Serena played with the last piece of her pie, moving it around on her plate with her spoon. She glanced at the door Darius had closed behind him, her lips pressing into a thin line.
Clicking her tongue, she placed the plate on the stone steps and walked over to the rose bushes, hugging herself.
These bushes seemed to taunt her wherever she went after coming to Ironshade. They were somewhere between the borders, in Oakspire, and now here at Blackthorn Keep.
She could almost hear them mocking her, spitting in her face.
How cruel was it? She couldn’t bring herself to hold his hands or look into his hazel eyes for a bit longer.
Serena wasn’t afraid of him, not in the true sense of things. She barely knew Darius; all of this seemed like formalities.
It wasn’t with Cullen. That had been much different.
She had her eyes on someone else before she and Cullen discovered they were fated mates.
Thoughts of him had been few and far between. It has been two years now. In the early days of her exile, he was all she could think about. She saw him in her dreams, in the river, when she went foraging.
Serena exhaled. But things had changed, much quicker than she had anticipated. She never imagined things would change at all. And now, she was unsure how to face it.
She plucked a rose from the bush, her grip tightening around the stem. One by one, she tore the petals away, scattering them to the wind until only the bare stalk remained.
And soon, everything would change again.
She would be gone by spring. Once the first pansies bloomed, she had promised.
Her eyes drifted to the rest of the flowers. Darius’ behavior didn’t bother her, it didn’t matter one bit.
So why did she tremble as much as she did, the rose bushes her only audience?
Serena walked back to the steps, picked up the plate, and popped the last piece of pie into her mouth.
How odd he had been, trying to act as if he wanted a clean slate, only to abruptly stand up like he was courting the enemy.
Serena curled her fingers around the plate. She would have crushed it under her sheer grip if she hadn’t caught herself.
Shaking her head, she turned the doorknob and let herself into the empty kitchen.
She ran the soapy rag across the dish, slowly.
Her thoughts replayed the interaction between her and Darius. Anger found its way into her heart. It wasn’t fair.
Serena tried to rationalize it, but she couldn’t help her feelings. Somehow, she wished the meeting with Livia had happened ten times over rather than whatever this was with Darius.
She looked up at the ceiling, shaking water off her hands.
Somehow, this was the wolf Lunara had chosen to be the second half of her soul. The thought left a bitter taste in Serena’s mouth.
She would have eagerly taken his offer to sever the bond- if not for-
"Serena," Feyra whispered.
Serena closed her eyes and clenched her fists. If she lost her wolf, her life would be next.
Life as a rogue was already hellish, but without Feyra... she wasn’t sure how much she could endure.
"He is very strange, but-"
"I understand. You would like to meet his... wolf," Serena interrupted. "But you must understand, I do not share the same sentiment."
Her wolf whimpered, restless at the boundaries of her mind. Serena could feel her yearning, but she had to push it down.
"Yes, but Cullen has passed. It has been many moons."
Serena’s nails almost drew blood. It had been a while since she last thought of Cullen, and it wasn’t as fondly as before.
It offended her that her wolf had brought him up in such a crude way.
"I do not appreciate this. At all. Stop," Serena warned.
"Do you not see? Your grief has blinded you," Feyra continued, her voice rising. "Your life is ahead of you."
"Whatever’s left of it."
Serena sighed, rubbing her arm. She glanced at the door to confirm she was still alone.
"Please, you’re killing yourself," Feyra said softly.
"I am fine." Serena paused. "He does not want you, and I do not want him. That man- Darius."
Silence stretched between them before Feyra let out a grave sigh.
"I am not deaf to your encounters," the wolf murmured. "There is more than meets the eye."
"It is none of our business, and I do not want to make it ours."
Serena worked quickly in the kitchen, putting everything back in its place.
It could be simple. Just live in solitude until it was time to leave Ironshade.
But life was never that simple. Original content can be found at novel※fire.net
She was holding out for her wolf. But still... some part of her, a foolish part, really wanted to hold out for herself, too.
Maybe, if things were different-
"Justplease," Feyra begged.
"No. Forget it. I want nothing to do with him."
Her fingers curled around the damp rag, then with a sharp exhale, she hurled it across the room. She ran a hand through her hair with a heavy sigh.
Feyra said nothing else.
"Please rest yourself," Serena muttered. "I would not like to put you under stress until we leave..."
They rarely argued. For the most part, they coexisted peacefully. And for that, she was grateful to Lunara.
Serena dusted the remaining flour from her apron as she left the kitchen. When she raised her head, she was face-to-face with Darius.
His hands were clasped under his chin, watching her intently.
She cleared her throat, her tone measured. "Would you like something?"
"No," he began, rising from his chair. "We’ve wasted enough time as it is."
Serena raised a brow.
She knew he had wanted something the moment he set foot in the manor.
"The Moonseeker asks for your presence," he said coolly. Immediately."