Chapter 1Seraphina The cold night air stung the open cuts on my arms and legs as I ran. My torn clothes barely clung to my body, soaked in blood, sweat, and mud. Every step was agony, my muscles burning, my chest heaving for air. Behind me, their laughter echoed through the forest, mingling with the taunting howls of wolves.“Keep running, little rabbit!” a voice jeered, followed by a howl that sent a chill through my bones.My foot caught on a root, and I went down hard, my arm crumpling under me with a sickening snap. Pain flared white-hot, and I couldn’t hold back the scream. I bit down on my lip, the taste of iron flooding my mouth, and dragged myself behind a fallen tree trunk.I pressed my back against it, trying to stay silent. My breaths came quick and shallow, each one rattling against my broken ribs. My ears strained to pick up any sound, any clue as to where they were.The forest went quiet. Too quiet.Then I felt it.A crushing weight slammed onto my chest. The air was k
Chapter 2Seraphina I pushed the door open, my hand trembling against the heavy wood. The scent of cigar smoke and aged whiskey clung to the air, mingling with the faint metallic tang of my own blood. My father sat behind his grand mahogany desk, his expression as cold and unreadable as ever. But it wasn’t him that froze me in place.A stranger stood near the window, his back partially turned, but his presence was impossible to ignore. He was massive—built like a wall of muscle wrapped in dark, expensive fabric. The room seemed to shrink around him, the air growing heavier with each breath I took.As the door creaked open, he turned.His eyes—icy blue, sharp, and piercing—locked onto me. They raked over my broken form, lingering on the torn fabric barely covering my bruised skin. His gaze wasn’t filled with curiosity or pity. No, it was disdain, raw and unfiltered, like I was something foul stuck to the bottom of his boot.“This is what you’re offering me?” His voice was low, gravell
3KaelionI stood by the black SUV, arms crossed, as the packhouse door creaked open. She appeared—Seraphina. She was barely holding herself together, each step looking like it might be her last. Her skin was pale, sickly, and bruises bloomed across every visible inch of her body like she’d been dragged through hell.Pathetic.I watched her limp toward me, her gaze unfocused, her lips trembling as if she was mumbling something to herself. She didn’t even make it halfway before her knees buckled. She stumbled forward, collapsing right into me.For a second, I froze.Her body was like dead weight against mine, her head falling against my chest. I could feel the heat radiating off her skin—unnatural, burning hot. My wolf growled in the back of my mind, restless, agitated.“She’s burning up,” he muttered, his usual gruff tone laced with concern. “You’re neglecting your mate.”She’s faking it, I shot back, shoving the annoying voice aside.I grabbed her by the arm and yanked her away from
4Seraphina’s POVI wasn’t sure how long I’d been unconscious, but when I finally woke, my body felt like it had been trampled by a stampede. Every muscle screamed, and the dull, persistent ache in my ribs told me they were either cracked or bruised—probably both. My head throbbed, and my mouth was dry, the taste of copper lingering on my tongue.The first thing I noticed was the sterile smell. Not of a hospital—but of something colder, harsher. The faint scent of leather, pine, and something distinctly him.Kaelion.I opened my eyes to unfamiliar surroundings—a spacious room with minimal furniture: a bed, a dresser, and a small chair tucked against the far wall. The walls were a muted gray, matching the coldness in the air.I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my side, forcing me to bite down on a gasp. That’s when I noticed the door.Locked.Every day, I checked it, hoping maybe—just maybe—someone had forgotten to lock it. But no. Kaelion wasn’t careless.However, the wi
5KaelionThe scent of fear clung to the walls of the council room like smoke after a fire. It was thick, heavy, and satisfying. I sat at the head of the long wooden table, fingers steepled under my chin, as my pack members fidgeted in their seats, eyes darting to one another like nervous prey.None of them dared meet my gaze. Good. They were learning."Explain," I growled, my voice low but deadly enough to make even the most seasoned warriors flinch.My Beta, Jareth, swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. "During the… incident with Seraphina, Alpha, there was an escape attempt from one of the prisoners we captured in the last raid."I arched a brow, leaning back in my chair, fingers steepled. "And how, exactly, did that happen?"No one spoke. The silence stretched on until it became unbearable. Finally, Elliot, one of the pack members, cleared his throat."The guards were distracted, Alpha. They underestimated the prisoners’ desperation."I chuckled darkly. "Distracted? That’s the
Chapter 6 – Seraphina’s POVThe cold winter air bit at my lungs as I ran, but I barely felt it. My heartbeat hammered in my chest, not just from the effort but from the storm inside me. My breath came in quick, sharp gasps. I had finally escaped—finally free.The guards had grown careless, thinking I was too broken to fight. They didn’t know how long I had watched them, how I’d studied their patterns. When the moment came, I ran.But now, at the river’s edge, my steps slowed. The sight of the water—dark and endless in the moonlight—struck me like a punch. My breath caught, my body freezing.No… Not here. Not water.The memories hit me like a wave—sharp, icy.The cracking ice.The scream of my sister.Her tiny hands reaching for the surface before vanishing beneath.My voice—raw and desperate—calling her name.And then… silence.I couldn’t breathe. The world spun, tilting dangerously. My heart squeezed in my chest. My breath wouldn’t come. My body was trapped in that frozen lake again,
