Sera's POV
The moment the oak door clicked open, his scent washed over me like a sudden wave. Deep inside the cold, dark silence of my soul, Vera stirred. Mate... she murmured, a faint, desperate hum echoing in my chest, urging me to lift my head, to reach out, to press myself against his heat. I squeezed my eyes shut and kept my chin buried tight against my knees, refusing to give in to her or to him.
His heavy footsteps crossed the stone floor, coming to a halt directly beside me. "I need you to talk to me," Gideon said, his voice low, rough, and thick with an emotion I couldn't bear to unpack.
Please just leave me alone, I thought, pulling my arms tighter around my legs, trying to make myself as small as humanly possible. I stayed completely silent, ignoring him.
"Seraphina."
My r
