SERENA’S POV
The ride back home is quiet—eerily quiet. Not even Cassidy’s usual sarcastic jabs nor Luna’s soft humming can cut through the tension pulsing through the vehicle. My fingers grip the edge of the seat, knuckles turning white, as I stare blankly out the window. Lucian sits in the front, as still and composed as a statue, his aura unreadable as always. My heart pounds in my chest like a war drum. I don’t even know if it’s fear, guilt, or pure rage and longing coursing through me. Maybe it’s all three—merging and exploding within me like a storm I can’t control.
The car slows as we approach the apartment building. A thick silence blankets us as we step out into the cool night air. The streetlights flicker overhead, casting golden glows that don’t feel comforting—just cold. I tak
