CHAPTER 58: CHAPTER 58 MORE SPARKLE THAN SENSE

SERAPHINA’S POV

When Maya shoved her phone in front of my face, I almost cramped while I was stretching.

“Can you believe this?”

I squinted, reading the headline.

‘Alpha Kieran Blackthorne to Host Intimate Soirée with Future Luna, Celeste Lockwood.’

The photo attached was grotesquely polished—Celeste in a backless gown, coy smile in full bloom, clutching Kieran’s arm like he was a flight risk.

I barely recognized the man beside her. He looked like a wax figure. Too still. Too stiff. Too... not him.

Maya snorted as she pulled the phone back, her face twisted in a sneer.

“‘Intimate soirée’? Please. That shit is posted on basically every media outlet in LA. She probably hired half of LA’s photographers to make sure every angle of her new nose job gets coverage.”

I didn’t laugh. I just stretched out on the yoga mat and pushed up into a plank. “I’m guessing Ethan got an invitation?”

“Of course he did,” Maya said, sliding into cobra with way too much smug ease. “And he asked me to come, but we both know I’d rather eat glass than sit through that circus.”

“I’m not going to ask you to boycott your mate’s social obligations,” I murmured, trying to keep the conversation casual.

“You’re not asking me. It’s my choice.”

“Yeah, but—” I sighed. “You don’t have to choose. Celeste is your mate’s sister; you’re inevitably going to be pulled into her circle more and more.”

“Oh, honey.” She rolled onto her back and flopped her arms out dramatically. “Even if you weren’t a factor, I wouldn’t go. That girl’s so desperate for relevance, she’d host a funeral for a dead fish if she thought Vogue might cover the floral arrangements.”

I let out a breathless laugh before flopping onto my back, too, sweat clinging to my skin. The muffled sounds of people training all around us had become familiar music to my ears, and I smiled softly.

“You’re allowed to move on,” I told Maya. “To grow into your life with Ethan, even if it overlaps with...that.”

“I will,” she said. “But I refuse to acquaint myself with someone who has more sparkle than sense.”

I snorted before I could help myself, and we exchanged a look, understanding passing between us.

“Come on,” Maya said, slapping my thigh as she sat up. “Enough lazing around. Let’s see if today’s the day you can put me on my ass.”

I groaned, pushing myself up, too. “We both know today’s not the day.”

She grinned. “Aw, but you’re so cute when you try.” She wiggled her brows as I stood.

“Just pretend I’m a life-size blow-up doll of Celeste.”

I smirked, cracking my knuckles as Celeste’s pretty, vindictive face flashed before my leads. “Okay. Maybe today’ll be the day.”

***

Today wasn’t the day.

I was curled up in the living room in the evening, a bag of frozen peas pressed to the shoulder I’d landed on when Maya had flipped me and pinned me to the floor. Twice.

With everything that had been going on over the last couple of days, only one thing could cheer me up and distract me from my social media feed, which had been taken over by news of the most unintimate intimate soirée known to man—and wolf—kind..

The video call crackled to life on my encrypted phone, and there he was—my boy, curled up on the bed surrounded by the new plushies I’d sent him and a half-eaten apple in hand.

“Mom!”

My heart swelled instantly. “Hey, sweetheart. Is that dinner or a snack?”

“Dinner was chicken and rice. The apple is dessert,” he said with exaggerated maturity. “Grandma says fruits are nature’s candy.”

My eyes narrowed. “Is Leona not letting you eat what you want?”

He waved his hand dismissively. “It’s cool. Grandpa always sneaks me chocolates and buys me ice cream when we go to the beach.”

I chuckled. “Okay, good. Anyone restrict you over there, and you let me know, okay?”

He smiled. “Got it.”

“So, how are you?” I asked.

“Actually, Mom, how are you?”

“Oh.” I glanced at the peas. “I’m good. Just a slight scrape at training today.”

He shook his head. “No, I mean, how are you? Really. Really.”

I frowned at the sudden drop in his tone. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“What’s up, hon? Something on your mind?”

He cleared his throat and shrugged with feigned nonchalance. “I saw the party thing.”

That caught me off guard. I sat up straighter. “What party?”

