Homecoming

Adrian had not stopped thinking about what happened in the car.

The way Seraphina had curled into herself, shielding her head with trembling hands, had been nothing like the sister he remembered. For a moment, he had wondered what kind of life she had endured inside Blackthorn Labor Prison.

Then he remembered how she had looked at him afterward.

Empty. Distant. Almost accusing.

Perhaps she was simply angry with him.

Two years was a long time to spend behind bars. Anyone would need time to adjust after being released. Once Seraphina settled back into familiar surroundings, she would eventually return to normal.

At least, that was what Adrian chose to believe.

By the time they reached the Vale estate, the household was already in chaos.

Servants hurried through the corridors carrying fresh flowers, polished silverware, and expensive decorations. The dining hall was being prepared for the Lycan King's visit, and every member of the household seemed determined to ensure that nothing went wrong.

Nobody stopped working when Seraphina entered.

Nobody announced her return.

A young servant carrying a stack of folded linens nearly collided with her before quickly stepping aside.

"Sorry, miss."

Seraphina nodded and continued walking.

The girl did not recognize her.

Once, every servant in this house had known her name. They had watched her grow up, celebrated her birthdays, and greeted her with affectionate smiles whenever she returned from school.

Now, she was merely another woman standing in their way.

"Your room is upstairs," Adrian said, interrupting her thoughts. "We've prepared the guest room for you. Your old room is being used for Lillian's things."

Seraphina looked toward the staircase.

Her old room.

The one with the pale curtains her mother had chosen and the books Adrian used to steal whenever he wanted to annoy her.

She had not expected everything to remain untouched after two years, but hearing that her belongings had been replaced so easily still left a dull ache in her chest.

"Thank you, Alpha Adrian." His expression tightened.

"You don't have to call me that."

She offered no response.

Adrian watched her for another moment before a servant approached him with questions about the evening's arrangements. He turned away to answer them.

Seraphina did not wait for him.

She climbed the stairs alone.

---

The guest room was clean, spacious, and comy unfamiliar.

Someone had placed fresh flowers on the bedside table. The curtains were drawn neatly, and a small suitcase containing her belongings sat beside the wardrobe.

She closed the door behind her. For several minutes, she stood in the middle of the room without moving. This house had once been the safest place in the world to her.

She had believed that no matter what happened outside its walls, she would always have a home here.

She had been wrong. Still, there was one person she could not bring herself to abandon completely.

Her mother.

The woman who had held her through childhood nightmares. The woman who had sat beside her bed whenever she fell ill, who had kissed her forehead and called her precious.

Whatever had changed between them, Seraphina could not pretend those memories had never existed.Her mother's health had always been fragile. Seraphina would stay long enough to make sure she was well. After that, she would leave

No arguments. No demands. No desperate attempts to reclaim a place that no longer belonged to her.

She had already learned what happened when she begged people to care.

A knock interrupted her thoughts.

Before she could answer, the door opened.

"Seraphina!"

Lillian stood in the doorway, wearing a soft smile and a pale pink dress.

"I can't believe you're finally home." Her eyes glistened as she stepped closer. "I've missed you so much. I know things haven't been easy between us, but I really want us to start over."

She opened her arms.

Seraphina stepped back.

It happened before she could think. Her body reacted to the approaching movement, her shoulders tightening as she instinctively put distance between them.

Lillian's arms slowly fell.

"Seraphina?" Her voice turned uncertain. "I just wanted to hug you."

"Don't."

The word escaped Seraphina before she could soften it.

Adrian appeared behind Lillian, his expression darkening.

"She's trying to make peace with you, Seraphina. Is it really so difficult to accept that?"

Seraphina lowered her eyes.

She could explain that she hadn't meant to hurt Lillian. She could tell him that sudden movements still frightened her, that sometimes her body reacted before her mind understood what was happening.

But Adrian had already decided what her reaction meant.

So she said nothing.Their mother entered a moment later, seraphina's head lifted immediately.

For the first time since returning to the estate, something unmistakably alive flickered across her face.

"Mother."

The word came out softer than she intended.

Her mother glanced at Lillian first.

"Darling, have you rested? The Lycan King will arrive soon. Are you feeling well enough to join us for the welcome dinner?"

"Yes, Mother."

Only then did she turn toward Seraphina.

"It's good to have you back."

Seraphina waited.

She did not know what she had expected. Perhaps a hug. Perhaps a question about the prison. Perhaps her mother looking closely at her face and realizing that the daughter who had left two years ago was no longer standing before her.

Instead, her mother simply smiled faintly before turning back to Lillian, but Seraphina swallowed the words gathering in her throat.

Her mother had once known every little thing about her. Now, she did not even ask whether she was all right.

"The Lycan King's visit is important," her mother continued. "Lillian, come with me. We need to prepare you properly."

She hesitated before looking at Seraphina again.

"Perhaps it would be better if you stayed upstairs tonight. We don't want any unnecessary misunderstandings during such an important gathering."

She did not finish the explanation.

She didn't need to.

"I understand," Seraphina replied. "I won't disturb the event."

Adrian stared at her.

The old Seraphina would have demanded to know why. She would have asked what she had done wrong and why her own family was ashamed to have her present.

This Seraphina merely turned toward the door. She had finally learned that not every rejection deserved a question.

As she walked upstairs alone, the sounds of preparations continued below her. Laughter drifted through the corridors, servants hurried past with polished trays, and her family gathered to welcome the most powerful Alpha in the kingdom.

Nobody followed her.

For the first time, Seraphina understood that returning home did not mean she had come back to where she belonged.

It only meant she had returned to the place where she had once belonged.