“Either you come willingly, or your mother suffers for it.”

The apartment door slammed open so hard the wall cracked behind it.

Seraphina shot to her feet immediately.

Three pack guards stormed inside.

Her mother coughed violently from the bed in the corner.

“No,” Seraphina snapped, stepping in front of her instantly. “Don’t touch her.”

One of the guards grabbed her arm.

“Alpha Magnus wants you at the estate.”

Seraphina ripped herself free.

“Then Alpha Magnus can go to hell.”

The second the words left her mouth, another guard backhanded her across the face.

Hard.

Her lip split immediately.

Her mother gasped weakly.

“Stop— please—”

Seraphina shoved the guard backward.

“You touch her again and I’ll kill you.”

The room instantly filled with wolf pressure.

Not enough to fully pin her.

Just enough to remind her she was outnumbered.

The lead guard looked annoyed already.

“You’ve caused enough trouble.”

Seraphina laughed bitterly.

“Trouble?” she snapped. “That man abandoned us for twenty-three years.”

Nobody answered.

Because everyone knew it was true.

Her mother started coughing again.

Wet. Painful. Too weak.

Seraphina immediately moved back beside the bed.

“It’s okay,” she whispered softly, holding her mother’s hand. “I’m here.”

The lead guard looked toward the older woman coldly.

“Alpha Magnus paid for her medicine.”

Seraphina slowly turned.

There it was.

The leash.

Her stomach twisted instantly.

“You people are disgusting.”

The guard shrugged.

“You can scream at the Alpha yourself.”

Two guards grabbed her before she could fight again.

Her mother panicked immediately.

“No— no— please don’t take her—”

Seraphina struggled violently.

“Mom—”

The lead guard crouched beside the bed calmly.

“If Seraphina cooperates,” he said, “your treatment continues.”

Silence.

Her mother looked terrified.

Not for herself.

For Seraphina.

That hurt worse.

Seraphina stopped fighting.

The guards noticed immediately.

Smart girl.

“Good,” the lead guard muttered.

Seraphina stared at him with enough hatred to kill.

Then she looked back at her mother.

“I’ll come back tonight.”

Her mother smiled weakly.

“You always do.”

The guards dragged Seraphina outside anyway.

—

The ride to the Vale estate was silent.

Seraphina sat between two guards with blood drying on her mouth.

Her jaw hurt.

Good.

Pain kept her awake.

One of the guards finally spoke.

“You should try behaving tonight.”

Seraphina looked out the window.

“Or what?”

Nobody answered.

Exactly.

The estate gates opened slowly.

Huge. Gold. Pretentious.

Seraphina hated it immediately.

The guards walked her through the main hall like a prisoner.

Pack members and servants stared openly.

Some recognized her.

Not as Magnus Vale’s daughter.

As the bastard.

The mistake.

The girl Alpha Magnus abandoned.

Seraphina stared right back.

Most rich wolves got uncomfortable when poor people stopped acting ashamed.

The office doors opened.

Magnus Vale stood near the fireplace.

Tall. Cold eyes.

Seraphina hated him on sight.

Mostly because she had his eyes.

Magnus looked her over slowly.

Blood on her lip.

Bruised cheek.

Cheap clothes.

Then he frowned.

“You fought the guards.”

“They started it.”

“You embarrass this family.”

Seraphina laughed.

“What family?”

Magnus ignored that.

“There’s an important dinner tonight.”

“And?”

“You’ll attend.”

“No.”

The answer came too fast.

Magnus’s expression darkened instantly.

Seraphina crossed her arms.

“I’m not playing daughter for your rich friends.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

“There’s that sentence again.”

Magnus stepped closer slowly.

“You will attend the Blackwood engagement banquet.”

That got her attention.

Blackwood.

One of the strongest Alpha bloodlines in the north.

Seraphina narrowed her eyes.

“What does that have to do with me?”

Magnus walked toward the desk.

“Aurora is announcing her engagement to Tristan Blackwood tonight.”

Ah.

The golden daughter.

Of course.

“And?”

Magnus finally looked at her again.

“His younger brother needs a wife.”

Seraphina stared at him for a second.

Then laughed.

Actually laughed.

“You dragged me here to marry me off?”

“It benefits the pack.”

“There it is.”

