Theard every fucking word.” Soren said, his voice like ice cutting through the cafe’s ambient noise
Ophelia’s confident mask shattered. Her eyes immediately filled with crocodile tears, the waterworks starting right on cus
“I was just… just trying to help you and Karla work things out the sobbed, reaching for him with trembling hands
I couldn’t stomach watching this performance anymore. I started walking toward the exit, ready to put this entire toxic chapter of my life behind
But Surer’s hand shot out, grabbing my wrist with desperate fingers[]
“Kaela, wait. Please.” His voice cracked with something that might have been genuine remorse. I’m sorry. For everything I put you through. everything I believed. I know you still love me, and I love you too. We can fix this-
I ripped my arm away from him like his touch burned.]]
Are you out of your goddamn mind? The words exploded out of me, three years of suppressed rage finally finding its voice. “You think you can say you love me? After everything you’ve done?”
His face went slack with shock. He’d probably never heard me raise my voice before, let alone curse at him
You hought that wolf bone bracelet specifically to kill me slowly,” I continued, my voice carrying to every corner of the cafe. “Three years of that thing draining my life force, just so you could wake up your precious Ophelia. You were willing to sacrifice my life for hers, and now you have the balls to stand here and talk about love?
I stepped closer, letting him see exactly how much I despised him
“I used to think I wasn’t good enough for you. Turns out you were never good enough for me.”
I walked away without looking back, leaving him standing there like a statue
The ride hack to Grimweald territory was surreal. I’d expected to have to explain who I was to the guards at the gate, maybe show some kind of Identification
Instead, the security te
team immediately straightened when they saw me approaching
“Luna,” the head guard said, bowing respectfully as he opened the gates, “Welcome home.“||
Home. The word hit me harder than I expected.]]
A car was waiting just inside the gates, engine running like they’d been expecting me. The driver was one of Nikolar’s warriors from earlier, and he treated me with the same deference I’d seen them show their Alpha
As we drove through the Grimweald compound, I felt my jaw drop. I’d thought the lackvein family estate was impressive, but this was something else. entirely. The main house looked like a modern castle, all clean lines and towering glass windows that reflected the moonlight.
The Alpha is waiting for you in the math hall,” the warur said as we pulled up to the entrance.
More staff members were waiting to greet in–housekeepers, groundskeepers, even what looked like a chet. All of them howed as I passed, calling me “Luna” like it was the most natural thing in the world.]]
The difference between this reception and my treatment at the Blackvein estate was staggering. In three years with Soren, I’d never once met his parents. Hell, even their household stall had teated me like some thing they’d scrape off their shoes
I’d always assumed it was because I wasn’t good enough–wrong background, wrong breeding, wrong everything. Soren had made me feel like he was doing me a favor by oven acknowledging our relationslap
But here I was, in a family infinitely more powerful than the Blackveins, being treated like I actually belonged]
The realization hit me like a physical blow. It had never been about worthiness or social standing.
It had been about love. Or the lack of 11.
ΠΡ
Soren had hidden me away because
ecause he was ashamed of me. Nikolai was introducing me to his world because he
I was still processing this revelation when my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. When I opened it, my blood turned to le
It was a video file. The thumbnail was enough to make me want to them up ||
Another message came
message came through immediately after Thought your new mate should know what he really but
bonded with Sweet dreams, sister.
My hands shook at Istared at the screen. Ophelia had actually done it. She’d sent the Shadowlands footage to Nikolai
All the warmth and acceptance I’d felt moments ago vanished, replaced by cold terror. He’d see me at my most broken, most humiliated. He’d realize exactly what kind of damaged goods he’d gotten himself tied to
And then this fairy tale would be over before it had really begun
