Seraphina’s POV

My fingers wrapped around her delicate wrist, not with the phantom force I’d been using lately, but with my actual flesh and blood. I applied pressure until I could feel her bones shift beneath my grip, threatening to snap.

"Listen carefully, you manipulative little viper," I whispered, my voice dripping with venom. "I’m aware of what’s hidden in that basement. Those glass containers. The ceremony you’re planning."

The color drained from Cordelia’s face completely. Her self-satisfied expression crumbled into nothing. For one brief moment, genuine fear flickered across her features.

"I have no idea what you mean," she stuttered, her voice trembling.

"Oh, but you do," I said, bringing my face so close to hers that our breath mingled. "I am the White Wolf. Nothing escapes my sight. If you dare lay a finger on my mate or harm my children, sending you back to your pack will be the least of your concerns. I’ll tear your soul from your body and trap it in one of those jars myself. Are we crystal clear?"

I released her with such force that she stumbled backward. The flower arrangement slipped from her hands, crashing to the marble floor. Shards of crystal scattered everywhere while lavender-scented water pooled around her feet.

I didn’t bother waiting for her response. I strode past her cowering form and headed directly for Julian’s private office. No knocking this time. I threw the door open with enough force to make it bang against the wall.

Julian sat behind his mahogany desk, studying what appeared to be territorial maps. When I burst through his doorway, he raised his head. His expression remained completely neutral, emotionless.

"Seraphina, I’m occupied," he said in that flat tone I’d grown to despise. "I instructed you to—"

"I don’t give a damn what you instructed!" I exploded, spinning around to lock the door behind me with a decisive click.

I marched over to his desk and slammed both palms down on the polished surface hard enough to make his paperwork jump.

"The charade ends now, Julian. We need to have a conversation, and it’s happening this instant."

Julian rose from his chair, his jaw clenched with irritation. "Seraphina, maintain your position in this arrangement. If anyone overhears you—"

"No one will hear anything!" I cut him off. I raised my hands and cast a sound barrier around the entire room. The air rippled briefly with magical energy.

"Caleb discovered it," I said, my voice raw with emotion. "He found that hidden chamber beneath the Phantom Fang Fang territory. Containers filled with captured wolf spirits, Julian. They’re preparing for some twisted ceremony. They plan to use us as their main attraction at the upcoming Gala. They want to drain our abilities completely."

Julian’s mask didn’t slip, but I caught the slight tremor in his hands. He was already aware.

"You’ve known all along," I breathed, the realization hitting me like a physical blow. "That’s the reason behind this cold act. You’re pretending your spirit is already compromised so they believe their ritual is progressing."

Julian exhaled slowly and sank back into his chair. For the first time in weeks, he looked genuinely exhausted.

"I wasn’t aware of the containers," he confessed. "But I sensed the power theft occurring. For months now, Seraphina. Every time Cordelia makes contact with me, I feel fragments of my wolf essence being siphoned away. I had to become emotionally distant to shield my core. Any display of feeling, any hint of my love for you, creates an opening for them to penetrate deeper into my mind."

A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek. "So this entire performance is to protect yourself?"

"To protect you," he corrected, and suddenly his eyes blazed with such intense love that it made my chest ache. "They require both of us for the ceremony to reach full power. If I appear to be already drained, they can manipulate me while reducing their immediate need for you. But now that you’ve returned, they’ll attempt to accelerate their timeline."

"What’s our strategy?" I asked.

"We continue the performance," Julian replied. "We attend their Gala. We allow them to believe they have complete control over us. And then, we destroy everything they’ve built."

"But Vivian..." I began. "She’s actively supporting them. She’s advocating for Cordelia’s position."

Julian’s expression darkened further. "My mother operates under complicated motivations. She believes she’s preserving the pack by negotiating with the Phantom Fang faction. She fails to understand that she’s trading away our very essence."

I circled around his desk and positioned myself behind his chair. My hands found his shoulders, and he allowed his head to fall back against me.

"We must exercise extreme caution from this point forward, Seraphina," he murmured. "The masks cannot slip again. No more private escapes to the mountains. No more stolen moments of intimacy. We must appear to be adversaries until the night of the Gala."

"I despise this deception," I admitted.

"As do I," he said. "But it’s our only path to survival."

I nodded, understanding the gravity of our situation. The battle was no longer taking place in the wilderness or on training fields. It had moved into our home, into our daily interactions.

I dissolved the magical barrier and moved toward the door. I drew in a steadying breath and arranged my features into an expression of fury.

I yanked the door open and stormed out. Cordelia remained in the hallway, still gathering the broken crystal pieces. I fixed her with a look of pure loathing.

"I’m finished with you, Julian!" I screamed loudly enough for her to hear every word. "If you’re so desperate for that pathetic girl, then take her!"

I stalked away down the corridor, acutely aware of Julian’s gaze following my retreat. I knew he was suffering just as much as I was. But we had our strategy now, and that would have to be enough.