Chapter One

Seren's POV

“Run, Seren, don’t stop!”

Those were the last words I heard before the forest swallowed me whole.

Branches whipped against my arms as I tore through the undergrowth, the sound of snarling wolves closing in behind me. My breath came in ragged gasps. Every heartbeat felt like it might be my last. The voice—my father's Beta—had already faded into the distance. He'd veered off to confront the threat, giving me a few precious seconds to get away. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t.

But I knew the truth.

He wasn't coming with me.

He'd stayed behind to fight—to die—while I ran.

Everything I knew, everything I loved… was burning behind me. Betrayed by someone I once trusted. Someone I thought—

No. Don’t think about him.

The path grew steeper. I could barely hear anything over the pounding of my pulse, but then—the roar of rushing water. The river. I was close.

A vicious growl sounded too near. I pushed harder, legs screaming, lungs on fire. Just a little further. I was almost—

The ground vanished beneath my feet.

I fell.

Air rushed past me, my scream caught in my throat. Just before everything went black, I saw a flash of silver eyes from the cliff above. His eyes. His betrayal.

Then—cold. Crushing. Silence.

I jolted upright in bed, drenched in sweat, gasping as though I'd drowned all over again.

“Just a dream,” I whispered, pressing a trembling hand against my chest. But I knew better. It wasn’t just a dream. That night never left me. It clung to my bones, etched into every part of me.

The red digits on my alarm clock glared 5:32 a.m.

Close enough.

There was no going back to sleep now.

I peeled off the covers, muscles stiff and sore, and moved quietly down the hall. The wooden floor creaked softly under my feet as I opened the door to the bedroom at the end. There he was—curled up under the covers, one arm thrown over his pillow, soft snores filling the room.

Dorian.

My son. My anchor. The only reason I kept moving forward.

I closed the door gently, heart settling.

Back in my room, I pulled on leggings, a hoodie, and tied my blonde hair into a loose ponytail. My running shoes were already by the door, waiting.

The cold morning air bit into my skin as I stepped outside. I locked the door behind me—out of habit, more than fear. I could defend myself. But Dorian? He hadn’t shifted yet.

By the time I’d finished one lap around the neighborhood, I wasn’t alone anymore.

“You started without me again,” Dorian huffed, catching up beside me.

“I needed to clear my head,” I replied, pulling out one earbud. “Early morning helps.”

He didn’t push. He never did.

We fell into an easy rhythm, side by side, our feet hitting the pavement in sync. We didn’t need words. That was the kind of bond we shared. There was something comforting about his presence. Steady. Reassuring.

He was seventeen now. The same age I’d been when my world shattered.

“You sure you’re okay, Mom?” he asked, tossing me a water bottle after we finished our cooldown.

“I’m fine,” I lied smoothly, giving him a crooked smile. “Moms worry. It’s our thing.”

Dorian rolled his eyes. “I’m seventeen. There’s literally nothing to worry about.”

“Except you being late.” I pointed to the kitchen clock, and his eyes went wide.

“Crap!”

He bolted up the stairs, muttering to himself, and I laughed under my breath. Some things never changed.

After a quick shower, I pulled on my work clothes—nothing too fancy. Business casual at best. I liked comfort over class. Besides, I wasn’t trying to impress anyone.

My blonde hair, still damp, curled into loose waves. I dusted on a little concealer, just enough to not look like I’d survived a war (even though some mornings, it felt like I had).

When I returned downstairs, Dorian was already waiting at the door, backpack in hand, bouncing slightly on his toes.

“Let’s go,” he said, handing me my laptop bag without being asked.

“Bossy,” I teased.

He grinned. “Learned from the best.”

We headed out together, and as we slid into the car, I took a moment just to look at him. Broad shoulders, quiet confidence, that same steely gaze I used to see in the mirror when I was his age. He was his father’s son, no doubt. The thought twisted something sharp inside me.

I didn’t hate his father. Not anymore.

But I would never forgive him either.

He didn’t know.

He had no idea he’d abandoned his fated mate.

We were only seventeen. Too young to feel the bond fully. Too stupid to understand its weight.

I hadn’t even known I was carrying Dorian until after the escape. After the bloodshed. After the betrayal.

He had a Luna now. A son. A whole life.

I didn’t exist to him. But Dorian? He was everything to me.

“You’re quiet again,” Dorian said as we pulled up in front of his school.

“Just thinking.”

“You’re always thinking.”

“That’s my job,” I replied.

He gave me a quick smile, then leaned over and kissed my cheek. “See you later, Mom.”

As he jogged away, backpack swinging, I gripped the steering wheel tighter.

The past still haunted me.

But I had him.

And I’d die before I let anyone take him away.

“Let’s see what today throws at us,” I muttered as I pulled away from the curb, unaware that fate had already decided.

And it was coming fast.