Chapter 107: Chapter 107 Standing Her Ground
Seraphina’s POV
Consciousness came slowly, accompanied by an oppressive silence that told me everything I needed to know. The bed stretched empty beside me, cold sheets confirming what my instincts already whispered. Julian and Theo had left without me.
My fingers fumbled for the phone on the nightstand, squinting as the screen blazed to life in the dim room. 12:03 PM. The numbers felt like an accusation. When was the last time I’d slept past noon? Years, maybe. But exhaustion had claimed me completely, and now reality crashed back with brutal efficiency.
They were at the Fang House. Of course they were. Julian would be introducing Theo to everyone, cementing his role as the heir, while I lay here like some pathetic creature hiding from daylight. The Luna should be there, standing beside her mate, welcoming pack members, establishing her presence.
But the thought of walking into that building made my stomach twist with dread.
Because she would be there. Elena. My daughter. The child I’d carried for months without knowing, the little girl whose face I’d studied during that wedding planning session without recognizing my own blood. How could a mother not know her own child? The failure burned through me like acid.
Every instinct screamed to find her, to pull her close and whisper the truth. But I couldn’t. Not yet. Maybe not ever. The agony of being so near yet unable to claim her felt like drowning in slow motion.
Groaning, I forced myself upright and stumbled toward the shower. Cold water hit my skin like a slap, but it did nothing to wash away the heaviness clinging to my bones. I dressed mechanically in jeans and a plain shirt, not caring how I looked. What was the point?
In the kitchen, I poured an enormous bowl of cereal, something sweet and mindless that required no thought. I was halfway through it, leaning against the counter in my private misery, when the knocking started.
Sharp. Insistent. Demanding.
The scent hit me before I could process the sound. Cedar and expensive perfume, familiar as breathing. My entire body went rigid.
Quincy and Vivian. The former Alpha and Luna.
I froze, spoon halfway to my mouth, willing them to disappear. Maybe if I stayed perfectly still, they’d assume I wasn’t home. Maybe they’d take the hint and leave me alone.
The knocking intensified, echoing through the house like gunshots.
I took another bite of cereal, chewing slowly, desperately hoping they’d give up. The sound stopped for a blessed moment, then I heard it. The unmistakable click of the front door opening.
Of course they had keys. Of course they’d let themselves in.
Footsteps approached the kitchen with purpose, and I braced myself for war.
Vivian entered first, her face already arranged in that expression of cold disapproval I remembered so well. Quincy followed, looking older than I remembered, worry lines carved deep around his eyes.
"Well," I said, my voice deliberately flat. "This is unexpected."
What happened next nearly shattered my composure. Before Vivian could launch her first attack, Quincy crossed the room in three quick strides and wrapped me in his arms.
I went rigid with shock. His scent surrounded me, bringing back memories of safety and belonging, of days when I’d believed in fairy tale endings. My eyes burned traitorously. He’d been the father figure I’d never had, and I’d hurt him when I left.
The guilt threatened to choke me.
"Seraphina," his voice cracked slightly. "God, we’ve missed you, sweetheart."
I melted into his embrace, squeezing back fiercely. "I missed you too, Alpha Quincy."
When he finally released me, my face was flushed with emotion. But the moment of tenderness shattered the instant Vivian opened her mouth.
"If you missed us so terribly," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm, "perhaps you shouldn’t have vanished without a word."
Quincy placed a warning hand on her arm, exhaustion clear in his features. "Vivian, we agreed not to rehash the past."
"Don’t you dare tell me what I can discuss," she snapped, fixing me with a look of pure hatred. "Do you have any idea what you did to us? To him? You stole our grandson and disappeared. We mourned you while you were off living your life with our blood."
The warmth drained from my body, replaced by ice-cold fury. I set down my spoon with deliberate care, meeting her glare with steady eyes.
"We’re not having this conversation," I stated firmly. "I don’t owe you explanations, former Luna Vivian. The only person who had that right was Julian, and we’ve already settled it."
"Settled it?" Her voice rose to near-hysteria. "We welcomed you as family! We treated you like our own daughter, and you destroyed my son!"
Something dark and violent unfurled in my chest. I’d held this back for too long.
"Daughter?" I laughed, the sound harsh and bitter. "You tolerated me. You endured the inconvenient girl who happened to be mated to your son."
My voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "And when Roxanne got pregnant, you made sure I knew exactly how much of a disappointment I was. Every day, you reminded me that I was failing as a mate because I couldn’t give him children immediately."
Vivian’s mouth opened, but I wasn’t finished. Years of suppressed rage poured out like poison.
"You want to know the truth? You’re part of the reason I left. I couldn’t stand watching my mate have a child with someone else while you acted like it was my personal failure. I thought you of all people would understand that particular hell."
Her face went pale, but her spine straightened with wounded pride.
"You broke my son’s heart," she repeated, quieter now but no less venomous. "I’ll never forgive that."
I placed both hands flat on the counter, leaning forward slightly.
"Good," I said, my voice steady as steel. "Because I’m not asking for your forgiveness. I’m back to stay, and I won’t tolerate disrespect. Not from anyone. Not even you. Because I’m the Luna now, and this is my pack."
The silence stretched taut between us, electric with unspoken threats.
Quincy stepped forward quickly, trying to defuse the tension. He forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
"Seraphina, let’s focus on the future. I’m eager to meet my grandson. Where is Theo?"
My anger cooled slightly at his genuine warmth. "They left before I woke up. Julian probably took him to the Fang House."
"You slept until noon?" Vivian’s voice cut like glass. "What kind of Luna abandons her responsibilities to lie in bed?"
I closed my eyes, drawing on reserves of patience I didn’t know I possessed.
"I’m having the worst day of my life," I admitted, opening my eyes to look between them. "And I don’t have the energy for this fight right now."
I moved toward the kitchen entrance, subtly herding them toward the door.
"If you want the perfect Luna and daughter-in-law," I told Vivian, my voice sharp as broken glass, "I suggest you visit Roxanne. I’m sure she’ll be everything you hoped for."
I turned to Quincy, my expression softening just for him.
"Alpha Quincy, I would like to talk with you soon. Privately. I really did miss you." I glanced pointedly at Vivian, who was vibrating with fury. "But right now, I need you both to leave my home."
