Seraphine's POVI stood there, my breath ragged, my heart hammering against my ribs. The blood, the smoke, the chaos around us—it all faded into the background. It was just him and me now.Lucien.His name tore from my throat before I could stop myself."Lucien!" I shouted, my voice shaking with rage.His head snapped up. His golden eyes locked onto mine, burning through the darkness. A slow smirk pulled at his lips, even with the blood dripping from his temple. "Seraphina," he called back, voice deep, mocking. "You finally came. Took you long enough."I clenched my fists. "I would’ve come sooner if I knew you'd still be breathing."He chuckled low, shaking his head. "You always were impatient."I took a step forward, my grip tightening on my dagger. "I’m not here for Damien. I don’t give a damn about this war. You think I’m fighting for him? You think I care who wins?" I let out a bitter laugh. "I came here for you, Lucien."His smirk didn’t waver. "Is that so?""You killed my parent
Seraphine's POVOne of the maids caught Isabelle’s comment and chuckled. “It’s real, ma’am. And you should eat before it gets cold.”Isabelle smiled sheepishly. “You’re right. Thank you again.”The maids excused themselves, leaving her alone with the meal. She approached the table and sat down, her eyes sweeping over the array of dishes. Roasted chicken, fresh bread, a variety of vegetables, and even a small cake for dessert were neatly arranged. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she took her first bite.Just as she was finishing her meal, a knock sounded at the door—firmer and more deliberate this time. Her heart skipped a beat.“Who is it?” she called, her voice slightly unsteady.“It’s Dante,” came the reply, his deep voice unmistakable.Isabelle quickly wiped her mouth and stood, smoothing down her clothes. “Come in.”The door opened, and Dante stepped inside, his commanding presence filling the room. His gaze flicked to the table and then to her. “I see you’ve eaten. G
Seraphine's POVDamien leaned casually on the stone railing of the balcony, the cool night air brushing against his face. Anastasia stood beside him, her grip on the railing tight, her body tense.“Well?” Damien asked, breaking the silence. “What are we going to do now? He’s losing it in there.”Anastasia sighed, her knuckles whitening. “What do you mean, ‘we’? This is your mess too, Damien. Don’t put it all on me.”Damien chuckled darkly. “Oh, don’t play innocent. You’ve been just as involved in this as I have. Don’t pretend you weren’t hoping for this chaos.”She turned sharply to face him, her eyes blazing. “Hoping for chaos? Do you think I wanted him to hate me? To accuse me of betraying him? Everything I’ve done has been to protect him!”Damien raised an eyebrow, his smirk fading slightly. “Protect him? Is that what you call it? Because from where I’m standing, you’ve done a fantastic job of making him mistrust everyone around him.”Anastasia glared at him, her voice rising. “You
Seraphine’s POV“Do you ever cook for him, Seraphine?” Elena asked, her lips curling into a mischievous smile.I sipped my tea slowly, buying time. “Cook? For Lucien?” I shrugged. “Not really my thing.”She raised an eyebrow. “You’re Luna now. It wouldn’t hurt to surprise your mate with something homemade every now and then. I mean, you already have him wrapped around your finger. Imagine how much tighter the knot would be with your cooking skills.”I chuckled, though the idea unsettled me. “I don’t think he’d care. He’s busy with pack matters most of the time.”Elena leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You don’t have to want to. But everyone’s watching you, Seraphine. They want proof that you’re a perfect Luna—devoted, loving, and all that. Baking cookies might just silence those whispers about you not being ‘worthy.’”Her words hit a nerve. I hated that she was right. The pack already saw me as an outsider—a wolfless Luna with no bloodline to back up my title. I haven't
Seraphina’s POV“Pass me the cookies on the pan,” I said to the maid, brushing flour off my hands. It was about time I finally gave in to Evelyn’s advice and tried baking something simple, like cookies.The maid handed me the tray, her head bowed slightly. I gave her a small nod before taking it and placing the cookies on the cooling rack. They looked good—soft, golden, and slightly crisp around the edges.“Not bad,” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else.As I set down the last cookie, I paused. The faint sound of howling reached my ears, low and distant at first. Then it grew louder, sharper, echoing through the packhouse.My fingers froze mid-air, and the sweet aroma of chocolate and vanilla suddenly felt cloying. My heart skipped a beat. Something was wrong.“What’s that?” I muttered to myself, wiping my hands on my apron. The howls weren’t celebratory or routine. They were urgent—filled with pain and anger.The kitchen door burst open Evelyn, her face pale and stricken, stu
Lucien’s POVThe night was unusually quiet, save for the distant howls of the patrol wolves.I stood on the balcony of my office, the cool breeze rustling the papers on my desk behind me.The view of the dense forest beyond the packhouse usually calmed me, but tonight, my thoughts were a storm I couldn’t quiet.Seraphine.I gripped the balcony railing, her name a weight on my mind. My mate—my Luna. She was standing beside me, yet she felt miles away.“Lucien,” came a knock on the door.I turned to see Beta stepping in, his expression grim. “It’s the warriors,” he began, his voice cautious. “They’re talking about Luna Seraphine’s.”“Again?” I asked, my voice colder than intended.Beta nodded. “While they were all training for tomorrow’s hunt, they were saying they would not serve a Luna who isn't their blood”“And what do you think?” I asked, folding my arms as I fixed him with a hard stare.He hesitated. “She’s not like us, Alpha. She’s... different. Wolf-less. It’s hard for us to tr
