The word almost burst out of my throat.
Thirty years of silence shattered in an instant.
It was like a bolt of lightning splitting open my senses, stripping the garden of all color.
I froze.
My wolf roared-a low, ancient, feral sound-like it had finally found the half it had lost.
And when I followed its direction-
There she was.
Along the white stone path beside the rose garden, a woman was bent over, yanking out moonlight roses one by one.
Every time she pulled one out, she cursed under her breath, gritting her teeth as if she wished she could tear the entire garden out by its roots-
"Sorry, baby, I just can't stand that old hag! She doesn't deserve to look after you-pull them all out! Every single one!"
The post-rain air carried the scent of soil and wet leaves.
She was covered in rose petals and mud, her damp hair stuck to her cheek-yet she had more life in her than any noble she-wolf holding a wine glass in the hall.
She wasn't a polished vase.
She was a fire-alive, burning, wild.
My breath stopped.
It was her.
Seraphina.
Marcus's Luna.
A Luna about to be discarded.
And my mate.
Her neck was locked by the old mark-an iron chain suppressing her instincts, blocking the bond between our souls.
She couldn't feel me, but I was consumed by her in a second.
The first time I saw her, she wasn't in a Luna gown with a silver waistpiece, or smiling politely at a reception.
She was crouched in the rose garden alone, cursing, muddy, fierce to her bones.
I had never seen such beautiful chaos.
Of course I recognized her.
And in that moment, my wolf and I fell at the same time-
An ancient, lethal possessiveness surged up from my bones.
She is mine.
Forever.
The she-wolf behind me saw me stop and thought I was listening to her.
Her emotions suddenly burst and she screamed:
"You bastard! You don't care about me at all!"
I didn't even lift an eyelid.
"Leave."
She froze, thinking she misheard.
"What did you-"
I gave her one glance. In that instant, the color drained from her face.
"Follow me again," I said, calm as if stating the weather, "and I'll swallow your father's pack whole."
Her knees buckled; she stumbled back two steps.
"You're insane-you can't-"
"I can," I said softly. "And I will."
She trembled, grabbed at the last straw, and shouted:
"Fine! Then I curse you! I curse you in the name of the Moon Goddess-may you never find your mate! May you be alone, rotting, abandoned by every god for eternity!"
Her voice split the night.
I didn't even turn my head.
Because right in front of me, Seraphina had just yanked out the largest moonlight rose and was cursing in a way that put the she-wolf to shame.
I exhaled lightly.
"Your curse came too late."
The she-wolf's fear collapsed into despair. She screamed and fled the garden, vanishing into the dark.
I didn't look after her.
I looked only toward the rose garden.
Sera finally stopped, straightened her back, dusted off the dirt on her palms as though completing a sacred offering.
She would never know that in that moment I made a decision.
When she turned and walked toward the front gate, I followed immediately.
I didn't even think about my next step.
Instinct had already chosen for me.
I had to follow her.
She walked alone into the rain, so thin, so vulnerable-I wanted the driver to offer her a ride.
Then I smelled it.
Not her scent-
But the filthy stench of rogues hiding in the forest along the road, reeking of rotten flesh and unwashed fur.
The moment the air shifted, my wolf ignited, its fury slamming against my nerves.
It wanted to tear them apart.
By the time I rushed over, they had already surrounded her.
She fell into the mud, her skirt flipping up, soaked and helpless.
She tried to push herself up, only to collapse again.
They stared at her, licking their teeth, laughing with greedy malice.
My rage devoured me.
I drove straight into the storm, tires carving a white line through the rain, nearly defying gravity.
The car spun and stopped perfectly between her and those worthless bastards.
The rogues froze.
They saw the emblem.
They saw the Maybach.
Then they saw me.
The cockiest one collapsed straight into the mud.
They recognized me.
Their luck wasn't intelligence-it was their speed.
Had I gotten out one second earlier, four mangled corpses would be lying on the ground.
They fled into the trees without looking back.
I stood there, staring coldly at Sera kneeling in the rain, breathing raggedly, eyes empty-unable to even recognize me.
I walked up to her and crouched down, offering my hand.
She flinched backward, slipped, almost fell.
I said nothing, waiting patiently.
After a few seconds, she gritted her teeth and grabbed my hand.
I pulled her up and guided her into the car.
She smelled of rain, mud, blood, despair. and a scent I had never encountered.
She leaned against the seat, gasping, shoulders trembling.
I looked at her soaked body.
Her clothes clung to every curve like a second skin-the outline of her nipples, the triangle beneath her skirt-clear enough to be indecent.
My dick twitched instantly, dragged out by her scent.
I bit my tongue hard, forcing the desire down.
She wasn't mine-
Not yet.
I took off my coat and threw it over her.
Not out of gentleness-
but to stop myself from staring at her naked shape.
She looked down at herself, finally realizing that the wet fabric hid nothing.
Her face flushed scarlet, her hands gripping the coat tightly.
I remained expressionless, but inside, I grew even more excited.
The more she tried to hide,
the more she looked like a gift I wanted to unwrap.
A vision flashed across my mind-
Her lying on my bed, wearing nothing but that coat.
Her stubborn eyes on me.
My hand pinning her legs.
My tongue sliding along her collarbone.
Her moans brushing against my ear.
My palms burned, my knuckles trembled.
Just as I was about to lose control, the car braked.
We had arrived.
She hurried to get out.
I pulled out a card from my pocket and handed it to her, my voice cold as if nothing had happened:
"You will need this."
She accepted it blankly, then left.
She stepped out quickly, without saying another word.
As if desperate to cut any tie with me.
I sat in the car, not moving.
Just slowly closed my eyes.
Twenty-five days.
Twenty-five days left of the Council's cooling period.
When it ends,
I will personally rip Marcus out of her world-
root and all.
