Chapter 9: Cutting Distractions

Seraphine’s POV

I froze mid-step as Elena’s voice cut through the hallway.

“Seraphine!”

I turned to see her running toward me, her auburn hair bouncing as she moved. She stopped a few paces away, slightly out of breath, her hands on her hips.

“Phew,” she said dramatically, fanning herself with one hand. “You had me looking for you everywhere! Where have you been?”

I plastered a polite smile on my face, trying to mask the swirl of emotions that had been dragging me down. “I’ve been... busy,” I said absentmindedly, already feeling the exhaustion creep in from this inevitable conversation.

Elena tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. “Busy?” she repeated. “You sound off, Seraphine. What’s wrong?”

I tensed. My instincts screamed at me to shut her out, to guard the storm of truths and suspicions swirling in my mind. There was no way I could tell Elena what I had discovered—not yet, maybe not ever.

Forcing a smile, I said, “Nothing, probably just the usual pack issues driving me crazy.”

Her face softened, and she reached out to give my arm a gentle squeeze. “Oh, don’t let them get to you. I’ve told you before—you’re still exceptional, wolf or no wolf, Seraphine. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

“Yeah, sure,” I muttered, a half-hearted chuckle escaping me. “Thanks, Elena.”

But Elena wasn’t done. Her eyes lit up with excitement, and she leaned in conspiratorially. “Sooooo,” she began, drawing out the word. “How did it go that night?”

“What night?” I asked, genuinely confused.

She gave me a mock-scolding look. “Don’t play dumb! The night you called me, begging for those recipes because you wanted to surprise Lucien!”

“Ohhh,” I said, the memory clicking into place. I laughed, shaking my head. “That night.”

“Well?” Elena pressed, practically vibrating with curiosity. “Don’t leave me hanging! What happened?”

I hesitated, but Elena was already dragging me toward a nearby bench tucked against the wall. “Come on,” she said, patting the seat next to her. “Sit. Spill. I need all the juicy details!”

“Elena, I really have something to—”

“Nope!” She cut me off, wagging a finger at me. “This takes priority. Don’t make me beg.”

I sighed, giving in. There was no winning against Elena when she was in one of her moods. I sat beside her, shaking my head. “Alright, fine.”

She clapped her hands together, grinning. “Good! Now, start from the beginning. What did you make? How did he react? Did he love it?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. “Okay, okay,” I said, raising my hands in surrender. “So, I made that roast recipe you swore by—”

“The rosemary-garlic one?” Elena interrupted, her eyes wide.

“Yes, that one. And I made a side of mashed potatoes with the herb butter you suggested,” I added.

“Yessss, you’re learning!” she said, throwing her hands up in triumph. “Go on!”

I smiled, the memory of that night briefly lifting my spirits. “It was… nice,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “He came back from a long day, and I had everything set up. Candles, wine, the works. You should’ve seen his face when he walked in—it was like he didn’t believe I’d actually done it.”

Elena’s hands flew to her chest as she gasped. “Stop it! That’s so romantic. What did he say?”

I chuckled. “He didn’t say much at first, just stared at me like I’d grown a second head. But once we sat down, he couldn’t stop eating. Kept going on about how good it was.”

She squealed, grabbing my arm. “Yes! That’s the reaction we’re looking for. See, I told you he’d appreciate it. Men are simple creatures—just feed them good food, and they’ll worship the ground you walk on.”

“Yeah, well, it worked,” I admitted with a small laugh. “After dinner, we sat by the fire, talked for a bit, and…” I trailed off, raising an eyebrow at her.

“And?” Elena prompted, leaning closer.

I smirked. “You don’t need me to spell it out for you, do you?”

“Oh my gods!” she shrieked, clapping her hands together again. “I knew it! You little vixen!”

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t suppress the smile on my face. Elena’s infectious energy had a way of making even the heaviest days feel a little lighter.

“You’re impossible,” I said, shaking my head.

“And you love me for it,” she shot back, winking.

We sat there for a moment, her excitement filling the air between us.