Magnus’s patience visibly thinned.

“Kieran Blackwood is useless politically, but his bloodline still matters.”

Kieran Blackwood.

Seraphina knew the rumors.

Spoiled.

Lazy.

Drunk half the time.

Weak wolf.

A disappointment compared to his older brother.

Interesting.

“So you want to dump the bastard daughter on the broken son?”

Magnus’s jaw tightened.

“You should feel honored.”

Seraphina walked closer slowly.

“You know what’s funny?”

Magnus stayed silent.

“I used to wonder what kind of man my father was.”

His expression hardened.

“And now?”

“You’re exactly what I expected.”

Wrong answer.

Magnus slapped her so hard her vision blurred for a second.

Pain exploded across her face.

Still—

Seraphina smiled.

That seemed to make him angrier.

“You think defiance makes you strong?” Magnus snapped.

“No,” Seraphina said quietly. “Surviving did that.”

Magnus grabbed her throat instantly and shoved her against the bookshelf.

Books crashed around them.

Wolf pressure crushed into her chest.

Pain shot through her ribs.

“Listen carefully,” Magnus growled. “You exist because I allowed it.”

Seraphina clawed at his wrist.

“And you’ll die alone because nobody loves you.”

For the first time—

Magnus genuinely looked furious.

The office door suddenly opened.

“Father?”

A blonde woman stepped inside wearing silver.

Aurora Vale.

Beautiful.

Aurora’s eyes landed on Seraphina immediately.

Then on Magnus holding her against the shelf.

And instead of shock—

Aurora smiled slightly.

Interesting.

Magnus released Seraphina roughly.

She stumbled forward coughing hard.

Aurora walked closer slowly.

“So this is her.”

Seraphina wiped blood from her mouth.

“And you must be the princess.”

Aurora ignored the insult.

Her gaze swept over Seraphina’s clothes.

Cheap boots.

Old jacket.

Bruised hands.

Disgust flashed openly across her face.

“She looks worse than I imagined.”

Seraphina smirked.

“You sound exactly how I imagined.”

Aurora folded her arms.

“You should be grateful Father acknowledged you at all.”

“Should I throw a party?”

Aurora stepped closer.

“You need to understand your place before tonight.”

Seraphina tilted her head.

“And what place is that?”

Aurora smiled sweetly.

“The disposable one.”

Silence.

Magnus didn’t correct her.

That told Seraphina everything.

Aurora continued softly:

“Kieran Blackwood may be disappointing, but even he’s above you.”

Seraphina noticed it immediately.

Not hatred.

Relief.

Aurora wasn’t mocking Kieran.

She was relieved she didn’t have to marry him.

Interesting.

So the older brother mattered more.

Aurora moved even closer.

“You should keep your eyes down tonight,” she whispered. “The Blackwoods aren’t interested in girls from the gutter.”

Seraphina smiled slowly.

“You seem nervous for someone so confident.”

Aurora’s expression flickered for half a second.

Hit.

Then another group entered the office laughing loudly.

Three rich pack girls.

Aurora’s friends.

The moment they noticed Seraphina, they stopped.

One girl wrinkled her nose.

“Oh my god. That’s her?”

Another laughed quietly.

“She looks feral.”

Aurora sighed dramatically.

“She’s still adjusting.”

Seraphina stared at all of them.

Then smiled.

Not nicely.

“You girls always travel in packs because none of you are interesting alone?”

The room went quiet.

One of the girls scoffed.

“Watch your mouth.”

“Or what?” Seraphina asked. “You’ll spill wine on me?”

Aurora stepped beside her friends.

“There’s no reason to start problems tonight.”

Seraphina looked at her.

“You already did when you opened your mouth.”

Magnus finally lost patience.

“Enough.”

The entire room fell silent.

Magnus pointed toward the door.

“Get cleaned up. The banquet starts in an hour.”

Seraphina didn’t move.

Magnus’s wolf pressure slammed into her again.

Harder this time.

Pain shot through her spine.

Her knees nearly buckled.

Aurora watched silently.

So did her friends.

Nobody helped.

Nobody would.

Seraphina forced herself upright anyway.

Then she smiled through the pain.

That smile unsettled all of them.

“You better hope your precious Blackwoods like obedient girls,” she said softly.

