep her distance, no ties, no family, no more mess.


    But things were already moving too fast for her to control.


    Just when it seemed the situation might settle, a cold, almost spectral voice cut through the air. "Are you suggesting she’s your daughter’s child ? "


    Helena went pale, eyes wide, words catching in her throat.


    Zane straightened sharply, fury igniting across his face.


    "How dare you make such usations ! "he thundered, his voice echoing off the marble walls.


    The shock of it rippled through the crowd, silencing thest of the whispers.