CHAPTER 12: SERAPHINA'S JEALOUSLY
1815 Words
Seraphina had been waiting for the right moment.
She'd watched Kael all morning—the way he moved through the pack house, the way he took care of pack duties.
She smoothed her dress, practiced her most alluring smile, and made her way to his office. She didn't knock. She never did.
Kael looked up from his desk, his expression hardening the moment he saw her. "Seraphina. I didn't call for you."
"I know." She sauntered toward him, her hips swaying deliberately. "I thought we could talk. Alone."
"There's nothing to discuss."
She ignored him, rounding the desk and perching on the edge. Her hand reached out, fingers trailing along his shoulder. "Kael, don't be like that. I've loved you for years. I've waited for you. I've been patient. And now—"
"Now I've found my mate." His voice was cold, final. "There's nothing to discuss."
She climbed onto his lap before he could stop her, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her lips hovered near his ear. "She's a human. A broken, worthless slave. She can't give you what I can. She can't, stand beside a strong Alpha like you, she can't....."
He grabbed her wrists and shoved her off him so fast she stumbled backward, nearly falling.
"Get out," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Now."
Seraphina's eyes widened. "Kael—"
"I said get out." He rose from his chair, his full Alpha presence bearing down on her. "You will never touch me again. You will never speak of my mate that way again. And if you ever try something like this again, I'll have you banished from this pack. Do I make myself clear?"
She immediately lowered her gaze, her face pale with shock and fury. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came, Kael was using an Alpha tune, and no wolf can withstand the Alpha's tune.
"Get. Out."
She fled the room, her face burning with humiliation, her heart pounding with rage.
He chose her. He chose that pathetic human over me.
Elara Walked through the corridor toward the laundry room, a basket of fresh linens balanced on her hip. She'd insisted on helping with the chores—old habits, Kael called them. But the truth was, she liked feeling useful. Liked the normalcy of it.
A hand shot out of nowhere and grabbed her arm.
Elara was yanked into a narrow alcove, the basket of linens clattering to the floor. Her heart slammed against her ribs. Old instincts flared—fight, freeze, flee—but before she could react, she was face to face with Seraphina.
The wolf's grip was like iron. Her green eyes blazed with barely contained fury.
"You," Seraphina hissed, "have been a thorn in my side long enough."
Elara's breath came in shallow gasps. "Please—I don't want any trouble—"
"Trouble?" Seraphina laughed, sharp and brittle. "You've already caused it." Her voice cracked. " He chose you. A broken, worthless slave."
The words stung—old wounds that had never fully healed. But something else rose inside Elara. Not anger. Not defiance. Just... weariness.
She'd been called worse. She'd survived worse.
"I don't want to fight you," Elara said quietly. "I don't want anyone's place. I just want to—"
"You want to take everything from me." Seraphina's voice cracked, raw and furious. "I've loved him for years. Years. I've been perfect. I've been patient. I've done everything right. And then you show up a pathetic, fragile little human and he looks at you like you hung the moon."
Her grip tightened. Elara winced.
"He's my mate," Elara said, her voice trembling but steady. "I didn't choose this. The Moon Goddess—"
"The Moon Goddess," Seraphina spat, "made a mistake. You're not strong enough, to be a Luna, You're not wolf enough. You'll never be enough for him. And I'll make sure everyone knows it, if I were you, I will run, run away from this pack."
She shoved Elara hard against the wall.
Elara's head cracked against the stone. Pain exploded behind her eyes. She gasped, her vision swimming.
"Stay away from him," Seraphina whispered, her face inches from Elara's. "Or I'll make your life a living hell. You've been warned."
And then she was gone—sweeping down the corridor like nothing had happened, leaving Elara slumped against the cold stone wall.
Elara sat there for a long moment, her heart pounding, her head throbbing. The basket of linens lay scattered across the floor.
"Elara?"
Lyra's voice. Then footsteps, quick and concerned.
"Oh my, Elara! What happened?" Lyra dropped to her knees beside her, her hands gentle as she cupped Elara's face. "Your head, you're bleeding. Who did this?"
"Seraphina," Elara whispered. "She---she cornered me. She said she'd make my life a living hell."