Aurora frowned.

“Why?”

Seraphina’s eyes darkened slightly.

“Because I don’t plan on behaving tonight.”

The first thing Seraphina noticed about the Blackwoods was that none of them looked normal.

Not rich normal.

Wolf normal.

Predator normal.

The banquet hall went quiet for half a second when they walked in.

Tristan Blackwood entered first.

Tall. Calm. Expensive suit. The kind of Alpha people trusted immediately.

Aurora practically glowed beside him.

Of course she did.

She’d spent years making sure she landed the perfect future Alpha.

Then came Kieran Blackwood.

Late.

Hands in his pockets.

Tie loose.

Looking like he’d rather be drunk somewhere else.

Several older Alphas frowned immediately.

One woman whispered:

“Still pathetic, I see.”

Kieran heard her.

He smirked anyway.

Interesting.

Seraphina watched carefully.

Everybody respected Tristan.

Nobody respected Kieran.

Which meant one thing.

Weak wolf.

Or at least that’s what everyone believed.

Kieran’s eyes drifted lazily around the ballroom—

then landed on her.

And stopped.

That surprised her.

Not because men stared.

Men always stared.

But Kieran looked amused instead of hungry.

Like he’d just found something entertaining.

Aurora noticed immediately.

Her smile tightened.

Good.

Magnus stepped toward the Blackwoods.

“Alpha Tristan. Kieran.”

Tristan shook his hand politely.

Kieran grabbed champagne from a passing tray first.

Priorities.

“This is my daughter Aurora,” Magnus said smoothly.

Aurora smiled perfectly.

Tristan kissed the back of her hand.

“And this,” Magnus continued after the smallest pause, “is Seraphina.”

There it was again.

That hesitation.

Like even introducing her embarrassed him.

Seraphina smiled without warmth.

Kieran looked directly at the bruise on her cheek.

Then at Magnus.

Interesting.

“You hit walls often?” Kieran asked casually.

Silence.

Magnus’s jaw tightened instantly.

Aurora jumped in too quickly.

“She had an accident.”

Seraphina took a sip of champagne.

“Yeah. Your father’s hand accidentally hit my face.”

A servant choked nearby.

Tristan looked uncomfortable.

Aurora looked furious.

Magnus looked murderous.

Kieran?

Kieran laughed.

Actual laughter.

“Oh, I like her.”

Aurora’s nails visibly dug into her champagne glass.

Good.

Tristan shot his younger brother a warning look.

“Kieran.”

“What?” Kieran shrugged. “She’s the first honest person here.”

Magnus’s expression stayed cold.

“Seraphina is still adjusting to pack life.”

Seraphina almost rolled her eyes.

Pack life.

Rich people loved renaming abuse.

Aurora stepped beside Tristan possessively.

“We should sit before dinner starts.”

Tristan nodded immediately.

Kieran stayed where he was.

Still watching Seraphina.

That made her uneasy.

Not because he was attracted to her.

Because he looked observant.

People who noticed things were dangerous.

Especially wolves pretending to be stupid.

Dinner dragged.

Political conversations.

Pack alliances.

Marriage contracts disguised as romance.

Seraphina hated every second.

She barely touched her food.

Across the table, Kieran drank enough whiskey to kill a human.

Aurora finally sighed dramatically.

“You should try the lamb, Seraphina. Unless you’re unfamiliar with proper meals.”

There it was.

Seraphina smiled slowly.

“Don’t worry. I know how eating works.”

A few guests laughed awkwardly.

Aurora’s expression tightened.

Magnus spoke quietly without looking at her.

“Behave.”

Seraphina ignored him completely.

Tristan attempted to shift the conversation.

“The southern packs are becoming unstable.”

Kieran leaned back lazily.

“Most Alphas are unstable.”

“Northern borders were attacked last month,” Tristan continued.

Kieran shrugged.

“Then maybe stop electing idiots.”

One older Alpha scoffed openly.

“Easy to criticize when you contribute nothing.”

The table went silent.

Aurora immediately looked uncomfortable.

Tristan’s jaw tightened slightly.

So that happened often.

Interesting.

Kieran smiled without emotion.

“You’re right,” he said lightly. “I’m completely useless.”

The room relaxed too fast after that.