Chapter 7 Seraphina’s POVI gasped for breath, my chest heaved—not from what I just did or the effort of running, but from the aftershocks of the panic attack that gripped me. My body trembled violently, each shake a fight for control. I gasped for air, desperate, but my lungs betrayed me.His grip tightened, and I struggled against him, weak and helpless. “Let. Me. Go.”Around us, the guards remained motionless, not out of mere surprise, but fear. Fear of what Kaelion would do. Fear of the defiance I had dared to show. He was a leader who commanded absolute obedience, a man few had ever seen challenged—yet I had done so.Kaelion’s jaw tightened, a bruise already forming from my strike, but his smirk never faltered. If anything, it deepened. His golden eyes glowed with dark amusement, like a predator entertained by its prey’s feeble attempts to fight back.The stillness shattered as a figure stepped forward from the shadows—a woman in warrior’s garb, identical in style to Dax’s. Her
Chapter 8Seraphina’s POVThe cold iron door slammed shut behind me with a deafening clang, the sound echoing through the dark, damp dungeon. My breath came out in short, shallow puffs, the chill in the air seeping into my bones. The faint torchlight barely illuminated the stone walls, casting shadows that danced with every flicker.I took a slow, steadying breath, but it did little to calm the simmering anger inside me. My wrists throbbed where Kaelion had gripped them, and my body ached from the struggle. The scent of damp stone and decay filled my nostrils, a grim reminder of what this place was—a tomb for those deemed unworthy.A sharp, mocking laugh broke through the silence.“Did you really think you were special?” Kiera sneered, stepping forward. Her red hair gleamed under the dim light, her eyes filled with cold amusement. She crossed her arms, towering over me as I sat slumped against the wall, my body exhausted but my mind still burning with defiance.“I don’t think anything
22Seraphina’s POVI woke up to warmth.A steady, solid warmth pressed against my back, a slow, rhythmic breathing brushing against my shoulder.My mind was sluggish, my body weighed down by exhaustion. The air smelled of something familiar—dark, rich, and unmistakable.Kaelion.My heart stuttered in my chest.What—?I forced my eyes open, blinking rapidly as my vision adjusted to the dim morning light filtering through the curtains. The moment I became aware of my surroundings, the realization hit me like a slap.I wasn’t just in bed.I was in his arms.And he was half-naked.A sharp breath escaped me, and I jerked forward, attempting to put as much space between us as possible. Bad idea. My body revolted the second I moved—pain lancing through my muscles as if I had fought a battle in my sleep. My legs wobbled, and before I could even swing them over the edge of the bed, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back effortlessly.“Stay still,” Kaelion’s voice rumbled, low an
21Kaelion’s POVSeraphina’s body tensed beneath my touch, her muscles coiled tight as if trying to fight off an invisible force. I could hear her heartbeat—erratic, frantic. A fine sheen of sweat formed along her temples, her breath coming in short gasps.Then it hit me.Her scent.Rich, intoxicating, overwhelming.It curled around me like a vice, sinking into my very core, sending heat surging through my veins. My wolf growled, low and possessive, the sound vibrating in my chest.No.My hands clenched into fists.This wasn’t a fever.This wasn’t normal.She’s in heat.The realization struck hard, knocking the air from my lungs.I took a sharp step back, forcing distance between us before I did something reckless.Mark her. Now.My wolf’s snarl echoed in my head, raw and commanding. The urge to obey burned in my blood, my instincts screaming at me to take what was mine.But I wasn’t a beast.Seraphina whimpered.A soft, pained sound.She arched off the bed, her body twisting as if sh
20Seraphina Kaelion and Kiera continued speaking, their conversation flowing seamlessly. Strategy, formations, orders—I barely had to listen to know they were perfectly in sync. It was infuriating. The way they moved together, the way he actually smirked at something she said, the way she leaned just a little too close when pointing at the map he had rolled out on the table.I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms. I had no reason to be angry. No reason to feel this… annoyance twisting inside me like a thorn.I wasn’t jealous.I wasn’t.Still, I didn’t want to be here any longer, watching them fit into each other’s world like I was nothing more than an outsider.So I turned on my heel and left.Kaelion didn’t stop me.*****By the time night fell, I was back in my room, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the flickering candlelight. My wounds ached, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to be alone.The door creaked open.I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.
