ANMELDENKaleen’s POVThe council chamber emptied slowly, but I remained seated long after the last elder walked out. The echoes of their whispers still lingered in the air, mixing beautifully with the tension they had created. Perfect.I tapped my fingers lightly against the armrest, replaying every expression, every hesitation, every suspicious glance that had been directed toward Seraphine. The council had unknowingly handed me the sharpest weapon I could ever ask for: doubt.And doubt, once planted, grows faster than fear.A slow smile stretched across my lips as I leaned back in my chair. Seraphine might be strong; she might be skilled. But strength alone cannot defeat suspicion, especially when it spreads among leaders who already fear what they do not understand.I rose from my seat, adjusting my coat carefully as I walked toward the tall windows overlooking the courtyard. The moonlight spilled across the stone floors, bathing the mansion in pale silver. From afar, it looked peaceful.I
Seraphine’s POVMy steps remained steady as I walked away from Lysander, but my heart refused to follow my composure. It pounded violently against my ribs as if it were desperate to escape my chest entirely.Lysander was the only one among the triplets who weakened my emotions whenever I stood too close to him. Could it be what I feared? Was I truly capable of falling in love with Lysander? Or worse… was he the only one genuinely in love with me?I asked my wolf the questions swirling inside my head, but she remained silent. Her silence burned far worse than any answer could have. It left me alone with thoughts I wasn’t ready to face.The hallway stretched endlessly before me as my mind drifted deeper into confusion. Even as I moved farther away, I could still feel his presence clinging to me like a shadow refusing to fade. There was something suffocating about the way he looked at me, and that unsettled me more than cruelty ever could.I turned a corner and finally allowed my pace to
Lysander’s POVI had mastered patience long before Seraphine stepped into this mansion. Patience was survival and control. Patience was the only thing that kept monsters like me from devouring the things we loved. And Seraphine… she was dangerously easy to love. I watched her from the upper balcony as she crossed the courtyard, moving from my brother's apartment. Her steps were careful and observant. She was learning the mansion’s rhythm faster than anyone expected. The evening wind played with the loose strands of her hair, brushing them across her face and making her look beautiful and charming. She pushed them away absentmindedly, her brows slightly furrowed as though she were constantly solving puzzles no one else could see. She fascinated me; I know this because no woman ever resisted me. I know she would definitely come around. The truths concerning who she truly loves are buried within these walls, and I could not decide whether I wanted her to uncover them…I des
~ Seraphine ~I was still trying to find a quiet moment to nurse the minor injuries from last night, my body aching and my wolf restless from the adrenaline of the fight. The knock at the door made my ears twitch. I opened it to find Alpha Kaleen standing there, his smile disarming, as always.“Good day, Alpha Kaleen,” I said cautiously, letting him in.“This day could be better if you’d just accept the gifts I brought for you,” he said, revealing several luxury items, each wrapped carefully and exuding wealth.“I didn’t ask for these,” I replied sharply. “I have enough.”“Don’t be like that, Seraphine,” he countered, stepping closer. “Even if you don’t like me, you shouldn’t reject my gifts.” His eyes softened, but the subtle manipulation stirred my wolf, making her growl low and dangerous.I stirred at him and let out a faint, unsatisfied smile.“I’ll leave you now,” he said, dropping the bags and turning toward the door.“Wait,” I called, my voice steady but my heart uneven.He pa
~Kaleen~I stormed into the room in fury, the anger I had forced down earlier, pretending to care, finally erupting from my chest.“And what exactly happened that made Breen rush in here and drag you away from our perfect moment?” Lyra said, standing up quickly, trying to soothe the rage boiling inside me.“I told you, Lyra!” I snapped, then immediately lowered my voice when I remembered I was home, where ears existed in every shadow. “I warned you that beast, Seraphine, would overpower those wolves we sent. But Breen wouldn’t listen. Now we’re caught in the middle, and all eyes are on me,” I said, slamming my foot against the floor so hard it nearly cracked.“It wasn’t entirely our fault,” Lyra said carefully.“But I told you eliminating Riven anywhere near Seraphine would be impossible. You know what she did to the wolves I sent to Shadomere before.” Lyra stepped closer and whispered, “We only planned it this way so we could frame her and make it seem like she killed Riven. That’s
~Seraphine~After Lysander left, before I could bathe and settle down to rest, night had already fallen. I didn’t want any disturbances, so I had carefully instructed the omega assigned to me to stop every visitor from entering, as the drama had already been too much for one day.I lay down, unaware of when I had fallen into such a deep sleep until I began hearing strange noises from the back of the mansion. At first, I thought I was dreaming. But the sounds grew louder, almost enough to make my heart stop, and I jumped up from the bed.I sprang upright, clawed hands gripping the window frame. I looked out the window and saw the unexpected; what I saw made my blood freeze: Riven was being attacked by multiple wolves.Riven was pinned against the cold stone wall at the back of the mansion, surrounded by five snarling wolves. Fangs glinted in the moonlight, eyes wild and hungry. He struggled, lashing out with claws, but each strike was weak against the sheer numbers. Fear and rage twist







