Chapter 117: The Forbidden Name

Seraphine's POV

My hand tightened on the doorframe. "Wolves that don't belong here. What do you mean exactly?"

Derek shifted his weight. "Unknown pack. Not rogues—these ones move too organized. Like they're trained."

"How close to Shadowmere?"

"Eastern border." Jason's jaw clenched. "Deep inside our territory. Way deeper than they should be."

"How many?" The question came out sharper than I meant.

"Hard to say." Derek glanced at Jason. "But Orion caught their scent. Recognized it."

"Whose?"

"Damien's wolves."

The name hit like ice water.

"That's what Alpha went to find out." Jason cut in. "But it gets worse. These wolves weren't just passing through. They were moving like they knew exactly where to go."

Derek nodded grimly. "Like someone gave them a map. Showed them our blind spots. Told them when and where to move."

The word flashed through my mind. Cold and sharp.

Traitor.

"You think someone in Shadowmere is helping them?" I kept my voice level.

"Only explanation." Derek's expression darkened. "These wolves avoided every patrol. Stuck to areas only pack members would know about. That's not luck."

Jason leaned against the wall. "Someone's feeding them intel. Has to be."

Someone inside Shadowmere. Someone Kaelen trusted. Selling out their own pack to Damien.

"What kind of information?" I asked. "What would they give him?"

The two guards exchanged a look. That silent conversation thing they always did.

"Everything." Jason finally said. "Pack movements. Our numbers. Weaknesses in the defenses."

"Where Alpha goes." Derek added quietly. "When he's vulnerable. Who's loyal and who might turn."

The implications crawled under my skin. Every detail about Shadowmere handed over to an enemy who'd already tried to take me once.

If there really was a traitor, they could tell Damien exactly when to strike. Exactly where I'd be.

My chest tightened. "Wait here."

I turned and walked back into my room. The package from this morning still sat on my nightstand. Brown paper crumpled beside it.

The new sketchbook.

I grabbed it. Opened to the first page. Kaelen's apology filled the top half in careful black ink. Below it sat my response—sharp, cutting, every letter pressed hard into the paper.

I'm not her replacement. I never will be.

Keep your promise: Help me find Lyralei. Don't interfere with my life.

That's all I want from you.

I stared at those words for a moment. At the anger in every stroke.

Good. Let him read them again.

I slammed the book shut. Walked back to the doorway.

Jason and Derek were still standing there. Looking uncomfortable.

I held out the book. "Give this back to him."

Jason reached for it carefully. His eyes caught on the green leather cover. The gold edging. The delicate vine pattern worked into the binding.

"What is this?" Derek leaned closer. Curious. "It looks like—"

"A sketchbook." I cut him off. Kept my voice flat.

Both of them stared at it. Then at me. Confusion flickering across their faces.

"Alpha sent you a sketchbook?" Jason asked slowly. Like he was trying to understand.

"Yes." I didn't elaborate. "And now I'm returning it."

Derek's brow furrowed. "But why would he—"

"That's none of your concern." I stepped closer. Let my voice drop to something dangerous. "And before either of you even think about opening it—listen very carefully."

They both went still. Wary now.

"That book contains Alpha Kaelen's private words." I let each word fall like stones. "His secrets. His personal thoughts. Things meant only for my eyes."

Jason's curiosity died fast. Replaced by fear.

"If I find out you looked inside..." I let the threat hang in the air. "If I find out you read even one word... You already know how Alpha reacts when people betray his trust."

"We wouldn't!" Derek's hands came up defensively. "Luna, we would never—"

"We swear." Jason clutched the book against his chest. Away from his eyes. Like even looking at it too long might be dangerous. "We'll take it straight to him. Won't open it. Won't touch it. I swear on my life."

"Good." I stepped back. "Because what's written in there... it's not meant for anyone else. Not pack business. Not your concern. Just private matters between an Alpha and his Luna."

Both of them nodded quickly. The curiosity completely gone now. Replaced by the kind of fear that came from knowing exactly how badly Kaelen punished betrayal.

I stared at the green book in Jason's hands. That soft leather. Those gold edges.

Just like the other one I'd found in Kaelen's room. The one filled with drawings and love notes and a relationship that had ended in accusations and death.

My eyes lingered on it. The similarities too perfect to ignore.

Same style. Same romantic gesture.

Different Luna.

"Judging by your reactions earlier..." I began, trailing off before asking directly, "The name Isolde... you've heard it, don't you?"

The reaction was instant.

Both of them froze like I'd slapped them.

Jason nearly dropped the book. Derek's face went white as snow.

The silence stretched. Heavy. Suffocating.

"Luna, we can't—" Jason started. His voice cracked.

"Can't what?" I crossed my arms. Let my expression go cold. "I'm Luna now, right? Don't I have the right to know about whoever came before me?"

They exchanged a look. Panic written all over their faces.

"It's not that simple." Derek's hands trembled slightly. "Isolde—that name is forbidden. Alpha's orders. No one speaks it."

"Forbidden." I let the word hang in the air. "Why?"

"Because—" Jason swallowed hard. Looked at Derek. "Because of what happened."

"What happened?" I pushed. Kept my voice level.

More silence. They were both sweating now. Actually sweating.

"Luna, please." Derek's voice dropped to barely above a whisper. "This is dangerous. We shouldn't—"

"As Luna, don't I deserve to know about threats to this pack?" I tilted my head. "About past... situations? Or am I supposed to just stay ignorant while everyone else knows the history?"

Jason shifted his weight. The book still clutched against his chest like a shield.

"We don't know much." He finally said. Voice quiet. "We've only served Alpha for five years. This happened before we arrived."

"Eight years ago." Derek added. Just as quiet.

Eight years. The same timeline as the photos. The storybook.

"But you've heard things." I kept pushing. "The pack talks."

They exchanged another glance. Some silent debate happening between them.

Finally, Jason spoke. His voice barely audible.

"There are stories. That Isolde was accused of betraying the pack."

My chest tightened. "Betraying how?"

"Passing information to enemies." Derek's words came out rushed. Like he wanted to get them out fast and be done with it. "Meeting with outsiders. Sharing pack secrets."

Just like the storybook had shown. The council coming to Kaelen with accusations. The word "betrayal" written over and over.

"What happened to her?" I asked.

"She was exiled." Jason said it quietly. "Sent away. Forbidden from ever returning to Shadowmere."

"That's it?" The words came out harsher than I meant. "Just exile?"

"Not just exile." Derek's expression went dark. "After she left... she was killed."

The world tilted slightly.

Killed.

"What killed her?" My voice came out strangled.