The moment stretches—thin and fragile—as I see the two she-wolves step off the curb.
They cross the street together, heels clicking against pavement, confidence rolling off them like perfume. They haven't noticed us yet. Not fully.
I glance at Enoch, already turning toward him, about to tell him to get Samantha—now—to usher her to the car, to get us out of here before this turns into a public disaster. There are too many wolves around. Too many pack members. Too many eyes.
We do not need a confrontation in the open.
Seraphina wouldn't recognize me—not really. Not without context.
But Cameran? Cam she would recognize anywhere.
Roxy, though… Roxy knows all of us.
Shit.
This is not going to end well.
But the universe, apparently, hates me.
"Oh wait—is that…"
The voice is sharp. Grating. Too loud for the street.
"Cameran? Is that you?"
Cameran's shoulders tense. A low growl vibrates from her chest before she even turns around.
She pivots slowly, eyes cold. "Seraphina," she says flatly. Then, after a beat, tilting her head as she looks her up and down, "You're breathing. How unfortunate."
Cam's gaze flicks pointedly to Seraphina's throat.
"Last time I saw you, you couldn't catch your breath."
Seraphina's face twists, color rushing into her cheeks. "I see you're still loose with that tongue," she snaps. "I wonder how good you'd be with it cut off."
Cameran steps forward without hesitation. "Bring it, bitch. I'm down for staking a witch today."
Enoch's hand lands on her shoulder—firm, grounding.
"Mmh. Babe," he murmurs calmly, eyes never leaving Seraphina. "You okay over here?"
Seraphina's eyes widen just a fraction.
"And who is this handsome male?" she asks, voice suddenly syrupy as she twirls a lock of her hair around her finger.
Oh gods.
This is spiraling fast.
Cameran's growl deepens, darker now. "My mate," she snaps. "So keep your snake eyes off him."
Seraphina scoffs. "Mate?" She glances at Roxy, who is conspicuously uninterested, inspecting her nails like none of this concerns her. "That's the Royal Gamma."
Seraphina wrinkles her nose. "Why would the Goddess gift you with the Royal Gamma?" Her eyes rake Cam with open disdain. "You must be a real whore to be chosen."
Cameran lunges.
Enoch tightens his grip, holding her back. His voice stays steady, deadly calm. "I'm her fated. The Moon Goddess blessed me dearly."
Seraphina waves a dismissive hand. "No matter." She straightens, chin lifting. "I don't think you heard me."
She smiles.
"I'm the King's fiancée."
Every muscle in my body tightens.
We have to get out of here.
"The King's fiancée?" Melanie asks flatly. "Are you delusional?"
"Melanie of SilverFlame," Seraphina purrs. "Why on earth are you with this ingrate? Come. You and the Royals should walk with us. High-ranking wolves shouldn't associate with those beneath them."
Melanie stares at her, then looks at us, genuinely baffled.
"Did you smoke wolfsbane?"
Seraphina bristles. "Excuse me? I'm only stating the truth. Right, Roxy?"
Cam's eyes snap to Roxy. "Right, Roxy? You want a repeat of last time?"
Roxy visibly flinches and takes a step back.
Seraphina notices. Her brow lifts.
"This is going nowhere good," I say quickly. "Why don't we just leave it at this and walk away?"
But before anyone can respond—
Chime.
The bell above the herbal shop door rings.
My heart drops.
Samantha steps out, sunlight catching in her hair, two new bags hanging from her hands. She's smiling—soft, content—
Until she sees us.
Until she sees them.
The smile vanishes.
Seraphina's attention snaps to her immediately.
"You have a lot of nerve," she says sharply, "walking around my pack."
Roxy goes pale.
Samantha looks at us, just briefly, and shakes her head. Calm. Controlled.
"Let's go, guys," she says evenly. "We should head back."
She turns, taking a step away.
"Um—hello?!" Seraphina screeches. "I'm talking to you! How dare you walk away from your Queen!"
Samantha stops.
Shit.
People are staring now. Wolves slowing. Some stopping altogether. The air feels thick—charged.
My mind races. How do we shut this down—
And then it hits me.
Without thinking, I open my mind, pushing my voice outward through the link to anyone close enough to hear.
You've heard the rumors.
You've heard the Elders trying to separate the King from his fated.
You've heard they called her weak.
Images, emotions, truth flood through.
You've also heard the staff say the opposite.
You can witness the truth yourself.
I push harder.
The Moon Goddess does not make mistakes.
This is the female the Elders want you to reject.
The one the Goddess gave you.
The response is immediate.
Voices collide in my head—anger, disbelief, outrage.
"What did you say?" Sam calmly ask Seraphina.
Before anyone can move—
Roxy drops to her knees.
No aura touches her. No pressure forces her down.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness," she sobs. "I didn't know you were here."
Seraphina turns beet red. "What the fuck are you doing?! Get up!"
"My Queen," Roxy cries, "I'm not with her—please."
Samantha looks at Roxy for a single second—dismissive, unreadable—then her attention snaps back to Seraphina.
"Walk away," Sam says quietly. "We'll leave it at this."
"The fuck we will!" Seraphina shrieks. "Kieran is mine! When I fuck him like I fucked your Ryan, he'll know what a real she-wolf feels like—inside and—"
The air slams.
Samantha's aura detonates outward.
Pressure crushes down on us, stealing breath, forcing my knees to bend as I submit instinctively. Sweat beads along my spine.
Seraphina drops to her knees. Roxy's sobs turn hysterical.
Samantha is shaking—rage barely contained—as she steps forward.
Seraphina tries to fight it.
"How the f—"
Her face slams into the pavement.
Bone cracks.
'Nose-breaking is definitely her MO,' Cam mind-links.
'How can you joke right now?!' I fire back.
'Inappropriate commentary is my MO.'
'Enough.'
Samantha's voice rolls over us—commanding, ancient.
'Not now.'
My breath catches.
How is she mind-linking us?
She's not marked. She's not pack—
Enoch answers, reverent.
'Because the Queen can link to anyone.'
Cold realization sinks in. Has she accepted who she is? What does that mean for Kieran?
"You will leave this pack," Samantha says, voice lethal, "and never return. You will never claim Kieran."
Another crack.
Seraphina screams.
"Do you understand?"
No answer.
More pressure. More breaks. Seraphina sobs, bones snapping beneath invisible force.
"Y-yes!"
Samantha pulls her aura back.
Air rushes into my lungs.
She turns away.
When I look up, the street is filled with kneeling wolves.
Males on one knee. Females bowed. Heads lowered.
The link explodes with voices.
Our Queen returns.
White Wolf.
Rightful heir.
We kneel to the Queen.
And Samantha—calm, powerful, terrifying—walks to the car like she's always owned the world.