The drive stretched for hours, the road unfurling beneath the car like a dark ribbon as night swallowed the landscape whole.
The moon hung low and pale, its light slicing through the trees in fleeting flashes as they moved farther from the pack territory and farther still from the city's restless hum.
By the time they arrived, exhaustion clung to Seraphine's bones.
Humphrey Walker and Kylie Walker, Ravyn's parents, lived in deliberate seclusion. Not close enough to the pack to be pulled into its rigid traditions, yet far enough from the city to avoid its chaos, they had chosen a life of quiet autonomy.
Here, moon festivals did not disturb the night, and no Alpha's authority echoed through their halls. This was a place governed by personal choice, not pack law.
Here, they lived by their own rules. Corvine slowed his steps as they approached the estate, unease etched into his features. "Luna, are you certain about this?" he asked quietly. "Alpha Ravyn will make a farce of it if he finds out."
"It's fine," Seraphine replied without hesitation. Her voice was calm, resolute. "Why do you think I stayed as long as I did? His parents treated me better than my own ever did. It is only right that I spend my last few days with them before leaving for the city."
She stopped abruptly and turned to face him, her gaze sharpening. "Before we go inside, you need to tell me why you resigned."
He had already told Alpha Ravyn it was not because of her. That meant there was something else, something heavier, and she needed to know what she was gambling with.
Remorse flickered through Corvine's eyes. He lowered his head, his shoulders sagging beneath the weight of his confession. "Luna… I feel guilty. Guilty that I failed to protect your daughter, so I want to make it my responsibility to search for her."
Her chest tightened. "Besides, I can't stand taking orders from a scheming woman like Daisy."
The sincerity in his voice touched her, even as reality clawed its way forward. Seraphine knew better than to cling to fragile hope.
"You told me you never saw the woman," she said softly. "New York is vast. Without knowing who she was, or what my daughter looks like now, finding her is almost impossible. She's older, and could look completely different."
Corvine lifted his head, surprise written across his face. "I thought you wanted to find her."
"I do," Seraphine replied, her voice lowering. "Eventually, but if she is happy wherever she is, I would rather she stay there. I just don't want to imagine the worst."
"That something terrible might be happening to her?"
Seraphine nodded once. The motion was small, restrained. "It's unbearable for a mother to imagine such things." She inhaled slowly, steadying herself. "And enough of calling me Luna. From now on, address me by my name."
Corvine shook his head immediately. "I refuse. Divorce or not, you will always be my Luna."
A dull ache bloomed behind her temples. "The city welcomes everyone," she reminded him. "You will confuse people if you keep calling me that."
Only then did he relent, albeit reluctantly. "Very well," he said. "I will try… Seraphine."
As they neared the gate of the Walker residence, Corvine's earlier worry returned. "What if they are asleep? We might have to wait here until morning."
Seraphine said nothing, only quickening her pace.
The moment they reached the gate, it slid open smoothly, as if anticipating her arrival. Corvine froze. "How is that possible?"
His answer came swiftly. The security guard straightened and greeted Seraphine with practiced respect. "Second Mrs. Walker, you must be exhausted from such a long journey. First Mr. and Mrs. Walker are asleep, but your room has been kept ready."
A faint smile curved Seraphine's lips. "Thank you, Edward. Please have a maid prepare the guest room for my friend."
"Yes, Second Mrs. Walker. Right away." By the way Edward addressed her, and by the lack of aura around him, Corvine realized the man was human.
He had spent so many years buried in pack affairs and city business that he had never truly understood the depth of Seraphine's bond with her in-laws.
Before Seraphine could reach the door, it opened from the inside, and she was pulled into a warm, familiar embrace.
"My dear Sera," Kylie's voice trembled with emotion, "I've missed you so much."
Seraphine smiled as she gently pulled away. "Mom, I missed you too. I'm sorry if I woke you."
"You didn't," Kylie replied softly. "I couldn't sleep. A little bird told me about the divorce. We were planning to visit the pack tomorrow, but you beat us to it."
Seraphine's chest warmed. This woman had been more of a mother to her than her own ever was. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "And although I hate to admit it, my mother was right about one thing. There is no turning back the seventh time."
She braced herself for persuasion, for pleading words urging her to reconsider but instead, Kylie nodded firmly. "You have suffered enough," she said, her voice breaking. "The moment I heard what they did to your child, I knew you didn't belong there anymore. Ravyn…" she paused. "He is a far cry from the son I raised. I'm so sorry."
Tears spilled over, and Seraphine immediately drew her into a comforting embrace. They stood there together, unaware of the cold air or the passage of time, wrapped in shared grief and understanding.
It wasn't until a familiar male voice spoke that they realized they were still standing at the entrance.
"Come inside," Humphrey said gently. Then his gaze shifted to Corvine. "And you, what are you doing here?"
Once indoors, Seraphine explained everything. "Corvine resigned from his pack duties."
She told them about all that had happened including all she did to Daisy. When she finished, Humphrey smiled faintly, though pain lingered in his eyes. "This is my fault," he said heavily. "If only I had—"
"No," Seraphine interrupted quickly. "Please don't say it. It changes nothing. His heart was never mine. Even the truth would not have turned it toward me."
She met their eyes, steady despite the ache in her chest. "I only came to tell you my plans in case you never see me again."
The words shattered them. "Please," Kylie said, her voice trembling. "Don't tell us you are leaving. You can stay here as long as you need."
And for the first time since everything had fallen apart, Seraphine felt safe, unknown that the real storm was coming before the break of dawn…