Chapter 158: The Serpent's Bait

Seraphine's POV

The words hit me like a fist to the gut.

Your sister.

My legs almost gave out. I grabbed the doorframe to steady myself, fingernails digging into wood. The room tilted, then snapped back into focus—too sharp, too bright, like someone had cranked up the contrast on everything.

"Where?" My voice came out strangled. "Where is she?"

Lucian stood slowly, hands raised like I was a wounded animal he didn't want to spook. "Seraphine, you need to—"

"Where. Is. She." Each word punched out between breaths that wouldn't come right.

Orion moved away from the window, positioning himself between me and... and Vespera. That red-haired bitch still lounged in the chair like she owned it, studying her nails like this was all some boring afternoon tea.

My pupils blew wide. Everything sharpened—the dust motes in the slanted light, the way Lucian's jaw tightened, the exact angle of Vespera's smirk. The wolf inside me surged forward, clawing at my ribs, and I felt my eyes flash gold.

Kill her. Rip that smile off her face. Make her hurt—

"The information," Orion said carefully, "came from Vespera."

The floor dropped out from under me.

No. No no no no—

"That's the only reason she's here," Orion continued. His tone was flat, professional, but I caught the edge underneath. The warning. "The only reason."

My whole body locked up. Every muscle went rigid, trembling with the effort of staying still. The bond with Kaelen pulsed hot at my throat—he was too far away, miles and miles away when I needed him here, needed him to tell me this wasn't happening.

Vespera finally looked up. Met my eyes. And smiled.

Cordelia materialized at my side. When had she gotten that close? Her hand hovered near my elbow, not quite touching but ready to grab me if I lunged.

Behind me, Jason and Derek moved uneasily. I heard the soft rasp of weapons clearing holsters.

"No." The word ripped out of me, raw and jagged. "Absolutely fucking not."

"Seraphine—" Lucian tried again.

"I don't believe a single word that comes out of her mouth." I pointed at Vespera, my hand shaking so hard I had to clench it into a fist. "This is a trap, clearly. She specifically chose the timing when Kaelen was gone to tell me this. Or some sick joke, and I'm not—I'm not—"

My voice cracked. The mate mark burned like someone was holding a brand to my skin. I wanted to claw it off, wanted to run, wanted Kaelen here so badly it physically hurt.

He left you. He left and now you're stuck with her.

"You see?" Vespera addressed the room, still ignoring me. "I told you she'd react this way. Too damaged to accept help, even for her precious sister."

The sound that came out of me wasn't human.

Cordelia's hand clamped down on my arm. Hard. "Don't."

But I'd already taken a step forward. Then another. Jason and Derek moved with me, weapons out now, and Lucian put himself between us and Vespera, and Orion's eyes flashed amber in warning—

"Get her out." My voice sharp and fierce. "Get her out of my house. Now."

The words echoed in the sudden silence.

Jason and Derek exchanged a glance, then stepped forward. Slowly, like they expected me to snap and attack anyway, but they moved.

Vespera rose from the chair with deliberate grace. Smoothed her dress. Picked up her coat. Took her sweet fucking time about all of it.

"No need for the theatrics." She slung the coat over her arm. "I can walk myself out."

She moved past Lucian, past Orion, heading straight for the door. Straight for me.

I held my ground even though every instinct screamed to attack. She stopped close enough that I could smell her—roses and musk, that cloying perfume that made my stomach turn.

Cordelia's grip on my arm tightened. A low warning growl built in Derek's chest.

Vespera tilted her head, studying me like I was something interesting under glass. "You know, I actually feel sorry for you."

"Save it."

"Poor little wolf." Her voice dropped, theatrical and false. "She has no idea what her sister's been through. No idea what she's become." She paused, letting the words sink in like poison. "You talk so much about finding her, but when someone actually knows something..."

She trailed off. Dangled the bait.

Every muscle in my body screamed to grab her, shake her, force the words out. My vision edged red. The wolf clawed deeper, desperate, furious—

Don't. Don't give her what she wants.

I turned my back on her.

Forced myself to stare at the far wall. Forced my face into something cold and blank even though I was dying inside, even though not knowing was worse than any physical pain I'd ever felt.

Behind me, Vespera made a satisfied sound. Low and pleased, like she'd won some invisible game.

Her heels clicked toward the door. Paused at the threshold.

"Such a waste," she said, almost to herself. "All that suffering. All that searching. And for what? Pride?"

The door closed behind her.

I stood there, shaking, bleeding, while her laughter faded down the path.

Cordelia's hand was still on my arm. Probably the only thing keeping me upright. My chest felt like someone had reached in and hollowed it out, left nothing but a gaping void where my heart used to be.

The room stayed quiet. Too quiet. I could hear my own ragged breathing, could feel everyone staring at me like I might shatter.

Did I just throw away my only chance? Did I just sacrifice Lyralei because I can't swallow my pride?

My eyes found the chair where Vespera had sat. The cushion still held the indent of her body. That sickening rose scent lingered.

Bile rose in my throat.

I bit down hard on my lip, tasted copper, used the pain to focus. The mark on my neck throbbed in time with my pulse—hot, insistent, wrong. Kaelen was too far away. I couldn't feel him through the bond, couldn't reach for him, and I'd never needed him more than I did right now.

The silence stretched until I couldn't take it anymore.

I turned around slowly. Faced them.

Lucian watched me with something too close to pity. Orion's expression was carefully neutral. Cordelia looked ready to catch me when I fell.

I took a breath. Made sure my voice wouldn't shake.

"What did she tell you?" I looked at Lucian. "About Lyralei. What exactly did Vespera say?"