CHAPTER 39: THEN DO IT

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Chapter 39

~Seraphina’s POV~

"Why are you spacing out in the middle of a conversation?"

My mate’s voice cut through my thoughts sharply like a blade. The weight of his tone pressed down on me, and my mind snapped back into the present.

"Sorry," I murmured quickly. "I just... I wanted to confirm for myself. To see if she would be useful to our cause."

His eyes narrowed, the cyan green of them chilling me far more than any glare should. "You wanted to see?" His voice dropped to something colder. "Who allowed you to think for me?"

My throat tightened. I lowered my head further, hoping—praying—to avoid another beating. "It’s not in my place," I whispered. "My mistake. My apologies."

The silence stretched. His breathing, once quick with irritation, began to slow. I could hear the shift in his chest, the steady rhythm returning as my submission soothed his temper.

"Now," he said finally, "if there’s nothing more, you may leave."

I didn’t hesitate. The instant the words left his lips, I rose to my feet, my body aching with the tension of keeping perfectly still under his aura.

I turned toward the door, every instinct telling me not to look back.

But I dared one last glance.

His face—gods help me—still stole my breath. That cascade of dark red hair fell like molten fire to his shoulders, framing sharp cheekbones and a jawline that could have been carved from stone.

Those spring-like cyan eyes held a cruel kind of beauty, the kind you wanted to drown in even as it pulled you under.

Broad shoulders filled the space he stood in, his posture radiating unshakable dominance in his all black outfit. The few buttons of his shirt left unbuttoned left little to the imagination.

And I remembered.

The outline of his abs, hard as tempered steel, from the day I had mistakenly walked in on him naked, bathing.

I had frozen in the doorway, my heart hammering in a way that had nothing to do with fear.

That was the day our bond synced fully as mates, an invisible thread snapping taut between us.

Alpha Rael had looked at me differently then, his fox recognising its mate.

Appreciation in his gaze, hunger and desire fuelling his eyes. He’d stepped toward me in all his naked glory but as good as his package down there, my eyes couldn’t leave his.

He had studied my eyes as if they were a puzzle worth solving.

And then... he kissed me.

The moment our mouth connected, our soul became one.

My body craved him in ways I ha never craved any man. I wanted right there and then to get down on my knees and worship his body.

One thing led to another, and I found myself naked in his hotspring, the steam curling around our bodies.

His hands had been sure, his mouth devastating, and soon I was beneath him on his bed, skin against skin, lost in the heat of his perfect body pressing into mine.

But when the moment of truth came, when he learned I had no fox form, that I was a hybrid, his warmth turned to ice.

From that day forward, the tenderness vanished. And in its place, there was only the Alpha’s control... and my silent, gnawing need to prove that I was still worth keeping.

The moon was still high when I slipped through the back door of the packhouse, my cloak damp from the forest mist.

I’d made sure my steps were silent, my breathing measured, every sense on alert. No one would know I’d been gone.

Or so I thought.

"Seraphina."

My heart skipped, the name carrying through the dim hallway with a calmness that was far too deliberate. It wasn’t a question. It was a summons.

I froze, my fingers curling into my cloak. Slowly, I turned.

A tall silhouette detached itself from the shadows, her presence as undeniable as the faint scent of moonflowers that clung to her.

As the soft lamplight spilled over her features, I immediately dropped my gaze.

"Andromeda."

Her steps were slow, the click of her boots echoing in the stillness. "I see my six-month vacation has made you forget your place... and who I am."

I bowed lower. "My apologies, Lady Andromeda."

A quiet snicker left her lips, though there was nothing truly amused about it. Her eyes travelled over me in a slow, assessing sweep that made my skin prickle. "From whence cometh thou?"

"A stroll," I answered without hesitation.

Her head tilted, that subtle, predatory glint in her gaze sharpening. "By this time?"

I forced a small smile, carefully steadying my voice. "I was... unsettled by today’s events. We could have lost the Alphas."

She took a single step closer. "Yet you still thought it wise to leave the safety of the packhouse?"

"I..." I paused, as if weighing my words, then softened my tone. "The threat was subdued. I needed air. I didn’t think my absence would cause concern."

Her eyes narrowed, reading more than I wanted her to. "A wise wolf knows that when the wolves are safe, it’s the foxes who sneak in."

I held my ground, even as a trickle of unease slid down my spine. "And a wiser one knows that a fox can survive among wolves only if she keeps her wits about her."

For a moment, there was silence. Then Andromeda’s mouth curved whether in approval or warning, I couldn’t tell.

"Careful, Seraphina," she said softly, turning away. "Your tongue is sharp enough to cut... but sharp blades often turn in the wielder’s hand."

She walked past me without another glance, leaving the faintest stir of wind in her wake.

Only when her footsteps faded did I exhale, unclenching my fists beneath my cloak.

My palms were damp, nails digging half-moons into my skin. I had masked my fear well enough—at least, I hoped so—but Andromeda was no fool.

She had returned earlier than anyone expected, and that meant one thing: eyes would be everywhere.

I had almost forgotten about her presence in the pack until now.

And what was all that about foxes? Did she scent Rael on me?

I shook my head and slipped upstairs, the corridors unnervingly quiet with the commotion from earlier, and disappeared into my chambers.

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~Kael’s POV~

~The next morning~

When I opened the door to my chambers, Rhiannon was already stirring.

The morning light spilt across her hair in a tangle of silver waves against the pillow, her skin pale, her eyes still heavy with the fog of last night.

For a moment, I didn’t move. I just... watched. Making sure she was breathing evenly, that her hands weren’t trembling the way they had when I carried her away from the blood-soaked chamber.

Her eyes opened fully and landed on me. Rhiannon blinked, then frowned faintly as she sat up, glancing around. "This isn’t my room."

"No," I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. "It’s yours now, too. Much safer, and closer to me."

Her gaze sharpened. "Closer to you? Why have I been transported again?"

Because last night, I thought I’d lose you. Because I can’t risk being too far when something happens again.

Instead, I said, "Because you’re Luna. It’s where you belong, right on my bed."

That earned me a scoff—weak, but there. "Convenient. Move me closer so you can keep an eye on the loose cannon?"

Did she not hear me say it was my bed?

Her bite might’ve stung if her voice hadn’t cracked halfway through. I crossed the room and set the tray I’d brought on the table beside her bed.

"Eat. You’ll need your strength."

"I don’t want food, Kael," she snapped, pushing herself up. "I want answers. What happened last night? Why was my father..." Her voice broke, and she pressed a hand over her mouth.

I sat on the edge of the bed, close enough for her to feel my presence but not touching her.

"Rhiannon... you shifted for the first time. It was violent. You were in pain. And when I tried to stop you, you were aiming for Lucien."

She stared at me as though I’d struck her. "So you’re saying I would’ve killed him?"

"Yes," I said bluntly. "And maybe anyone else who stood in your way."

Her hands shook. "Then maybe he should’ve died. He..." Her voice hitched, and the tears finally came unrelenting. "He was holding my father’s heart, Kael. His heart. How do you expect me to..."

I reached for her, and this time, I didn’t hesitate. My hands framed her face, my thumbs brushing away her tears even as more replaced them.

"I don’t expect you to forgive him. I expect you to survive this. To control the wolf before it controls you."

"Controls me?" she scoffed, swatting my hand away. "I don’t care. Ravyn can come out as she pleases. I’d love to see you all rot for my father’s death."

"You don’t mean that."

"I do and..."

I moved closer to her and, in one move, placed her hand on my chest. "Then do it."