Seth

IT’S BEEN two weeks of pure hell.

I grab a couple bottles of whiskey from my personal stash and hunt down Leon. I find him in the training yards, overseeing the evening drills. When he sees my face—and the liquor—his expression doesn’t change.

“I need a drinking buddy,” I say without preamble, holding up a bottle in each hand.

Leon glances at the sun sinking toward the horizon, then back at me. We’ve done this enough times that he knows the routine. “Give me half an hour to finish up here.”

I nod and lean against the fence, watching him put the soldiers through their paces. A female soldier with auburn hair moves through the formations, and my hand tightens around one of the bottles before I force myself to look away. My wolf whines, fidgety and confused, but I shove the feelings down.

The half hour drags on like an eternity, but Leon finally dismisses the troops and wipes the sweat from his brow. “Alright. Let’s go. Should we grab Lucian?”

“Not tonight.” I sound sharper than I should.

Leon studies my face for a moment, then nods without pressing. He falls into step beside me as I head toward the palace gardens. “Our usual place, then?”

“No.” I shake my head, gripping the bottles tighter. “Not the bar.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to talk to people.” The words come out harsh, jagged. “I don’t want women approaching me. I just want to drink in peace.”

Leon’s expression shifts slightly—a flicker of concern that he quickly masks. “Lead the way.”

The palace gardens at night are ideal. Dark enough to hide in, secluded enough that no one will bother us. I find a bench tucked behind a row of hedges, away from the main paths, and collapse onto it. I hand Leon one of the whiskeys and crack open the other.

“To whatever’s got you looking like death,” Leon says, raising his bottle.

Not bothering to toast him back, I take a long pull straight from the bottle, letting the burn scorch down my throat.

Leon has a drink, too, more measured than mine, and settles back against the bench. “You gonna tell me what this is about?”

“Nothing.”

“Right. Nothing.” His voice is dry, and he takes another sip. “That’s why you’re dragging me out here to drink in the dark instead of at our customary spot.”

I take another long swig instead of answering. The alcohol sits heavy in my stomach but does nothing to ease the constant ache in my chest. My wolf paces restlessly, whimpering at intervals, and it’s driving me insane. I don’t understand this feeling of wrongness that’s been crawling under my skin for two weeks.

“Seth—”

“Just sit with me,” I mutter, staring at nothing. “Please.”

He goes quiet, and we sit there in the darkness. The only sounds are the distant fountain, my own harsh breathing between drinks, and the occasional clink of Leon’s bottle. My wolf won’t settle; he keeps clawing at me with something that feels like panic, but I don’t know why.

Leon watches me in that patient way of his, taking steady drinks from his bottle while waiting for me to break. He’s good at that—outlasting people’s stubbornness with sheer, calm persistence. We’ve been drinking together since we were teenagers; he knows when to push me and when to wait.

“Isn’t that Selene?” Leon’s voice cuts through my thoughts.

My head jerks up so fast I nearly drop the damn bottle. And there she is, standing in the lamplight at the edge of the garden path, auburn hair catching the glow. She has a soft smile on her face.

Zane stands close—too close—one hand cupping her cheek tenderly. Like she belongs to him. My wolf snarls, clawing at my ribs, but I force myself to stay rooted to this bench, hidden in the shadows.

I watch as he leans in. Watch as his lips brush hers in a kiss that’s gentle and lingering. Watch as she melts into it like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

My hand tightens around the bottle until I fear I’m going to break it.

“Seth.” Leon sets his whiskey down, his voice sharp now. “What the hell is going on?”

I can’t look away. Can’t tear my eyes from Zane as he steps back, murmuring something to her before he turns and walks away. Selene stands there watching his retreating form, a dazed, happy expression on her face as she touches her lips. Like he just gave her some treasured thing instead of taking what should be mine.

The mate bond roars in my chest—angry, possessive, demanding I move. But my body won’t obey.

