Chapter 16
Apr 30, 2025
Lucien’s POV
After the girl left, swaying her hips like she owned the damn courtyard, I turned to Seraphina. She stood a few feet away, arms crossed, eyes blazing with fury. But me? I didn’t even flinch.
“We’re not in love,” I said, voice cold and sharp. “This is arranged. I never promised you loyalty.”
She clenched her jaw, but I kept going.
Why is Seraphina always in the way? I thought bitterly. She’s not even trying. It’s not like she gives me anything.
“Don’t act shocked,” I muttered under my breath. “You knew what this was.”
Her lips parted, but not with shock. With pure rage. “You didn’t have to,” she snapped. “But at least pretend to respect me in front of the pack.”
Her voice cracked at the end, but she didn’t let it show. I raised an eyebrow, cold as ice. “Don’t tell me how to behave.”
She took a step closer, fists clenched. “Then don’t treat me like dirt in public and expect me to smile in private.”
I scoffed. “Just play your role and stay out of my business.”
And just like that, she stormed off. Head high, shoulders stiff, silver braid swinging behind her.
I stood there for a moment, staring after her.
Was I wrong?
Maybe.
But I wasn’t about to admit it.
***
That night, I came back late from patrol, sweat clinging to my shirt, my head pounding. The moment I stepped into our room, I knew something was off.
It was quiet—too quiet. No flicker of candlelight. No rustle of blankets. Just emptiness.
She wasn’t there.
But her scent was—wildflowers, leather, and something sharper underneath. It lingered in the air like she had just left.
I frowned, kicked off my boots, and checked the bathroom.
Nothing. “Seraphina?” I called. No answer.
I stepped into the hallway. No guards had seen her leave. No servants had passed her in the halls. That’s when it hit me.
The woods.
***
I followed her scent past the training grounds and through the thick trees. The moon hung high, casting silver light across the forest floor. Leaves crunched beneath my boots as I moved quietly between the shadows.
Then I heard it.
Thud.
Thwip.
Thud.
I slowed, staying just out of sight.
And there she was.
In a clearing surrounded by thick trees, Seraphina stood tall, her bow raised, firing arrows into wooden dummies with terrifying precision.
One after the other. No hesitation. Her braid whipped behind her as she moved, the silver glint of moonlight catching on her skin.
And damn… she was something else.
Not soft. Not delicate. Nothing like the spoiled royal I imagined.
She was focused. Strong. Furious.
Every arrow looked like it carried a piece of her rage. And I knew that rage had a name.
Me.
I watched from behind a tree, silent. Something shifted in my chest. A tight pull I couldn’t explain. Guilt? Awe? Maybe both.
She wasn’t the servant anymore. She wasn’t even the Luna I thought I didn’t want. She was a warrior. And I had underestimated her.
Badly.
Then—just as I was about to turn away—she froze.
Her body stilled. And she turned. Our eyes met for a split second. Then she raised her bow.
“Wait—”
THWIP.
THUNK.
“AAAAAHHHHHH!” I screamed as the arrow slammed into the tree trunk right next to my head. The wind from it actually grazed my cheek.
My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
She walked over slowly, bow resting at her side, smirking like a fox that just caught a rabbit.
“Gotcha, stalker,” she said, voice smug.
“You—what—Are you crazy?” I shouted. “What if it hit me?!”
“I wouldn’t dare kill my mate,” she said sweetly, then raised an eyebrow. “Or would I?”
I gaped at her. “That’s not funny!”
“It is from my side of the tree.”
I shook my head, still catching my breath. “You could’ve taken out my eye!”
She shrugged. “Next time, don’t sneak around like a creep.”
“I wasn’t creeping—I was checking on you!”
She narrowed her eyes. “Why? Thought I’d get lost in the woods and need saving?”
“No,” I muttered. “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t throwing arrows at my face.”
She rolled her eyes and turned away, walking back to retrieve her arrows.
And I stood there, staring at the girl who just nearly killed me and smiled while doing it.
And for the first time in a long time… I wasn’t angry.
I was impressed.
Really impressed.
