FAZER LOGINSerena's pov I woke up slowly to the muffled sound of quiet laughter drifting into the room from the corridor. My head felt heavy, and I couldn't quite remember how long I had been asleep, or how I had even managed to get back into my own bed. Trying to swing my legs over the edge of the mattress, an overwhelming wave of physical weakness instantly washed over me. I managed to slide one leg free, but my muscles completely refused to cooperate when I tried to lift the other. Determined, I slowly eased my body forward until my hanging foot successfully reached the cool floorboards. Before I could push myself up, an attractive woman dressed in a crisp white nurse's uniform stepped briskly into the bedroom. "No, no, Luna, you absolutely mustn't move just yet," she intervened in a hushed, authoritative tone, hurrying to my side. "You need absolute rest." "What... what happened to me?" I asked, my throat feeling dry and raspy. "You fainted downstairs in the lounge the day befo
Cole's POV I was sitting at my desk, tapping in some numbers and quietly working through my corporate accounts reconciliation, when the absolute silence of the mansion was shattered. I heard Ryan frantically calling out my name from the lounge down the hall. "Cole! Cole! Come quick, it's Serena!" His voice sounded entirely panicked. I darted up out of my office chair, my heart instantly thundering violently against my ribs as a cold dread seized my soul. I covered the distance and burst into the lounge at pure wolfen speed, my instincts roaring to life. "What's happened?! What the hell is going on?!" I demanded, my breathing heavy as I scanned the room. Ryan was kneeling on the floor, cradling Serena in his arms. "S-she fainted. I caught her just in time before she hit the ground," he stammered, pale and shaken. "She seemed completely fine at first..." "Call the doctor! Now!" I ordered, the sharp edge of Alpha urgency cutting through the air. I didn't dare move her, a
Serena's POV I quickly turned on my heel, clutching the glass cup and the cold water bottle tightly in my hands. Without throwing another glance in his direction, I muttered a low, hurried "Goodnight, Cole," and rapidly slipped out of the kitchen before something happened that I might deeply regret. I simply no longer trusted myself around him. The way my body automatically responded to his proximity was terrifying; the fated mate pull between us was entirely undeniable. A week later, the strict boundaries of our separation remained firmly intact. I had spent the last seven days ordering all of my daily meals from a local health-food restaurant down in town, completely refusing to cook anything inside the main kitchen just in case I accidentally ran into Cole down there a second time. Later that morning, I received a sudden text message from Ryan, asking if he could arrange a specific day to sit down and speak with me privately. He had just returned from a week-long vacati
Serena's POV The next day, I stood quietly in the corridor and watched as the workmen and contractors installed a heavy, solid timber door, effectively dividing the east wing from the rest of the house. I had decided that I would still use the main kitchen to collect my food, but other than that single exception, everything in my life would be done entirely from here. Maybe once the baby is finally born, I will hire my own private chef so I won't ever need to venture over to the other side of the house at all. It would be infinitely more convenient, and it would guarantee that I wouldn't accidentally bump into Cole. Later that afternoon, I went down to the kitchen to collect my lunch from Ryan. He handed me the tray, but his posture was incredibly tense, and he seemed quite hesitant to let go of the handles. "Luna... i—is everything truly okay between you and the Alpha?" he asked quietly, his eyes searching mine. "It's just that I..." His voice trailed off into the quiet
Serena's POV I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Has Cole completely lost his mind? I stood there in the doorway, watching him in absolute disbelief. I watched the entire horrific scene play out as if I were a detached spectator watching a movie. My legs literally couldn't move; they were rooted completely to the spot. Was he genuinely trying to physically fight Tanner? But in doing so, he was effectively only hurting himself. My stomach twisted as I watched him actively strangle his own throat while shouting loudly at his reflection. "Cole... what on earth are you doing?" I said. My voice was quiet, but curt. I made sure to keep a very safe distance from his frame. I absolutely hated how he was behaving right now. But deep down, I still possessed deep feelings for him, and it broke my heart to see what he was doing to himself—and what he had done to me. Because of that residual love, I knew what I had to say next was the absolute right choice for our future. Cole abrupt
Serena's POV Cole froze, a look of sheer horror washing over his features. He scrambled backward off of me, nearly falling off the edge of the bed in his haste to get away. "My... God—Serena, I—I'm so sorry," he breathed, the words heavy and slurred through his alcohol-fueled state. His chest heaved as he stumbled two steps back, his hands trembling. "You—you... That's it! I've had it! How dare you treat me like this!" I screamed, a fresh flood of tears spilling over my lashes. I snatched up a pillow, clutching it tightly against my chest as a makeshift barrier between us. "Baby, I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me," he pleaded, taking a hesitant step back toward the bed. "No! Don't you dare come near me!" I yelled through my sobs. I buried my face directly into the pillow, my entire body shaking uncontrollably with every tear. "How could you?!" I cried out, my voice muffled against the fabric. "This is the exact type of behavior I ran from Malcolm for! It'