“Seth.” Leon grabs my shoulder, trying to get me to look at him. “Isn’t Selene your fated mate?”

I watch as she finally turns and walks away, disappearing into the gardens. Only then do I look at Leon. His dark eyes are sharp despite the alcohol we’ve both been drinking. My jaw is so tight it hurts.

Leon’s gaze turns sharper, more focused. “I’ve seen her with Zane these past two weeks.” His voice drops. “What’s happening here? Did you reject her?”

The silence stretches between us. I take another long drink, but the burn doesn’t help.

“Seth,” Leon presses, his expression troubled now. “Answer me.”

“Selene and Zane are fated mates.” The words taste like acid on my tongue.

Leon’s eyes widen slightly, shock crossing his usually stoic features. “What are you saying?”

“You heard me.” I lift the bottle to my lips again.

“That’s not—” He stops, shaking his head like he’s trying to clear it. “That’s not possible.”

“After she rescued Zane from the forest, I noticed something was off about her behavior.” The words are spilling out now that I’ve started. “She stopped having any reaction to me. Nothing. No pull. No recognition. It’s as if the bond simply vanished on her end.”

“And Zane?” Leon’s voice is careful now, like he’s trying to figure out a riddle.

“Claims he feels the mate bond toward her.” My grip tightens on the bottle once more. “And Selene says she feels it toward him now. Not me.”

Leon stares at me, his lips pursed as he struggles to find words. Finally: “So, you don’t feel the bond toward her, either?”

I scoff, sounding pained as I press my fist against my chest where it burns like a brand. “No. I still feel it.”

Leon doesn’t respond immediately, just sitting there and thinking. Eventually, he murmurs, “That’s not possible, Seth. Mate bonds don’t work like that. Nobody gets two fated mates. And the bond can’t just…transfer like this.”

“Well, it happened,” I bite out, leaning forward and resting my elbows on my knees.

Leon smacks the back of my head—not as hard as Marina, but sharp enough to get my attention. “Get it together, you idiot.” He takes a long drink from his bottle, then fixes me with a hard stare. “As an outsider, I can see there’s something weird about this whole situation. I’m telling you, nobody gets two fated mates.”

I want to argue, to tell him he’s wrong, that he doesn’t understand. But the certainty in his voice makes me pause.

“Think about it,” Leon continues, sounding more sober now even though we both keep drinking. “If it were possible, we would know about it. It would have been mentioned at some point. These connections simply don’t work like that. Selene and Zane are both wrong. Whatever they’re feeling, it’s not the fated mate bond.”

When he lays it out like that, it does sound suspicious. But…

“What reason would they have to lie?” I ask, looking back toward where she stood just moments ago. “If Zane wants her, he could simply pursue her, and Selene”—I hesitate for a moment—“Selene and I have nothing between us aside from the bond that she knows I don’t want.”

“There may be another reason. Selene stands to gain nothing from associating with Zane, unless she likes power—and if she wanted power, she would have accepted the titles and lands that Lucian offered both her and Daciana.” Leon’s voice is hard now. “So, it has to be Zane. He wants something from her.”

My wolf paces restlessly, worried now. “What could he want from her? She’s a healer, and not a very powerful one at that. She’s got nothing to offer.”

Leon watches me incredulously. “Is that what you think of your fated mate, Seth? Is that why you don’t want her? Because you think she has nothing valuable to offer?”

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

He continues, his voice turning harsh. “By that reasoning, Lucian never should have mated Astra.”

I cringe. “It’s not like that. The women in my family are strong, independent—”

“Because they had backing of their families. Because they grew up with privilege. What is it you want from a mate, Seth? You want her to be powerful? Wealthy? What?”

I shake my head slowly, sighing. “I don’t know.”

