Chapter 3

I returned to the estate that had belonged to us both. Once, every stone brick, every breath of air carried his scent. Now only cold dust remained. The moment I closed the door, I could almost hear my wolf's low howl inside my chest. Not pleading—rage. Five years. Five years of waiting, five years of trust, five years of foolishness. I'd believed the fated mate bond was sacred, untaintable. I'd believed I could become the Luna he'd willingly bow to. But he destroyed it all himself, an hour before our mating ceremony. Firelight danced in the hearth, casting shadows of my disheveled form. I began clearing the room piece by piece. This had been our shared space—his armor, his cloak, the charms I'd woven by hand, and the silver chain from his first hunt, given to me. Each item had once made my heart race. Now they made me sick. "Seraphine!" A soft female voice came from the doorway. I turned. Bella stood there, arms wrapped around herself, her eyes holding unease and false sympathy. "I know you hate me," she said quietly, "but I never meant to hurt you. Lucien just... he couldn't control it. He said fate—" "Fate?" I cut her off, my laugh cold as broken glass. "Then congratulations. Fate chose you." She bit her lip, expression complicated. "I just want you to understand—you can still stay. Lucien doesn't want you to leave. He said... you're important to him. Maybe the three of us could coexist." I froze for a few seconds, finally realizing what she'd said. Coexist. I looked at her and suddenly burst out laughing, tears streaming down. "You want me to stay and serve that man alongside you, like we're both his toys?" "No—" "Enough, Bella." I moved closer, my smile fading inch by inch. "Do you want to share half my humiliation? I don't need it." Her eyes flickered like shadows retreating from flame. I turned and threw the silver chain, armor, and charms into the fire. The flames roared up, licking at those memories. The smell of scorched leather mixed with burning silver, like the past screaming. Just as the fire blazed brightest, the door burst open. Him. Lucien rushed in, golden pupils nearly white in the firelight. He stared at the burning fragments, breath catching, voice hoarse: "What are you doing?" "Clearing out trash." I didn't turn around. He stepped forward, reaching to smother the flames. Fire licked his skin, sizzling, but he didn't flinch. He pulled the silver chain from the fire with his bare hands, palm already charred, blood dripping between his fingers. "How can you be so heartless?" he said hoarsely, eyes holding pain I'd never seen before. "This was from my first hunt—you said it would protect us." "It can't protect against betrayal," I replied coldly. He clutched his burned hand, expression tortured, as if suppressing something tearing inside him. "I never wanted to hurt you, Sera," his voice dropped almost inaudibly. "I just—the pack needs a pure-blood Luna. It's politics, not love." I looked up, eyes sharp as knives. "So you thought I'd tolerate a politician's kiss?" He stepped back. In that instant, he showed a kind of vulnerability. "I love you," he murmured. "Love?" I smiled, tears sliding down my cheeks, turned silver by the firelight. "Yes, Lucien. You loved me—like a victory trophy." I walked up to him, gently pushing aside his hand covering the wound. Palm blackened, flesh curling. "Does it hurt?" I asked. He didn't answer. "This is just a burn," I said quietly. "But where you bit me—it burns every moment." His breathing turned ragged. In that moment, he nearly reached out to hold me. But I turned toward the door. Just then, Bella rushed forward, blocking my path. "Don't go. It's my fault. What if I give up being Luna?" I pushed her. "Get out of my way!" But the next moment, Bella shrieked and fell to the ground. Lucien rushed over and caught her in his arms. "It's not Seraphine's fault—I lost my balance," Bella said weakly, leaning against Lucien. "Apologize, Seraphine!" Lucien stared at me.