Determination

"Enough!" I shouted, raising my voice in defiance. "You may have convinced Lucian of your merit, but I know who you are. You are poison to this pack, and I will not stand idly by while you hurt anyone else."

"Watch your tongue, Clark," she hissed, advancing on me. "You are playing with fire. I will not hesitate to remind everyone just who it is that holds sway here."

Before I could respond, the brush of the door was thrown wide. I caught a glimpse of Lady Seraphina. She was thin, faint from her past and with pain as she stood in the doorway. "Sarah, please—" she started, but Sarah gave her a scornful glance.

"Stay out of this! You're lucky to be alive, and it's all thanks to her!" Sarah yelled at me, one hand pointed straight at my face. "But don't you think for a second that she's here for your benefit. She's playing a game, trying to worm her way back into Lucian's life."

My heart pounded in rhythm to the accusation, but before I could defend myself, I turned back to Lady Seraphina. "How are you feeling?" Concern burst forth in my voice.

"I'm feeling better, thanks to you," she said softly, weakly yet with gratitude. "I'm feeling the strength returning. I needed to thank you for saving me."

"Of course," I said, rushing toward her. "This herb helps more." I began preparing another dose hastily, my hands unshaking this time, calculating out the ingredients. "It is my business as a healer to help those in pain, no matter how I feel about the past.”

“Past?” Sarah chuckled mockingly, venom saturating her every word. “You think you can just blot out what you did? Do you think you can return here and be a hero after abandoning your family and dousing your pack?"

I shot her a glare, one more look and I would run out of patience. “Abandon? I didn't abandon anyone. I fought for my life and my son's safety. You wouldn't know anything about it, would you?”

“Clark,” Lady Seraphina, who had been given the cup by me, raised it to her lips and sipped the potion while searching my eyes. “I am truly sorry for what happened all those years ago. I did not realize the extent of Sarah's manipulations. I believed her lies.”

“Forgiveness is a powerful gift,” I said, allowing my heart to soften. “I know very well how important it is to heal-well, as a healer I should. But one should go ahead and not dwindle in the past.”

Sarah scoffed, hands on her hips. “Move forward? You think you can just sweep in, drive me out? This is my home, and I won't allow you to disturb it further.”

“Your life is built on lies and deception,” I countered, my voice cold. “You have brought suffering upon this pack.”

The tension was thickening, and I could feel my heart racing. I willed myself not to crumble under her pressure. “You may be Luna, but that does not give you the right to hurt others. You are not above consequences.”

Sarah's face twisted in fury, and she advanced a step, an angry tempest eclipsing me. "You think you've got power, Clark? You think you can defy me? Then I assure you, regret is the least of your worries when I see to it that you rue the day you first set your foot in this palace.”

The door came crashing open as Lucian walked through, his expression transforming from confusion to alarm as he took in the scene. “What is going on here?” he asked, his gaze flitting between Sarah and me.

“Nothing,” Sarah answered quickly, adopting her most innocent tone. “I was just reminding Clark of her place in this pack, which she seems to have forgotten.”

“Clark is here to help your mother, Lucian,” I interjected. My voice steadied despite the tension. “She is recovering, thanks to my herbs. No longer will we allow Sarah's lies to guide us.”

Lucian switched his gaze between us, incredulity painted on his features. “What did you tell her?” he asked Sarah with just a touch of accusation.

“Just a friendly reminder that I’m still in charge here.” She smiled, her friendliness deceptive. “Clark needs to learn that she cannot just waltz in and take over.”

Lucian's brow came down, stepping even closer to me, instincts flaring protectively. “Clark, are you alright? Did she threaten you?”

“I’m fine,” I reassured him, my heart racing. “Sarah is just trying to put her foot down, as usual.”

“Put her foot down?” A chilling laugh burst from Sarah, and my blood turned to ice. “You have no idea what true power looks like, Clark. Do you think you can stand against me? You will find out just how wrong you are.”

“Enough, Sarah!” Lucian said firmly. “I will not have this kind of hostility in my home. If Clark is here to lend her help, she deserves respect. You need to stop this!”

Sarah clenched her jaw, radiating fury. “You don’t know what you’re doing, Lucian. You’re being manipulated by her, and you will regret it.”

“Manipulated?” he yelled back, his voice rising. “I’m trying to do right by my family and by my pack! If you can’t accept that, then maybe you’re the one who doesn’t belong here!”

The silence that followed was electric; the tension was crackling in the air like a storm about to break. Sarah’s eyes were aflame with rage, and I held my breath, expecting an escalation.

“Fine,” she spat, low and menacing. “But listen well, Clark. You will rue coming back here. I’ll see to it that you do.”

With that, she stalked out, leaving behind an atmosphere thick with unsaid threats. Turning my attention back to Lucian, I found my heart racing with the moment. “Sorry you had to see that,” I said with a tremor in my voice.

“No; I’m sorry you had to bear her wrath,” Lucian said, shaking his head. Frustration sat on his face. “I should have recognized this earlier. You belong here no less than anyone else.”

“Thank you,” I said, relief pouring through me. “But we must move carefully. Sarah will not let this go easily.”

Determination solidified in his stare. “Whatever is to come, we will face it together. I will not permit her to rend us apart.”