Chapter 0197

I made sure Seraphina knew she was the only one for me before we returned to the living room.

"Everything settled?" Gregory asked. We both nodded.

"Good. Sit down. We have important matters to discuss."

Dinner had revealed much about Seraphina's past. Her life had been brutal—far worse than mine. Her parents had struggled while on the run, but they'd made the best of it. The cabin was the only place she'd ever known stability.

I braced myself. The rest of her story would be painful. I knew fragments, but we needed the full picture to prepare for what was coming.

I pulled her onto my lap as we sat. She flushed but didn't resist. After her earlier insecurity, I wanted everyone to see she was mine. More importantly, I knew what came next would break her. She needed my strength.

"Seraphina," Gregory began gently, "we need to hear everything. I know it's difficult, but we can't protect you unless we understand the threat. Start from the beginning. Remember, you're safe here. No one will hurt you." His gaze flicked to me. "And if they tried, I suspect the Alpha holding you would tear them apart."

"Damn right," I growled. She turned, searching my eyes. Whatever she found there made her sag against me. My arms tightened as she began.

She spoke of fleeing the cabin when the Whitewater Pack found them. I glanced at Adrian. His frown confirmed he'd never heard of them either—probably some minor pack.

Then she described watching her parents die.

My grip turned crushing. She trembled, raw grief pouring off her even after all these years. When tears choked her voice, Gregory wheeled closer and clasped her hand. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. You're doing so well."

His tenderness surprised me. The Gregory I knew was all steel and grit. Evelyn joined us, taking Seraphina's other hand. "We're here. It won't bring them back, but you're not alone."

I rubbed circles on her back until she steadied. Then she continued—Prince Damien, Malachi, the humans, the feeding chamber. When she revealed the prince's obsession with her blood, Adrian snarled, dragging Evelyn onto his lap in a protective vise.

Gregory and Alistair pressed for details about the prince's reactions. But when Seraphina described how he'd feed from her—turning it into a spectacle, a perverse performance—I had to leave.

I set her down gently, kissed her temple, and strode out.

The training facility was exactly where I remembered. Punching bags lined the walls. I demolished the first one with a single blow, my fist bursting through the leather. The next five met the same fate.

On the sixth bag, Adrian's voice cut through my rage. "Need a live target?"

"You're not who I want to hit," I spat, driving my fist through another bag.

"Gregory's gonna make you replace those."

I shrugged. Worth every penny. Better the bags than letting Seraphina see this fury and think it was meant for her.