The night air felt heavier than usual, thick with the weight of Draven’s words.
You can stay here, drowning in your vengeance, or you can rise.
His voice echoed in my mind, unraveling the certainty I had clung to since Kieran’s betrayal. I had thought revenge was the only path left to me—the only way to reclaim my power. But now, the idea of something more, something greater, gnawed at me.
I wasn’t just betrayed. I was discarded. Forgotten. And yet, Draven saw something in me that no one else had.
I hated that it intrigued me.
I barely slept that night, my thoughts tangled between the fire of vengeance and the flickering promise of something more. By morning, I had made my decision.
If Draven wanted to test my potential, I would make damn sure he saw what I was capable of.
—
The training grounds were nearly empty when I arrived, save for a few early risers practicing combat drills in the distance. But I wasn’t looking for them.
I was looking for him.
I found Draven waiting near the treeline, his back resting against the trunk of a large oak. He stood there like he owned the world, his presence exuding the effortless confidence of a man who knew exactly who he was.
His gaze flickered toward me the moment I approached. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”
I crossed my arms. “I’m not making any decisions yet. But if you think I’m going to ignore an Alpha waltzing into my territory with cryptic offers, you clearly don’t know me.”
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “Fair enough.”
I studied him, searching for any sign of deception. But there was nothing—just patience, amusement, and something else I couldn’t quite name.
“You say you see potential in me,” I said. “Prove it.”
Draven’s silver eyes gleamed. “How?”
I took a step closer, challenging him. “What exactly do you want from me? You don’t strike me as the type to offer alliances out of kindness.”
“You’re right,” he admitted without hesitation. “I never make deals without something to gain. But this isn’t just about me. It’s about you.”
I frowned. “Explain.”
Draven’s gaze darkened, the teasing edge vanishing. “Your pack is weak, Seraphina. Kieran may have thrown you aside, but his betrayal extends beyond just you. He is losing control. His people see it. Your people see it. He parades Maia around like she was meant to be Luna, but Luna is more than just a title—it’s earned. And Maia? She has earned nothing.”
I clenched my fists. “I don’t care about Kieran’s failures.”
“But you should,” Draven countered. “Because when an Alpha stumbles, someone else takes their place. If it isn’t me, it will be another. And if you don’t act now, Seraphina, you’ll be left behind when the dust settles.”
His words were like a blade to my chest, cutting through the denial I had wrapped myself in. I had spent so much time focused on revenge, I hadn’t considered what came after.
If Kieran fell, who would rise?
Draven took another step toward me, his voice quieter now, more deliberate. “I’m offering you a way to rise, not just to get back at Kieran, but to surpass him. You don’t just deserve revenge—you deserve power.”
I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering in my ears.
Power.
Not as a cast-aside Luna. Not as the girl Kieran betrayed. But as something more.
I wanted to reject the idea. To tell Draven I didn’t need him, that I could destroy Kieran and Maia on my own. But deep down, I knew the truth.
Power wasn’t something you took alone. It was something you built.
“You’re asking me to betray my own pack,” I said slowly.
Draven tilted his head. “No, I’m asking you to take what’s rightfully yours.”
His words settled deep in my chest, stirring something dark and undeniable.
“You don’t have to decide now,” he continued. “But if you’re serious about proving your strength, come find me outside your borders at dusk.” His gaze flickered with challenge. “I’ll be waiting.”
Then, without another word, he turned and disappeared into the trees, leaving me standing there with my heart pounding and my mind racing.
Take what’s rightfully yours.
I had spent so long clinging to the past, to the pain of Kieran’s betrayal. But now, standing here in the ruins of what once was, I realized something.
I didn’t just want revenge.
I wanted to rise.
And maybe, just maybe, Draven Stormborne was the key to making that happen
