Chapter 24: Silver Bells and Blood

Seraphine's POV

I felt him through the bond. Close. Maybe a few hundred yards away.

I need to talk to him. Need to remind him of our deal. He promised—he fucking promised he'd help me find her.

Cordelia and Lucian exchanged a glance. Something passed between them—a silent communication I couldn't read.

"He's in the pine grove," Lucian said carefully, his tone oddly cautious. "But Seraphine, maybe you should wait—"

"No." I was already moving, my focus narrowing to a single point. "I need to talk to him now. About Lyralei. About what we're going to do."

About the deal we made. About how he swore he'd tell me the second he knew something.

Cordelia caught up quickly, falling into step beside me. She didn't try to stop me, but I felt her tension—like she was bracing for something.

What? What aren't they telling me?

I pushed the thought aside. Nothing mattered except getting to Kaelen. Making him understand that diplomatic channels and proper procedure were too slow. That every hour we wasted was an hour Lyralei might not have.

He has resources. Power. He's an Alpha. He can do something—anything—faster than this.

The pine grove was quiet, fragrant with resin. Morning light filtered through the branches in golden shafts, creating patterns on the needle-covered ground.

Through the bond, Kaelen's presence burned stronger with every step. That unwanted connection hummed between us, pulling me forward like an invisible thread.

And then the trees opened into a small clearing.

I stopped.

Froze.

Kaelen stood near the far edge, his profile to us, head tilted down toward—

A woman.

Red hair catching the light like fire. Freckles scattered across pale skin. She pressed close against his side, one hand curled possessively over his arm.

She was looking up at him with an expression that made my stomach twist. Adoration mixed with something darker. Hungrier.

Mine, my wolf snarled instantly. Ours. Get her away from—

No.

I slammed down on the instinct hard, forcing it back. Not doing this again. Not losing control. Not giving them the satisfaction.

But I couldn't look away.

As I watched, Kaelen reached up and brushed a strand of red hair off her shoulder. His fingers lingered there, gentle. Familiar.

The gesture was intimate. Easy. Like he'd done it a thousand times before.

Like he knows exactly how her hair feels. Like touching her is natural to him.

The woman rose on her toes, leaning in close to whisper something in his ear. Her lips nearly touched his skin. She laughed—bright, musical, like fucking silver bells.

And Kaelen smiled.

A real smile. Warm. Unguarded. The kind I'd never seen him wear.

Something hot and vicious exploded in my chest.

My vision bled red at the edges. Gold flooded in, sharp and blinding. My wolf surged up with a roar that threatened to tear through my throat.

OURS. CHALLENGE HER. RIP HER THROAT OUT—

My hands clenched into fists. I felt my nails extend, sharp points digging into my palms. The shift was starting—claws pushing through, bones beginning to reshape.

"Seraphine."

Cordelia's hand clamped down on my wrist like a vice. Her voice was low, urgent, right in my ear.

"Control it. Right now. Don't lose it in front of the whole pack. Don't give them ammunition."

Can't. Can't breathe. Can't think past the rage—

I bit down on my lower lip. Hard. Tasted copper flooding my mouth.

Control. You have control. You're not some feral animal.

My nails dug deeper into my palms, piercing skin. Blood welled up, hot and slick, dripping between my fingers onto the pine needles below.

Focus on that. The pain. Use it. Ground yourself.

I forced air into my lungs. Forced my wolf back, inch by agonizing inch. Forced the gold to recede from my vision even as every instinct screamed at me to attack.

He can do whatever he wants. With whoever he wants. You came here to talk about Lyralei. That's all. Nothing else.

The red-haired woman noticed us then.

Her head turned, blue eyes landing on me with calculated precision. Her expression shifted—surprise melting into something that looked almost like triumph.

She'd known we were here. Had probably sensed us the moment we entered the clearing.

And she'd kept touching him anyway.

She pressed closer to Kaelen deliberately, tightening her hold on his arm. Possessive. Claiming.

When she spoke, her voice carried clearly across the clearing, sweet as poisoned honey.

"So you're that refugee Alpha rescued yesterday? The one who was about to get eaten by a lynx?"

The word refugee dripped with mockery. With disbelief.

Kaelen finally looked up. Those black eyes with their double pupils fixed on me across the distance.

He didn't pull away from her. Didn't correct her tone.

Just stood there with another woman draped against his side like she belonged there.

Like I'm the intruder. Like I'm the one who doesn't fit.

Cordelia's expression hardened. "Vespera. Watch your tone."

Vespera widened her eyes, all false innocence. "What? I'm just saying hello." She tilted her head, red hair sliding over one shoulder. "It's such a special situation. The whole pack's been talking about it."

She looked me up and down slowly, deliberately. Taking her time.

"Alpha never brings outsiders back to pack territory. But for some stray wolf with no background, no family..." She let the sentence hang, loaded with implication.

Say it. Just fucking say what you mean.

Vespera's smile sharpened. "There are so many strong female warriors here. Born and raised in Shadowmere. Loyal. Proven." Her fingers traced up Kaelen's arm. "But he never looked at any of them."

The meaning was crystal clear.

What makes you so special? What could you possibly have that we don't?

Through the bond—that cursed connection I couldn't sever—I felt something surge from Kaelen's end.

Anger. Hot and immediate.

Guilt. Sharp enough to cut.

And beneath it all, something that felt almost like pain.

But he still didn't push Vespera away. Didn't defend me. Didn't say a single fucking word.

Right. Got it.

Fine.

I let my lips curve into a smile. Cold. Empty. The kind that used to make people back away from me in my old pack.

"You're right," I said, my voice flat and controlled. "It is special."

I met Vespera's gaze directly, holding it until she shifted uncomfortably. Until some of that triumph faded from her expression.

"Being chosen by the Moon Goddess herself tends to be like that." I paused, let the words sink in. Let them see the absolute certainty in my eyes. "As opposed to... throwing yourself at someone and hoping they notice."