Chapter 119: The Thaw (1)

Seraphine's POV

My hands froze in the dirt.

I stayed crouched in the flower bed. Didn't turn around. Didn't look up.

Jason's voice cracked with panic. "Alpha, Luna commanded us to return this to you—"

"She asked us to deliver it." Derek cut in quickly.

My heart slammed against my ribs. I kept my eyes fixed on the roses. Pretended to be completely absorbed in loosening the soil around their roots.

Heavy footsteps. Leather boots on gravel. The distinctive sound of Kaelen's walk.

He was at the cottage door now. I could feel it without looking.

"Give it here." His voice. Deep. Flat. Impossible to read.

Rustling. The sound of paper changing hands.

"Alpha, the Luna is in the garden—" Derek started.

"I can see that."

Silence. Long enough that I risked a glance over my shoulder.

Kaelen stood in the cottage doorway. One hand holding a travel bag. The other holding the green storybook.

Jason and Derek hovered nearby like nervous birds. Ready to bolt at any second.

Kaelen's eyes were on the book. Flipping it open. Scanning the pages.

My neck burned. That mark he'd left. It felt like someone had pressed a hot iron to my skin.

I turned back to the roses. Dug my fingers deeper into the cool earth.

Ignore it. Ignore him. Just keep working.

But my body had other ideas.

Damn spring heat.

Every nerve ending lit up at once. My wolf surged forward inside me. Howling. Demanding.

Mate. Mate is here. Go to him. Now.

I bit down hard on my tongue. Tasted copper.

Spring fever made everything worse. Every instinct screamed at me to turn around. To run to him. To let him touch me until this burning stopped.

My thighs clenched. My hands shook.

No. Fuck no. Control yourself.

"Thank you." Kaelen's voice cut through my internal war. "You can leave now."

"But Alpha, you said—"

"Leave."

The finality in that single word. Jason and Derek didn't argue.

Footsteps retreated. Fast. Like they couldn't get away quick enough.

I heard the cottage door close. The soft thud of the storybook being set down somewhere.

Then nothing.

He was watching me. I could feel his eyes on my back. Could feel the weight of his attention pressing against my skin.

My wolf whined. Desperate. Pathetic.

Turn around. Look at him. He came back. He brought you something.

I yanked out a weed so hard the roots sprayed dirt everywhere.

"Not eating breakfast will make you weak." His voice came from right behind me.

I jumped. Actually jumped. Like some scared rabbit.

When the hell had he moved that close?

I didn't turn around. Kept my eyes on the soil. "I'm not hungry."

"Liar."

The accusation hung in the air. Soft. Almost amused.

Then he was crouching beside me. Close enough that I could smell him.

Pine and leather and something darker. Something that made my wolf go absolutely insane.

He set a basket down. Started unpacking it with careful, deliberate movements.

Sandwich. Milk. Eggs. An apple.

All arranged in a neat line on the grass beside my knee.

"I don't need—"

"You need to eat." He cut me off. Voice firm but not angry. "Otherwise you won't have the strength to work. And you seem very committed to this garden."

My hands stilled in the dirt.

He was right. My stomach had been growling for the last hour. I'd been too stubborn to go inside and make something.

"I said I don't need it." I forced the words out. Cold. Hard.

Inside, my wolf snarled in protest. Snapping and clawing.

He's taking care of us. He brought us food. Accept it!

"I'll wait until you eat." Kaelen settled into a more comfortable crouch. Like he had all day. "I'm not leaving until I see you finish it."

I finally turned to look at him.

Big mistake.

Those weird pupils locked onto mine. Steady. Unreadable. But something flickered in their depths.

Concern? Determination?

The bond pulsed between us. Hot and insistent.

My breath caught.

"Fine." I snapped. Grabbed the sandwich with dirt-covered hands. "I'll eat. Then you can leave me alone."

His mouth twitched. Almost a smile. The kind that said he could see right through my bullshit.

That look made me want to throw the sandwich at his face.

Instead, I bit into it. Chewed aggressively. Refused to admit it tasted fucking amazing.

He watched me. Didn't move. Didn't speak.

Just watched.

Like this was the most fascinating thing he'd seen all week.

"What?" I demanded through a mouthful of bread and cheese.

"Nothing." But that almost-smile was still there. "Just making sure you actually eat it."

I swallowed. Hard. "I am eating it. See? Eating. Now fuck off."

"Such language for a Luna."

"I'm not—" I stopped myself. Took a breath. "I'm not your Luna."

"The mark on your neck says otherwise."

My hand flew to my throat. Covered that burning spot where his teeth had broken skin.

His eyes followed the movement. Something darkened in his expression.

"That was a mistake." I said it quietly. Firmly.

"Was it?"

The question hung between us. Heavy. Loaded.

I looked away first. Hated myself for it.

He stood. Brushed dirt off his pants. "I'll help."

"What?"

"With the garden." He gestured at the flower beds. "You're working alone. I'll help."

"I don't need—"

But he was already kneeling beside another bed. Already reaching for the weeds.

I stared at him. This powerful Alpha.

Pulling weeds in a garden.

What the actual fuck.

"You don't know what you're doing." I pointed out. Watching him grab a handful of leaves. "You're going to ruin everything."

"Then teach me."

The simplicity of it. The lack of arrogance or expectation.

My chest did something complicated. Something I refused to name.

"Fine." I moved closer. Showed him which plants to avoid. Which to pull. "These are weeds. These are flowers. Don't touch the flowers."

"Noted."

We worked in silence after that.

Him pulling weeds with clumsy, unpracticed movements. Me trying not to notice how close he was. How his shoulder brushed mine when he reached across.

The bond hummed. Content. Happy.

Stop it. Stop enjoying this.

But my wolf had gone quiet. Settled. Like this was exactly where we were supposed to be.

I hated it.

Hated how right it felt.

Hated how much I wanted to lean into him. To let myself believe this could work.

"The border situation is worse than expected." He said it casually. Like discussing the weather.

My hands paused. "Worse how?"