Seraphine’s POVI opened the doors to Lucien’s office and paused.He didn’t notice me standing there. He was staring at his desk, a soft smile tugging at his lips. Whatever he was thinking about, it seemed to pull him far away from this room.“Lucien!” I called.He flinched, his head snapping up as though I’d dragged him back to reality.I stood at the door, my arms crossed. “You’ve been up here all evening,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him. “Aren’t you going to rest?”He leaned back in his chair, watching me with that calm, assessing look he always wore. “Couldn’t sleep.”I hesitated, then took a few steps into the room. The moonlight streaming through the balcony doors cast a soft glow on his face, making him look almost... peaceful. It was a rare sight. “Neither could I,” I admitted quietly.His gaze softened. “What’s keeping you up?”I shrugged, trying to sound casual. “Just wanted to surprise you.”He raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “Really? You’ve never been a good l
Lucien’s POVA sharp knock on the door startled me awake. My eyes blinked open, the lingering warmth of the dying fire casting dim, flickering light across the room. I sat up with a groan, running a hand through my disheveled hair.“Who is it?” I asked, my voice gravelly from sleep.“It’s me, Ryder,” came the familiar voice from the other side of the door.I sighed, rolling my shoulders to loosen the tension. “Come in.”The door opened, and Ryder stepped inside, his expression a mixture of hesitance and apology. “Sorry to disturb your rest, Alpha,” he said, bowing his head respectfully.“It’s fine,” I replied, waving him off. “Seems I overslept anyway.”Ryder’s brow arched, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. “You? Oversleep? That’s new.”I chuckled softly, leaning back against the headboard. “Yeah, tell me about it. Seraphine made me something last night. Sweet, perfect… exactly what I didn’t know I needed.”Ryder crossed his arms, his lips curling into a knowing smirk. “The Lun
Seraphine's POVDamien leaned casually on the stone railing of the balcony, the cool night air brushing against his face. Anastasia stood beside him, her grip on the railing tight, her body tense.“Well?” Damien asked, breaking the silence. “What are we going to do now? He’s losing it in there.”Anastasia sighed, her knuckles whitening. “What do you mean, ‘we’? This is your mess too, Damien. Don’t put it all on me.”Damien chuckled darkly. “Oh, don’t play innocent. You’ve been just as involved in this as I have. Don’t pretend you weren’t hoping for this chaos.”She turned sharply to face him, her eyes blazing. “Hoping for chaos? Do you think I wanted him to hate me? To accuse me of betraying him? Everything I’ve done has been to protect him!”Damien raised an eyebrow, his smirk fading slightly. “Protect him? Is that what you call it? Because from where I’m standing, you’ve done a fantastic job of making him mistrust everyone around him.”Anastasia glared at him, her voice rising. “You
Seraphine's POVOne of the maids caught Isabelle’s comment and chuckled. “It’s real, ma’am. And you should eat before it gets cold.”Isabelle smiled sheepishly. “You’re right. Thank you again.”The maids excused themselves, leaving her alone with the meal. She approached the table and sat down, her eyes sweeping over the array of dishes. Roasted chicken, fresh bread, a variety of vegetables, and even a small cake for dessert were neatly arranged. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she took her first bite.Just as she was finishing her meal, a knock sounded at the door—firmer and more deliberate this time. Her heart skipped a beat.“Who is it?” she called, her voice slightly unsteady.“It’s Dante,” came the reply, his deep voice unmistakable.Isabelle quickly wiped her mouth and stood, smoothing down her clothes. “Come in.”The door opened, and Dante stepped inside, his commanding presence filling the room. His gaze flicked to the table and then to her. “I see you’ve eaten. G
Seraphine's POVI stood there, my breath ragged, my heart hammering against my ribs. The blood, the smoke, the chaos around us—it all faded into the background. It was just him and me now.Lucien.His name tore from my throat before I could stop myself."Lucien!" I shouted, my voice shaking with rage.His head snapped up. His golden eyes locked onto mine, burning through the darkness. A slow smirk pulled at his lips, even with the blood dripping from his temple. "Seraphina," he called back, voice deep, mocking. "You finally came. Took you long enough."I clenched my fists. "I would’ve come sooner if I knew you'd still be breathing."He chuckled low, shaking his head. "You always were impatient."I took a step forward, my grip tightening on my dagger. "I’m not here for Damien. I don’t give a damn about this war. You think I’m fighting for him? You think I care who wins?" I let out a bitter laugh. "I came here for you, Lucien."His smirk didn’t waver. "Is that so?""You killed my parent
