Seraphina’s POV
Caden’s voice cut through the air, cold and commanding, “Get Luna Holly out of here.”
His soldiers immediately moved toward Holly, who panicked and cried out, “No, wait! Please, just let me tag along. I’m asking as Alpha Sid’s Luna!”
I rolled my eyes internally. She had just shamelessly tried to cheat on Sid, and now she was demanding respect as his Luna. The audacity of this woman was unbelievable.
“I can’t make that call,” Caden replied flatly.
The female elder chuckled, “Oh, Alpha Caden, you’re so funny. You’re the host here. Who else can make the decision other than you?”
Caden turned to me, a small smile playing on his lips. “Seraphina, it’s up to you.”
Gasps rippled through the crowd, and suspicious glances turned toward me.
I knew what they were thinking. Word had already spread about my divorce. To them, I was just a mateless, abandoned woman forced to crawl back to her pack. The idea that Alpha Caden might be close to me was shocking.
“You… you and Alpha Caden…?” Beta Frank’s wife stammered, her eyes wide with disbelief. “What’s going on between you two?”
I replied with a mysterious smile and turned to Holly. “If you ask nicely, maybe I’ll let you stay.”
Holly’s face turned a furious shade of red. “I’m your Luna! I beg no one. Show some goddamn respect to me—”
I cut her off, turning to the soldiers. “Then escort her out, please.”
“WAIT!” Holly shrieked, her voice shaking with rage and humiliation. After a tense pause, she finally ground out, “Fine. Please, Seraphina. If you let me stay, I’ll be… very grateful.”
The humiliation on her face brought me a twisted sense of satisfaction.
This is just the beginning, I thought. This little moment of disgrace was only a warm-up. One day, I’d make her regret everything she had done to my friends.
“Fine. If you insist,” I said coolly. “But I should warn you, we’re doing Northern-style hunting today. You might not be used to it.”
Holly raised her chin, laughing arrogantly. “I’ve been hunting since I was a kid! What are we hunting today? Rabbits, deer, pheasants? Whatever it is, I’ll score more prey than you.”
“You want to make it a bet?” I asked with a smirk. “You’ll lose.”
She rolled her eyes. “No fucking way. If I lose, I’ll strip myself and run naked in the public square!”
I laughed. “Deal. Better remember your words.”
We stepped outside together. Soldiers were already preparing for the hunt, sharpening knives and setting up bonfires in the snow. The distant growls of wild beasts echoed through the woods.
Beta Frank and Eason were warming up in the clearing ahead. Frank waved me over with a grin. “Seraphina! How many bears do you think you’ll bag this year?”
“Bears?!” Holly blurted out, her voice rising in panic. “What bears?”
“Oh, don’t you know?” the female elder chimed in. “We hunt bears in the North.”
“Nobody told me!” Holly stammered, her horror evident. “So are they… baby bears, or…?”
“Of course not,” the elder replied, almost laughing. “Every single prey is a fully grown male, nearly two meters tall. They’re fast, strong, and can crush a skull with a single swipe. Better watch yourself.”
Holly’s voice trembled. “What weapons do you use? Rifles?”
Eason rolled his eyes. “You’re a goddamn werewolf! Who needs fucking rifles? We kill bears with our bare hands. Hey, Luna, Sid caught eight bears last year all by himself. You’re his mate—don’t tell me you’re afraid?”
All eyes fixed on Holly. Her face was pale, her fear obvious, but her pride wouldn’t let her admit it.
I chuckled. “Actually, Luna Holly and I just made a bet. Whoever catches fewer bears today has to run naked in the public square.”
The crowd erupted into laughter, whistling and cheering.
“No, wait!” Holly flailed her arms, her voice frantic. “I didn’t know we were hunting bears—”
“Are you chickening out?” I teased. “Admit you’re a coward, and we’ll call off the bet.”
Everyone stared at Holly, waiting for her response. Her face contorted in frustration as she stomped her foot and stormed off.
Caden watched her retreat with a cold smirk. “She’s already lost.”
“You seem very sure of me,” I said, raising an eyebrow.
“Of course. You could take down ten Hollys on your own,” he said, stretching his shoulders and grinning. “Honestly, I’ve never hunted bears before either. This should be fun.”
