The moment Voren turned his attention toward Ravyn, Seraphine didn’t waste a second, instinctively stepping back toward Damon with the clear intention of leaving before things became even more complicated, but she barely made it a step before Voren’s hand closed firmly around her arm, his grip unyielding as he held her in place like he had no intention of letting her slip away again.

"I already told you why I’m here," Voren said, his voice steady as he faced Ravyn, though the tension beneath it was impossible to miss. "She’s off duty now, so I’ll take her back to her hotel... and have a few words with her."

Seraphine’s jaw tightened instantly, irritation flashing across her face as she tried to pull free, her voice low and edged with frustration. "I’m not going anywhere with you."

"Alpha Voren," Damon stepped in, his tone polite but carrying just enough firmness to make his stance clear, "please behave."

Voren’s gaze flickered toward him with warning, before he leaned closer to Seraphine, his voice dropping into a whisper meant for her ears alone, his tone subtle but heavy with intent. "I’ve heard a few things," he murmured. "Damon is your accomplice, isn’t he? Now tell me, are you coming with me willingly, or do you want me to make everything public?"

For a fraction of a second, Seraphine went still.

Then her expression hardened, something cold settling into her eyes as she finally succeeded in pulling her arm free, the movement strident and decisive.

"Fine," she said, her voice calm but carrying a quiet edge. "Let’s talk."

Ravyn took a step forward, ready to intervene, to question, to stop whatever this was turning into, but before he could speak, Daisy’s voice cut through the moment as she approached, fully dressed now, her tone light but carefully placed.

"Rav, you waited for me... thank you," she said, slipping her hand into his with practiced ease, her gaze already turning toward Seraphine, ready to savor whatever she thought she was about to witness.

But the moment her eyes landed on Voren opening the car door for Seraphine, that smug satisfaction vanished almost instantly, replaced by something far less composed.

"Where is he taking her?" she asked, the keenness in her voice barely concealed. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

In her mind, she had always believed she stood at the top, that with Ravyn by her side, no one could overshadow her position, because even Damon, despite his wealth, didn’t hold the kind of authority that could threaten her.

But Voren... Voren was different. His rank alone placed him above Ravyn, not only in wealth, but also among all the packs, and the idea of someone like him standing beside Seraphine, even for a moment, unsettled something deep within her.

"He’s taking her back to the hotel," Damon answered, though there was a faint note of disappointment in his voice that he didn’t bother to hide. "Said he wants to talk to her."

Damon had planned a simple, quiet dinner, a moment of ease after everything, but now that chance had slipped away, replaced by something he couldn’t control. Still, he told himself it wasn’t gone, just postponed. There were still a few days left, and that would be enough.

"I’m going after them," Ravyn said suddenly, already moving toward his car, the decision made before anyone could stop him.

Damon reached out, catching his arm just long enough to slow him down, his voice calm but firm. "That’s not necessary. Sera can handle herself."

Ravyn turned to him, his gaze narrowing slightly, something thoughtful creeping into his expression as he studied him more closely. "You seem... very familiar with her," he said slowly. "Have you known each other before this?"

The question lingered, heavier than it sounded, because something about Damon’s confidence, the ease in the way he spoke about Seraphine, didn’t feel new, or recent, and when Ravyn thought about how quickly Damon’s business had risen, and how everything around him seemed to fall into place almost overnight, a quiet suspicion began to form.

Damon opened his mouth to respond, ready to answer, but Daisy cut in before he could, her voice slipping smoothly into the conversation as though she had been waiting for the exact moment.

"Rav, I think you should go after them," she said, her tone gentle, almost concerned. "Didn’t you say Seraphine is here because of the pack? If anything happens to her..."

She didn’t finish the sentence, leaving the impact to feel solid. Ravyn’s expression tightened slightly as he filled in the rest himself, the implication settling in quickly.

"You’re right," he said, the hesitation disappearing as he got into his car. "I’ll go after them."

Damon watched as the car pulled away, shaking his head faintly, unable to hide his frustration because none of this made sense to him. Seraphine was Ravyn’s past, someone he had already let go, so why did it matter now who she spent her time with, especially when the person wasn’t even a threat, but someone he trusted?

The moment the car disappeared from view, Daisy’s expression changed again, the tension melting into something softer, something almost calculated as she turned toward Damon.

"Damon... you won’t judge me, right?" she asked, her tone light, as though nothing from moments ago had mattered.

Damon felt irritation rise instantly at the sound of her voice, shrill and unwelcome, but he forced it down, smoothing his expression into something neutral, even polite. "Of course not."

That seemed to ease her, a small smile forming as she relaxed slightly in his presence. "I just think... if Seraphine is going to move on, it shouldn’t be with someone like you... or Alpha Voren."

For a moment, Damon simply stared at her, the words settling in as he held back the reaction that threatened to surface, his restraint the only thing keeping his expression composed.

"I don’t think you’ve been keeping up with what’s happening in the city," he said finally, his tone calm but carrying an edge that hadn’t been there before.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone before holding it out to her, the screen already lit with the latest trending news.

And the moment Daisy looked at it, all the color drained from her face.