Seraphine's POVIn no time, I was at the borders of Lucien's pack. Just as I predicted, some of Damien's forces were still here, waging war. The air was thick with smoke, the scent of burning wood and blood mixing into something sickening. My eyes watered as I tried to see through the haze, but it was near impossible. The war had turned everything into a living nightmare. The pack walls—what was left of them—stood in jagged, crumbling ruins. Stones lay scattered like broken bones, pieces of wood charred black, barely holding onto their original form. The once-proud gates that had stood tall and strong were now reduced to splinters, torn apart by the endless battle.I swallowed hard, my throat dry. Was this the same pack I had once called home? The same pack where I had walked as a Luna? It was a skeleton of its former self, a ghost town caught in the middle of destruction. Bodies lay sprawled across the ground, warriors from both sides fallen where they fought. The walls, once meant t
Seraphine's POV131I moved quickly through the camp, my head low, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. The voices, the clatter of weapons, the scent of burning wood—all of it blurred together in my mind. My heart pounded, my mind racing."None of this is my business," I muttered under my breath. "I need to leave. I need to get back to my mission.""Lucien is the only thing that matters." Fiona's voice was sharp in my head, her growl vibrating through my bones. "These people? They’re just collateral damage."I swallowed hard, my steps slowing. Fiona was right. My hatred for Lucien burned hotter than anything else. The people here—his pack, his warriors, even the children—they weren’t my concern."I understand," I whispered. "I do. But…"I stopped, my fingers digging into my palms. My chest felt tight. My body was telling me to turn around, to leave, to find Lucien and finish what I started. But my heart—the part of me I had buried deep inside—hesitated."Don’t tell me you’re feel
Seraphine's POVThe night was colder than I remembered, the wind sharp against my skin as I moved through the thick bushes. Every step I took was slow and careful, my ears sharp for any movement. I had been walking for hours, maybe even days—I couldn't tell anymore. My body was exhausted, but I had no choice. I had to get to Lucien’s pack.I finally caught sight of the tracks, the ones I knew too well. My breath hitched as I stopped and stared at them."I know this place," I muttered, my fingers brushing against the rough bark of a tree beside me."You should. This is where Ryder tried to kill us," Fiona growled in my head, her voice full of anger. "The bastard thought we wouldn’t survive."I swallowed hard, memories rushing back like a flood. The cold grip of fear, the feeling of betrayal, the pain—everything came back at once. I clenched my fists, shaking my head."That was the past," I whispered. "Right now, I have something more important to do."The ground was uneven, covered in
Seraphine's POVA sharp pain shot through my skull as something hard slammed into my face. My body hit the ground with a thud, my already injured side screaming in agony. My vision blurred for a second before I forced my eyes open, blinking rapidly to clear them."Hey... Who the hell is this?" A rough voice growled above me.I barely had time to register what was happening before another kick landed on my ribs, forcing a strangled gasp from my throat. The pain was sharp, burning, and I curled in on myself, trying to breathe.Shit. Rogues.I forced my body to stay still, heart pounding as I looked up. There were three of them, all looking down at me like I was nothing more than a piece of meat. Their clothes were torn, covered in dirt, their faces rough with scars. Their eyes glowed dimly under the moonlight, their wolves just beneath the surface, ready to rip me apart."What do you have on you?" The tallest one demanded, crouching down and grabbing my arm roughly."N-nothing," I cough
Seraphine's POVI waited for the perfect time to make my escape. I knew it had to be just right. If I made one wrong move, Kieran would wake up, and I wouldn’t get another chance.I waited for 3 a.m.Even as I peeked outside the tent, I saw him. He was sitting by the fire, his back straight, his arms crossed over his chest like he was forcing himself to stay awake. His eyes fluttered shut for a second, then snapped open again. He shifted, rubbing his face, trying to shake off the exhaustion.But he was losing the battle.I stayed at the mouth of the tent, watching him. The fire cast flickering shadows over his face, making the bags under his eyes look even darker. He was really trying. Trying so damn hard.For me.My chest tightened.This was the guy who saved me. When Lucien and Ryder tried to kill me weeks ago, he was the one who pulled me out of that mess, the one who stood in front of me when I couldn’t even stand for myself. And now I was sneaking away like a coward.I tried to j
Seraphine's POVI couldn’t wait anymore. I needed to fight. I wanted Lucien dead, and that was exactly what I was going to do. Kieran wouldn’t allow it, I knew that. He always tried to hold me back, always said it was too dangerous. But I didn’t care. I was going to sneak out tonight, no matter what. I had already made up my mind.These thoughts ran through my head even as we made our way back from hunting. The sun was still high, though the afternoon had started to fade into evening. The forest around us was quiet except for the distant calls of birds and the rustling of leaves in the wind. I should have been paying attention, but my mind was elsewhere. My grip tightened around the bow slung over my shoulder.“Seraphina?” Kieran’s voice cut through my thoughts.I blinked, realizing I had been staring blankly ahead, lost in my own head. I turned my gaze to him, but I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. If I opened my mouth, he’d know. He always knew when something was off with me.He fro