Chapter 8: Doubts

Lucien’s POV

“Well?” I asked, my tone sharp. “What is it now, Ryder?”

He exhaled, finally speaking. “The men outside, Alpha… they’re talking.”

“Talking?” I snapped, my irritation flaring. “Talking how?”

Ryder hesitated again, his eyes darting to the tent flap as though weighing whether to answer. “They’re saying… all this might be a bad omen.”

I stilled, the words lingering in the air. My hand tightened on the edge of the table as I stood, my movement deliberate and slow. “A bad omen,” I repeated, walking toward the map spread across the table. My eyes scanned its surface, though my mind was elsewhere. “What are they implying, Ryder?”

He didn’t answer immediately. My gaze snapped to him, the weight of my stare unmistakable. “Speak,” I barked, my wolf voice underscored with a low growl. The sound rippled through the air, making Ryder flinch and immediately drop to one knee.

“They’re saying,” he began, his voice strained, “that the bad omen… might be because of your Luna.”

The words hit like a blow, though I didn’t flinch. My lips curved into a slow smile, masking the storm building inside me. “Hmm,” I said, the sound calm, measured. But inside, I was boiling. Thorin, my wolf, roared with fury.

“My Luna?” Thorin’s voice thundered in my mind, his anger mirroring my own. “Do they even hear themselves? Insulting her like this—our mate!”

“Chill out,” Thorin said, his tone calmer now. “Handle this the normal way. We don’t need to start ripping throats… yet.”

I let out a quiet breath, forcing the rage to simmer instead of boil over. “Ryder,” I said, my tone deceptively mild. “Assemble all the men in front of my tent. Ten minutes.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Ryder said, scrambling to his feet and hurrying out without another word.

The moment he was gone, I turned to the empty space in the tent. “Thorin,” I said aloud. “They think they can challenge her place. They think they can question me.”

“They’re afraid, Lucien,” Thorin said, his voice calmer now. “Fear makes men stupid. But you’re not stupid. Show them why you’re Alpha.”

I smirked, rolling my shoulders and adjusting my shirt. “They’ll learn.”

****

Ten minutes later, the men were gathered outside. The flickering firelight illuminated their faces—uneasy, tense, and full of whispered doubts that stopped the moment I stepped out of the tent. My presence commanded silence, every gaze snapping to me.

I let my eyes sweep over them, my expression unreadable. When I finally spoke, my voice was calm, but the steel beneath it was impossible to miss. “I hear you’ve been talking.”

No one moved.

“Talking,” I repeated, taking slow steps forward. “About omens. About my Luna.”

Still, no one dared to respond. Ryder stood to one side, his posture stiff, watching the scene unfold.

“Do you think I’m deaf?” I asked, stopping at the center of the group. My voice rose, cutting through the silence like a blade. “Do you think I don’t know what’s being said?”

A murmur rippled through the crowd, but no one spoke directly.

“Let me make something very clear,” I continued, my tone darkening. “Seraphine is my Luna. She is your Luna. And anyone who thinks otherwise…” I let the threat hang in the air, unfinished but crystal clear.

A man in the back shifted uncomfortably. “Alpha, we didn’t mean—”

“Didn’t mean what?” I interrupted, turning my gaze on him. He froze, his words dying on his tongue. “Didn’t mean to question your Alpha’s judgment? Didn’t mean to insult your Luna?”

The man swallowed hard, stepping back into the shadows.

Thorin stirred again in my mind, a low growl rumbling. “Push harder, Lucien. Let them feel it.”

I straightened, my presence towering over the gathered men. “Do you think this is how we survive? By letting fear turn us against each other? By letting whispers poison our strength?”

Another man, braver than the rest, finally spoke. “Alpha, it’s just… that beast. It wasn’t natural. Some of the men think it’s connected to… her.” He looked away, unable to meet my gaze. “They’re scared.”

“Scared?” I repeated, my voice laced with disdain. “Do you think fear gives you the right to disrespect your Luna? Do you think fear excuses weakness?”

The man said nothing, his head bowed.

“Listen to me,” I said, addressing them all. “You are wolves. My wolves. You do not cower like sheep, and you do not tear down your own pack because of superstition and fear.”

The air was thick with tension, every man hanging on my words.

“I fought that beast,” I continued, my voice steady. “I bled for this pack. And if you think for one second that I’d let anything threaten us—let alone her—you don’t know me at all.”

Ryder stepped forward, his voice firm. “The Alpha is right. We survive by standing together. Not by pointing fingers at shadows.”

I glanced at Ryder, a brief nod of approval before turning back to the group. “Do any of you have something to say?” I asked, my tone daring them to speak.

The silence stretched, heavy and unbroken.

“Good,” I said finally, my voice a growl. “Because the next time I hear anyone question my Luna—or my decisions—you won’t have the chance to explain yourselves. Dismissed.”

The men scattered quickly, the tension dissolving into uneasy murmurs as they retreated to their posts.