My friend looks at me in disgust. “Then maybe you should figure it out. But I will tell you one thing. Selene is brave, and she’s kind. She works more than the other healers. She volunteers her services in parts of the capital that other royal healers refuse to set foot in. She’s got a gentle spirit, and she’s humble. Anyone would be attracted to all of that. She’ll be the kind of mate who will fill a man’s home with warmth and love. Maybe that’s what Zane sees in her. I would gladly take a mate like her. But you…You’re just ungrateful.”

I flinch at his words. I’ve tried my best to stay away from Selene, so I didn’t know any of this about her.

I stare at the empty path where she disappeared, my mind churning. What else don’t I know? All these months, I’ve been so focused on keeping my distance, on convincing myself she wasn’t worthy, that I never bothered to actually see her.

I shake my head sharply, banishing the thought. “Even if Zane noticed all that, even if he did want her—he could have just approached her normally. Courted her. Why this elaborate lie about a fated mate bond?”

Leon’s expression darkens. “That’s what worries me.” He sets his bottle down with a decisive thunk. “Something about this whole situation stinks. I think we need to look into it properly.”

“Look into what, exactly?” My wolf paces anxiously, torn between territorial rage and genuine concern.

“Everything. The attack on Zane in the forest. The timing of when Selene lost her bond to you. How convenient it is that the man she rescued happens to be her new fated mate.” Leon’s tactical mind is working now; I can see it in his eyes. “And you already know what bothers me most about him—he has never shown his hand with the Council. That kind of calculation? It’s not just caution. It’s strategy.”

I nod. “You think he orchestrated the whole thing?”

“I don’t know yet. But I’m going to find out.” Leon stands, steadier on his feet than he should be after all that whiskey. “In the meantime, you need to keep an eye on Selene.”

I scowl. “Easier said than done. She can barely stand to be in the same room as me. Ever since the bond disappeared on her end, she has started acting out. I didn’t even know she could say such vindictive things.”

“Vindictive things?” Leon studies me. “What did you do to make her talk to you like that?”

I look away, and he kicks me in the leg. “You’re a fool, Seth. A bigger fool than I ever anticipated. And here I thought you were good with women.”

“I just wanted her to think I was an asshole, and then maybe she’d reject me!” I burst out.

“Yeah? Well, you are an asshole. If you hate her so much, why didn’t you reject her yourself?”

“I don’t hate her!” I growl. “I just—” Another sigh escapes me. “She would never survive in my family, Leon. You know how domineering everyone is. They would eat her alive.”

“You didn’t even give her a chance before you decided that.” It’s rare for Leon to sound so angry. “If that’s why you’ve been pushing her away, then you don’t deserve her.”

I frown. “I just—”

“I don’t want to hear it.” Leon presses his fingers to his temple as if the very sound of my voice is giving him a headache. “Figure out a way to keep an eye on her. Because if Zane is using her for something, if this bond is fake somehow, she’s in danger, whether she realizes it or not. In the meantime, we’ll have to tell Lucian. There’s no hiding this from him.”

I already figured as much.

“Fine.” The idea of Selene being used by someone makes me feel uncomfortable. I may have been harsh with her, but it was to make sure she stayed away from me. I don’t want her to get hurt. My wolf snarls at the idea.

As we return to the palace, I keep thinking about how Selene smiled at Zane—and how she has never smiled at me like that.

THE PALACE GROUNDS are quiet at this hour, well past midnight, with nothing but the sound of my boots against stone and the occasional hoot of an owl. My squadron has guard duty tonight, and I’ve been walking the perimeter for the past two hours, my mind still churning over my conversation with Leon.

“Nobody gets two fated mates.”

The words keep circling in my head like vultures. Leon’s right; I know he’s right. But what does that mean? That Selene’s lying? That Zane is manipulating her somehow?

My wolf paces in my mind, agitated in a way that makes my skin crawl. Something feels wrong tonight. Off. Like the air itself is holding its breath.

I’m near the eastern wall when I see a figure in white drifting across the lawn toward the tree line. Pale fabric catching the moonlight, dark hair loose and flowing. My heart stutters in my chest.

