Chapter 0037 – Seraphina’s POV
The weight of the courtroom’s events still lingered as I stood outside, but the mob’s deafening chants shattered any semblance of peace. Their voices—sharp, venomous, and relentless—stabbed at me with accusations of infidelity.
“Adulteress!”
“Betrayer!”
Fists waved in the air, and spit flew toward me as if their hatred could manifest physically. My chest tightened, and for a moment, I felt paralyzed by the sea of angry faces.
Damon’s voice broke through my haze of disbelief. “W-what’s going on?! Who allowed this madness?” His expression was a mix of shock and denial as if refusing to connect the chaos with Althea’s scheming.
Liam and Caleb arrived, both looking grim. Caleb shoved forward a trembling woman—the same one he had restrained earlier. Her face was pale with fear, her lips quivering as she avoided eye contact.
“This one’s been spreading the rumors,” Caleb growled, pushing her closer. “She’s Althea’s maid. She confessed that Althea told her to rile up the citizens and spread lies about Seraphina sleeping with Alpha Caden.”
Damon’s jaw dropped. He stumbled back a step, his eyes wide with disbelief. “No… That can’t be. Althea wouldn’t—she couldn’t—”
“She did,” Caleb cut him off bluntly. “And now you’re dealing with the mess she created.”
I couldn’t hold back any longer. My voice trembled with fury as I turned to Damon, locking my gaze with his.
“You want to know why I’m leaving with Caden?” I demanded. “Because here, in Crimson Hollow Pack, I’ve been poisoned, framed, and now publicly humiliated by a mob! And all of it traces back to Althea. You stood by her side through all of this, defending her, believing her over me. Do you still not see the truth? Do you still not believe me, Damon?”
Damon’s face twisted with confusion and guilt. His lips moved, but no words came out. He looked like a man standing on a crumbling bridge, unsure which way to jump.
Caden’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “Let’s go, Seraphina.”
I turned to him, his towering presence radiating calm authority amidst the chaos. Without a word, I followed him, letting his steadiness ground me.
Damon grabbed my wrist before I could fully leave. His grip was firm but desperate. “Seraphina, wait!” he pleaded, his voice low and strained. “Don’t go with him. Please.”
I yanked my arm free, glaring at him with every ounce of the betrayal I felt. “I have no reason to stay.”
Damon’s expression shifted to anger, his voice rising. “You’re really going to leave with him? Seraphina, don’t be stupid! He’s way out of your league! And he already has a girlfriend!”
The mention of Caden’s supposed girlfriend stung, but I wouldn’t let Damon see how it affected me.
“That’s none of your business,” I snapped, stepping away.
Damon tried to follow, but Caleb and Liam blocked his path. “Enough, Alpha,” Liam said firmly. “Let her go.”
Damon glared at them but didn’t push further. Instead, he watched as I walked away, his shoulders slumping with defeat.
As soon as I stepped through the crowd with Caden by my side, the mob’s shouts seemed to double in intensity. Spit, curses, and even small stones rained down, their hatred palpable.
“Back off!” Caleb roared, drawing his weapon and firing a warning shot into the air. The crowd recoiled slightly but didn’t disperse.
Caden didn’t flinch. He placed a steadying hand on my back and leaned in close. “Keep walking,” he said softly, his voice soothing despite the chaos.
I nodded and kept moving, my head held high even as my heart ached.
When we reached the safety of a carriage waiting nearby, Caden helped me inside. For the first time that day, I exhaled deeply, letting the tension ease from my body.
Caden climbed in beside me, his emerald-green eyes locking onto mine. “Are you okay?”
I nodded, though I wasn’t sure if it was true. “I will be.”
He didn’t press further. Instead, he reached out and gently brushed his fingers across my wrist where Damon had grabbed me earlier. His touch was light, but it sent a wave of warmth through me.
“From now on,” Caden said, his voice low and protective, “no one will harm you while I’m around.”
I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond. His words, his presence—it all felt like a shield I didn’t know I needed.
As the carriage began to move, I turned to look out the window. The angry mob was still visible, their fists raised in fury, but they were growing smaller with each passing second.
For the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to hope. Perhaps, with Caden’s help, I could finally find peace—and reclaim everything I had lost.
