Chapter 30: Exposed

Seraphine's POV

The walk back to Kaelen's house felt shorter than it should have.

Maybe because I was dreading what came next.

Cordelia kept chattering beside me. Plans. Ideas. Dreams for a future I'd never have.

"You'll love the cottage," she said. "It has windows facing east. Perfect morning light."

Stop planning my life.

But I just nodded. Let her talk.

---

The dining room was already occupied when we arrived.

Lucian sat on one side of the long table, scrolling through his phone. He looked up when we entered, offered a small smile.

Orion stood by the window. Arms crossed. His expression unreadable.

"You're back," he said. Not quite a question.

"Shopping took longer than expected." Cordelia guided me to a seat across from Lucian. "Sera needed proper clothes."

I sat down. Stared at the empty plate in front of me.

The chair felt too big. The room felt too big.

I don't belong here.

Orion took his seat beside me. Still watching.

Does he suspect something?

Minutes passed. Silence stretched.

Then he walked in.

---

Kaelen looked exhausted.

Dark circles under his eyes. Jaw tight. Shoulders tense.

Good. Hope you had a shit day.

He didn't look at anyone. Just moved to the head of the table and sat down.

The bond pulsed in my chest.

Cold. Distant. Like ice spreading through water.

Fuck off.

I focused on my plate. On the silverware. Anywhere but him.

Cordelia cleared her throat. "Should we—"

"Let's eat," Kaelen said flatly.

Rowan appeared. Started setting food on the table.

I barely registered what it was. Some kind of roasted meat. Vegetables. Bread.

Doesn't matter. Can't taste anything anyway.

---

The silence was suffocating.

Lucian ate quietly. Orion hadn't touched his food. Cordelia kept glancing between Kaelen and me like she was waiting for something to explode.

Smart woman.

I picked at my food. Pushed it around.

The bond kept pulsing. Cold. Cold. Cold.

Stop it. I don't care.

But that was a lie.

Some stupid part of me wanted to know what he was feeling. Why the connection felt like winter.

Did spending time with Vespera make you realize how much you hate being stuck with me?

The thought made something bitter rise in my throat.

Fuck this.

I set down my fork. Looked directly at Kaelen.

"Alpha."

His eyes lifted. Met mine. Cold as the bond between us.

"Did you enjoy your day with your old lover?"

The temperature in the room dropped.

Lucian froze mid-bite. Cordelia's eyes went wide.

Kaelen's expression didn't change. He set down his knife with deliberate slowness.

"What I do," he said, voice like ice, "is none of your concern."

"Of course." I smiled. Sharp. "Why would the great Alpha need to explain himself to someone as insignificant as me?"

"Seraphine—" Cordelia started.

"I mean it," I continued, leaning forward. "Compared to your wonderful life, I'm just a nobody. A burden you got stuck with."

Kaelen's jaw tightened.

"I made a commitment," he said coldly. "I'll honor it. You don't need to remind me."

Commitment. That's all I am.

"How generous," I said.

The bond flared. Heat cutting through the cold.

He's angry. Good.

Lucian cleared his throat. "Maybe we should—"

"I'm fine," Kaelen said. But his knuckles were white around his fork.

Orion was watching us both. Expression calculating.

Shit. Too much. Tone it down.

I looked away first. Back to my untouched food.

The silence returned. Heavier than before.

---

Cordelia broke it.

"Orion." Her voice was bright. Too bright. "How did the negotiations go today? Any news about Lyralei?"

My head snapped up.

Every muscle in my body went rigid.

Please. Please have found something.

Orion's gaze locked onto me immediately. Sharp. Assessing.

"Old John refused to let our search parties into his territory," he said. Still watching me. "There was an incident three days ago."

My heart stopped.

No.

"What kind of incident?" Kaelen's voice was flat.

Orion's eyes never left my face. "Two strangers broke into the village. Young women. One blonde. They were caught stealing. Set a fire to escape."

The fork slipped from my hand. Clattered against the plate.

Loud.

Fuck.

"Seraphine." Orion's tone was direct. Not accusing. Just... knowing. "That sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

I couldn't breathe.

Couldn't move.

Everyone was looking at me now.

Cordelia's face had gone pale. "Wait. Three days ago. Two girls. A fire—"

"The timeline matches," Orion said simply. "So does the description. And the method."

They didn't catch Lyralei. Focus on that.

But my hands were shaking so badly I had to grip the table edge.

"She wasn't captured," I forced out. Voice hoarse. "You said strangers. Plural. But if they're still searching..."

"They escaped," Orion confirmed. "Old John's been combing the area. No trace of either of them."

She got away. She's alive. She has to be alive.

Relief and terror hit simultaneously.

Kaelen's voice cut through. "What exactly did John say?"

Orion finally looked away from me. Toward Kaelen.

"The village suffered significant damage. John's furious. He wants our help searching the surrounding forest." A pause. "If we find them, they're to be handed over for punishment."

Lucian put down his fork carefully. "The treaty..."

"Violated," Orion said bluntly. "Arson against humans. That's grounds for serious consequences."

The room went dead silent.

I couldn't look up. Couldn't face any of them.

This is it. They're going to throw me out.

---

"You set a fire?"

Cordelia's voice was barely a whisper.

I forced myself to meet her eyes.

The hurt there was worse than anger would've been.

"I had to," I said. Voice raw. "They caught Lyralei. I had to get her out."

"You committed arson," Lucian said slowly. "Against humans."

"I know."

I know I know I know—

"Everything you told me," Cordelia said faintly. "It was all true. Just... not the way I thought."

"I didn't lie about what happened," I said. "Just... left out some details."

Like the part where we're wanted criminals.

Orion leaned back. "At least your sister wasn't captured."

"But we don't know where she is," Cordelia added. Worry creeping into her voice. "She could be anywhere. Hurt. Alone."

Don't. Don't think about that.

My nails dug into my palms. Hard enough to draw blood.

---

Kaelen spoke.

His voice cut through everything.