Seraphina’s POV
Caden chuckled softly, his green eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and something deeper. “Jealous of me and Holly? You don’t want to see me with another woman, do you?”
I fidgeted nervously under his intense gaze. “I know I don’t have the right to ask that of you… Even though I signed your contract, I’m not your real Luna… I overstepped.”
“I told you, you have every right to meddle with any of my business,” he replied, his voice firm and unwavering.
My heart skipped a beat at his words.
“Stay honest with me,” he continued, his fingers twirling a strand of my hair. His voice was slightly hoarse, as if emotions were bubbling just beneath the surface. “Never hide your feelings from me again. In return, I’ll give you time to get ready.”
“Get ready for what?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
“To come back to me,” he said, his tone decisive. “This time, not as a contract Luna, but as the real one.”
My jaw dropped. What the actual fuck?!
He wanted me to be his real wife?!
It was one thing to think he might be interested in me, or even want to date casually. I could wrap my head around the idea of being his fake Luna to help manage his pack—something practical.
But marriage? Actual marriage?
“We’ve only known each other for a few months, and you’re already talking about a lifetime commitment?” I blurted out, still trying to process his words.
“We met at Fiona’s graduation. That’s longer than you and Damon knew each other before you got married,” he countered, looking slightly annoyed. “And it wasn’t like you and he were best friends when you tied the knot.”
“That’s different,” I argued. “We were mates. We had a mate bond. But with us… there’s nothing.”
He grabbed my hand and pressed it against his chest, right over his heart. I could feel the strong, rapid beat beneath my palm.
“Feel that?” he said softly. “It beats for you. What I feel for you is stronger than any mate bond.”
The weight of his words hit me like a tidal wave. Mate bonds were sacred in werewolf culture, the ultimate connection between two souls. Yet here he was, saying his feelings for me transcended even that.
I felt like I was in a surreal dream, where the world’s most perfect bachelor—the one every woman dreamed of—wanted me as his wife.
“But what if your mate shows up later?” I asked, clinging to the last shred of logic. “You might regret this.”
“I won’t. So stop giving yourself excuses to run away from me,” he said firmly, grabbing my chin to hold my gaze.
I swallowed hard, my mind racing.
When I decided to open up to him, I’d only been prepared for casual dating—something light and simple. But this? He wanted forever.
I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to be the Luna of Obsidian Crest Pack, the largest and most powerful pack in the world. Managing Crimson Hollow Pack had been overwhelming enough. The pressure of running Storm Fang might crush me.
“You’re zoning out again,” he said, frustration flickering across his face. “What’s on your mind now?”
“I’m just imagining the pressure of being your Luna,” I admitted weakly. “It might break me.”
He chuckled, his lips curving into a soft smile. “I told you I’d give you time. So don’t worry about that now.”
He was right—there was no point in stressing over something that hadn’t happened yet. I needed to focus on the problems right in front of me.
Clearing my throat, I told him everything Nora and Liam had shared about Holly, including their suspicion that she wasn’t Sid’s real mate.
Finally, I asked, “Have you ever heard of a way to fake being someone’s mate?”
Caden shook his head. “Never.”
He paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “But when Holly showed up at my door earlier, I did sense something… unusual.”
“Unusual how?”
“She had this strange scent. It wasn’t perfume—it was more like a wolf’s scent. When I smelled it, my mind went fuzzy for a second, and my wolf felt… aroused, like it was in heat. But I snapped out of it quickly.”
My fists clenched in shock and anger. “That’s it! Holly must’ve used something similar to make Sid think she was his mate. Too bad for her, you controlled yourself, but Sid didn’t.”
“That’s so fucking low,” I growled. “What is that scent, anyway? And how did Holly get it? It sounds so weird and creepy.”
“I’ll have my men investigate,” Caden said coldly, his expression darkening. “Don’t underestimate her dirty tricks. She’s Alpha Johnson’s daughter, after all. That man’s involved in plenty of shady business. It wouldn’t surprise me if she learned a few tricks from him.”
Anger simmered inside me. Holly’s actions weren’t just deceitful—they were disgusting.
But with Caden by my side, I felt a renewed sense of determination.
Whatever Holly was planning, we’d uncover it. And when we did, she’d pay for every lie, every betrayal, and every drop of pain she’d caused.