Lyra's face darkened. Her amber eyes flashed with fury. "That venomous snake. I'm going to—"
"No." Elara grabbed her wrist. "Please. Don't. It'll only make things worse."
Lyra stared at her, her jaw tight. Then she let out a long, shaky breath. "Fine. But if she touches you again, I won't hold back. I don't care who her father is."
She helped Elara to her feet, brushing off her dress with gentle hands.
"Come on," Lyra said softly. "Let's get you cleaned up."
Lyra took her to her own room, a cozy space filled with books and cushions and soft light. She sat Elara on the bed and went to get a cloth and warm water.
"Don't move," she said firmly.
Elara smiled weakly. "I wasn't planning to."
Lyra returned and began dabbing at the cut on Elara's head. Her touch was gentle, careful, like she was handling something precious.
"I don't understand," Elara said softly. "Why does she hate me so much? I never did anything to her."
Lyra sighed, her amber eyes soft with sympathy. "She's jealous, she has, always carried herself around this pack as the future Luna, so you showing up is like a threat to what she want. And this morning she made tried to seduce my brother, but he shoved her off and commanded her out of his office. She's humiliated and furious. And now she's taking it out on you."
Elara blinked. "He shoved her off?"
"He did." Lyra's smile was proud. "He told her she'll never touch him again. He threatened to banish her if she speaks badly of you."
Elara looked down at her hands—still trembling, still scarred. "I didn't ask for any of this."
"I know." Lyra squeezed her hands. "But seriously Elara you need to stop letting people like seraphina bully you, you are her Luna for goodness sake. you and kael should just completely the marking and mating already, she won't try this if you had kael's mark.
Elara's cheeks turn red.
"I mean it." Lyra's voice was fierce. "stop letting Elara humiliate you, You're not weak. You're one of the strongest people I know."
Elara blinked back tears. "Thank you."
Lyra grinned. " I still mean it you are Kael should, give me a nice or nephew already."
"Lyra---" Elara called, hitting her shoulder playful.
They both started laughing.
---
Later that evening, Kael walked into their room and immediately knew something was wrong.
Elara was sitting on the bed, her knees drawn up to her chest. The cut on her head had been cleaned and bandaged, but the bruise beneath it was already darkening.
"Elara." He crossed the room in three strides, his voice tight with worry. "What happened?"
She looked up at him, her eyes red-rimmed. "It's nothing. I'm okay."
"Don't." He knelt in front of her, his hands framing her face. "Don't tell me you're okay when you've been hurt. Who did this?"
She hesitated. Then she whispered, "Seraphina. She cornered me near the laundry room. She said—" Her voice cracked. "She said I'm nothing. That I'll never be enough for you. That she'll make my life a living hell."
Kael's eyes darkened—a storm brewing in their depths. His jaw tightened. His hands trembled with barely contained rage.
"She threw herself at me this morning," he said, his voice low. "I rejected her. And now she's taking it out on you."
Elara nodded. "Lyra told me."
"I'll handle her," he said, his voice dangerous. "I'll banish her. I don't care who her father is."
"No." Elara grabbed his wrist. "Please. Don't. She's just—she's hurting. I don't want more violence."
"She hurt you," Kael said, his voice breaking. "She put her hands on you. I can't—" He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. "Elara, every time someone hurts you, it breaks something in me."
She reached up, touching his cheek. "I'm okay. I'm here. I'm safe."
He leaned into her touch, his eyes still closed. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I should have protected you. I should have—"
"Kael." Her voice was soft but firm. "You can't protect me from everything. But you can be here. That's all I need."
He opened his eyes, meeting her gaze. His hand covered hers on his cheek.
"I'm going to make sure she never touches you again," he said. "I don't care who her father is. She's gone."
"Kael—"
"Don't argue with me on this." His voice was firm but gentle. "She threatened you. She hurt you. I won't allow it. You're my mate. You're everything to me. And I will protect you."
Elara stared at him—this fierce, wonderful man who loved her despite everything. She reached up, threading her fingers through his hair.
"Kiss me," she whispered.
His expression softened. He leaned in, his lips brushing hers—soft, tender.
"It's going to be okay," he murmured against her lips. "I promise."
She nodded, before claiming his lips.
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