“Hey!” I call out sharply. “The forest is off-limits after dark!”

The figure doesn’t stop. Doesn’t even pause. Just keeps walking with slow, measured steps toward the woods.

Warning bells go off in my head. I break into a jog, wanting to cover the long distance quickly. “I said stop!”

Still nothing. No response, no acknowledgment. The figure just keeps moving forward with that same mechanical gait.

I’m close enough now to see details—bare feet, a thin nightdress, dark hair falling loose past her shoulders.

Something about the way she moves sets off every alarm in my body. I angle my approach to catch a glimpse of her face.

Auburn hair. Pale skin.

“Selene?”

My stomach drops, and I stop in my tracks. What the hell is she doing out here at this hour, dressed like that?

She doesn’t turn. Doesn’t react at all. She just keeps walking, her footsteps heavy and sluggish, like she’s moving through water.

Every instinct I have screams that something is wrong. Whatever this is—sleepwalking, a spell, some kind of compulsion—she needs help. I make the decision in a heartbeat and sprint after her, my wolf howling in panic.

“Selene!” My voice cuts through the night air, sharp and commanding. I reach out, but she’s already slipping between the trees. I follow her into the forest, branches catching at my uniform. “Selene, stop!”

She doesn’t. Her bare feet move over roots and rocks without hesitation, without any sign that she feels the cuts opening across her soles. Her blood leaves dark prints on the forest floor, and my stomach turns.

“Selene, you’re hurt!” The command in my voice hardens to steel. “Stop. Now.”

But she walks on like she doesn’t even hear me. Like I don’t exist. I finally manage to get ahead of her, positioning myself in her path so I can see her face.

My blood runs cold.

Her eyes are open but unfocused, staring straight ahead at something only she can see. Her face is slack, empty, like someone has carved out everything that makes her her and left just a shell walking through the darkness.

My heart is pounding so hard, it hurts. This isn’t natural. This isn’t right.

She walks right past me like I’m not there, and I realize with growing dread where she is heading: toward the clearing where she found Zane. Where this whole nightmare started.

“Selene.” My voice drops lower now, urgent but controlled. “Stop walking. Right now.”

Nothing. She doesn’t even pause.

The clearing appears ahead, bathed in silver moonlight. Selene walks straight to the center, to the exact spot where Zane’s blood once stained the earth. She stands there, perfectly still for one heartbeat. Two.

Then, she starts walking again.

Deeper into the forest. Away from the palace, away from safety, toward—

I’m struck with terror when I see it through the trees ahead. The lake.

“No.” The word comes out harsh, razor-sharp. “Selene, no!”

She reaches the water’s edge and doesn’t slow down. Her bare feet step into the shallows without hesitation, water splashing around her ankles.

“SELENE!”

I’m running now, my boots pounding the ground. She’s knee-deep, then waist-deep, the white nightdress floating around her like a shroud. The water reaches her chest, and she just keeps going.

I crash into the lake after her, the cold water stinging my skin. My hands close around her arm, and I yank her back, spinning her around to face me.

“What are you doing?” I shake her shoulders, my voice turning desperate now. “Selene, wake up!”

Her face is still blank and empty. Her eyes stare right through me. There’s no recognition there, no awareness. Just empty, blue pools reflecting the moonlight.

“Come on!” I pull her toward the shore, but she resists, trying to turn back toward the deeper water. Her movements are slow but persistent, like a puppet being pulled by invisible strings. “Selene, fight it! Whatever this is, fight it!”

She pushes against my chest with surprising strength, her lips moving soundlessly. No words come out, just air, like she’s trying to speak but the sound won’t form.

My wolf is going insane, tearing at my insides, howling with desperate fear. The fated mate bond burns in my chest like wildfire, screaming at me to do something, anything to save her.

I drag her backward another step, water sloshing around us. She struggles weakly, still trying to return to the lake, and I can see her sinking even deeper into whatever trance has her in its grip.

