“I don’t need-“
“This isn’t about need,” he said, his gaze locking with mine, unwavering. “It’s about making sure nothing happens to you. Or to Daniel. I’m not trusting anyone else with that.”
Heat crept up my neck, not from embarrassment but from the sheer nerve of him thinking
I couldn’t handle myself.
But I also knew he wasn’t entirely wrong. After all, if it weren’t for him, gods know what would have happened to me.
Still, I couldn’t stop myself. “Do you think I can’t handle a trip without you?” I asked, arching a brow.
A faint, humorless smile tugged at his mouth. “I think it’s better if we don’t gamble with
Daniel’s safety. And you forget, he’s my son too-I miss him. I’m not stopping you from seeing your son. Why should you stop me?”
Fuck. How could I argue with that logic?
I sat back, crossing one leg over the other, trying to look far more relaxed than I felt. “Fine,”
I said, though the word was more a reluctant exhale than agreement.
Kieran’s eyes flickered, just barely-a flash of something I couldn’t read. Satisfaction?
Relief? Triumph?
He nodded once. “I’ll finalize the arrangements by tonight. We leave in two days.”
Two days.
Two days to prepare myself-not for the island, not for Daniel, but for the reality of being in close proximity to Kieran with no mode of escape but the big blue ocean.
I was already imagining the salt-scented air, the low hum of waves against the dock, the quiet of a place far removed from the mainland.
And now, I’d have to imagine it with him there-his presence impossible to ignore, his voice carrying across the sound of the ocean, his eyes finding mine when I least expected it.
A private island. Me, my son…and my ex-husband. A nice family vacation.
What could possibly go wrong?
SERAPHINA’S POV
I sat at the edge of the sparring mat, still breathing a little hard from my final round of drills with Maya.
Most of the other trainees had already left for the day, so the cavernous training hall felt strangely quiet-just the faint hum of the ventilation system and the muted thud of someone working a punching bag in the distance.
Maya finished her set of push-ups, springing to her feet with the kind of grace that came from years of discipline.
She swiped a towel across her brow, then planted herself in front of me, grinning at me like
I’d just told her the best gossip she’d heard all week.
“So,” she said, tossing her towel onto a bench, “you’re actually going to see Daniel. About damn time.”
“Yeah,” I laughed. “I can’t wait. I’ve missed him so much.”
Her smile was genuine, but her eyes carried a flicker of worry. “You know I’m happy for you,” she added, “but given what you told me about Kieran’s parents, I’m worried they’re going to give you a hard time. You deal with that enough over here with your own family.”
I masked the sudden tightness in my chest by leaning over and grabbing my water bottle off the bench beside her. “I can handle them.”
“I know you can,” she said quickly. “You can handle anything. But that doesn’t mean I like the thought of throwing you in the lion’s den.”
I took a long drink, the cool water washing away the dryness in my throat. “They might still look down on me, but around Daniel?” I shrugged. “They’ll behave. They wouldn’t risk showing him that kind of toxicity. And besides-” I allowed myself a small, wry smile. “I’m not the same pushover I used to be.”
Maya’s grin widened, something like pride shining in her eyes. “Damn right you’re not.
Honestly, the way you’ve been carrying yourself lately? I’ve never been prouder, babe”
My cheeks flushed. Any compliment from Maya felt like the ultimate achievement.
She continued, and the rest of her sentence caught me off guard. “It’s an amazing look on you, and if Kieran hasn’t noticed, he’s blind. But one day, that veil over his eyes is going to be knocked off, and when he finally does, he’s going to regret letting you go for that vapid bitch of a sister you’ve got.”
I choked on my water, coughing. “Maya-don’t talk nonsense.”
“It’s not nonsense,” she said with an unrepentant shrug.
I rolled my eyes, and she did the same, chuckling. “It doesn’t even matter. The bastard doesn’t deserve you, veil or no veil.”
She held a palm up solemnly like a salute. “I’m die-hard Team Lucian.”
I tried to fight the laugh bubbling up, but it escaped anyway. “You’re incorrigible.”
“Uh-huh. And you love me for it.”
I shook my head, but my smile lingered. “You really think Lucian’s the better choice, huh?”
Her expression softened, but her tone stayed firm. “I think Lucian treats you like you matter. And that’s worth a hell of a lot more than whatever history you’ve got with Kieran.”
I didn’t argue because she wasn’t wrong. Being with Lucian was a breath of fresh air, and in the space of a couple of months, he’d treated me with more respect and consideration than
Kieran ever did in ten years.
Instead, I leaned over and hugged Maya tight, the scent of her usual citrusy shampoo familiar and grounding.
“I’ll miss you,” I murmured. “Take care of yourself.”
“You too, Sera.” She pulled back and braced her hands on my shoulders. “And remember, if anyone gives you grief over there, you’ve got a whole lot more fight in you now than you did the last time they saw you.”
Her words settled in my chest like a warm ember, and I smiled, stoking that fire inside me.
I could do this-I could survive the trip.
After we parted ways, I made my way back to the locker room to get the rest of my stuff I didn’t want to leave behind at OTS while on my trip.
As I zipped it shut, I pulled out my phone and scrolled to Lucian’s name.
I hadn’t seen him since he dropped me off at home after the rogue attack, and other than his message asking me to take the day off, I hadn’t heard from him.
Maya would process my leave from OTS, but it didn’t feel right to leave without informing him or at least saying goodbye.
I hit call and pressed the phone to my ear. It rang. And rang. And rang some more. Then went straight to voicemail.
I frowned, trying again. This time, it went straight to voicemail.
“Hey,” I said after the tone, keeping my voice casual. “Um, you’re obviously busy, so I’m sorry to bother you. I just wanted to let you know that I’m going on a trip to see Daniel.
You’re not around, so I can’t say goodbye, but um… Just-call me back when you get this. I’d love to see you before I leave.”
I hung up, staring at the screen.
It was odd-how little I actually knew about Lucian’s life outside of the OTS.
Inside, he was as familiar and steady as my training routines: the way he moved in the training yard, the measured way he gave advice, his warm, tender smile that contrasted the psychotic way he trained rookies.
But beyond these walls? I realized he was an enigma.
I didn’t know much about his pack, where he lived, who he spent his evenings with, or what he did when he wasn’t here.
The thought unsettled me more than I wanted to admit.
***
The next morning, Kieran arrived earlier than expected.
I’d been double-checking my packing list when the sharp knock came at my door.
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