Thomas had spun careful lies for months. He had fed Seraphine information just convincing enough to build trust. He had let her believe his loyalty wavered. He blamed the packs. That he blamed fate.
He let her believe he was tired.
He let her believe he was hers.
Today, she believed he was here to stand beside her.
She was wrong.
Thomas stopped only a few feet away from her.
“You look stronger,” he said evenly.
Seraphine smiled. “I am.”
And she was.
There was no flicker of instability in her stance. No weakness in her posture. Whatever she had done to the estate, it had fed her.
“You chose well,” she continued, stepping closer. “This ground amplifies power. You always understood strategy.”
Behind him, Sera felt her heart begin to pound.
What are you doing?
But she understood.
