Chapter 10:The man who stole my son

The closer the harvest gathering came, the more I realized that Lucien’s arrival would change everything.

For days, I had imagined seeing Kael again. I had pictured his small arms around my neck, his familiar scent, and the questions I would struggle to answer when he asked why I had been gone so long.

But I had also imagined Lucien standing between us.

That image was harder to bear.

I sat at my desk, reviewing the letter from Eldermere’s council. They had agreed to provide a private room for a meeting with Kael, provided his father consented.

One condition.

One opportunity for Lucien to deny me again.

A knock interrupted my thoughts.

Darius entered, carrying a dark coat over one arm.

“Our departure has been moved to tomorrow morning,” he said. “The roads will be difficult if we wait any longer.”

I folded the letter.

“Has Lucien confirmed the private meeting with you?”

“He has.”

“And has he mentioned Kael?”

“No.”

I looked away, fighting the disappointment that threatened to settle in my chest.

“Then he intends to discuss something else.”

“Most likely.”

Darius placed the coat beside me.

“Eldermere’s council has invited us to a smaller reception tonight. Several territory representatives will attend. It would be useful for you to meet them before the main gathering.”

I glanced at the coat.

“You want me to make allies.”

“I want you to know who you’re dealing with before you need their support.”

It was sensible advice, and I hated how much I appreciated it.

“Very well.”

As Darius turned to leave, I called after him.

“If Lucien offers you something in exchange for keeping me away from Kael, what will you do?”

He stopped.

“Nothing he offers will make me break our agreement.”

“That wasn’t what I asked.”

His gaze settled on mine.

“I won’t negotiate away your right to seek a relationship with your son. But I also won’t start a war without understanding what Lucien intends.”

It wasn’t the answer my anger wanted.

It was the answer my judgment needed.

“Then we understand each other.”

He nodded before leaving me to prepare.

The reception was held in the fortress’s smaller dining hall, where the atmosphere was less formal than the council chamber but no less political.

I met representatives from three neighboring territories. Some were warm, others cautious. Most wanted to know whether my marriage to Darius meant Nightthorn planned to challenge Bloodfang’s growing influence.

I answered honestly without revealing more than necessary.

By the time the reception ended, I had learned that Lucien had recently negotiated new trade agreements with two territories bordering Eldermere. His alliance with Isolde had strengthened his position considerably.

He wasn’t simply protecting his crown.

He was expanding his reach.

And if he believed my marriage threatened those ambitions, he might try to turn Darius against me.

I found Darius waiting in the corridor.

“Did you enjoy yourself?” he asked.

“About as much as one can enjoy being politely questioned by people who want to know whether their neighbors are preparing for war.”

“So, a successful evening.”

I gave him a dry look.

“I learned something useful. Lucien has been expanding his trade agreements.”

“I know. His movements have been deliberate.”

“Do you think he intends to challenge Nightthorn?”

“I think he intends to ensure that if conflict comes, he will have more allies than enemies.”

I considered that.

“Then we need allies of our own.”

“Agreed.”

We walked back toward our chambers, discussing the territories I had met and the relationships Nightthorn might strengthen. Darius listened when I suggested approaching the smaller settlements first, where trade agreements could benefit both sides without becoming a contest for power.

He didn’t dismiss my ideas simply because I was new to his territory.

That mattered more than I wanted to admit.

At my door, he paused.

“Tomorrow, Lucien may try to provoke you.”

“I know.”

“He may use Kael to do it.”

My hand tightened around the door handle.

“Then I won’t give him the reaction he wants.”

Darius studied me for a moment.

“Good. But you don’t have to pretend it won’t hurt.”

I looked at him.

For a second, the composure I had maintained all evening threatened to crack.

“It already does.”

He didn’t offer empty promises or tell me everything would be fine. He simply inclined his head, acknowledging the truth of my words.

Somehow, that was more comforting than reassurance.

We left Nightthorn shortly after sunrise.

The journey to Eldermere took most of the morning. I rode beside Darius while a small escort followed behind us. The land gradually changed from Nightthorn’s thick forests to open hills dotted with farms and settlements.

I watched the passing scenery, trying not to imagine what waited for me.

Darius broke the silence.

“You should know something about Lucien’s request.”

I turned toward him.

“What is it?”

“He asked to meet me alone.”

“That isn’t unusual for a political discussion.”

“No. But he specifically requested that the meeting take place before the gathering begins.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know yet.”

I frowned.

“Will you tell me what he says afterward?”

“Everything relevant to our agreement.”

I studied his face.

“Everything, Darius.”

His expression grew serious.

“Everything, Seraphina.”

I accepted the promise, though a small part of me remained wary. Trust was not something I could simply choose because a man had given me a reason to.

It had to be earned.

By midday, the towers of Eldermere appeared beyond the hills. The settlement was smaller than Nightthorn, but its stone walls were well maintained, and banners representing several territories hung above the main gate.

Neutral ground.

A place where Lucien could not rely entirely on the authority of his own pack.

For the first time in days, I felt something close to confidence.

We had arrived early enough to prepare, and I had no intention of wasting the opportunity.

The Eldermere steward welcomed us and escorted us to our assigned chambers.

Before I had even finished unpacking, a messenger arrived with a note bearing Bloodfang’s crest.

My heart began to pound.

I broke the seal.

Seraphina,

I understand you have requested a meeting with Kael. His wellbeing remains my responsibility, and I will not allow personal grievances to interfere with his upbringing.

If you wish to discuss his future, attend the eastern reception tomorrow evening. We will speak there.

Lucien.

I read the letter twice.

He had not agreed to the private meeting arranged by Eldermere’s council. Instead, he had offered a public reception where he could control the circumstances and decide how much access I would have to my own son.

My anger rose, sharp and familiar.

He was still treating motherhood as a privilege he could grant or withdraw.

I folded the letter carefully.

Darius entered moments later and immediately noticed my expression.

“What happened?”

I handed him the note.

He read it in silence.

“He wants you to attend the reception,” he said.

“Yes.”

“And he hasn’t agreed to the private meeting.”

“No.”

Darius set the letter on the table.

“You don’t have to accept his terms.”

“I know. But if I refuse, he may use it as an excuse to keep Kael away.”

“And if you accept, he may try to humiliate you.”

I lifted my chin.

“Then he will have to try.”

Darius watched me for a moment before nodding.

“We’ll attend together.”

I looked toward the window, where Bloodfang’s banner fluttered beyond the courtyard walls.

Tomorrow, I might finally see my son.

But Lucien had already made one thing clear: he intended to control the meeting from beginning to end.

He had taken my place beside him.

He had taken my home.

He had kept my child.

I would not allow him to take my dignity as well.

Tomorrow, I would walk into that reception as Nightthorn’s Luna.

And Lucien Draven would learn that marrying another Alpha had not made me easier to control.

It had made me harder to reach.

And that was only the beginning.