Page 12 of The Alpha's Shattered Bonds

Justin nodded, accepting the leather pouch I handed over to him.

Then, I confronted Jackie’s accusation head-on. “Seraphina isnotthe one responsible for what has befallen our pack. The herbal treatments we’re administering will only do so much. It is paramount that we procure magic to help heal them.”

But still, Jackie’s expression was hardened by mistrust; her bitterness toward Seraphina came from deep-rooted wounds—from the loss of her son in the invasion Seraphina’s parents had enabled. It was a shared grief and bitterness that clung to most of the pack.

“I promise you,” Seraphina vowed, her steady beside me. “I am not responsible for this illness, and I will do everything I can to help.”

Elder Darius interjected, “So you just happened to be in the neighborhood?” Skepticism dripped from his every word. His dark eyes glinted with suspicion.

Everywhere I looked, I could see doubt in the pack members’ expressions, especially among the elders. The tension in the room thickened, and my heart began to race. Would Seraphinatell everyone why she was back, or was it something best left spoken about in private?

Just then, Linda, Darius’s daughter, entered the Council Chamber. Her eyes were wide with disbelief as she took in Seraphina standing beside me. She must have rushed here from the infirmary upon hearing the news of Seraphina’s arrival. I noticed she held the leather pouch of herbs I’d sent to her via Justin.

With a tight expression, Linda drew toward her father. Many of the pack looked to her. The crowd parted for her, and she came to stand next to her father at the front of the crowd.

Linda was dressed in scrubs, and I could see from the tired rings around her eyes that she’d been working round the clock, with this illness inflicting so many packmates. A mix of gratitude and guilt washed through me as it often did when I saw her. I hadn’t ever meant to hurt her by calling off our mate ceremony, but I knew I had. As always, Linda didn’t beat around the bush. “So, it’s true. Another threat’s surfaced in our pack.”

I felt Seraphina tense beside me, but she met Linda’s accusatory stare with her head held high.

A foreboding feeling prickled through me. Our healer’s voice carried a lot of weight, and a chorus of unhappy voices erupted in its wake. But as entrenched as the pack’s mistrust was, I knew Linda’s vehemence toward Seraphina had its roots in the hurt I had inflicted on the night I’d called off our mate ceremony.

On that goddess-awful night, I’d returned from my fruitless hunt in the woods and broken the truth to Linda. I apologized to her and explained that I couldn’t bind myself to anyone else, not when I now knew I was in love with Seraphina. Linda knew,just like the other packmates, that I’d hunted for Seraphina these past two years. That was the real reason for Linda’s stony expression and hurtful tone.

Despite the accusations hurled at Seraphina, she held her ground. “I just wanted to return to my pack,” she said steadily, making my heart beat with hope. After her parent’s death, there had been little here for her—except for me, a small hopeful voice whispered.

“I’m willing to take a blood oath to prove my innocence,” Seraphina declared.

A wave of angry murmurs traveled through the room. “Blood magic can deceive,” Valerie, a female in her mid-twenties, called out, her suspicion mingling with lots of other voices.

But I wouldn’t let this continue. I raised my voice, cutting through the chaos, determined to restore order. “We urgently need a capable witch to address this illness. As alpha,Iam responsible for resolving this crisis. Above all else, the pack is most important to me. I swear, I would never allow harm to come to it. Therefore, I will be shadowing Seraphina at every step, but shewillbe giving treatment.”

My declaration hung in the air, reverberating off of the stone walls. Though many remained cautious, my words seemed to silence the pack members, convincing them to set aside their mistrust—if only temporarily.

Just as people began to turn to the door, Seraphina suddenly stepped forward, asking, “Is there anyone willing to let me stay with them while I treat the sick?”

Shock beat through me. I’d assumed Seraphina would stay with me. A heavy silence fell over the room, the weight of the past echoing through the space. Each gaze flickered away. I could see the hurt beneath the hardness in her eyes. My heart ached for her.

Yet, as the pack members turned away, the tension that had been throbbing within me since I had found Logan and the other warriors attacking her began to ease. Part of me wished that her request had unfolded differently, but the absence of offers granted me a twisted relief—I was now able to keep her close.

“Okay, looks like you’re coming with me,” I said, biting back the smile tugging at my lips as I gestured for her to follow.

As we stepped out of the Council Chamber and into the biting cold of the evening, Seraphina trailed behind me as if she didn’t want to be too close. The towering peaks of the Nuvuja Mountains loomed ominously against an overcast sky. But the weight of our unspoken emotions hung heavier than the cloud that had collected.

I led her around to the back door of our former house—our sanctuary once. I unlocked the door to the kitchen, and as we stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. So many shared moments congregated in this space—laughter, warmth, and a sense of belonging rang from every surface. The scent of baked goods seemed to linger in the air, a reminder of weekends spent together, mixing flour and sugar.

Yet, in stark contrast, the silence between us felt cold and heavy, laden with everything that had transpired over the past years. The walls of our home felt as though they were bearing witnessto the turmoil within us while my longing to bridge the chasm between us grew all the more intense.

Behind me, Seraphina hesitated at the threshold. My heart clenched as I saw that she’d gone rigid.

She shook her head. “I can’t do this.”

My throat tightened. Did she detest me that much for what I’d done by almost attaching myself to Linda? Her gaze was glued to the floor. I wondered if she was feeling as overwhelmed by the memories of this space as I was. She’d been away for years. If this moment was overwhelming for me, it must be even more so for her. My chest squeezed for the tension vibrating off her, but I stopped myself from reaching out.

Thankfully, Seraphina clarified the reason for her hesitation. “I can’t stay with you—you’re a mated wolf. It would be wrong.”

Surprise beat through me. I’d assumed that Linda’s hardened expression would’ve told her all she needed to know, but I swiftly explained, “I’m not mated.”

She looked up, shock sweeping over her beautiful face. But still, she didn’t move a muscle.

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