CHAPTER 2

CULLEN'S pov

The night was too quiet.

The fires were out, but I could still smell smoke everywhere. I sat alone in my office, a glass of whiskey in my hand, trying to get her face out of my head — that woman from the Silver Moon Pack.

She should’ve been dead. I should’ve killed her. But something in me stopped. And now, I couldn’t stop thinking about her — her eyes, the way she looked at me like she’d rather die than bow.

Darius came in without knocking. “You’re losing it, Cullen.”

I didn’t look up. “Careful how you talk to me.”

He crossed his arms. “You spared one of them. Why?,you know she might become a threat later to us.”

I drained the glass and set it down. “Because I wanted to.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Then stop asking.”

He sighed, but I didn’t care. I stood up and said, “Bring her to me this instant.”

Darius frowned. “Now? It’s past midnight.”

“I said now.”

A few minutes later, they brought her in — hands tied, face dirty, hair a mess. But damn, even like that… she was beautiful. Fierce. Untamed.

They forced her to kneel, but she fought back and stood her ground without fear of being killed ".

“Let me go!” she snapped.

I stepped closer. “You don’t give orders here.”

“I don’t take them either,” she shot back.

I clenched my jaw. Nobody ever talked to me like that. “What’s your name?”

She looked away, refusing to answer.

I grabbed her chin, forcing her eyes on me. “Your name.”

“Séraphine,” she said quietly.

I repeated it under my breath. “Séraphine.”

She glared. “Happy now?”

“Not yet.” I leaned against the table. “Tell me, Séraphine. How did you survive this long?How did you escape from the eyes of my warriors?”

“I’m not like the others you murdered,” she said. “And I won’t die easily.”

I stared at her — the bruises, the dirt, the fire in her eyes. She looked fragile but stood like she owned the ground and as if she was immortal or a supernatural being.

“You hate me,” I said.

“I should,” she replied coldly. “You burned my home. You killed my people, murdered my entire family and I should fear or respect you.”She laughed and said "I will never bow before a power driven maniac,I rather go join my family in their graves than worship you".

I looked away for a second. “War doesn’t have innocence.”

“You sound proud of that.”

“I sound like someone who stopped caring a long time ago.,I don't care about what any wolf or pack thinks about me all I know is I'm strong and that's all there is to know,,that's why I'm the great and almighty lone wolf alpha”

Something in her gaze softened, just for a second. Then she looked away. “Then maybe you deserve to be alone.”

That hit deeper than I expected. I nodded to the guards. “Untie her. She stays here tonight.”

They hesitated. “Alpha—”

“I said untie her.”

They obeyed and dismissed them. The room went quiet again.

She rubbed her wrists, eyes scanning the room before landing on me again. I could feel her fear — but she didn’t show it. She was trying too hard to stay strong.

And I liked that. Too much.It had a weird impact on me.

SÉRAPHINE'S pov

My legs were shaking, but I refused to show it. The man standing in front of me was a monster — tall, broad, dangerous. The kind of man who didn’t need to raise his voice to make people obey.

I had watched his men burn everything I loved. I should’ve been dead too. So why was I still here?

“Why didn’t you kill me?” I asked.

He looked at me slowly, like he was deciding if I was worth answering. “I don’t know yet.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the only one you’re getting.”

I folded my arms. “Then what do you want from me?”

He took a step closer, his eyes dark. “To understand why I can’t get you out of my head.”

My heart skipped before I could stop it. I hated that. “Maybe you’re haunted or even possessed” I said bitterly.

“Maybe,” he said.

I turned away, trying to keep my voice steady. “I don’t care what you think you feel. I’ll find a way out of here. And when I do—”

“You’ll kill me?” he asked.

I looked him straight in the eye. “If I get the chance.”

Instead of getting angry, he smiled — that slow, dangerous smile that made my stomach twist.

“Good,” he said quietly. “I like a challenge.”