19SeraphinaKiera.The name curled in the air like a snake.She smiled at Kaelion, her red hair catching the last rays of the sun, giving her the illusion of fire and blood. The sight of it made something tighten in my chest. Not fear. Not jealousy. Just… something sharp.“It’s been too long,” she said, her voice carrying that easy, practiced familiarity.“Not that long,” Kaelion replied, but there was a faint ghost of a smirk on his lips. The kind he never gave me.I watched as she stepped closer, the fluidity in her movements almost deliberate. Her hand, light as a feather, brushed against his arm—a touch that lingered just long enough to be noticed. Just long enough for her to know I’d see it.“And still, you’ve been keeping secrets,” she mused, her gaze flickering toward me for the first time. She didn’t sneer, didn’t glare outright, but there was something in her eyes—a quiet satisfaction, the kind you get from knowing you’re untouchable.Kaelion’s expression remained unreadable
18SeraphinaDays passed and passed and one evening, he didn’t bring the salve. Instead, he stood at the doorway, arms crossed, watching me.I glared at him from where I sat on the bed. “Forget something?”“No.” He tilted his head slightly, as if studying me in a way I couldn’t quite decipher. “You need air.”I frowned. “What?”“You’re suffocating in here.” His gaze flickered to the window. “I’m taking you outside.”A sharp laugh left my lips before I could stop it. “Right. And if I try to run?”Kaelion’s expression didn’t change. “Then I’ll catch you.”Something in the way he said it sent a shiver down my spine. It wasn’t a threat. It was just a fact.I clenched my fists, heart pounding, but I didn’t argue. Maybe it was the exhaustion of being caged for so long, or maybe it was the simple, aching need to feel the wind against my skin again.So I stood.The first step outside was like breaking through the surface of a frozen lake.The air hit me hard—cool, fresh, carrying the crisp sc
17I could feel the blood pounding in my ears as I moved down the hall, the sound of chaos intensifying with every step. What the hell was going on?My mind was still reeling from the moment I had just left behind. Her. Seraphina. Her defiance had set something off inside me, something dangerous, something I couldn’t quite control. She had stood there, unflinching, eyes locked on mine, as if daring me to act. I’d wanted to break her, bend her will to mine, to remind her who held the power here. But damn it, that moment… the way she held her ground. It had shaken me more than I cared to admit.The crash had interrupted us, and I couldn’t help but feel a sick sense of relief. It was the only thing that had pulled me away from her. From the almost kiss. The heat between us had been unbearable, and yet, I’d stepped back, obeying the instinct to address the immediate threat. A threat, I suspected, much more pressing than whatever was happening between Seraphina and me.I turned the corn
16SeraphinaFor a moment, neither of us moved.Dan followed his gaze, and his expression darkened slightly when he saw me standing there. He didn’t smirk this time. His mouth pressed into a thin line, and a flicker of irritation passed over his features before he masked it.“Well,” he said, voice flat. “Look who finally left her cage.”Something about his tone made it clear—he didn’t like me. But he didn’t step forward. Didn’t challenge me. Because Kaelion was right there.I ignored Dan and kept my gaze locked on Kaelion. He didn’t look surprised to see me. If anything, something unreadable flickered in his expression.“You’re supposed to be resting,” he said, voice calm but laced with quiet authority.I lifted my chin. “And you’re supposed to be keeping me locked up. Seems we’re both ignoring orders.”Dan exhaled sharply, almost like a scoff, but he didn’t add to the conversation. His fingers flexed at his sides, like he wanted to say something but knew better.Kaelion noticed.His
15SeraphinaThe door clicked shut. I heard the lock turn. Again.I swallowed the frustration burning in my throat and let my head fall back against the pillow. My pulse was still uneven, my body still tense from his presence. From the way he looked at me.Kaelion.Even his name felt like a snare tightening around my throat.I turned onto my side, curling my fingers against the sheets. The room was quiet, but his scent lingered—cool, crisp, edged with something wild. He always smelled like the first bite of winter. Like the moment before a storm.I hated it.I hated how familiar it was becoming.I clenched my jaw.He thought he had me figured out. Thought he could read me like he read everyone else. But he was wrong.I wasn’t some puzzle for him to solve.And I sure as hell wasn’t going to let him win.My arm ached where he’d applied the salve, but the pain was dull now. Manageable. I pressed my palm over the bandage, exhaling slowly. My wolf should have healed this already. If she we
14KaelionShe was locked in the room next to mine. It wasn’t trust that made me keep her so close—it was necessity. I needed to watch her. Study her. Understand what exactly had led her here.Every night, I brought medicine. It was the only thing I could do for her, not that she appreciated it. Her wounds wouldn’t heal properly with her wolf suppressed, so I applied the salve myself. She fought me at first, of course. She always did. But I had the patience of a predator. I had all the time in the world to wait her out.Tonight was no different.When I entered the room, she was asleep. The dim light cast soft shadows across her face, highlighting sharp cheekbones and the slight furrow between her brows. Even in rest, she seemed ready for war.Beautiful.I froze.Had I just thought that?My jaw tightened. I shook off the thought, stepping closer, my movements careful. She shifted slightly, but didn’t wake. Her breathing was steady, her chest rising and falling in a calm rhythm. It was