Chapter 18 CHAPTER 18
The first thing Sebastian noticed when he opened his eyes was the light. It was too bright, too sharp for morning.
He blinked at the window, squinting against the white glare that poured through the curtains. His body felt heavy, every limb aching as if he’d been training all night. The space beside him was empty. The sheet still held a trace of warmth and the faint scent of Sara’s perfume - sweet, familiar, dizzying. His lips twitched into a lazy grin as the previous night replayed in flashes. Her breath on his neck, their tangled limbs, the way she’d whispered his name and the wild blur of laughter and skin.
But somehow, the memory felt heavy, as if it left behind exhaustion rather than pleasure.
He dragged a hand through his hair and groaned. “What time is it?”
The clock answered him in silence and judgment: half past eleven.
“Damn it! Father will kill me for missing the council meeting. How did I end up sleeping this late?”
He pushed himself up, head pounding. The tiredness wasn’t normal. He’d gone through grueling drills before without feeling this hollow. Now, it was as if something had been quietly siphoned out of him.
He exhaled sharply, muttering, “It’s probably that damn bond. I have to find the slave girl and end it with her. It’s messing with my body.”
But even as he said it, the words rang hollow. He had expected Kael to say something, but lately he had been quiet on him. Only coming forward when absolutely necessary.
He splashed water on his face, grabbed a shirt from the chair, and threw it on. When he caught his reflection in the mirror, the man staring back looked nothing like the future Alpha of Silverpine. His eyes were shadowed, his skin pale under the morning light.
He buttoned his shirt, swore under his breath, and stormed out of the room.
Downstairs, the scent of roasted meat and herbs filled the hall. The voices of servants and clinking dishes floated from the kitchen.
His mother stood at the center of it all, graceful but commanding, directing the staff with practiced authority.
“Sebastian,” she said, startled as he stumbled in, still tugging at his sleeve. “You’re awake.”
“Barely,” he said, snagging a piece of toast from the counter. “Why didn’t anyone wake me?”
“We did,” she replied pointedly, folding her arms. “Half the house knocked on your door. We thought you were ignoring us.”
He winced. “I wasn’t….”
Her eyebrow arched. “We heard laughter late last night. I assumed Sara was the reason you didn’t answer the door.”
“Mother,” he groaned.
Her tone softened, but her gaze didn’t. “Your father is furious. You were supposed to be at the council meeting an hour ago.”
Sebastian glanced at the clock, sighed, and grabbed a cup of coffee. “I’m going now.”
“You’d better,” she said. “And for the Goddess’ sake, try not to argue with him this time.”
He grinned, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I lack the energy mother, but I can’t make any promises.”
The backyard had been transformed into a formal council ground. The long table gleamed beneath the shade of an old oak, surrounded by men whose expressions carried the weight of the pack’s history.
At the head sat Alpha Richard Moore - his father - hands clasped, jaw tight. Cedric Hale sat a few seats down, looking worn and restless.
“…and if this matter isn’t resolved soon,” Richard was saying, “we risk instability. The next Alpha cannot lead under a fractured bond.”
Sebastian stopped short at the edge of the patio.
All heads turned as he appeared.
Richard’s glare was immediate. “You’re late.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Sit.”
Sebastian lowered himself into the empty chair beside his father. The tension in the air was palpable, like the moment before a storm breaks.
“Cedric,” Richard continued, his tone colder now, “any word about the girl?”
Cedric shook his head. “None, Alpha. I thought she’d be back by now but… It’s as if she vanished into thin air.”
Murmurs rippled through the table.
Richard’s knuckles whitened around his clasped hands. “She can’t simply disappear. Every bond has its echo. My son feels it still.”
Sebastian stiffened but didn’t speak.
Richard turned his gaze on him. “Don’t you?”
Sebastian hesitated, then sighed. “Sometimes I get nightmares; I don’t see her in them. Kael says I sense her feelings. It’s like… cold. Fear. I can’t explain it. It feels like she’s not safe.”
The elders exchanged uneasy glances.
Richard leaned back. “Then we have to find her. Whatever it takes.”
A moment passed in silence before his father’s eyes narrowed. “What about Sara?”
Sebastian blinked. “What about her?”
“Are you still seeing her?”
He frowned. “Of course. Everyone knows she’s my girlfriend. Why?”
Richard’s voice dropped an octave. “Are you still being intimate with her?”
The question caught him off guard. “What kind of question is that? She’s my girlfriend, Father. We do everything. Why shouldn’t we?”
Richard’s expression hardened. “Because the more you mix your spirit with another, the weaker you become. A bond like yours reacts to that. You’re pulling yourself apart.”
Sebastian scowled. “So now everything that happens to me is the bond’s fault? Maybe I’m just tired. Maybe I trained too hard.”
“Trainer Allen says you’ve been losing focus. Losing to your juniors.”
Sebastian looked away. “He exaggerates.”
Richard’s tone cut sharper. “No, he doesn’t. You’re slipping, and if you don’t learn discipline, the pack will suffer.”
Sebastian clenched his fists. “So what now? I can’t train, I can’t see Sara, I can’t live my own life?”
“You’re the future Alpha,” Richard said sternly. “You don’t have a life; you have a responsibility.”
Sebastian’s jaw tightened, anger simmering just beneath the surface. “Fine. I’ll be more careful.”
“Careful,” Richard echoed, unconvinced.
He sighed, then turned his gaze inward. “Kael.”
Sebastian stiffened as his wolf’s presence stirred in his mind. A deep hum filled his chest - a connection that was both grounding and exhausting.
Yes, Alpha? Kael’s voice came calm and low, echoing in both their minds.
“Make sure he stays away from that girl,” Richard said. “Until this weakness fades.”
Kael hesitated. I’ll try. But he barely listens anymore.
Richard’s eyes snapped to Sebastian’s face. “Is that true?”
Sebastian bristled. “You’re talking like I’m not even here.”
Kael’s tone was quiet. He’s distracted. He shuts me out.
Richard frowned. “Since when?”
It started before the bond, Kael admitted. But lately, it’s worse. Something’s changed. His energy… it burns out faster than it should.
Sebastian’s head lifted slightly, but he said nothing.
Richard leaned back, brow furrowed. “You think the bond’s doing this?”
Kael hesitated. I don’t know. But something’s wrong with him. It’s not just fatigue, it’s like he’s being emptied from the inside.
The council fell silent.
Richard’s expression grew grave. “Then we find the cause. Whatever it is.”
Cedric shifted uneasily, the faintest tremor in his hands. “And if it is the bond?”
Richard’s eyes were cold. “Then we find the girl and end it properly - before it destroys them both
The meeting dissolved slowly, elders murmuring amongst themselves. Sebastian sat motionless, staring at nothing.
Kael’s voice brushed the edge of his thoughts. You should rest.
“I’m fine,” Sebastian muttered.
You’re not. I can feel it. But what do I know? Lately my opinion doesn’t count.
He ignored him, watching his father’s retreating figure across the yard.
Richard didn’t look back.