Seraphina’s POV
The drive ho stretched endlessly before us, every passing minute adding weight to the secret crushing my chest. I never considered myself dishonest, but sitting beside Julian now, I felt like the worst kind of deceiver. Initially, I convinced myself this burden belonged to Roxanne, not . But when she chose silence back at the coffee shop, when she let carry this alone, it beca mine to bear.
Roxanne’s silence puzzled more than anything. She had won whatever twisted ga she was playing, yet she sat quietly in the backseat, offering no explanation to Julian. No gloating, no victory speech. That silence made everything infinitely worse, transforming her secret into a stone lodged deep in my throat.
Let it go, I told myself repeatedly. But the words felt hollow, aningless against the growing anxiety clawing at my insides.
Julian’s concerned glances pierced through my facade. His dark eyes, usually so commanding, held nothing but gentle worry now.
"You seem tense," he murmured, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine despite my turmoil. "What’s bothering you?"
Each ti he asked, I fed him the sa lie, my voice barely steady. "Nothing’s wrong. Just tired." But my body betrayed every word. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking, my pulse hamred against my throat, and every small sound made jump like a startled deer.
The mont we reached the house, I bolted from the car, muttering sothing about exhaustion before fleeing to my room. The door lock clicked behind with finality, but it couldn’t shut out the guilt eating alive.
I paced the small space like a caged animal, my thoughts spinning out of control. This had to end. If Roxanne was lying, if she was manipulating the situation, Julian deserved to know. He could handle whatever consequences ca from their past actions.
Decision made, I left the house again, heading toward the Fang House where Julian conducted his Alpha duties. The evening air did nothing to cool the fever burning under my skin.
Walking through the pack territory, I felt the familiar weight of hostile stares. Those cold, calculating looks had been my constant companion for years as an outsider. For a brief ti recently, they had softened, giving hope that acceptance might be possible. But tonight, the ugly glares returned with vengeance, reminding exactly where I stood in their hierarchy.
The Fang House doors felt heavier than usual as I pushed through them, my destination clear. I needed to reach Julian’s office, needed to confess everything before the secret poisoned what we were building together. But before I could take more than a few steps down the hallway, a sharp voice cut through the air like a blade.
"How dare you do that to him?"
Penelope stood before , Nolan’s mate, her face twisted with rage. Of all the pack mbers who despised , she ranked among the worst. Her hatred made perfect sense considering her mate’s obvious feelings for , feelings I never encouraged or wanted.
My spine straightened instinctively. I’d endured their accusations and bla my entire life, shouldering responsibility for things beyond my control. Not tonight.
"I have no idea what you’re referring to," I replied, my voice carrying more steel than I felt inside. "So why don’t you spell out exactly what you think I did? Then maybe I can tell you whether there’s any truth to it."
Their cruel words had always found their mark, cutting deep into wounds that never fully healed. But I’d never given them the satisfaction of seeing break. I wouldn’t start now. That pride was one of the main reasons I wanted to escape this place, to deny them the pleasure of feeling superior to .
Penelope had to be delusional if she couldn’t see Nolan’s obvious infatuation with Roxanne. The fierce protectiveness he showed her, the way he watched her every move, spoke louder than any declaration. He’d never shown half that concern, even as his supposed mate.
Being wolfless didn’t make blind or stupid. I made it my business to understand every dynamic in this pack, every relationship and alliance. And I’d always noticed how little Nolan valued Penelope, how he treated her like an inconvenience rather than a partner. Yet here she stood, defending him with every ounce of her being.
"Penelope," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper that cut through her next protest. "I don’t give a damn about your mate. And let this serve as fair warning to everyone in this pack who thinks they can continue disrespecting . You will treat with dignity from now on, and you will stop trying to humiliate at every turn."
My gaze swept across the crowd that had gathered, drawn by the confrontation like moths to fla. Their faces showed a mixture of shock and uncertainty. I knew my words would travel far beyond this group, carried by their supernatural hearing to every corner of pack territory.
"And if I discover that anyone has disrespected her again," a powerful voice rumbled from behind , sending electricity dancing across my skin, "they will face the sa punishnt Nolan received."
I didn’t need supernatural senses to know Julian had arrived. His presence filled the space before he even spoke, commanding and absolute. But what still caught off guard was his unwavering support, the way he defended without question or hesitation.
"Alpha, please," Penelope stamred, imdiately submitting with her head bowed low. "I was only trying to"
"No excuses," Julian cut her off, his tone brooking no argunt. "I’m sorry you’re in this position, Penelope. You’re welco to remain in this pack if you choose. But your mate will never set foot on our territory again."
Part of had expected his anger to cool, for him to reconsider Nolan’s banishnt once his temper settled. But his resolve appeared unshakeable, his decision final.
After the tension dissolved and the crowd dispersed, I followed him to his office, the heavy door closing behind us with a soft click. The air hung thick with unspoken words, with secrets I still carried like poison in my veins. I couldn’t bring myself to speak, waiting for him to break the silence first.
He turned from his desk, those dark eyes finding mine with familiar intensity.
"Did you need to discuss sothing?" he asked, his voice gentler now, intimate in the privacy of his office.
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