Chapter 369 She’s irritating as hell, but we’re not leaving her son
Voren had been holding Seraphine close, his body wrapped around hers, when the temperature suddenly plummeted inside the tent. Half-asleep and seeking warmth, Seraphine instinctively snuggled even tighter against him.
Voren frowned and glanced toward the window. The second he looked outside, he realized exactly what was happening.
Snow. Heavy, thick flakes poured from the sky, blanketing everything in sight with a relentless white curtain.
Without wasting a single second, he carefully scooped her up and carried her into the cabin. Seraphine barely stirred as Voren gently cleaned her up, slipped her into soft, comfortable clothes, and tucked her beneath several thick, warm blankets.
He got the fireplace crackling to life, and soon the whole cabin filled with cozy, welcoming heat.
For a long moment, Voren just sat there beside her, watching her sleep with eyes full of pure softness. ’She’s so beautiful,’ Bloodfang said in his mind, Voren smiled. He couldn’t agree more with his wolf. ’That makes us the luckiest.’
Even now, after everything they’d shared, part of him still couldn’t fully believe she was really his again. A warm smile tugged at his lips as he leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to her cheek before wrapping his strong arms around her once more.
The steady rhythm of her breathing and the warmth of her body soothed something deep inside his soul.
Sleep was just starting to pull him under when a mind link suddenly cut through. ’Alpha, the snowstorm is getting heavier. I’m sending warriors out to clear the entrance and move the young fishes to the deeper parts of the lake.’
Voren’s expression turned serious in an instant. The pack’s hidden entrance lay beneath the lake, and during bad storms like this, the surface water could freeze solid, making access nearly impossible or completely blocked.
’I’ll join you,’ he replied quickly, ending the link. He glanced back at Seraphine with deep reluctance. Duty was calling, no matter how much he hated to leave her.
He carefully pulled the blankets higher around her shoulders and made sure the fire was roaring strong and steady. Only when he was completely satisfied that she’d stay warm did he grab a piece of paper.
His handwriting came out quick but neat: ’It’s snowing. Gotta clear the entrance of the pack. Be right back. Love, V.’
He left the note where she’d see it right away, then quietly slipped out of the cabin.
The scene that greeted him outside hit him hard. The storm had grown way worse than he’d expected. Snow blanketed absolutely everything. The colorful flowers around the cabin were now trapped under layers of ice, the waterfall had partially frozen into glittering sheets, and even parts of the lake were starting to harden over.
Luckily, Voren had prepared for winters like this. He’d created safe paths beforehand so the fish could migrate to warmer depths when the temperatures dropped too low. Still, the sheer amount of snowfall was seriously alarming.
He headed straight for the elevator that connected their hidden spot to the main pack grounds, planning to use the primary entrance to reach the front of the territory and help the warriors.
What he didn’t know was that someone had been watching his every move the entire time.
Oriana.
The Luna’s sharp eyes followed him until he completely disappeared from sight. Only then did she move, her lips pressed into a thin, angry line as she made her way toward the cabin. The door opened with a quiet creak.
Inside, Seraphine was still sleeping peacefully under the pile of blankets. For some reason, the sight irritated Oriana even more.
While the entire pack struggled with the raging storm, this woman got to sleep comfortably in her son’s cabin like nothing was wrong. The thought made her jaw clench tight with frustration.
She stepped farther inside, and almost instantly, Seraphine’s eyes fluttered open, as if she’d sensed the older woman’s presence. Confusion quickly shifted into alarm. “Luna Oriana, what are you doing here?”
Seraphine tightened her grip on the blankets, relieved to find herself fully covered, but the cold look in Oriana’s eyes made it crystal clear this wasn’t a friendly visit.
Oriana crossed her arms, disapproval dripping from every word. “I’ve been wondering what my son sees in a used woman like you. You’re nothing like the innocent little girl he used to sneak around with.”
Seraphine’s jaw clenched hard. Inside her mind, Marsha let out an annoyed growl. ’She’s irritating as hell, but we’re not leaving her son. She already lost.’
The comment nearly made Seraphine laugh, and a small chuckle slipped out before she could stop it. That only fueled Oriana’s anger even more.
“You think this is funny?” Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “First he refused to marry Jasmine. Now he won’t marry Athaliah either. If you truly love him, you’ll leave him alone.”
The heavy accusation hung in the air between them. Seraphine wanted to sit up properly, but the second she tried to move, a deep wave of discomfort shot through her sore muscles. She winced hard.
Every single part of her body was screaming reminders of the intense night they’d shared.
Before she could even complain, Marsha’s voice rang through her mind. ’Don’t ask. I’m not healing that.’
Seraphine frowned. ’You have to. I need my strength.’
Marsha snorted. ’What strength? If I heal this now, I’d have to keep doing it every single time you two end up in the same situation. Endure it. Your body will adjust eventually. Now you understand why I always wanted you to stop acting like a nun.’
Heat rushed straight to Seraphine’s cheeks. Thankfully, Oriana couldn’t hear any of that inner conversation. Taking a slow, steadying breath, Seraphine forced a calm smile onto her face. The polite expression only seemed to confuse the older woman more.
“Luna Oriana,” Seraphine began, her voice polite but steady, “don’t you think this way of trying to separate two adults who love each other is a little outdated?”
Her smile stayed firmly in place. “I’m with Voren because I love him.” She tilted her head slightly, eyes sparkling with quiet defiance. “So I’m really struggling to understand your version of love. Please explain it to me, because as far as I’m concerned, people who love each other, stay together.”