Ryder lingered as I turned back toward the tent. “Alpha,” he said quietly. “That was… necessary.”

I nodded, not looking back. “It won’t happen again,” I said simply, stepping into the tent.

*****

Inside, Thorin’s voice returned, quieter now but still present. “Well handled.”

“Handled for now,” I replied. “But if they don’t stop, there will be consequences.”

“They’ll learn,” Thorin said confidently. “You made sure of that.”

I poured another cup of wine, raising it slightly. “To survival.”

Thorin chuckled. “To survival. Now rest up, Lucien. Tomorrow’s another fight.”

Seraphine’s POV

The knock at the door startled me.

“Come in,” I said sharply, my voice harsher than I intended.

The door creaked open, and one of the maids, a timid girl named Freya, entered with a tray in her hands. “Good morning, Luna,” she said softly, her eyes not daring to meet mine. “I’ve brought tea.”

I waved her off impatiently. “I don’t want it. Take it away.”

Freya hesitated, her steps faltering. “Luna, you haven’t eaten or had anything to drink since yesterday. Please, just a sip—it might help—”

“Help?” I snapped, cutting her off. My voice cracked with anger and exhaustion. “Nothing is going to help right now. I said take it away!”

Freya flinched but didn’t move. “Luna, you need strength. Alpha Lucien wouldn’t—”

“Don’t bring him into this!” I yelled, standing abruptly. The tray rattled in her hands, the teacup nearly tipping over. “Just leave me alone!”

Her eyes widened in fear, and she bowed quickly, stepping back toward the door. “As you wish, Luna,” she whispered before fleeing, the tray still in hand.

The moment she was gone, the room fell silent again. I exhaled shakily, running a hand through my tangled hair.

“You’re unraveling,” I muttered to myself. But I couldn’t help it. The things I found out in the attic had turned my world upside down.

Three days had passed since Lucien and his hunters left. Three long days filled with unanswered questions, restless pacing, and sleepless nights. I couldn’t stop replaying the words I’d read in that journal:

"The rogue attack must look authentic... The girl must never know the truth of her lineage."

Lucien’s ancestors had a hand in my parents’ deaths. The thought alone made my stomach twist. And worse, there were hints that Lucien himself might know the truth.

I needed answers. More than anything, I needed the whole picture.

“If they’re going to be gone a week,” I thought aloud, pacing the room, “then I have time to find more clues.”

I grabbed my boots and pulled them on quickly, I really needed to go back to the attic.

****

I stepped out of my room. My boots clacked against the polished marble floors as I moved down the corridor.

A thought tugged at the edge of my mind. Maybe the courtroom. Lucien wasn’t around to handle pack matters, and though it wasn’t my responsibility, I felt if there was any, I should handle it. Anything to distract myself from the spiraling thoughts.

The courtroom looked farther than usual today, its wide hallways lined with towering windows letting in slants of pale morning light. But in no time, I got to there. I pushed open the massive doors with a firm hand and stepped inside.

The room was almost empty A sentinel guard stood at attention by the dais, his eyes snapping up as I entered.

“Good morning, Luna,” he greeted, bowing respectfully. His tone was formal, almost too stiff for my liking.

“Morning,” I replied, my voice clipped. I crossed my arms, scanning the empty room. “Any cases up for review today?”

The guard straightened even further, if that were possible. “No, Luna. The Elders haven’t arrived at the court yet, but if there’s anything, I’ll send a guard to notify you immediately.”

I gave a small nod, already feeling the tug of disappointment. “Alright.” My tone was flat, betraying my irritation.

As I turned to leave, I muttered under my breath, “Not like I wanted to help anyway.”

I hated how the silence in the courtroom echoed, how it made my own thoughts feel louder. My steps were brisk as I exited.

Once in the hallway, I let out a loud hiss. I folded my fists as I tried to shake off the frustration. But no matter how fast I walked, the weight didn’t lift.

I passed the hallway leading to my chambers, I forgot the attic key in my room, I need to go and get it.

As I passed the hallway, I saw the little spring located in the middle of the garden, and I immediately had a flashback of how my brothers treated me whenever I went to the stream to take a bath

“Seraphine, you’re so small!” Kaelen would laugh, ruffling my hair. “Are you even eating? Or are you just trying to stay this tiny on purpose?”

“Of course she’s small,” Daelen would sneer, leaning against the doorframe. “She’s wolfless. What’d you expect? She’ll never grow into anything more.”

The sting of their words still pained even now, years later. Back then, I had laughed along, pretending their jabs didn’t cut deep. But each insult was a reminder of what I lacked, what I could never be in their eyes.

I ran my hands through my hair, sighing. “Why am I even thinking about this?” I muttered aloud. Maybe because it’s easier than thinking about what I found in the attic.

The keys. I need to go and get them

As I rounded the corner, a sharp voice called from behind me.

“Seraphine.”