Chapter 23: The Search

Seraphine's POV

The stone pathway leading through Shadowmere's core felt like walking through someone else's dream.

Cordelia moved beside me with easy confidence, pointing out buildings as we passed. "That's Pack House. Warriors' barracks over there. The council hall is the large building with the slate roof."

I barely registered her words. My eyes were too busy cataloguing everything, every detail, every difference from the pack I'd grown up in.

A young male wolf balanced on scaffolding above one of the buildings, replacing damaged roof tiles. He spotted Cordelia and straightened, calling down with genuine warmth.

"Morning, Gamma! Thank you for healing Derrick's arm. He's back on patrol duty already."

Cordelia waved up at him. "Tell him to take it easy for another week. That bone needs time."

Gamma. They called her that naturally. Like it wasn't revolutionary. Like women holding rank was just... normal.

We passed a woman sitting on a bench nursing an infant, another small child playing at her feet. She looked up as we approached, and her expression shifted to something grateful.

"Gamma Cordelia. My son's fever broke this morning. Your medicine worked."

"Good. Keep giving him the tea twice daily for three more days." Cordelia's professional mask slipped into something gentler. "And get some rest yourself. You look exhausted."

The woman nodded, her eyes briefly meeting mine with curious welcome before returning to her child.

I walked past in stunned silence.

They respect her. Not because she was mated to someone powerful. Not because she played the role of dutiful female. Because she earned it.

In Silverwood, the only respect women received came through their fathers or mates. We were extensions of male power, never sources of our own.

But here—

"You're quiet," Cordelia observed.

"Just taking it in."

Trying not to think about what my life could have been if I'd been born here instead.

The thought was poison. Dangerous. A distraction I couldn't afford.

Focus on Lyralei. Nothing else matters.

We rounded the corner of the council hall, and a patrol of warriors came toward us. Six wolves, moving with the easy coordination of a practiced unit. The leader was female—tall, muscular, her blonde hair pulled back in a severe braid.

She raised her hand in greeting. "Gamma. Morning patrol report: eastern border clear, no unusual scents or disturbances."

"Good. Send the written report to Alpha by noon."

"Will do." The woman's gaze shifted to me, assessing but not hostile. "New pack member?"

"Yes. This is Seraphine."

The warrior nodded once. "Welcome to Shadowmere."

They continued past us without ceremony, without the lingering stares or whispered judgments I was used to. Just... acknowledgment. Acceptance.

Fuck.

Stop it. Stop noticing. Stop caring.

But I couldn't ignore the way my wolf stirred inside me, restless and yearning. She'd been caged my entire life, forced into submission by pack laws that saw her as inherently lesser.

Here, she could almost taste freedom.

No. We're not staying. This isn't our home.

Through the bond, Kaelen's presence grew stronger. Close now. Maybe just beyond the next cluster of buildings.

My pulse kicked up automatically, that unwanted connection humming between us like a live wire.

I hate this. I hate that I can feel him. That some part of me wants to—

No.

The training grounds appeared ahead, an open space ringed by weapon racks and combat dummies. Beyond it, I could see tents set up in a clearing—temporary structures that looked like a staging area.

"That's where the search coordination is happening," Cordelia said, reading my focus. "Lucian's been managing logistics since yesterday."

Lucian. Cordelia's twin brother. The one who'd looked at me with quiet understanding last night when the others had filed out of Kaelen's cabin.

Please let them have found something. Anything.

We crossed the training grounds. A few early-morning warriors were already sparring, their movements sharp and practiced. One pair consisted of two women, and I found myself slowing despite my urgency, watching.

They moved like equals. No holding back, no protective restraint. Just pure skill against skill.

Beautiful.

"Seraphine?"

I jerked my attention back to Cordelia. "Sorry."

She followed my gaze and smiled slightly. "That's Morgan and Kira. Two of our best fighters. They teach advanced combat on Tuesdays if you're interested."

I won't be here on Tuesday.

The words caught in my throat, unspoken. Because I didn't know if they were true.

I didn't know anything anymore.

We reached the temporary camp, and Lucian spotted us immediately. He stood near a large map spread across a makeshift table, surrounded by half a dozen other wolves. When he saw Cordelia, he straightened and moved toward us.

"Gamma. Seraphine."

His expression was carefully neutral, but I saw the answer in his eyes before he even spoke.

They haven't found her.

"Any news?" Cordelia asked gently, giving voice to the question burning through me.

Lucian's jaw tightened. "We've searched all of Shadowmere's surrounding territory. No trace of your sister."

The words hit like a physical blow. I'd known it was possible—likely, even—but hearing it out loud made something crack inside my chest.

No. No, she has to be out there. She has to be alive.

"The search teams wanted to extend into the human village boundaries," Lucian continued, his tone professional but sympathetic. "But the human leaders refused entry."

"What?" My voice came out sharper than intended. "Why?"

"The treaty." Lucian's expression tightened. "Wolves and humans have an agreement—neither side crosses into the other's territory without explicit permission."

Treaty. Laws. Bureaucratic bullshit.

"So what?" I demanded. "You're just giving up?"

"No." Lucian held up a placating hand. "Alpha Kaelen has already sent negotiators to meet with the human settlement leaders. We're working on getting permission for a joint search, but these things take time. They need to consult their councils, weigh the risks—"

"Lyralei doesn't have time!"

The words exploded out of me before I could stop them. Several wolves at the map table turned to stare, but I didn't care.

My sister was out there somewhere—hurt, scared, maybe dying—and these people were talking about treaties and proper channels like that mattered more than her life.

Cordelia's hand landed on my shoulder, firm but gentle. "I know you're worried. But breaking the treaty would risk open conflict. Kaelen has to consider the safety of the entire pack."

"I don't give a fuck about—" I stopped myself, swallowing the rest of the sentence. Control. Don't make enemies here.

But my wolf thrashed beneath my skin, desperate and furious.

Lucian's expression softened slightly. "We're doing everything we can within the bounds of the law. The negotiators left at dawn. With luck, we'll have approval to search by tomorrow."

Tomorrow.

She might not survive until tomorrow.

Images flashed through my mind—Lyralei alone in some human cell, terrified and unable to shift. Or worse, losing control and shifting in front of them. Being shot. Caged. Studied like some kind of animal.

No. No, I can't wait. I can't just stand here while—

"Where's Kaelen?" The question came out sharp, urgent.