Alexander I leaned back in my chair, loosening my tie as he made himself at home. He sipped whiskey from my crystal glass, the ice clinking softly, and took occasional drags from his cigarette, filling the air with smoke. I had hoped that with Seraphina's return, the tension and anger I felt toward Xandriel would finally fade away.But nope, it didn't happen like that.Seraphina was hard to connect with, always seeming deliberately provocative. I could tell she had her defenses up, like she was shielding something deeper. Her fear of me, and men in general, was obvious. I kept trying to figure out why she acted this way, not sure if I really wanted to know the full story.I feel the immense pain, stress, and suffering she must be going through. Even though she's often angry at me, I react the same way. I struggle to break this cycle, haunted by my own disappointment. I'm determined to ease her suffering and bring her some peace.She thinks her actions frustrate or anger me. It's not
Seraphina"Sorry, Seraphina, but I can't do that," he said, his eyes barely flicking in my direction. He mentioned that he’s married now. A sharp pang of disappointment twisted in my chest. I couldn't shake the thought of Xandriel torturing Alden. The image haunted me, making my stomach churn. Alden had to look out for his partner, who happened to be a woman.He let out a weary sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, same here. I should probably go back to him."Alden interrupted with a hesitant, "You—," as if he had more to say but couldn't find the words. Maybe Xandriel had toughened him up since I left. If Talia had mentioned to Xandriel that Alden was assisting us, he wouldn't be able to lend me a hand at the moment. "Just head out through this side door and you'll find yourself in the garden," he said, his voice wavering. I noticed the dark circles under his eyes, the way his shoulders slumped. He looked older, worn out, the years and stress having taken their toll on him."Ju
Seraphina"Come on, you can do it," Margo urged. I was so close to reaching our destination, but my muscles felt like they were on the verge of giving out. The thought of giving up on myself was overwhelming. "Hey, can you please?" The fear of what might be lurking beneath us in that dark lake gnawed at me. I couldn’t feel the ground below, and the uncertainty sent shivers down my spine.When we finally reached the shore, my legs felt like jelly. Every step was a struggle, and I was sure I might collapse at any moment. But Margo, ever determined, led us through another stretch of woods. I had no idea where we were or how far we were from any place with a phone or shelter.If we didn’t find somewhere to stay soon, I was certain I’d freeze to death.Against all odds, we made it through the woods. My legs were heavy as lead, and my head pounded from the effort of breathing in the cold air. I should be used to running by now—it’s second nature. But this time, each step was a battle, each
Seraphina"Are you doing okay?" His voice was surprisingly gentle—no impatience, no harshness. It was genuine and full of concern. I was taken aback; his tone was a stark contrast to our last encounter on the dock of his estate. Alexander was incredibly intelligent, but he often focused on the negatives, starting with the letdown. I got the sense he’d had a rough past and hadn’t fully bounced back, despite the years. His approach was a world apart from Margo’s."Hey, Seraphina!" His voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.I took a deep breath, bracing myself. "Hey, why don’t you take me instead of Margo? She doesn’t deserve to be punished." My voice wavered with fear. I owed everything to Margo—without her, I’d probably still be trapped on that island with Xandriel. The thought of facing Alexander’s punishment was chilling. He was far stronger than Xandriel, all muscle and battle-hardened. His pack members were always well-behaved, and I knew why—Alexander was
Seraphina "Hey, Seraphina, no worries. No need to apologize." His voice was softer, almost gentle. "I have to admit, it was mostly my fault. Like Margo says, I can be a bit of a jerk sometimes." His admission surprised me. I'd never seen an alpha own up to his mistakes before. "We definitely had our disagreements, and I can’t help but feel this burning desire to protect you. It’s tough knowing what you’ve been through and feeling like I let you down.""Nah, I didn’t come here for your apology, Alpha." I wasn’t interested in him spilling his secrets—I just wanted a casual conversation. "Why are you going out of your way for me? There’s a chance you might face trouble from Xandriel and the Winona because of me. Why?""Hey, love, it’s not really—"I interrupted him. "I need to know, Alpha. This is pretty unusual." I looked straight into his eyes, searching for answers. "I’m concerned because there are women and children in this group who could be in danger because of me. I always had th
Seraphina "Yeah, I know," he sighed, brushing off my need for answers. "Got any other questions for me?" I cleared my throat, trying to steady my voice. I sank into the small chair in front of his desk, resting my hands on my lap, one hand gripping the other tightly."About Margo, what did you tell her when you guys were at the motel?" I asked, recalling how shaken Margo had been. She rarely showed fear, but she couldn’t hide it from her brother. It had been quite an adventure, battling on an island in the middle of a lake with dogs chasing us. What Alexander had reminded her of—revisiting past events—really freaked her out. "It felt like history repeating itself between the two of you.""Eh, it was no big deal." Alexander glanced at me, getting up from his desk chair and weaving through the scattered piles of paperwork on the floor. He plopped down on the front of his desk, casually leaning against it with his arms crossed. His proximity made my heart race, craving his touch."You
Seraphina "I really don't care about what other guys have done to you," Alexander said, his voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of something deeper. "Actually, it really bothers me. I understand you didn't have much of a say in the matter. You’re incredibly strong for having survived everything you’ve been through. Anyone who gets involved in this betrayal will face serious consequences." He gently cupped my face in his hands, his gaze searching mine with a mixture of hope and earnestness.I searched his face, looking for any sign of insincerity, but all I found was a warmth that made my heart ache. "I can’t believe you actually said that," I murmured, trying to process the depth of his words. His kindness was almost overwhelming, and I could see he wanted me to simply accept his reassurance without questioning."I'm not inexperienced just for you," he said defensively. "Hey, Seraphina," Alexander said softly, his eyes meeting mine with unwavering sincerity. "I just wanted to c
SeraphinaI was scared because the chains dragging me along were pulling me down. My pack was under attack, which I welcomed because it might be my way out. I tried not to look around at the chaos, not wanting to see the murders or assaults happening nearby. All I could do was breathe and think about what might happen next.I am Seraphina Grace. The Alpha's favorite “girl," as everyone said.If an outside attack was what it took to free me from him, so be it.My Alpha is Xandriel. He had no mate, and even though I was more of a slave to him, he had me doing most of the tasks meant for the Luna.But I wasn't a Luna.I just tried to be myself.I didn't like Xandriel or how he treated me and other women. He was rude, cruel, and beastly.This raid didn’t surprise me. Xandriel had so many enemies that it was a wonder our camp hadn't been attacked sooner. The chains holding me clanked and jangled, making me more scared.But I was strong and determined to escape."Xandriel's gone, but we hav