Chapter 16

Lucienne and Selena walked out of the tower in silence. Just before they reached the staircase, Lucienne paused beside one of the Bloodfang guards. “Make sure Lady Seraphine eats,” he said quietly. “If she refuses, stay with her until she does.” The guard bowed. “Yes, Alpha.” Selena looked at him with surprise. “After everything she’s done… you’re still worried about her?” Lucienne met her eyes. “She’s paying for her mistakes already. I won’t let revenge become another one.”

They continued toward the dining hall. Selena remained unusually quiet until Lucienne gently nudged her shoulder. “You’re thinking too much again.” She sighed. “I don’t know how to stop.” He smiled faintly. “Then let me carry some of those thoughts.” She laughed softly. “You’re terrible at saying comforting things.” “I know,” he admitted. “But somehow you still understand me.”

The doors to the dining hall opened, revealing a long table already prepared. Darius was seated alone, absently turning a spoon between his fingers. He looked up as they entered together. The smile that had begun to form disappeared the moment he noticed Lucienne’s hand resting lightly against Selena’s back.

“You two are late,” Darius said calmly. Lucienne pulled out a chair for Selena before sitting beside her. “We had somewhere to be.” Darius nodded once. “I heard.” His eyes briefly settled on Selena. “How is Seraphine?” Selena lowered her gaze. “Broken.” Darius let out a quiet breath. “We’re all becoming that.”

Breakfast began in uneasy silence. The servants placed warm bread, fruit and tea before them before quietly leaving the room. Selena reached for the teapot at the same moment Lucienne did. Their hands brushed. She quickly pulled back with an embarrassed smile. “Sorry.” Lucienne chuckled. “You’re apologizing because we reached for tea?” Darius watched the exchange without saying a word.

“I’ll pour it,” Lucienne said. He filled Selena’s cup first before serving himself. Darius looked down at his untouched plate. “Interesting.” Lucienne glanced at him. “What is?” Darius forced a smile. “Nothing. I just don’t remember my brother ever serving anyone breakfast.”

Selena sensed the tension immediately. “Darius…” He shook his head before she could continue. “Don’t worry about me.” He picked up a piece of bread. “Eat before it gets cold.” His voice sounded normal, but the disappointment behind it was impossible to miss.

Lucienne finally set his cup down. “If you have something to say, then say it.” Darius looked directly at him. “Fine. You doubted her when she needed you most.” The room became still. “Now that the truth is out, you act as though none of it happened.” Lucienne’s jaw tightened. “I already apologized.” “To her,” Darius replied. “Not to yourself.”

Selena looked between them. “Please don’t do this.” Neither brother answered. Darius leaned back in his chair. “While you pushed her away, I was the one picking up the pieces.” Lucienne’s expression darkened. “Are you asking me to thank you?” “No.” Darius met his eyes. “I’m asking you not to hurt her again.”

Lucienne stood slowly. “You think I don’t know what I almost lost?” His voice remained calm, but the emotion underneath was unmistakable. “Every time I remember the look in her eyes when she begged me to believe her…” He stopped, shaking his head. “I have to live with that.”

Selena reached for his hand beneath the table. “Sit down.” Lucienne looked at her before slowly sitting again. She squeezed his fingers gently. “You’ve both protected me in different ways.” Her eyes moved to Darius. “Please don’t turn that into something painful.”

Darius smiled sadly. “It’s already painful.” He stood from his chair. “I told myself that as long as you were safe, I’d be happy.” He laughed quietly. “Turns out I lied to myself.” Selena’s heart tightened. “Darius…” He raised a hand to stop her. “Don’t apologize for choosing your mate. I’d hate myself if I made you feel guilty for being happy.”

Lucienne watched his brother carefully. “You deserve someone who chooses you first.” Darius looked at him for a long moment before answering. “Maybe.” He pushed his chair back. “But today isn’t about me.” Without another word, he walked toward the doors.

Just before leaving, Darius stopped without turning around. “Take care of her, Lucienne.” His voice was steady. “Because if you make her cry again…” He paused. “…I won’t stand aside a second time.”

The doors closed behind him. Selena stared after him, guilt settling heavily in her chest. “He’s hurting because of me.” Lucienne gently lifted her chin. “No.” His voice softened. “He’s hurting because he loved someone he could never have.” Selena blinked back fresh tears. “I never wanted to be the reason this family falls apart.”

Lucienne brushed his thumb across her cheek. “Then we’ll make sure it doesn’t.” She nodded slowly, though the weight in her heart remained. Somewhere deep inside, she feared this was only the beginning.

At that very moment, inside the lonely prison tower, Seraphine finally unfolded the tiny piece of paper hidden in her palm. Her eyes scanned the first line… and all the color drained from her face. She whispered only three trembling words before crushing the note in her fist. “Mother knew everything.”

Seraphine read the words again, hoping she had misunderstood them. Your mother made the first bargain. You were only finishing what she started. Her hands began to shake. “No…” she whispered. “She would never…” But deep down, she remembered the countless nights Luna Alara had locked herself away crying, the frightened looks whenever anyone mentioned the old prophecy, and the strange fear in her eyes whenever Selena was nearby. Suddenly, none of it felt like coincidence anymore.

Outside the cell, the guard Lucienne had spoken to arrived carrying a tray of food. “Lady Seraphine,” he said respectfully, setting it on the small table. “The Alpha ordered that you eat.” She laughed bitterly. “Even now…” Her eyes drifted toward the untouched meal. “He still has more mercy than I deserve.” After a long silence, she picked up a piece of bread. For the first time since her imprisonment, she forced herself to eat.

Elsewhere, Luna Alara remained alone inside her chambers. She hadn’t stopped crying since leaving the prison tower. Her gaze fell on an old wooden chest hidden beneath her bed. Slowly, she knelt and pulled it into the light. For several minutes she simply stared at it before finally lifting the lid. Inside lay faded letters, an old silver necklace… and a portrait of two young men. One was Lucienne’s father. The other wore the same silver wolf symbol engraved on the black ring Selena had found.

Alara’s lips trembled. “I buried this truth years ago.” She clutched the portrait against her chest. “Please… don’t let my daughters pay for my mistakes.”

At the same time, Selena stood on the palace balcony, staring across the gardens without really seeing them. Lucienne stepped beside her, resting his arms on the stone railing. “You’ve been quiet since breakfast.” Selena sighed. “Everything feels heavier now. Every answer gives us three more questions.”

Lucienne looked toward the distant forest. “Then maybe we’ve been asking the wrong questions.” Selena turned to him. “What do you mean?” He smiled faintly. “Instead of asking who’s trying to destroy this family…” His eyes met hers. “…maybe we should ask why they waited until now.”

A chill ran through Selena. She had no answer.

Far away inside her cell, Seraphine slowly opened her hand again. Hidden behind the crumpled note was something she hadn’t noticed before… a single sentence written in tiny letters along the edge of the paper. “When the Blood Moon rises, ask Luna Alara what really happened to Lucienne’s father.”

Seraphine’s breathing stopped.

For the first time since everything began, she realized the greatest secret in SilverMist Palace wasn’t about Selena.

It was about their mother.