The Lake And Adolphus

  The walk to the lake felt like a lifetime to Seraphina, her senses heightened with each step. 

  The forest was beautiful, its towering trees swaying gently under the morning sunlight, their branches casting shifting patterns of shadow and light along the dirt path. 

  Birds chirped in the distance, and the crisp air carried the faint scent of pine.

  But none of it brought her peace.

  She felt Adolphus’s presence behind her like a physical weight, his eyes boring into her back. 

  Every time she glanced over her shoulder, she caught his dark gaze following her, unwavering, protective, yet unnerving.

  Lady Elara led the way with an effortless grace, chatting softly with the other women who had joined them. 

  Seraphina tried to focus on their conversation, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Adolphus. 

  His intensity rattled her, made her skin prickle, but it also made her stomach tighten in a way she refused to acknowledge.

  As they broke through the trees, the lake came into view—a shimmering expanse of water, its surface reflecting the clear blue sky like a mirror. The women murmured in delight, setting down their baskets on the grassy bank and spreading out blankets.

  Lady Elara turned to Seraphina, her warm smile a stark contrast to Adolphus’s cold stare. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? This place is sacred to us. A place for healing.”

  Seraphina nodded, her voice caught in her throat. She hesitated, unsure where she fit into this picture. 

  The other women had already begun to remove their outer layers, their laughter and chatter filling the air. 

  They were so at ease, so comfortable in their shared bonds, while she felt like an outsider—human in a world of wolves.

  She glanced at Adolphus again. 

  He was standing a few paces away, his broad shoulders tense and his hands shoved into his pockets. 

  His presence was magnetic, commanding, but his jaw was set tight, his expression unreadable.

  Lady Elara seemed to sense her unease. “Don’t mind him,” she said softly, drawing Seraphina’s attention back to her. “He’s just… protective. Give him time, and you’ll see the depth of his heart.”

  Seraphina forced a small smile. “I’m not sure time will change much.”

  Lady Elara’s gaze softened further, as if she could see straight through her walls. “You might be surprised, my dear. Even the hardest hearts can soften under the right touch.”

  The other women were already wading into the lake, the water lapping gently against their legs. 

  Lady Elara turned to join them but paused, placing a hand lightly on Seraphina’s arm. “Take a moment to breathe, to feel. The water here has a way of soothing even the most restless spirits.”

  With that, she walked away, leaving Seraphina standing on the shore.

  Seraphina exhaled slowly, the tension in her chest easing ever so slightly. 

  She bent down to slip off her shoes, dipping a cautious toe into the cool water. A shiver ran up her spine, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

  Behind her, Adolphus shifted. She could feel his watchful gaze like a brand on her skin.

  “You don’t have to stand there like a guard dog,” she called over her shoulder, surprising even herself with the bite in her tone.

  “I’m not standing here for my benefit,” he replied evenly, his deep voice carrying easily over the breeze.

  Seraphina turned to face him, her arms crossed. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’m not going to run.”

  Adolphus’s lips twitched in the ghost of a smirk, but his eyes remained sharp. “Not yet.”

  Her cheeks flushed with irritation, and she turned away, stepping deeper into the water. 

  She let it rise to her calves, then her knees, the cold sinking into her skin and grounding her in a way she hadn’t expected.

  For a moment, she allowed herself to relax. 

  The lake was serene, its surface rippling gently as the women laughed and splashed each other. 

  It was almost easy to forget where she was, to forget the constant tension that followed her.

  But then there was Adolphus. Always there, always watching.

  She glanced back at him again, and this time, his eyes met hers. 

  There was something in his gaze—something she couldn’t quite place. 

  It wasn’t just protectiveness or suspicion. There was a softness there, a flicker of vulnerability that she hadn’t expected.

  It unsettled her more than his intensity ever had.

  She turned away quickly, trying to shake the feeling. 

  But as she stood there, the cool water lapping at her legs and the sun warming her face, she couldn’t help but wonder—what was it about her that made him look at her that way?

  And why, despite everything, did it make her chest ache?

  He was the monster who had annihilated her family, the reason she had no one left in this world but herself. 

  He had burned her home, shattered her peace, and left her life in ruins.

  So why did she still miss him?

  Seraphina’s fingers curled into the hem of her pants, her knuckles whitening. 

  The weight of her memories pressed down on her chest, each one a blade that cut deeper than the last. 

  She hated him, didn’t she? She was supposed to. 

  But hate was such a simple word for the tangled mess of feelings he stirred within her—grief, rage, longing, and something she dared not name.

  The sound of footsteps snapped her from her thoughts. 

  She stiffened as Adolphus came into view, his presence as commanding as ever. Without a word, he sat beside her, his broad shoulders brushing against hers. 

  She instinctively shifted away, wiping her face as if she could erase the tears he wasn’t supposed to see.

  For a long moment, neither of them spoke. 

  The silence between them was heavy, filled with the unspoken truths and unbearable tension that had haunted them since the day their lives collided.

  Then, without warning, he stood and stepped into the water. Seraphina blinked, startled by the sudden movement. 

  Her gaze followed him as he waded deeper, the cool lake water lapping against his knees as he knelt down before her.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, her voice edged with suspicion.