Seraphina’s POV

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, but it brought no comfort. Before consciousness fully claimed me, my hand instinctively searched the sheets beside me, seeking the familiar warmth of Julian’s body. My fingers expected to find his muscled chest or the curve of his shoulder.

Instead, they met only cold fabric.

My eyes snapped open to confirm what my heart already knew. The bed stretched empty beside me, the pillow untouched. Julian hadn’t returned home.

Pain sliced through my chest like a blade. My wolf whimpered deep within me, a sound of pure anguish that echoed through my soul. The emptiness felt suffocating.

I pulled the covers up to my neck, fighting the burn of unshed tears. I couldn’t afford weakness. Something was terribly wrong with Julian, and I had to believe that. The alternative would destroy me completely.

My phone’s sharp buzz cut through the silence. I grabbed it from the nightstand, seeing Caleb’s name on the screen.

"Caleb? Did you make it safely to Shadow Moon Fang?"

His voice came through strained and breathless, like he’d been running. "I’m here, but Seraphina, you need to hear this."

My grip tightened on the phone. "What happened?"

"I started investigating the moment I arrived. Talked to border guards, questioned the lower ranks." His pause made my stomach drop. "There was no attack, Seraphina. None at all."

"What are you talking about?"

"Cordelia claimed Dorian destroyed half their territory, right? That her father sent her away for protection while they rebuilt?" The disbelief in his voice was unmistakable.

"That’s what she told us."

"It’s complete bullshit." His words hit like physical blows. "This pack is untouched. No damaged buildings, no wounded wolves, no signs of conflict anywhere. They’ve been living in perfect peace."

Ice flooded my veins. "She lied to us."

"About everything. The only reason she came to our pack was to get close to Julian." Caleb’s voice dropped lower. "But Seraphina, there’s something else. This place feels wrong."

"Wrong how?"

"The energy here is twisted. Heavy and dark, just like what’s been poisoning our pack. The guards are paranoid, won’t let anyone near the Alpha’s house. Everyone acts like they’re hiding something massive."

My heart hammered against my ribs. "Stay longer. Find out what they’re concealing. I have a feeling Julian’s condition is connected to whatever’s happening there."

"I’ll dig deeper, but watch yourself. If they’re capable of lying about an attack, they’re capable of anything."

The line went dead, leaving me alone with the devastating truth. Cordelia was a fraud, but I needed to understand exactly what kind of threat we were facing.

I scrolled through my contacts, hesitating before dialing a number I rarely used. After three rings, a warm voice filled with genuine happiness answered.

"Seraphina, sweetheart!"

My biological mother’s enthusiasm always caught me off guard. Since leaving the pack, we’d spoken maybe five times total, but she approached every conversation like I was the most precious thing in her world.

"Hi, Mom." The word still felt foreign, but it carried a comfort I was learning to appreciate.

"I’m so thrilled you called! How are things? Are you settling back in well?"

I perched on the bed’s edge, her affection both overwhelming and soothing. "I need to ask you about Shadow Moon Fang."

Her joy evaporated instantly. "Why would you want to know about them?"

"Cordelia has been staying with us. She’s been here for weeks."

"What?" The sharp intake of breath was audible. "Cordelia is at your pack? With you?"

"Yes. Should I be concerned?"

"Seraphina, listen carefully." Her voice turned deadly serious. "You need to stay far away from that girl. She’s not what she appears to be."

My pulse quickened. "Explain."

"I haven’t spoken to my brother in years, but the last time I visited their territory, something felt fundamentally wrong. The entire pack radiated this dark, oppressive energy that made my skin crawl."

The description matched Caleb’s observations perfectly. "Mom, I think they’ve brought that same darkness here. Julian’s been acting like he’s under some kind of spell, and the whole pack feels infected."

She made a sound of pure terror. "I always suspected my brother was involved in something far more sinister than Dorian ever attempted. But I never understood why they would target the Zenith Fang specifically."

"What do you think they want?"

"I don’t know, but whatever it is, it’s nothing good. My brother isn’t just ruthless, Seraphina. He’s calculating and patient. If Cordelia is there, it’s part of a larger plan."

The weight of her words settled over me like a burial shroud. "I’ve handled Dorian before. I can deal with your brother too."

"This isn’t the same thing, sweetheart. Dorian was impulsive and obvious. My brother works in shadows, corrupting everything he touches from the inside out."

I stared out the window, processing everything I’d learned. Cordelia’s presence wasn’t coincidental. The dark energy plaguing our pack wasn’t random. Julian’s strange behavior wasn’t temporary.

"I need to figure out what they’ve done to him," I said, more to myself than to her.

"Be careful, Seraphina. Promise me you won’t confront them directly until you understand what you’re up against."

"I promise."

After ending the call, I sat in the growing daylight, pieces of a horrifying puzzle clicking into place. Cordelia hadn’t fled here seeking safety. She’d come with a mission, and somehow, she’d gotten to Julian.

But I wouldn’t let her destroy everything I’d fought to protect. Not my pack, not my mate, not my life.

Whatever game she and her father were playing, I was going to end it.