348- The Price of Choosing
POV Viktor Averwyn:
The wolf fell silent. Satisfied in its needs and its fury.
I didn’t move as I regained full awareness, my rationality taking over—and striking me with the consequences.
I looked at Seraphine lying there, her red hair spread out, her skin flushed from the passionate sex. Nipples still hardened, pleasure still evident. And the proof of her broken virginity between her legs, around my cock, on my mouth.
She was alive, awake. But others had been too, seeming normal for a while—until they gave in, weak and sick, with nothing I could do. Guilt devoured me alive. For what could still happen. For what could never be undone.
I stepped back, jumping off the bed, tense.
I thought of Adelina, and my terror hit me all at once. By now, she had probably already reached Lucian’s lands. The guilt worsened when I realized what I had done.
I let her go. When I ran after Seraphine, I abandoned my daughter to a fate that had every chance of being cruel. In that moment of desperation, it was instinct that made the choice. My wolf took over, acted. The father in me didn’t stand a chance.
“Viktor...”
I ignored the call, going to the closet and grabbing the first clothes I saw. I returned, dressing quickly.
“Where… are you going?”
She sat up, fragile expression, soft voice.
The anger surged, and I hated her completely. Both of them had deceived me, betrayed me, put themselves in danger. And only one of them was there—safe.
“Do you know what that murderer can do to my daughter?” I snarled, feeling my beast rise again, alert, lighting my eyes.
“She...”
“Damn it! I’ll deal with you later.”
I headed for the door and she stumbled after me.
“It’s dangerous! It must already be full of wolves out there! Viktor!”
I ran, desperate. I had to try.
I crossed the village and pounded on Daciana’s door. She opened it, nervous and sleepy, while I shouted for Cezar. When he appeared with Florian and Petru, I spoke quickly:
“Adelina ran away. She’s heading toward Lucian’s territory.”
“Fuck!” The head of the guard stepped forward immediately, not even bothering to put on a shirt.
“I’m coming with you!” the youngest said, running after us as we left, while Daciana pleaded for us to be careful.
We used a secret passage, because the area was likely surrounded—the news that I had killed another alpha spreading. I wouldn’t put their lives at risk. Seraphine and the villagers in my territory needed me too.
All the wolves seemed to be outside their villages—various scents in the woods, noise, howls. We couldn’t advance, and I kept them downwind so our scent wouldn’t give us away.
My hatred and pain urged me to fight to the death if necessary. But that wouldn’t bring my daughter back.
“Viktor…” Cezar began, and I understood. I swallowed the tearing pain inside me and nodded.
“Let’s go back.”
I thought of Adelina, of everything that could happen. Of the chances to change it and bring her back. Of possible agreements.
After Konrad’s death, the war would become far more serious. I might never see her again.
A part of me died at that possibility.
(...)
POV Seraphine Valerian:
I fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.
I woke the next morning with every muscle in my body sore, my head heavy, my emotions in chaos. After Viktor left the night before, I cried until I passed out. Naked, scratched, my skin stained with blood, dirt, and semen.
“My God…”
I sat up on the mattress, trembling. Thirst, hunger, desperation. And worry.
My heart raced in panic and I practically dragged myself to the bathroom. As the shower washed away the grime, tears mixed with the water running down. Where was Viktor? What if he had been attacked while going after Adelina?
I washed quickly, pulled on one of his oversized shirts, and hurried downstairs, weak and barefoot, my hair dripping. I ignored the pain in my body and ran to the kitchen.
I froze from head to toe when I saw Daciana sitting at the table, crying and wiping her eyes with a dishcloth.
“He… he…” I stammered, needing to lean on a chair.
“Why did you do that? Why?”
“Daciana…”
“Now Adelina is with that murderer!”
Guilt engulfed me, and I sat down, anguished, almost hyperventilating.
“But Viktor…”
“He left with my sons, but the forest was full—they couldn’t get through. He’s been in a meeting since dawn, locked in his office without bathing, eating, or sleeping. Because of the immaturity of two girls who know nothing about life! Spoiled!”
She stood up, furious and grieving, throwing the cloth into the sink and turning her back to me. Pots clanged as she sniffled, while I stared at the wooden grooves of the table, devastated.
I wanted to defend myself, to explain how I felt without understanding anything, being torn away from my home, attacked, kidnapped. Everything happening so suddenly. But nothing I said would change the truth. We ran away and almost died. I was here—but Adelina wasn’t.
Everything spun in my head—us running through the woods, Konrad appearing, Viktor too. The massacre, limbs torn off, blood spraying, fear. And then the two of us in the cemetery and in the bed. Terror, horror, desire, need. Death and life clashing, purging, fighting.
I closed my eyes for a moment, almost feeling him inside me again, the way he took me in desperation and how I responded. Everything so wild and volatile it felt unreal. But the soreness between my thighs was proof. As were the scratches on my body.
“We… we almost died…” I murmured.
Daciana paused, then came back, sitting near me.
Her eyes were red. It was hard to look at her.
“What happened out there?”
“Viktor killed Konrad and the other wolves. Alone. He…” I breathed, because even talking about it was hard. “He grew huge, with fur and… oh God…”