Chapter 107: His Choice

Seraphine's POV

"Yeah." I managed a watery smile. "Yeah, I will."

She beamed. Then ran back to the other pups, clutching her rose.

I stood slowly, legs shaky. Cordelia was beside me immediately, hand on my arm, steadying me.

"You okay?" she asked quietly.

"No." I wiped my face. "But I will be."

Evander approached, his expression gentle. "The pups have been asking when you'd come back. They look up to you, you know. They think you're brave."

"Brave?" I let out a hollow laugh. "I'm not brave. I'm just... I'm just trying not to break."

"That's what bravery is." He tilted his head, studying me. "Keeping going even when everything hurts. The pups see that. They respect it."

Cordelia touched my shoulder. "Evander spent hours with them after it happened. Explaining everything. Making sure they understood that you weren't to blame. That the bread was poisoned deliberately to hurt you."

I looked at him. Really looked at him. This man who'd taken the time to defend me to a group of grieving children. Who'd made sure they knew the truth.

"Why?" I asked. "Why would you do that for me?"

"Because it was the right thing to do." He shrugged, like it was simple. "And because you deserved someone in your corner."

My throat tightened. "Thank you."

He nodded. "The pups wanted me to tell you something. They said you're their hero. They want to be like you when they grow up."

I almost laughed. Almost cried. "They shouldn't want that."

"Too late." He grinned. "You're stuck with a fan club now."

We stayed for another hour. Watching the pups play. Cordelia and Evander chatting easily while I mostly just observed.

The pups kept coming over. Showing me their flowers. Asking questions. One boy wanted to know if I could teach them to garden. A girl asked if I'd help with the spring planting in the school's vegetable patch.

They wanted me around. Actually wanted me.

The realization made my chest ache in a different way. A good way.

As the sun started to sink lower, Cordelia touched my arm. "We should head back. It's getting late."

I nodded reluctantly. The pups waved goodbye, calling out promises to see me again soon.

Willow ran up one last time. "Will you really come back?" she asked, worry creasing her small forehead.

"I promise," I said firmly.

She grinned and ran back to join the others.

Evander walked us to the gate. "Thank you for coming. It meant a lot to them. And to me."

"I should be thanking you," I said. "For everything you did. For telling them the truth."

He smiled. "Anytime, Seraphine."

We walked in comfortable silence for a while. The town was even busier now—people rushing to prepare for the coming party.

"Evander's a good guy," Cordelia said eventually. "He really fought for you with those pups. Made sure they understood what happened."

"I know." My voice was quiet. "I don't know what I did to deserve that."

"You don't have to deserve kindness, Sera. Sometimes people just give it."

Maybe. Or maybe I'd gotten lucky.

Either way, it had felt good. Being accepted. Being wanted.

We were passing a row of shops when Cordelia suddenly stopped. Her whole body went rigid.

I glanced at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." But her voice was too high. Too fast. She grabbed my arm. "Hey, let's take the other route. It's prettier this time of day."

I frowned. The other route was longer. And darker. "Why would we—"

"Just trust me." She was already pulling me in the opposite direction, her grip tight on my arm.

Something was off. Cordelia didn't act like this. She was always confident, direct. This nervous energy radiating off her felt wrong.

I dug my heels in. "Cord, what's going on?"

"Nothing. I just think—"

"K-a-e-l-e-n!" A high, feminine voice rang out behind us. Too loud. Too cheerful. Deliberately so.

My blood turned to ice.

Cordelia's face drained of color. "Sera, don't—"

But I was already turning around.

There he was.

Kaelen.

Standing outside one of the shops. Tall. Commanding. Looking exactly like he always did—untouchable and perfect.

But he wasn't alone.

Vespera stood beside him. Her hand wrapped around his arm. Her body pressed close to his. Too fucking close.

She was laughing at something, her head tilted up toward him. Her red hair catching the dying sunlight.

And he wasn't pulling away.

My heart stopped. Everything around me—the people, the noise, the preparations for the party—all of it faded into nothing.

Just him. Just her. Just them together.

The mark on my neck burned. Hot and vicious.

Six days. The thought screamed through my mind. He hasn't come to see me in six fucking days because he's been with her?

My hands clenched into fists. Nails digging into my palms hard enough to draw blood.

Is this why he hasn't come? Is this why the bond has been so quiet? Because he's been too busy with this bitch? He finally chose her?

Kaelen's head turned slowly. Like he could feel me watching. His eyes found mine across the distance.

For one moment, everything else disappeared. Just him. Just me. Just this invisible thread between us that I couldn't escape.

But his expression wasn't cold this time. It was hard. Sharp. Something dark flickering in those black pupils.

Anger. I felt it through the bond. Sharp and cutting.

At me.

Then Vespera noticed where he was looking.

Her gaze shifted to me. And then she smiled.

Not a friendly smile. A victorious one.

She pressed even closer to Kaelen, her hand sliding up his arm in a gesture that was clearly—clearly—meant to stake a claim. Her fingers traced patterns on his bicep, intimate and possessive.

Then she said something to him. I couldn't hear the words from this distance, but I saw her lips move. Saw the way she looked at him.

Like he belonged to her.

Rage exploded through my chest. Hot and violent and consuming.

He's been with her this whole time. While I've been waiting for his answer. While I've been wondering why he hasn't come. He's been with this fucking bitch.

The mark pulsed again. Sharp pain shooting through my neck and down my spine.

But I felt something else through the bond now. A surge of emotion—not mine. His.

Hostility. Cold and deliberate.

And something that felt like... satisfaction?

What the fuck?

"Sera." Cordelia's voice was urgent. Her hand tightened on my arm. "Please. Let's just go. Don't give her the satisfaction—"

But I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think past the rage and pain and betrayal tearing through me.

He chose her. After everything. After the mark. After that night in the cottage. He fucking chose her.

Vespera was still looking at me. Still smiling. Then she did something that made my vision go red.

She stood on her toes and pressed a kiss to Kaelen's jaw. Slow. Deliberate. Her eyes locked on mine the entire time.

A challenge. A claim.

"Mine," her expression said. "Not yours."

And Kaelen? He didn't stop her. Just stood there, his eyes still fixed on me with that cold, hostile stare.

Something inside me snapped.

I jerked my arm out of Cordelia's grip so hard she stumbled.