Seraphina’s POV
The entire Council Hall erupted into chaos, the air thick with disbelief and murmurs of shock. All eyes turned to me, wide and questioning.
“What? Are you insane?” Holly stammered, her voice high-pitched and trembling. “Why would I fight you to the death?”
“Because I’ve challenged you, and you have to accept,” I said coldly, a sharp smirk tugging at my lips. “It’s your duty as a leader.”
The room grew quieter as my words sank in. Everyone in the wolf world knew the rules: any wolf could challenge a pack leader—Alpha, Beta, or Luna—and the one challenged had no choice but to accept. The challenger also set the terms of the fight, and I’d made my terms clear: this was to the death.
I clenched my fists, the fury in my chest burning hotter as I glared at her. Holly had tortured Sid, humiliated me, and hurt my friends. This fight wasn’t just for revenge—it was justice. There was no way she was walking out of this hall alive.
For a moment, fear flickered in Holly’s eyes. “N-no,” she stammered. “I know you’re upset about joining Silverclaw Pack, but that’s Sid’s decision, not mine. If you want a fight, take it up with him!”
“Oh? Didn’t you keep bragging about being Sid’s Luna, part of this pack?” I shot back, my voice icy. “And now it’s suddenly none of your business?”
She faltered, searching for a way out. “Then…then I’ll have Sid fight for me—”
“Nope.” Eason’s smug grin cut her off. “You’re the one being challenged. You have to fight yourself.”
Holly’s face turned pale, her confident facade cracking.
Eason clapped me on the shoulder, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “This is the badass Seraphina I know! A challenge? Hell yeah, sis, go show her who’s boss!”
I nodded at him and stepped toward the center of the hall. But before I could get far, Caden’s hand shot out and grabbed my wrist, his grip firm and unyielding.
“Are you fucking kidding me?!” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. His green eyes locked onto mine, blazing with fury. “To the death? Did you even bother asking my opinion before making this decision?!”
I placed a hand on his arm, trying to calm him. “Don’t worry, Caden. I’ve got this—”
“Bullshit!” he snapped, his anger spilling over. “You never ask my opinion—not now, not before when you ran off without telling me anything! I’m so sick of your secrets, your betrayals. What if you die here today?! Have you even thought about how that makes me feel?!”
His Alpha aura rippled through the room, so intense that everyone flinched. Even Eason shifted uneasily nearby.
“My sister isn’t going to die at the hands of that woman—” Eason started, but Caden’s voice roared over him.
“Shut up!” he bellowed, his fury palpable, more beast than man. The power radiating from him made the room feel suffocating.
I knew I should’ve handled this better. Maybe I should’ve talked to him before throwing down the gauntlet. But there hadn’t been time, and even if there had been, he wouldn’t have let me do it. This wasn’t about what Caden wanted—it was about my promises to Liam, Nora, and Sid. My pack needed me.
I looked him straight in the eye. “I thought you trusted me. Didn’t you say I could take down ten Hollys without breaking a sweat?”
“That’s not the same thing!” he shot back.
“I promised Liam I’d avenge him. And I promised Sid I’d always protect this pack. I’m keeping those promises—not even my mate could stop me from doing this.”
I didn’t say the part that lingered in my mind: And we’re not even mates.
But Caden understood the unspoken words. I saw the hurt flash in his eyes as his grip loosened and he stepped back.
“…How could you do this to me?” he asked, his voice breaking with pain.
I swallowed hard, the guilt twisting in my chest. I knew I’d hurt him, but this was the only way. I’d make it up to him later—if there was a later.
Right now, I had a fight to win.
