Seraphina’s POV

The morning light filtered through the curtains, but my chest felt crushed under an invisible weight. My hand reached across the mattress, finding only cold, empty sheets. Again. Julian had slipped into bed after midnight and vanished before dawn broke. I understood this was part of our strategy, but understanding didn’t make the abandoned bed any less painful.

I forced myself up and selected my Luna attire carefully. The dark red dress caught my eye - it radiated authority and demanded respect. If I was going to face the wolves of this pack today, I needed to look every inch their leader.

My footsteps echoed as I descended the staircase. The house held an eerie stillness, though muffled sounds drifted from the dining room. I expected to find Ma there, but instead discovered Vivian seated at the head of the long table.

Julian’s mother commanded the space like royalty, but not the benevolent kind. She resembled a ruthless queen preparing to order an execution, her posture rigid with barely contained hostility.

"Good morning, Vivian." I claimed the seat at the opposite end of the table, maintaining distance between us.

She didn’t acknowledge me, continuing to stir her tea with deliberate, hypnotic circles. "Good morning? I hardly think so, Seraphina. The packhouse is chaos. The servants stumble around confused. My son walks around looking exhausted and heartbroken."

"We’re conducting a thorough reorganization," I replied, fighting to keep my tone civil. "And Julian is a capable man who doesn’t need coddling."

Vivian’s gaze finally lifted, her eyes like shards of ice. "Seraphina, you abandoned your mate and your pack. Now you return expecting blind submission? You think we should all bow down and pretend nothing happened?"

"I am the Luna," I stated firmly. "My title didn’t disappear because I left to handle an emergency."

Her laugh was sharp and cutting. "Title? Just words. A real Luna stays put. A real Luna stands beside her Alpha during his darkest moments. While you played the runaway bride, someone else stepped into your shoes."

Heat flared in my stomach. "You mean Cordelia."

"Exactly." She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Cordelia has been a gift to this pack. She shows kindness and loyalty. She didn’t flee when things got difficult. She spent every night at Julian’s side while he mourned his missing wife. She assisted the Omegas, organized our resources, brought stability. She belongs here, Seraphina. More than you ever have."

My fingers clenched around the napkin beneath the table. My wolf prowled restlessly in my mind, radiating fury.

She has no right to speak to us this way, my wolf snarled.

"Cordelia is a temporary guest," I said through gritted teeth. "And she’s deceived everyone. She claimed the Phantom Fang Fang was under attack, but that was a lie. She’s here with an agenda, Vivian. Can’t you see through her act?"

Vivian’s expression remained unmoved. "I don’t care about her motives. I care about results. The pack adores her. They trust her completely. When she walks among them, faces light up with genuine smiles. When you appear, they study their feet. They’re either terrified of you or furious with you."

"I’m working to change that perception."

"Too late for damage control," Vivian snapped, slamming her teacup against the saucer with enough force to crack porcelain. "You’re a White Wolf with immense power, but you lack compassion for your people. You think rearranging furniture and giving orders will fix everything? Absolutely not."

She rose and circled the table like a predator, stopping directly above my chair.

"Cordelia is the Luna this pack deserves," she whispered, her breath hot against my ear. "She’s what Julian needs. If you truly loved my son, you’d recognize that he’s happier with her. You witnessed them yesterday on the porch, didn’t you? He looked peaceful, content. With you, he only looks tormented."

I shot to my feet, using my height advantage to tower over her. I allowed a fraction of my White Wolf energy to seep out. The temperature in the room plummeted. The curtains began dancing despite the closed windows, responding to the supernatural force building around me.