Chapter 145 Chapter 145
Chapter 145 Chapter 145
SERAPHINA’S MANIPULATIONS
TIANA’S POV
The heavy iron door creaked open. For a brief moment, I couldn't move.
The same men who had held me down... mocked me... and made me wish I would never wake up again... were standing only a few steps away.
Fear gripped my heart. Then I felt Ethan's hand gently squeeze mine. "You don't have to do this," he murmured.
"If you want to leave, we'll leave."
I looked at him before turning toward Ezra and Ezekiel. Both of them gave me reassuring nods. They weren't pushing me. They were simply standing behind me, waiting, and ready to protect me if anything happened.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside the cell. The rogues burst into laughter. "So the little toy really came back."
"I was wondering when she'd miss us."
One of them took a slow step toward me before immediately freezing. Three overwhelming Alpha auras crashed into the cell right behind me.
The rogue swallowed hard before taking a reluctant step backward. For the first time since meeting them, I saw genuine fear in their eyes.
A strange sense of courage filled my chest. I wasn't alone anymore. I slowly walked up to the man who had spoken first.
He tried forcing a smirk onto his face. "What?" he sneered. "You came back because—"
I didn't allow him to finish. I gave him a slap that echoed through the dungeon. His head snapped sideways, and a bright red handprint immediately appeared on his cheek.
The entire dungeon fell silent. Even the guards looked stunned.
I lowered my trembling hand, breathing hard. "That's..." I whispered, "...for touching me."
Before the rogue could recover, I slapped him again.
"This is for making me afraid."
The rogue stumbled backward, clutching his swollen face while I hit him again and again.
His earlier arrogance had completely disappeared. None of the others laughed anymore. They stared at me in complete silence, while I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand.
"I'll never forgive any of you."
None of them answered. Not because they didn't want to. But because three Alpha heirs stood behind me like an unbreakable wall, daring any of them to move.
For the first time since that horrible day, I felt like I had taken back a small piece of myself.
...
A short while later, we finally left the dungeon.
The heavy doors slammed shut behind us, sealing the rogues back inside their cells.
As we walked through the palace corridor, constance remained beside me, while Seraphina instinctively kept close, as though she still feared someone might try to take me away again.
"I'm proud of you," Seraphina said warmly.
I turned toward her.
"You were much braver than you realize. Facing the people who hurt you isn't something everyone can do."
Constance smiled brightly. "I knew you could do it."
I smiled broadly as I recalled everything. I couldn't deny it. Having the brothers beside me had changed everything.
Every time I faltered, one of them was there. Every time fear threatened to overwhelm me, I felt their presence surrounding me like a shield. For the first time in days, I truly felt safe.
Suddenly, my fingers accidentally brushed against something inside my dress pocket. My heart skipped a beat when I realized what it was.
I slowed my steps just enough to discreetly slip my hand into my pocket and confirm. The parchment was still there.
I quietly pulled it out just enough to check before folding it again and slipping it back into my pocket.
Almost immediately, I felt someone's gaze on me. I looked up instantly, only to realized it was Seraphina.
She smiled at me again, but there was something sharp in her gaze, like she could smell the fear I was trying to hide.
“What was that?” she asked gently, stepping closer. “You look like you just received bad news. Is everything okay, Tiana? You can tell me. I’m your friend, remember?”
I forced a smile, my heart beating faster than I expected. “It’s nothing important. Just a note from one of the maids about tomorrow’s schedule.”
Seraphina tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly. “You don’t have to carry everything alone, you know. If something is bothering you, I’m here to listen. Especially after what happened with the rogues. You must be so scared and confused.”
Her voice was full of concern, but it made me feel uneasy. I nodded quickly. “I’m fine. Really.”
Constance watched us quietly. She knew me too well. She could tell I was hiding something big, but she stayed silent for now.
As we continued walking toward my chamber, my thoughts suddenly darted to the letter.
If that was true, then who had marked me? Why? Was this a trap? Was someone trying to turn me against the brothers?
I thought about Ethan, Ezekiel, and Ezra. They had been so gentle with me after the rescue. Their touches were full of love and protection. They called me theirs. They held me like I was the most precious thing in the world.
How could I tell them that someone else had marked me? Would they still want me? Would they look at me with disgust instead of affection?
Tears filled my eyes as I walked. I had been through so much.
The rejection from Ethan in the beginning. The complicated love with all three of them. The wild night in the hall. The kidnapping by the rogues. And now this mysterious mark.
It felt like the Moon Goddess was testing me too hard. I loved them all three of them deeply. But the mark made everything feel wrong. Like I was tainted. Like I belonged to someone else.
Constance noticed my tears and stopped walking. She pulled me into a warm hug right there in the corridor.
“It’s okay to cry,” she whispered. “You don’t have to be strong all the time. I’m here.”
I cried quietly on her shoulder, letting out some of the fear and confusion I had been holding inside.
Seraphina stood nearby, watching us with a soft expression.
After a few minutes, I wiped my tears and tried to smile. “Thank you, Constance. I feel a little better.”
We continued to my chamber, but my mind was already made up. I would go to the midnight meeting alone.
I needed answers. I needed to know who had marked me and why. Even if it was dangerous, I had to face it.