“Damn it, Selene!” Frustration and fear war in my chest. “Wake up!”

Her eyes remain glazed, unfocused. Lost.

My mind races through possibilities. Magic? A spell? Some kind of compulsion? How do I break it? How do I reach her?

And then, without thinking, without planning, I cup her face in my hands and put my lips to hers.

The moment our mouths connect, something shifts.

The fated mate bond—which has burned steadily and one-sided in my chest for weeks—suddenly surges. It’s not louder, but different. Like an echo that has been missing suddenly returning, creating harmony where there was only a single note before. The change is so profound, it steals the air from my lungs and makes my wolf rumble with recognition and relief.

Something has changed. Something is right in a way it hasn’t been since that night in the forest.

Selene gasps against my mouth, her body going rigid in my arms. Her hands fly up to my chest—not pushing me away but clutching at my uniform like I’m the only solid thing in a world spinning out of control.

The kiss deepens without my permission, my wolf surging forward with possessive satisfaction. Selene tastes like moonlight and fear and something uniquely her that I’ve been craving without realizing it. Her lips part on a soft whimper, and when I sweep my tongue into her mouth, she responds with desperate hunger.

Mine. The word echoes through every fiber of my being. Mine, mine, mine.

I can feel her heartbeat thundering with mine, can taste her shock and confusion mixing with what feels like longing.

I pull back just enough to breathe, my forehead pressed to hers, both of us panting. Her eyes are clear now—really clear, for the first time in two weeks. Wide and blue and full of terrified awareness.

“Seth?” Her voice is small, confused. “What—where—”

“You were sleepwalking.” My hands are still cupped around her face, like if I let go she’ll disappear again. “You walked into the forest. Into the lake. You wouldn’t wake up.”

She blinks rapidly, looking around as if she’s seeing the lake and the forest for the first time. “I don’t—I don’t remember…” Her gaze snaps back to mine, panic flooding her features. “How did I get here?”

“I followed you from the palace grounds.” I force myself to lower my hands from her cheeks, though all I want is to keep touching her, to keep that physical connection. “You were in some kind of trance.”

She looks down at the soaked nightdress clinging to her body. Horror washes across her face. “Oh god. Oh god, I could have—”

“But you didn’t.” I grip her shoulders, making her look at me. “You’re safe now.”

Her eyes search mine, and I can see the moment she feels it. The fated mate bond. Alive and burning between us again, impossible to ignore.

“The bond,” she whispers, her face going pale. “I can feel it. I can feel you again.” Her voice rises with each word, edging toward hysteria. “But that’s not—It’s supposed to be Zane. I feel it with Zane!”

Her words are like a punch to my gut, but I force myself to stay calm. “Whatever you think you feel with Zane, it’s not real. It can’t be.”

“How do you know?” She’s shaking now, whether from cold or shock I can’t tell. “How do you know what’s real anymore?”

I don’t have an answer for that. All I know is that the bond between the two of us is real—as real as the water soaking through our clothes, as real as her pulse fluttering wildly under my fingertips.

“We need to get you back to the palace,” I say finally. “Get you warm and safe, and then we’ll figure this out.”

She nods numbly, letting me guide her back to the shore. Her steps are shaky, her feet leaving bloody prints on the muddy bank. Without thinking, I scoop her up into my arms.

She stiffens. “Seth—”

“Your feet are cut to ribbons,” I explain. “Just let me help you.”

For a moment I think she’ll argue and push me away like she has done for the past two weeks. Instead, she sags against my chest with a defeated sound, too exhausted and confused to fight.

I carry her through the forest, her wet body pressed against mine, the fated mate bond humming contentedly at the contact. My wolf is calmer now, satisfied that our mate is safe in our arms, where she belongs.

But as we emerge from the trees and the palace comes into view, one thought circles through my mind on repeat:

What the hell is Zane Radrick doing to her?