All Chapters of Sinister Storm: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Seraphina POVThe candles flickered to life before I even entered the room, their flames bending toward me like flowers stretching to the sun. I always liked that—being recognized by fire. Obedience born from ancient pacts and older bloodlines. My heels tapped softly on the stone as I made my way to the desk, the scent of burnt sage still thick in the air from my last ritual.An impatient knock sounded on my door. There was a pause and it came again, this time more insistent.Right on time. I had been expecting his visit since I received word that my rogues had failed to execute as I had instructed. The Cross heir should be dead, the bond severed and Lucas Storm probably beside himself with grief but instead I had to deal with an angry alpha.Dominic Storm. So predictable. So violently impatient. He had called me an hour ago, vibrating in anger wanting to know if I had been playing a sick joke. I told him that whatever he had to say needed to be said in person.I plastered a fake

RYDER My phone buzzed with a text message. Unknown number: Need to meet. Urgent. Bennett in danger-K I stared at the message wondering what might have possessed Kael to text me that way. He never reached out directly on the phone. He prefers to catch a person unawares, making it his life goal to frustrate me. And he also never uses dramatic words like “urgent” or “danger.” Bennett was in the kitchen pacing around restlessly like a caged Alpha wolf. He has been like this since last night, refusing to settle down or relax. He hadn't slept and hadn't eaten. And he sure as hell hadn't talked about it. “You need to eat something,” I said, sliding my phone into my back pocket. He was a few feet away from me so he thankfully hadn't noticed the message. “I'm not hungry.” “When was the last time you had a full meal?” He shot me a glare sharp enough to melt ice. “When was the last time you didn't act like my mother?” I didn't even blink. “Roughly five minutes before

Ryder POV It was Midnight and the woods were eerily quiet. It was almost like the forest was holding its breath. I leaned against the gnarled old oak, arms crossed, trying not to look like I’d been pacing for ten minutes straight. Then I heard footsteps, quick and loud. Kael. He slipped out from between the trees like a shadow and tossed a glance around before speaking. “You came alone?” “Always,” I said. “Didn’t want anyone following me, especially not with the way Bennett’s been… twitchy.” Kael exhaled through his nose, looking grim. “Yeah. Same over here.” We stood in silence for a beat, just listening to the breeze rattle through the leaves. “Heard anything?” I finally asked. “Bits and pieces,” Kael said, pulling his hood back. “Your Alpha’s father Dominic. He’s in deep with someone. I don’t have names yet, but he was talking about the mate bond. About using it. Manipulating it. Said Lucas needed to be kept under control, or—his words, not mine ‘put down.’” I

Lucas’s POV Breakfast with my parents was silent like it always is. Not the comfortable kind of silence, but the kind that made your skin itch. The type that warned you something was coming even if you didn’t know from where yet. I sat at the end of the long mahogany table, a fork in one hand, a glass of orange juice in the other. My eggs were untouched, and I didn’t care. My mother was across from me, gently stirring her tea with shaky hands. I could feel her glancing at me from time to time, like she wanted to speak but didn’t know how. My mother has always been a timid woman, scared of my father and scared to counter his words and actions. Then there was my father. Professional ruiner of mornings. He was sitting at the head of the table. His hands were folded, and for once, he wasn’t barking orders or criticizing my posture. He was watching me. Quietly. That was even worse. “You’ve been quiet lately,” he said suddenly. His voice was smooth, with an undertone of s

Ryder POV I wanted to punch something. Maybe a locker, perhaps myself—probably my stupid mouth. Kael had looked at me like I’d stabbed him through the chest back there. And the worst part? I deserved it. We had built some form of friendship over time and even though I might not want to say it out loud, I enjoy spending time with him. Sarah was still fuming beside me, her heels clicking sharply as she stormed down the hallway. “You’re such an asshole,” she snapped without looking back. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately, but you’re not the same person I used to know.” “I guess that makes two of us,” I muttered under my breath, too low for her to hear. She left in a swirl of hair and perfume, leaving me standing alone in the hallway with a stomach churning with guilt and something else I didn’t want to name. Kael. He had already disappeared, probably halfway to the other end of the school by now, but my feet were moving before I made the conscious decision. I