Like everyone preferred him harmless.

Seraphina noticed.

And suddenly something in her stomach twisted.

Because weak men didn’t survive in wolf families.

Especially not Alpha bloodlines.

So either Kieran really was worthless—

or he wanted people to think he was.

That thought stayed with her.

Dinner ended an hour later.

Music started in the ballroom.

Couples moved toward the dance floor.

Aurora immediately pulled Tristan away.

Of course she did.

She wanted everyone watching them.

Future Alpha.

Future Luna.

Perfect couple.

Fake as hell.

Seraphina slipped toward the balcony instead.

She needed air.

And preferably less rich people.

The cold hit her immediately.

Better.

She leaned against the railing and lit a cigarette.

“Those’ll kill you.”

Kieran’s voice.

Of course.

Seraphina didn’t turn around.

“So will your family.”

Kieran laughed quietly and stepped beside her.

Up close, he smelled like whiskey, smoke, and wolf.

Strong wolf.

Too strong.

Seraphina noticed immediately.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

“You hate parties?” he asked.

“I hate rich people.”

“You’re rich now.”

She looked at him finally.

“No. I’m useful now. That’s different.”

Kieran stared at her for a second.

Then smiled slowly.

“There she is again.”

“There who is?”

“The honest version.”

Seraphina snorted softly.

“You don’t know me.”

“No,” Kieran agreed. “But I know bullshit when I hear it.”

That surprised her a little.

Most people played games around her.

Kieran seemed bored by games entirely.

Dangerous.

He leaned against the railing beside her.

“You know Aurora’s been glaring at you all night.”

“She’s scared.”

Kieran smirked.

“You enjoy that.”

“Yes.”

“At least you admit it.”

Seraphina exhaled smoke slowly.

“She spent years pretending I didn’t exist while my mother died in a shitty apartment.”

Kieran glanced at her.

“Your mother’s sick?”

The question came too casually.

But Seraphina still answered.

“Dying.”

Something shifted in Kieran’s expression for half a second.

Gone immediately.

“Magnus keeping her alive to control you?”

Seraphina looked at him sharply.

So he really did notice things.

“Something like that.”

Kieran stayed quiet a moment.

Then:

“You should run.”

She laughed.

“And go where?”

“Anywhere not here.”

Seraphina looked through the ballroom windows.

Aurora dancing with Tristan.

Magnus shaking hands with pack leaders.

All those powerful wolves pretending to love each other.

Then she looked back at Kieran.

“I think I’d rather ruin their lives first.”

That made him grin.

Actually grin.

God.

He looked better dangerous.

That was unfortunate.

“You’re insane,” he said.

“I’ve been told.”

The balcony doors suddenly opened.

Aurora stepped outside.

The second she saw them standing close together, her face changed instantly.

Raw and ugly.

Interesting.

Aurora forced a smile.

“Kieran,” she said lightly, “Father’s looking for you.”

Kieran didn’t move.

“Then he should keep looking.”

Aurora’s smile cracked slightly.

Seraphina almost laughed.

Aurora stepped closer.

“You shouldn’t encourage rumors, Seraphina.”

Seraphina raised an eyebrow.

“What rumors?”

Aurora looked between them.

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Kieran finally spoke.

“She was talking to me, Aurora. Not proposing marriage.”

Aurora stiffened.

Seraphina noticed something immediately.

Kieran annoyed Aurora naturally.

Which meant she already looked down on him.

Interesting dynamic.

Aurora lowered her voice.

“You should remember your position.”

Seraphina smiled slowly.

“You first.”

Aurora’s eyes flashed.

Then suddenly—

she shoved the cigarette from Seraphina’s hand.

Hard enough to burn Seraphina’s fingers.

“Oops,” Aurora said coldly.

Silence.

Kieran’s expression changed instantly.

Not playful anymore.

Dangerous.

Seraphina looked down at the reddening burn on her skin.

Then back at Aurora.

And smiled.

That smile made Aurora step back slightly.

Good.

Because Seraphina finally understood something important.

Aurora was terrified of losing attention.

Terrified of losing power.

Terrified of another woman taking what she believed belonged to her.

Which meant Seraphina already knew exactly how to hurt her.

Kieran watched her carefully.

Too carefully.

