Seraphina’s POV
"That little bitch!" Ophelia snarled, her hands clenched into fists as we stood outside the baby store. "I’m going back in there. Nobody talks to you like that!"
"No." I grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the car. "Just leave it, Ophie. It’s not worth it."
"Not worth it?" She spun around, her eyes blazing with fury. "Did you hear what she said about Lily? About you? I’m going to rip her throat out!"
"And then what?" I asked, adjusting Lily’s carrier with trembling hands. "You get arrested for assault? Make a scene that gets back to Damien? Give everyone more reason to talk about how his human mate can’t even handle shopping without causing drama?"
The fight went out of Ophelia’s posture, but her jaw remained tight with anger. "Sera, you can’t let people talk to you like that."
"Why not?" The words ca out more bitter than I intended. "She wasn’t exactly wrong, was she?"
"Don’t you dare." Ophelia’s voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Don’t you dare let so ignorant little girl make you think less of yourself."
But as we drove ho in heavy silence, I couldn’t stop replaying Brittany’s words. *Human groupie who thinks sleeping with a wolf makes you special.* *Pathetic human who got knocked up.* *Dirty little mixed-blood freak.*
The worst part? Deep down, I was starting to wonder if she was right.
I stared out the passenger window, watching the familiar landscape blur past. Six months ago, I would have put that girl in her place without breaking a sweat. Six months ago, I had Ayla’s strength backing up, pack authority in my voice, the confidence that ca with knowing exactly who I was and where I belonged.
Now? Now I was just so human woman with a baby, trying to pretend I still fit into a world that was never really mine to begin with.
"Talk to ," Ophelia said quietly. "I can practically hear you beating yourself up over there."
"I’m fine," I lied.
"Bullshit." She glanced over at , concern clear in her expression. "That girl was a piece of trash. Her opinion doesn’t matter."
"Doesn’t it, though?" I shifted in my seat to face her. "Ophie, Adrian can sense that sothing’s wrong with . A five-year-old knows I’m not what I used to be. So why wouldn’t everyone else?"
"Because you’re still you, Sera. Still the sa person who—"
"Who what?" I interrupted. I laughed, but it sounded hollow even to my own ears. "That person is gone, Ophie. I’m just what’s left."
The rest of the drive passed in uncomfortable silence. By the ti we pulled into the estate’s long driveway, I felt like I was drowning in my own thoughts.
Ho looked the sa as always—grand and beautiful and completely intimidating. The afternoon sun painted the stone walls golden, and I could see Adrian’s toys scattered across the front lawn where he’d been playing earlier.
"Mama!" Adrian’s voice carried across the yard as he spotted our car. He ca running toward us, his face bright with excitent. "Did you get stuff for Lily? Can I see?"
"We got so clothes," I managed, forcing a smile as he threw his arms around my legs. "Want to help carry the bags?"
"Yes!" He grabbed one of the smaller bags .
"How did shopping go?" Damien’s voice ca from the living room. He appeared in the doorway, taking in my expression with those perceptive silver-blue eyes. "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing," I said automatically. "Just tired. Being out was more exhausting than I expected."
But Damien knew too well. His gaze sharpened, and I saw him look from to Ophelia, who was still radiating angry tension.
"What happened?" His voice carried that alpha authority that could command an entire pack.
"So ignorant clerk at the baby store," Ophelia said when I remained silent. "Said so truly vile things about Sera and Lily."
Damien’s entire deanor changed. The temperature in the room seed to drop ten degrees, and I felt that familiar thrill of fear and attraction that ca with being near an angry alpha—even though I could no longer sense his power the way I used to.
"What kind of things?" His voice was deadly quiet.
"It doesn’t matter," I said quickly. "She was just so stupid girl. It’s over."
"It matters to ." Damien stepped closer, his hands gentle as they touched my face. "What did she say?"
I looked into his eyes and saw genuine concern, protective fury, and sothing else that made my chest ache.
"She called a human groupie," I admitted quietly. "Said I was pathetic for thinking I belonged in the pack world. Called Lily a... a freak."
The growl that rumbled through Damien’s chest was purely wolf, dangerous enough to make every instinct I no longer possessed scream warnings. "Give a na. An address."
"Damien, no." I pressed my hand against his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart. "Please. Fighting my battles for will just prove her point."
But before either of us could say anything else, Adrian tugged on my sleeve.
"Mama, why are you sad?" His little face was scrunched up with worry. "Did soone say an things to you?"
I knelt down to his level, smoothing his dark hair. "Sotis people say things they don’t an when they’re having a bad day. But it’s okay. I’m okay."
"Want to beat them up?" Adrian asked with such serious determination that I couldn’t help but smile.
"That’s very sweet, sweetheart, but violence isn’t the answer."
"Daddy would beat them up," Adrian said confidently. "Daddy beats up all the bad guys."
"Daddy protects people," I corrected gently.
Dinner was a quiet affair. Damien kept shooting concerned glances my way, while Adrian chattered about his day and all the things he wanted to teach Lily when she got bigger. I tried to participate, but my heart wasn’t in it.
I was still lost in my own thoughts when the doorbell rang around seven o’clock.
"I’ll get it," I said, glad for an excuse to escape the dinner table tension.
I adjusted Lily in my arms and walked to the front door, expecting maybe a delivery.
Instead, I found myself face to face with a woman I’d never seen before. She was attractive in a polished, professional way—dark hair pulled back in a neat bun, expensive business attire, confident posture. She carried a leather briefcase and wore the kind of smile that was perfectly pleasant but didn’t quite reach her eyes.
"Hi," the woman said, looking up and down with barely concealed assessnt. "You must be Damien’s... human nanny?"
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