Her Savage Seduction

Chapter 7

The night was unusually quiet, the kind of silence that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Back at the packhouse, the atmosphere was tense. The lingering scent of blood and adrenaline from the fight clung to the air, a grim reminder of how close danger had come.

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the faint scars on my hands. The thrill of the battle had subsided, leaving behind the weight of what I had done. Nyra, my wolf, growled in satisfaction, pleased with our strength. But a part of me couldn’t shake the memory of Darius’s anger—the way his voice had thundered, the way his eyes had burned.

His words echoed in my mind, mingling with the memory of his kiss. My fingers brushed my lips, as if to confirm it had really happened. I should have felt victorious, vindicated even. Instead, all I felt was confusion. Darius wasn’t supposed to mean anything to me. He was a tool, a means to an end. And yet, he had a way of seeing through me, of touching parts of me I thought I had buried.

I heard the heavy tread of boots outside my door before the knock came, firm and unyielding.

“Come in,” I said, bracing myself.

But it wasn’t Darius who entered. It was Ethan. His face was tight with tension, and the intensity in his green eyes caught me off guard.

“I need to talk to you,” he said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.

I crossed my arms, wary of his sudden appearance. “What is it?”

Ethan’s jaw tightened, his gaze flickering with something I couldn’t quite place—regret, maybe. “Is it true? What they’re saying about you and my father?”

My heart skipped a beat, but I forced myself to remain calm. “And what exactly are they saying?”

“That you’re... involved,” he said, his voice laced with bitterness. “That he kissed you. That you’re his now.”

My stomach churned. Someone must have seen us and spread the rumor. “What’s it to you, Ethan?” I asked, keeping my tone steady. “You lost the right to question me the moment you chose to betray me. And with my sister, out of anyone you could have chosen, you chose Celeste.”

He flinched, guilt flashing across his face. “I know I messed up. I know I hurt you. But I didn’t think you’d... move on so quickly.”

Before I could respond, the door swung open again, and Darius strode in. His presence was commanding as ever, his dark eyes immediately locking onto Ethan.

“What are you doing here?” Darius asked, his tone cold and unyielding.

Ethan bristled but didn’t back down. “I’m talking to Lila.”

“About what?” Darius demanded, stepping closer. The tension between them was palpable, the air crackling with unspoken animosity.

“About you,” Ethan said, his voice hard. “About how you’ve been sniffing around her like a dog in heat.”

Darius’s eyes darkened, his wolf rising to the surface. “Watch your tone boy,” he growled. “You forget who you’re speaking to.”

“And you forget she’s not yours to claim,” Ethan shot back.

“I think that’s for Lila to decide,” Darius said, his voice deadly calm. He turned to me, his gaze softening. “Is this what you want? Him barging in here, accusing you of things he has no right to question?”

I looked at them, my heart pounding. The weight of their rivalry was suffocating, and I couldn’t ignore the strain on their relationship. Ethan’s regret was plain, but it was too little, too late. And Darius... he was a force I couldn’t deny, no matter how much I tried.

“I can make my own choices,” I said finally, my voice firm. “And right now, I choose to leave.”

I pushed past them, needing space to breathe. The packhouse was alive with murmurs as I made my way outside. The rumors about Darius and me were already spreading, and I had no doubt Celeste was behind them.

Celeste was waiting for me near the edge of the training grounds, her hair gleaming in the moonlight. She wore a look of feigned concern, but her eyes betrayed her jealousy.

“Lila,” she called, her voice syrupy sweet. “We need to talk.”

I stopped, crossing my arms. “What do you want, Celeste?”

She stepped closer, her smile widening. “I couldn’t help but notice how close you and Darius have become. It’s... surprising, given your history with Ethan.”

“Get to the point,” I said, my patience wearing thin.

Her smile faltered, and for a moment, her true colors showed. “If you think being with Darius will make you Luna, you’re mistaken. You’re not fit for the role. The pack would never accept you.”

I laughed bitterly. “This isn’t about the pack, Celeste. This is about you. You’re scared, aren’t you? Scared that you’ve lost your grip on Ethan, scared that Darius might actually see something in me that he never saw in you.”

Her eyes narrowed, her composure slipping. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I?” I said, stepping closer. “You’ve always been about power and status. But here’s the thing, Celeste—I don’t need a title to prove my worth. And I sure as hell don’t need your approval.”

I turned and walked away, leaving her fuming. The road ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: I wouldn’t let anyone dictate my path—not Celeste, not Ethan, and not even Darius.

I found myself standing at the edge of the forest, the cool breeze carrying the scent of pine and earth. The pack was on high alert, the threat of rogues still looming. But my mind was elsewhere, torn between the pull of Darius and the chaos he brought into my life. Did Ethan really regret his mistake, or was he scared of what might happen in the future? The very same thing Celeste was scared of. “If you think being with Darius will make you Luna, you’re mistaken…” The words replayed in my mind. Becoming Luna never even crossed my mind. But I could see why that would scare them.