“The one with Daddy and Celeste,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “It was on the news, and I heard Grandma and Grandpa talking about it.”

A sour taste filled my mouth.

Celeste’s little campaign had even reached Daniel.

My jaw clenched. “Well...it’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“It’s you I’m worried about.”

I shook my head. “Oh, baby, you don’t have to do that. I’m fine.”

“But...Dad never threw you a party. Not even when you got married.”

That shattered me more than I expected.

But it wasn’t like I cared, did I? Kieran and I were never a real couple, and I didn’t even like parties to be with.

Still, that sour feeling spread from my mouth through my body, and I didn’t like it one bit.

“Listen, baby,” I said gently. “Not every party is meaningful and special. Some people throw parties just to show off. But real celebrations are about love and joy—not just decorations and cameras.”

Daniel nodded, his expression thoughtful. “You know she moved into our house?”

I froze. “What?”

“Dad called. The house is unrecognizable. It looks like a unicorn stable.”

My snort was involuntary, and it pulled a soft smile from Daniel, too.

“Your home is with me, baby,” I said softly. “She can take over a house, but your home will always be here when you come back.”

He smiled. “I can’t wait to—”

The bell rang through the house, blocking out the rest of his sentence.

“Hold on, Danny. Someone’s at the door. I’ll call you back after.”

“Okay! Love you, Mom.”

I pressed my fingers to my lips and then to the screen. “I love you more.”

I hung up and padded barefoot across the hallway, pulling open the door—and nearly slamming it shut again.

Celeste stood on my porch.

In a form-fitting pastel dress, hair swept into glossy waves, heels that didn’t suit my dusty front step.

“Hello, Seraphina,” she said brightly, like we were neighbors trading cookie recipes.

“No,” I said flatly.

Her smile faltered. “No?”

“It’s been so long, I thought we were done with these harassment visits. I’m so not in the fucking mood, Celeste.”

She shook her head, her eyes wide with faux innocence. “Oh, no, no. You misunderstand me, Sera, dear.”

She held a gilded envelope out like it was a peace treaty—though I doubted she even knew the meaning of peace—and smiled. “I came here to give you this.”

I eyed the print on the envelope—my name in glittery gold—and arched a brow. “What is that?”

“An invitation,” she beamed. “I don’t know if you heard about Kieran’s and my party—”

I snorted. “Eskimos in Alaska have heard about your party.”

She shrugged, smirking like I’d given her a compliment. “Well, this is your invitation.”

I eyed the envelope again, now certain it was some kind of letter bomb.

“No, thank you,” I said.

Her brows knitted. “What?”

“No,” I repeated. “You don’t get to come here with your envelope and pretend this is normal. You could’ve mailed it. Or texted. Or—better yet—not invited me at all.”

“I thought it would be a kind gesture,” she said, stepping forward.

I didn’t move. “You thought wrong.”

Her face tightened. “Did Kieran already invite you?”

That stopped me cold. “Excuse me?”

She scowled, the mask slipping for a breath. “You two are so close; I wouldn’t put it past him to go behind my back and invite you.”

For a moment, I stared at her, speechless. Their fucking drama just kept finding me, even when I was minding my business in my home.

I shook my head. “Bye, Celeste.”

She tried again, offering the envelope like it was a cursed gift. “Well, since Kieran hasn’t, I wanted to extend the invitation personally. We’d love to have you there.”

“I’m declining. Personally.” I took the envelope, held it for a second... then dropped it into the potted fern beside the door. “I’d hate to be there.”

Celeste’s jaw twitched, her eyes hardening in that familiar icy look of hatred.

“Goodnight, Celeste.”

I stepped back and shut the door in her face, locking it twice.

I sagged against it, breath catching in my throat.

But I refused to dwell on it. Screw Celeste and whatever mind games she was playing now.

I was about to call Daniel back, and restore some semblance of the peace and joy I’d been feeling—but before I could, my phone buzzed with a new call from an unknown number.

I swiped hesitantly. “Hello?”

There was a soft gasp, and then, “Hello? Seraphina, dear?”

My grip on the phone tightened as ice slithered down my spine. “Mom.”