LOGINThird Person's POV
After putting his things down, Garfield quietly went into the kitchen.
Caldwell released Toasty from the pet carrier, and Toasty wandered around the living room as if patrolling its territory.
Dash had already sprawled across the sofa, basking in the winter sunlight streaming through the window. The peaceful scene filled the living room with a rare sense of warmth and tranquility.
"Garfield, let me help you," Caldwell said as he entered the kitch
Third Person's POVThe holiday flew by, and before anyone knew it, people were already starting to return to work.College students headed back to campus too, ready for a new semester.The project teams led by Seraphina and Caldwell began prepping for the upcoming competition.In the project office, Seraphina's students and Caldwell's students were all gathered together."Caldwell, I say you use your charm on Seraphina and get her to spill some details about their project. That way, we'll know what we're up against." One of Caldwell's students called this out with his hand raised.Everyone burst out laughing, and the mood in the otherwise serious project team loosened up a little."Dream on. Our Professor Seraphina doesn't fall for tricks that easily!""Seraphina, our professor is brilliant and handsome. We don't believe you could stay completely unaffected if you gave him a chance."Seraphina found herself both amused and a little exasperated by the teasing."Alright, stop with the l
Third Person's POVMortimer found himself thinking back to the years they had spent together. Every holiday, Seraphina would celebrate with him at the Blade pack.She always stayed quietly by his side, nibbling at the desserts the Omegas had prepared while occasionally chatting with Edwin.She was remarkably well-read. No matter what topic Edwin brought up, she kept the conversation flowing effortlessly, never once letting an awkward silence fall.Every year, the pack prepared sparklers and other small fireworks for the holiday. Velda was always the only one playing with them.He had assumed Seraphina didn't enjoy fireworks. After all, whenever Velda invited her to join in, she always declined with a polite smile.Once, Velda tried to drag her into joining the fun. Seraphina had looked visibly uncomfortable yet too polite to refuse outright.So Mortimer stepped in and turned Velda down on her behalf.Then he'd told Seraphina that if she didn't want to do something, she could say no.B
Third Person's POVCaldwell didn't answer her question. Instead, he changed the subject. "I'm downstairs. I bought a bunch of fireworks. Want to come down and play?"Caldwell's subdued tone reminded Seraphina of how rough things were for him at the Blade pack, so she agreed."Sure. Give me a minute. I'll bring Dash with me.""Alright." A note of genuine delight crept into Caldwell's voice.Seraphina gave Dash a light pat on the rump, threw on a jacket, and headed downstairs.As soon as she stepped out of the building, she saw Caldwell in the distance, holding a bag filled with all kinds of handheld fireworks.The two of them, with Dash trotting happily alongside, left the neighborhood and walked to an open space a short distance away. It was far enough from the main road to safely enjoy small handheld fireworks.They sat down on a set of stone steps.Caldwell pulled out a few sparklers and handed them to Seraphina. "Here
Third Person's POVMeanwhile, the Blade pack's packhouse was as lively as it was every year during the holiday.This year was even more special with Abigail finally home after more than twenty years away. Edwin couldn't have been happier.To celebrate her return, the pack had gone all out, making the feast grander than ever.After dinner, the whole family stayed in the living room with Edwin, chatting and watching TV. Warm laughter filled the house.Only Mortimer stood alone on the balcony, his phone clenched tightly in his hand.The icy wind swept over his feverish skin, doing nothing to quell the inner turmoil. All he could do was endure, waiting for that restless heat to subside.He stared blankly at his phone. The message he'd sent a while ago still had no reply.Deep within his mind, his black wolf, Barton, lay curled up, letting out soft, mournful whines.Mortimer knew he shouldn't reach out to Seraphina again. The
Third Person's POVSeraphina snapped her mouth shut. She looked up, totally caught off guard."What?""Now that you've broken the mating bond with Mortimer. Would you be happy if I said I liked you?"Caldwell watched her dead-on, a sudden, sharp intensity flaring in his wolfish eyes.The unexpected question left her completely speechless.After a long, heavy pause, she finally found her voice. "Are you trying to comfort me, too?"Before he could answer, she let out a quick laugh. "You're just like my mom. It's only a broken bond, Caldwell. It's not the end of the world."She met his gaze earnestly. "Seriously, don't play the mom card. I honestly don't care about Mortimer anymore, and I'm not sad about breaking the bond."Caldwell stayed silent. He just stood there, quietly watching her try so hard to prove she was perfectly fine. His gaze grew a little distant, and a dull, physical ache settled deep in his chest.
Third Person's POV"Sera."The door to her room opened, and her mother, Thomasina, slipped inside."Mom."Thomasina's eyes dropped immediately to the dissolution certificate. Without a word, she stepped forward and wrapped her daughter in a gentle hug."Don't be sad, honey."Resting her face against her mother's shoulder, Seraphina managed a helpless smile."I'm not sad, Mom. Honestly. It's just... ending something this massive leaves you feeling a little hollowed out," she said.Thomasina didn't buy it for a second.Seraphina had loved Mortimer for over a decade. They'd sworn a pact in front of the entire wolf pack. Even if she truly wanted to let him go, there was no way she could just bounce back this fast.Those feelings ran deep. Tearing herself away from a mate after ten years—from someone woven into her very existence—caused real, agonizing physical and emotional pain.How could she be fi
Seraphina's POVI sat by the hotel window, watching the snow swirl into a violent frenzy outside.My fingers mindlessly traced the wedding band on my left hand. The diamond caught the dim light, cold and hard—exactly like the day we made our deal three years ago.The memories drifted back through t
Seraphina's POV"Mortimer, I did some digging. We can actually hike the Glacier Forest. And..."I looked up at him, burying half my face in my thick wool scarf, my eyes locked onto Alpha Mortimer. "The rangers say if we take this trail, we'll get a front-row seat to the Blood Moon. It only happens
Seraphina's POVI stood in the airport pickup zone, my hand resting quietly on the handle of my suitcase."Morty, hurry up! Humphrey said the guys are throwing us a welcome home party at the Wildwolf Club tonight."That voice sliced through the air, and my grip on my luggage tightened.Mortimer and
Seraphina's POVI flipped my phone to airplane mode. The moment the screen went black, it felt like I'd finally severed a dead nerve. I closed my eyes, trying to find some peace in the hum of the jet engines.But the second I drifted off, the nightmare found me.It was pitch black. Freezing. Fear s







