A Heart Divided

Seraphina’s POV Something wasn’t right. I felt it the moment I woke up. A heaviness sat in my chest—faint, but persistent. Not pain… not exactly. Just a strange, lingering sensation I couldn’t explain. Like something was… calling me. I sat up slowly, pressing my hand against my chest as I tried to steady my breathing. “What is this…?” I whispered. It didn’t feel like before. Not like the rejection. Not like the emptiness. This was different. Softer. But more confusing. A knock came at the door before I could think further. “Come in,” I said. The maid from yesterday stepped in with a small smile, carrying breakfast. “Good morning,” she said. “Did you sleep well?” I hesitated. “Not really.” She placed the tray down and glanced at me again—curious. “You’ve been quiet since yesterday,” she said. I forced a small smile. “Just thinking.” She nodded, but her eyes lingered on me for a second longer… like she wanted to say more. Then she left. And just like that— The silence returned. Too loud. Too heavy. I looked down at the food but didn’t touch it. My thoughts kept drifting. Back. To him. Kael. I clenched my fists. “No…” I whispered, shaking my head. I didn’t want to think about him. Didn’t want to feel anything connected to him. After everything he said… After the way he looked at me… Why now? Why was he suddenly in my head again? A faint pulse echoed through my chest. I froze. There it was. That feeling again. Stronger this time. My breath hitched. It wasn’t just memory. It was… something else. Something real. Something pulling. My heart began to race. “Stop it…” I whispered, pressing my hand harder against my chest. “Just stop…” But it didn’t. It lingered. Faint. Distant. But there. And no matter how much I tried to ignore it… I couldn’t. I needed air. Space. Anything to get out of my own head. I stepped outside quickly, letting the cool breeze hit my face as I walked without direction. But my feet didn’t stop. Didn’t hesitate. They led me somewhere. Without thinking. Without choice. I only realized where I was when I stopped. The edge of the territory. My breath caught. Why am I here? The forest stretched out before me, dark and endless. Beyond it… Everything I left behind. Everything I tried to forget. A sudden wave of emotion hit me—sharp and overwhelming. Pain. Confusion. Longing. I staggered slightly. “No…” I whispered. This wasn’t me. This wasn’t what I wanted. So why did it feel like my body was betraying me? “Seraphina.” His voice cut through everything. I turned quickly. Rowan stood a few steps behind me, his expression dark… controlled… but his eyes— His eyes said everything. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said. I shook my head, trying to find the words. “I didn’t mean to come… I just—” “Felt something,” he finished. I froze. “You… know?” His jaw tightened slightly. “Yes.” Silence fell. Heavy. Tense. I swallowed hard. “I don’t understand what’s happening to me.” Rowan stepped closer. Slowly. Carefully. Like I might break. “It’s him,” he said. The words hit harder than anything else. My chest tightened instantly. Kael. I looked away, shaking my head. “No… that doesn’t make sense. He rejected me. The bond is gone—” “Not completely.” My breath caught. “What do you mean?” Rowan didn’t answer right away. His gaze stayed on me… intense… searching. Like he was deciding how much to tell me. Or how much to hide. “It means,” he said slowly, “he’s looking for you.” My heart dropped. Everything inside me stilled. Looking… for me? Why? After everything? After rejecting me like I meant nothing? My emotions tangled painfully inside me. Confusion. Anger. Something I didn’t want to name. Rowan stepped closer again. Close enough to ground me. To pull me back. “You don’t have to go back,” he said quietly. My eyes lifted to his. There it was again. That steadiness. That quiet certainty. “You have a choice now, Seraphina.” A choice. The word echoed in my mind. Because for the first time in my life… It felt true. And yet— Why did it feel like my heart was being pulled in two completely different directions?