15 Chapter 15

Seraphina’s POV 1

The question hung in the air like a blade poised above my neck. Even though Valerie had been dragged away by security, her venomous words still echoed through the silent restaurant like poison sceping through the walls. I stared at Damien in disbelief, unable to process

what I was hearing.

“Is it true?”

His voice was completely different now-cold, clinical, stripped of every trace of the warmth that had made my heart race just moments before. This was the voice of an Alpha passing judgment, and I was clearly the one being judged.

“Damien, you can’t seriously believe-” I started, but he cut me off with a sharp gesture.

“Answer the question, Seraphina.” My name on his lips sounded like an accusation now. “Is Adrian Gabriel’s son?”

way he’d The betrayal hit me like a physical blow. After everything we’d shared today-the mate bond crackling between us, the defended me against Valerie, the gentle way he’d asked about Adrian in the car-he was ready to believe the worst of me based on the word of a woman he’d literally thrown out of his office hours earlier.

“You want to know the truth?” My voice came out steadier than I felt, though my hands were shaking with fury and heartbreak. “The truth is that Adrian’s father is someone disappeared before dawn without even leaving his name five years ago.”

Damien’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his eyes-confusion, maybe even recognition. But it was gone so quickly I

might have imagined it.

“Gabriel was never Adrian’s father,” I continued, each word feeling like broken glass in my throat. “Gabriel was a lying, cheating bastard who was screwing my stepsister while promising to marry me. But he never touched me, not once in all the months we dated.”

“Then Valerie-”

behind them. “She did the same thing to me when I was eighteen-humiliated me in front of everyone, made me feel like I

every horrible thing that happened

drama unfold like it was better than cable television. I could see phones being discreetly raised, could practically hear the gossip spreading through the werewolf social networks

to the Canadian border would know about the omega who’d dared to

or the whispers or even the humiliation. It

stranger he was trying

my voice growing stronger with each word as righteous

anyone else. I’ve spent five years building a life for myself and my son without anyone’s help,

need approval from someone who’s ready

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now felt like a chain around

said. “You’ll

letting the expensive fabric slide off my shoulders and pool on the marble floor

nearby diners told me exactly how shocking my rejection appeared to the watching crowd. Apparently, omega women didn’t refuse Alpha generosity in public. Well, there

be. Each step felt like

shiver immediately. “Well,

confident this morning were now instruments of torture, digging into my feet with every step and making me wobble dangerously on the uneven sidewalk. After two blocks of misery, I finally

better than the agony of those heels. I gathered up the skirt of my ruined dress and continued walking, letting my feet take me wherever they wanted to go as long

tears finally beginning to spill down my cheeks now that I was alone. “Why do I keep believing that someone might actually want me, might actually choose

suddenly illuminated the street behind me, followed by the sharp beep of a car horn. I stepped closer to the parked cars lining the sidewalk, assuming the driver just wanted me to get out of the way, but the vehicle slowed to

to make me squint, throwing everything beyond them into shadow. Then the driver’s

“Miss? Are you alright?”

of the colleague in the company. He’d been at the dinner party, had been one of the wolves who’d witnessed my spectacular public humiliation. The last thing I needed right

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