CHAPTER 206: CHAPTER 206: CAUGHT BY HIM

Serena’s POV~

The moment Father and that woman left me alone in the room, I couldn’t sit still. I started pacing back and forth, my thoughts running wild, refusing to calm down.

This couldn’t be happening. Not her. Not that woman.

Elarliya.

She was here... in our home.

My chest tightened with unease. Everything about her felt wrong...the way she smiled, the way her words seemed gentle but carried poison beneath. I could feel it in my bones. She hadn’t come here just to meet me. That woman didn’t do anything without reason.

And worse... she wasn’t just anyone. She was a woman who could betray her own kind...sell out witches to the Werewolf Council like they were nothing more than bargaining chips.

The very thought made me sick.

I stopped pacing for a moment, pressing a hand to my forehead as I tried to make sense of it all. "No," I whispered to myself. "It can’t just be about Father."

It didn’t make sense. Yes, she had once loved him or claimed to, but this wasn’t love. This was something darker. The woman is obsessed with him, but there is more reason than just him.

There had to be more to it.

Elarliya was a snake...beautiful, cunning, and venomous. She always had a reason behind every word, every action. If she were here now, it wouldn’t be out of affection or regret. It was because she wanted something.

But what?

My pulse quickened as I began to pace again. The walls of the room felt too close, the silence pressing on me. I had to find out what she was planning, but I didn’t even know where to start.

This wasn’t my world. I was still learning the politics of the werewolf realm, still trying to understand their hierarchies, their rules of capital. The Werewolf Council... they were powerful and ruthless, and I didn’t know a single person within it whom I could trust.

I needed help. Someone who knew how to move in the shadows of this place.

Vaelen’s face flickered in my mind. But I shook my head almost instantly.

No. Not him.

How would I even explain this? That I suspected the woman who once stood beside my father was now secretly working with the Council? That she might be plotting something far worse? Or worse, how would I explain to him who I am?

He would think I was paranoid. Or worse, reckless.

I bit my lip hard, frustration rising inside me. My thoughts were spiraling until suddenly...

I froze.

An idea struck me so suddenly that I almost gasped aloud.

Them.

My heart pounded faster as the thought settled in.

Could they... help me?

My fingers curled into fists at my sides. They were powerful...far more powerful than anyone here realized. And if anyone could uncover Council’s true intentions... it was them.

For a moment, doubt flickered through me. Would they even listen to me after everything that happened? Would they care?

Then I let out a shaky breath and straightened my shoulders.

They had to.

They would.

Because this wasn’t just about me anymore. If Elarliya was working with the Council... if she truly had the power to betray her kind so easily... Then no one in this community was safe, not even werewolves.

Not even Father.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. My decision was made. I would find out what that woman wanted, and I would stop her before she could hurt anyone else.

No matter what it took.

The night had grown deep and silent. The moon hung high, pouring pale light through my window. Everyone in the house had fallen asleep hours ago, but my mind refused to rest.

Elarliya’s words, her smile, her presence...it all kept circling in my head. I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed answers.

And I knew exactly who could give them to me.

I moved quietly, changing into something dark and light, a black top that fit close to my skin and soft pants that wouldn’t make noise if I ran. I tied my hair back tightly and slipped on a thin cloak. My heart was beating fast, but there was no hesitation.

After checking the hallway one last time, I climbed up onto the window sill. The cold air hit my face the moment I pushed the window open.

"All right," I whispered to myself, gripping the edge, "here goes nothing."

With a small jump, I swung myself out and landed softly on the ground below. The garden was quiet, the only sound the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. I crouched low and started moving, keeping to the shadows as I made my way toward the guest quarters.

It didn’t take long before I saw it, the place where they were staying.

But when I did, I froze.

The entire building was surrounded. Guards stood at every corner, their eyes sharp, their movements alert. Even the air felt tense, like something dangerous was being contained inside.

"What the hell..." I muttered under my breath. "Are they guests or prisoners?"

I quickly understood the truth. Those guards weren’t there to protect them...they were there to watch them. To keep them under control.

I cursed softly, shaking my head. "Typical," I whispered. "Of course they’d do this."

Still, it didn’t bother me. Sneaking into places like this wasn’t new to me. I’d learned how to move quietly, how to find the cracks no one else noticed.

After a few minutes of circling the area, I spotted a narrow gap in the wall near the back—barely enough for someone to slip through. Perfect.

I took a deep breath and crouched down, pushing myself carefully through the small hole. The cold stone scraped lightly against my arm, but I ignored it, focusing on keeping my movements silent.

I was almost inside when...a warm breath brushed against my ear.

"Need help?" a low, husky voice whispered.

I nearly screamed. My body jerked in surprise, and before I knew it, I slipped forward...straight through the hole.

I let out a startled sound as I lost my balance, but before I could hit the ground, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back firmly.

My eyes widened in shock.

The next second, I was no longer falling. The man moved smoothly, catching me with effortless strength as we landed inside the room. His arm stayed around my waist, steadying me.

I froze, breath caught in my throat. My short top had shifted slightly from the movement, and his hand rested against my bare skin—warm, steady, and far too close.

For a moment, the world went completely still.

I could feel his heartbeat against my back. The faint smell of smoke and forest clung to him, familiar and sharp.

My eyes darted up, meeting his face in the dim light.

And when I saw who it was...

My breath stopped completely.

Luca.

For a long moment, neither of us moved. The room was silent except for the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

My breath hitched. His familiar grey eyes gleamed faintly in the dark, filled with mischief and something dangerously close to amusement.

"L–Luca..." I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper.

He raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into that knowing smile of his...the kind that always made people second-guess what he was thinking. His gaze flicked down for a brief second, and I realized how close we were...his arm still firm around my waist, holding me against him.

Heat rushed to my face.

And then, as if he realized it too, his grip unconsciously tightened. Just slightly...but enough that I felt the pressure of his hand against the bare skin where my top had ridden up.

The sensation sent a strange jolt through me. My mind blanked for a second, completely caught between shock and...something else.

Then it hit me all at once...the position, the closeness, the way I was practically clinging to him.

"Ah...!" I gasped, snapping back to reality. My hands pressed against his chest, and I quickly stepped back, breaking free from his hold.

The air between us shifted again, sharp and awkward.

Luca’s hand lingered for just a moment longer, then dropped to his side. I caught a flicker of disappointment in his eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. His smirk returned, smooth and teasing.

"Why is the princess," he drawled slowly, voice low and edged with humor, "sneaking into our house in the middle of the night?"

The way he said "princess" made my cheeks burn even more.

I opened my mouth to answer, but the words stuck in my throat. His grey eyes held mine easily, calm and confident, and I hated how easily I got lost in them.

"I...I wasn’t..." I stammered, my voice coming out weaker than I wanted.

Before I could finish, I suddenly felt another presence behind me.

Strong arms slid around my waist from behind, pulling me back against a warm chest.

I barely had time to react before a soft kiss brushed against my right cheek.

I froze, completely still.

Then a low, deep laugh rumbled close to my ear.

"Of course she’s here," the man murmured, his breath tickling my skin. "She’s come to do something naughty with me in the middle of the night."

My eyes went wide.

That voice...rich, teasing, and unmistakably playful... belonged to one person.

Kael.

I could feel his smirk even without looking. And just like that, my heart started racing all over again.