Like he realized the same thing she did.

And for the first time that night—

Seraphina wondered if the “useless” Blackwood brother might actually be the most dangerous person in the room.

Seraphina couldn’t sleep.

Not because of Aurora.

Not even because of Magnus.

Because of Kieran Blackwood.

Something about him felt wrong.

Not dangerous wrong.

Hidden wrong.

She’d spent her entire life around predators pretending to be harmless.

Drunks with knives.

Smiling men who beat their wives.

Pack wolves who acted weak until someone turned their back.

Kieran fit too neatly into that category.

Nobody that calm was truly useless.

The next morning, Seraphina woke to shouting downstairs.

Magnus. Aurora.

Servants running around nervously.

Perfect.

She threw on a shirt and headed downstairs barefoot.

Aurora stood near the dining table holding her phone.

“You embarrassed me last night.”

Seraphina grabbed coffee from a servant.

“Good morning to you too.”

Magnus looked furious already.

“You will stay away from Kieran Blackwood.”

There it was.

Interesting.

Seraphina leaned against the counter.

“Why? Afraid your useless future son-in-law might suddenly develop standards?”

Aurora slammed her hand down.

“You flirt with every man who looks at you.”

Seraphina laughed.

“And you panic every time they do.”

Aurora moved toward her immediately.

“You think because Kieran entertained you for five minutes, you matter?”

“No,” Seraphina said calmly. “I think you’re terrified I might.”

That hit.

Hard.

Aurora’s face twisted instantly.

Magnus stepped in before she could respond.

“You’re marrying Kieran because Blackwood blood strengthens this pack. Nothing else.”

Seraphina stared at him.

“You keep saying that like I forgot I’m livestock.”

Magnus’s voice went cold.

“You should remember your place.”

Seraphina smiled slowly.

“You first.”

Wrong answer.

Magnus grabbed her arm violently.

Coffee spilled across the floor.

Aurora smirked immediately.

“There she is,” Seraphina muttered. “The real princess.”

Magnus dragged her closer.

“You will apologize to your sister.”

Seraphina looked directly at Aurora.

Then smiled.

“No.”

The slap echoed across the room.

Pain exploded through her cheek.

Still—

she laughed quietly.

Magnus looked genuinely enraged by that.

“You think this is funny?”

“No,” Seraphina said softly. “I think you are.”

Aurora suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Seraphina’s chin.

Hard.

“You should’ve stayed in the gutter where you belonged.”

The words hit differently this time.

Because Aurora meant them.

Every second of this.

Every bruise.

Every humiliation.

Seraphina’s expression slowly changed.

Flat. Cold. Dangerous.

Aurora noticed too late.

Seraphina suddenly shoved her backward hard enough that Aurora crashed into the dining table.

Glass shattered everywhere.

Aurora gasped.

Magnus roared instantly.

“You little—”

Seraphina ran before he could grab her again.

—

She ended up near the east side of the estate.

Empty training grounds.

Good.

She needed space before she killed someone.

Her cheek burned.

Her ribs still hurt from Magnus shoving her yesterday.

And underneath all of that—

Constant.

The kind she’d carried since childhood.

“You run every time someone hits you?”

Kieran.

Of course.

Seraphina didn’t turn around immediately.

“You follow women around often?”

“Only the entertaining ones.”

She looked back finally.

Kieran wore black training clothes today.

No tie.

No expensive jacket.

More dangerous like this.

Way more dangerous.

And now that she was paying attention—

his wolf scent felt stronger than before.

Buried. Hidden.

But there.

Interesting.

Kieran noticed her studying him.

“You figuring me out over there?”

Seraphina crossed her arms.

“You’re not weak.”

Kieran smiled immediately.

Bingo.

“There she is again,” he murmured.

“The smart version.”

Seraphina stared at him.

“You hide it on purpose.”

Kieran walked closer slowly.

“Maybe I enjoy disappointing people.”

“No,” Seraphina said quietly. “You enjoy making them underestimate you.”

For the first time—

Kieran looked genuinely interested.

Not flirting.

Interested.

“Careful,” he said softly. “You notice too much.”

Seraphina laughed once.

“That’s how poor people survive.”

Silence.

Then Kieran glanced at the bruise darkening her face.

“Magnus hit you again.”