Elena must have noticed the shift in my mood because her smile faded slightly. “Hey,” she said softly. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I hesitated, forcing myself to keep the smile on my face. “Yeah,” I said quickly. “Just a lot on my mind.”

She studied me for a moment before nodding. “Well, if you ever want to talk, you know where to find me.”

“Thanks, Elena,” I said sincerely.

Elena leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms as she regarded me with a teasing smile. “So, the courthouse was totally empty when I went by earlier. What’s going on? Where is everyone? And where’s Lucien?”

I tried to keep my expression neutral, though the mention of Lucien tightened something in my chest. “He went hunting,” I said casually. “Took Ryder and some of the other guards with him. They’ll be gone for a while.”

“Oh, right, the hunting trip,” Elena said, nodding. Then, her eyes lit up. “Wait! Does that mean we can have a girls’ night? Just the two of us? It’s been forever since we did anything fun together.”

I laughed nervously, already shaking my head. “No, Elena. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Her jaw dropped, and she placed a hand over her heart like I’d just insulted her. “What do you mean, no? Seraphine, come on! You need to let loose a little. You’ve been all doom and gloom lately.”

“I’ve been busy,” I countered, trying to deflect.

“Busy doing what? Staring at walls and brooding? You need this,” she insisted, leaning forward with a conspiratorial grin. “We can raid the kitchen, make some drinks, gossip about the pack, and maybe even sneak into Lucien’s wine stash. You know, live a little.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. “Elena, I appreciate the offer, but I really can’t. I have… things to do.”

“Things?” she repeated, raising an eyebrow. “What things? You just said Lucien’s gone, and the pack business is quiet. What’s so important that it can’t wait?”

I hesitated, searching for an excuse that wouldn’t raise her suspicions. “It’s… personal,” I said finally.

Elena leaned back again, studying me with narrowed eyes. “You’re hiding something,” she said, her tone half-accusatory and half-playful. “I can tell. You’ve got that look.”

“What look?”

“That ‘I’m up to something, but I don’t want to tell anyone about it’ look,” she said, pointing a finger at me.

I rolled my eyes, trying to brush her off. “You’re imagining things.”

“Am I?” she challenged, leaning forward again. “Seraphine, come on. You know you can talk to me. Whatever it is, I’m here for you.”

I forced a smile, but inside, my nerves were fraying. Elena meant well, but I couldn’t let her dig too deep. Not when the secrets I’d uncovered could shatter everything.

“It’s nothing,” I said firmly. “Really. I just have a lot on my plate right now.”

Elena didn’t look convinced, but she dropped the subject—for about five seconds. Then, she was back at it.

“Okay, fine. If you don’t want to talk about whatever’s bothering you, that’s fine. But you still need a break. Come on, Seraphine. One night. Just one. You’ll feel so much better, I promise.”

“Elena…”

She cut me off, holding up a hand. “Nope. Don’t argue. You need this. And you know I’m right.”

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I really can’t, Elena.”

“But why not?” she whined, her voice taking on a pleading tone. “What could possibly be more important than spending time with your best friend?”

I hesitated, my mind racing for a way to placate her without giving too much away. “It’s just… there’s something I need to figure out. Something important.”

Elena frowned, her brow furrowing. “Like what? Does it have to do with Lucien? Or the pack? Is someone giving you trouble?”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” I said quickly. “It’s just… personal. That’s all.”

She stared at me for a long moment, her gaze probing. Finally, she sighed and threw up her hands. “Fine. Be mysterious, then. But you owe me, Seraphine. Big time.”

I smiled faintly. “I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”

“You’d better,” she said, pointing a finger at me. Then, her expression softened, and she gave me a small, teasing smile. “Just don’t forget to take care of yourself, okay? Whatever it is you’re dealing with, don’t let it eat you alive.”

“Thanks, Elena,” I said, genuinely touched by her concern.

She stood, brushing off her skirt. “Alright, I’ll let you get back to… whatever it is you’re doing. But don’t think you’re off the hook. I’m dragging you out for a girls’ night as soon as Lucien gets back. No excuses.”

I laughed softly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Girls Night is the last thing on my mind right now….