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Chapter 6 – Seraphina’s POV

The cold winter air cut through the fabric of my clothes as I ran, pushing my legs harder, harder. The pounding of my heart matched the rhythm of my footsteps. I had made it out—finally, finally free. The guards had relaxed, believing I was nothing more than a caged animal too broken to fight back. They’d let their guard down while I feigned weakness. The moment I sensed their carelessness, I slipped away.

I hadn’t expected it to be this easy. The hospital had been my prison for days, but when they relaxed their vigilance, I was ready.

Now, my destination was clear—across the river, into the rogue territory, where no one could touch me. Or so I thought.

As I reached the edge of Kaelion’s land, the river before me seemed to grow wider, more menacing. The cold waters reminded me of my past, of my father’s pack, of the Luna’s cruelty. Memories flooded back—the mistreatment, the humiliation—and my calm shattered. My breath hitched, the image of the past flashing through my mind. It was too much. I wanted to run farther, farther from everything, but my body betrayed me, freezing in place.

Memories clawed at my mind. My father’s pack. The freezing water. The way Luna had thrown me into the river, laughing as I struggled. The icy grip of the current pulling me under, the taste of blood in my mouth—

A twig snapped behind me.

Before I could react, a strong hand gripped my wrist, yanking me back. My body slammed against a tree, the rough bark biting into my skin. A gasp tore from my throat as the familiar scent of cedar and dominance surrounded me.

Kaelion.

His golden eyes gleamed in the darkness, piercing through me like a blade. His chest rose and fell steadily, not even winded from chasing me. I, on the other hand, could barely breathe.

“You think this little escape was enough to get away?” he growled, his breath hot against my ear.

His fingers dug into my skin, and I tried to twist free, but he held me firm, his presence suffocating.

“You were foolish to think I wouldn’t follow,” Kaelion continued, his voice dark with amusement. “Did you honestly think you could get away that easily?”

I gritted my teeth, refusing to show weakness, but my pulse was erratic.

“You really thought I wouldn’t catch you?” His voice was low, amused. A hunter toying with his prey.

I struggled, but his grip tightened, pinning me against the rough bark. His other hand rested on my hip, possessive and unyielding.

“Let me go,” I hissed, glaring up at him.

Kaelion chuckled, his breath ghosting against my cheek. “You think my previous leniency meant you could escape? How naive.”

I clenched my teeth, refusing to let him see my fear. “I’d rather die in rogue territory than stay with you.”

His smirk deepened. “Would you?”

His voice was mocking, but something darker lurked beneath it. A warning.

“You think you can handle this?” Kaelion leaned closer, his lips brushing the delicate skin of my neck. He inhaled deeply, as though savoring my scent. “I can smell it, Seraphina. Your arousal. It’s almost… irresistible.”

My body trembled, not with fear, but with the raw intensity of his words, of his touch. 

The air shifted between us, thick with tension. That’s when I noticed it—his nostrils flaring slightly, his pupils dilating. My body stiffened as I realized what he was reacting to.

No. No, no, no.

His smirk widened as he leaned in, his nose trailing along my jawline. “I could smell you back at the house, Seraphina,” he murmured. “Even now, after running for your life… your body betrays you. Your scent… it’s hard to ignore.”

I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the overwhelming urge to give in to the heat building inside me. My wolf, too, was reacting. She was growling, fighting for control, for dominance, but I couldn’t let her out.

I wouldn’t.

Heat flooded my cheeks, and I turned my face away, mortified. “You’re disgusting.”

Kaelion chuckled, his grip on my waist tightening. “Am I? Or are you just afraid of what you feel?”

I was. Goddess, I was.

My wolf stirred once again, reacting to his proximity. I fought her down, gritting my teeth as she pushed against my control. 

No. Not now. Not ever.

Kaelion’s wolf wasn’t any better. I could feel the power radiating from him, his muscles tensing as if holding himself back. His fingers trailed up my arm, his touch slow, deliberate.

“Your scent…” he breathed, his lips grazing the shell of my ear. “It’s driving me insane.”

I swallowed hard, every instinct screaming at me to run, to fight—to do something. But my body was betraying me in the worst way possible.

His lips brushed against my neck, right where my gland was. A shudder ran down my spine. Then—his tongue. A slow, deliberate lick against my skin.

A strangled noise left my throat. My wolf clawed at me, desperate to rise, to meet his dominance with our own.

No.

No, I couldn’t let her out. I had spent years keeping her hidden. Letting her loose now would be a mistake. A deadly one.

I squeezed my eyes shut, gripping onto my last shred of control. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.

Then, Kaelion moved his hand lower, just slightly—

My wolf snapped.

Before I could stop her, power surged through me. My muscles tensed, and a snarl ripped from my throat.

Kaelion’s eyes widened just as my fist connected with his jaw.

The crack echoed through the cold night air.

His head snapped to the side, his grip on me loosening for just a second. I shoved him back, chest heaving, my vision tinted red.

Kaelion slowly turned back to me, a dark chuckle escaping his lips as he touched his bruised jaw. His golden eyes burned with something wild.