Not a question.

Seraphina looked away first.

“He likes reminding himself he owns things.”

Kieran’s expression darkened slightly.

That surprised her.

“You hate him,” he said.

“I hate all of them.”

“And yet you stayed.”

That hit harder than expected.

Because she almost answered honestly.

Mom.

Instead she shrugged.

“Maybe I enjoy suffering.”

Kieran stared at her for a long second.

Then suddenly—

he reached out.

Seraphina flinched automatically.

The movement happened before she could stop it.

Kieran froze immediately.

And suddenly the air changed.

Because now he knew.

Not suspected.

Knew.

People hit her enough that touch itself became a warning.

Damn it.

Seraphina instantly smiled to cover it.

Too late.

Kieran had already seen.

His voice lowered slightly.

“Who taught you to react like that?”

Seraphina’s smile sharpened.

“You ask too many questions.”

“And you lie too much.”

There it was again.

That feeling.

Like he could see straight through her.

She hated it.

So naturally—

she stepped closer instead.

Close enough that his wolf scent wrapped around her skin.

Dangerous move.

But Seraphina had learned years ago:

when cornered, seduce.

Distract.

Control.

She placed one hand lightly against his chest.

Slow.

Intentional.

“You know,” she murmured, “for a useless Alpha, you’re surprisingly observant.”

Kieran looked down at her hand.

Then back at her face.

No panic.

No confusion.

He knew exactly what she was doing.

And worse—

he looked entertained by it.

“You flirt every time someone gets close to the truth?” he asked.

Seraphina smiled.

“Does it bother you?”

“No.”

God.

There was something deeply wrong with him.

Kieran suddenly caught her wrist gently.

Not rough.

Not possessive.

Just enough to stop her from pulling away first.

“You don’t actually want people touching you,” he said quietly.

That one almost broke through her mask.

Almost.

Seraphina tilted her head slowly.

“And yet here you are touching me.”

Kieran’s eyes darkened slightly.

“Yeah.”

For one dangerous second, neither of them moved.

Then—

voices interrupted from the far side of the training field.

Aurora.

And Tristan.

Aurora spotted them instantly.

Her expression changed immediately.

Jealousy.

Again.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Tristan looked more confused than angry.

Aurora stormed toward them.

“What exactly is this?”

Seraphina pulled her wrist free casually.

“Conversation.”

Aurora looked at Kieran.

“You’re engaged to her.”

Kieran shrugged.

“Unfortunately.”

Aurora’s jaw tightened.

Seraphina noticed it immediately.

Aurora hated seeing Kieran pay attention to another woman.

Not because she wanted him.

Because she wanted everyone wanting her.

That was different.

Aurora stepped closer to Seraphina.

“You really are pathetic,” she hissed quietly. “Throwing yourself at every Blackwood brother.”

There it was.

Seraphina smiled slowly.

Then deliberately looked past Aurora toward Tristan.

The older Blackwood brother.

Future Alpha.

Aurora’s mate.

And very handsome.

“Oh,” Seraphina said softly. “You noticed?”

Aurora went pale with rage.

Perfect.

Tristan suddenly cleared his throat awkwardly.

Kieran burst out laughing beside her.

Actual laughing.

Aurora looked humiliated.

Good.

Seraphina leaned slightly closer to her sister.

Voice soft enough only Aurora could hear.

“You should hold onto your mate tighter.”

Aurora stared at her.

Then suddenly shoved her backward.

Hard.

Seraphina stumbled directly into one of the metal training poles.

Pain exploded through her shoulder.

Before she could react—

Kieran moved.

Fast.

Too fast.

One second he stood beside her.

The next he had Aurora’s wrist in his hand.

The entire field went silent.

Because suddenly—

the “useless” Blackwood brother didn’t look weak at all.

His wolf pressure rolled across the training ground violently.

Cold. Dominant.

Even Tristan looked surprised.

Aurora’s face lost color instantly.

Kieran stared down at her calmly.

“Don’t touch what’s mine.”

Silence.

Complete silence.

Seraphina’s heartbeat stopped for half a second.

Because that wasn’t the voice of a spoiled useless Alpha.

That was power.

Real power.

And for the first time—

Seraphina realized the rumors about Kieran Blackwood might all be lies.