Chapter 5 Seris (POV): Learning to Survive Alone

‎I felt her eyes on me before I ever saw her.

‎That prickling sensation crawled up my spine as I stepped beyond the packhouse, the late afternoon sun filtering weakly through the trees. Moonveil territory had always felt like home once, familiar paths, familiar scents, familiar routines.

‎Now it felt like a cage.

‎Theo walked a few steps behind me, far enough to give me space, close enough that I could feel his presence like a steady anchor. He hadn't said much since last night. Neither had I. Some pain sat too deep for words, and if I opened my mouth, I wasn't sure what would spill out.

‎Tears. Anger.

‎Or something worse, hope.

‎"I'm just going to the stream," I murmured, glancing back at him.

‎"I know," Theo replied. "I'm still coming."

‎I didn't argue.

‎We followed the narrow trail that cut through the trees, the sound of water growing louder with every step. This spot had been my escape long before the rejection. Long before Mira decided I was an easy target. Long before fate decided to remind me how fragile I was.

‎The stream was calm, its surface shimmering softly. I knelt at the edge, dipping my fingers into the cool water. It grounded me. Reminded me I was still here. Still breathing.

‎Theo leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed, eyes alert. Always watching. Always ready.

‎"I don't need a guard," I said quietly.

‎He snorted. "Too bad. You've got one."

‎I almost smiled. Almost.

‎The silence stretched, heavy but not uncomfortable. Birds chirped overhead. The forest breathed around us. Somewhere deeper within the territory, I could feel it again, that pressure. That presence.

‎The Lycan King.

‎Even without seeing him, I felt like the land itself had shifted to accommodate him. Like the world had tilted on its axis.

‎It scared me.

‎Not because he was powerful though he was but because when he'd looked at me last night, something inside me had responded.

‎And that was terrifying.

‎"I don't understand," I whispered, mostly to myself. "The bond was broken. I felt it die."

‎Theo didn't answer right away.

‎When he did, his voice was careful. "Sometimes things don't end just because we think they should."

‎I swallowed hard. "I don't want to hope again."

‎"I know."

‎Hope was dangerous. It made you reckless. It made you believe things could change.

‎And in Moonveil Pack, change usually meant pain.

‎I stood and brushed the dirt from my dress. "I should go back before someone notices I'm gone."

‎Theo straightened immediately. "I'll walk you."

‎We turned back toward the path and froze.

‎Mira stood there, blocking the trail.

‎She wasn't alone. Two of her friends flanked her, their expressions smug, eyes glittering with poorly concealed excitement. Mira herself looked calm, composed, her dark hair pulled back neatly, her Beta scent sharp and confident.

‎"Going somewhere?" she asked lightly.

‎Theo stepped forward, placing himself squarely in front of me. "Move."

‎Mira's gaze flicked to him, unimpressed. "This doesn't concern you."

‎"It always concerns me," he shot back.

‎I placed a hand on his arm. "It's fine," I said softly.

‎He looked at me like I'd just volunteered to walk into a fire.

‎Mira smiled wider. "See? Even she knows when to stay quiet."

‎I forced myself to lift my chin. "What do you want?"

‎Her eyes narrowed, clearly annoyed that I'd spoken.

‎"I want to understand," she said. "What makes an Omega like you so interesting to a Lycan King?"

‎"I'm not interesting," I replied honestly. "And I don't belong to him."

‎"Yet," one of her friends muttered.

‎Theo snarled.

‎Mira raised a hand, silencing them. "Careful," she warned him. "You're forgetting your place."

‎Theo laughed, sharp and humorless. "Funny. I was about to say the same to you."

‎The tension snapped tight, electric and dangerous.

‎I felt small again. Exposed.

‎This was how it always started.

‎"I don't want trouble," I said quietly. "I just want to be left alone."

‎Mira stepped closer, invading my space. "You don't get to decide that anymore."

‎Her eyes gleamed. "The moment the Lycan King looked at you, you became a problem."

‎"I didn't ask for it."

‎"No," she agreed softly. "You didn't. That's what makes it unfair."

‎Before I could react, she leaned closer and whispered, "Do you really think someone like him would choose you?"

‎The words struck deeper than I expected.

‎Theo moved instantly, grabbing Mira's wrist. "Touch her again and I swear..."

‎Mira yanked free, eyes flashing. "You don't scare me."

‎"I should," he replied coldly.

‎For a heartbeat, I thought claws would come out. That blood would stain the forest floor.

‎Then Mira laughed.

‎"Enjoy your protection while it lasts, Seris," she said. "Even kings leave eventually."

‎She turned and walked away, her friends following after one last look of disdain.

‎The forest felt colder once they were gone.

‎I sagged, my legs suddenly weak.

‎Theo cursed under his breath. "I should've..."

‎"No," I interrupted. "You did enough."

‎He turned to me, frustration etched into every line of his face. "You shouldn't have to endure this."

‎"But I do," I replied. "That's the truth."

‎I was tired of pretending otherwise.

‎That night, I lay awake in my room, staring at the ceiling as the moonlight crept through the window. My chest ached not with the sharp agony of rejection, but with something duller. Heavier. Grief.

‎For the future I'd lost. For the girl I'd been.

‎For the bond that never had a chance.

‎And beneath it all, A quiet, frightening realization.

‎No one was coming to save me.

‎Not Theo. Not fate.

‎Not even a Lycan King.

‎If I wanted to survive, I would have to learn how to stand on my own.

‎The bond scar beneath my skin pulsed faintly, warm instead of painful.

‎I pressed my hand to it, heart racing.

‎"Please," I whispered into the dark. "Don't make this harder than it already is."

‎The moon said nothing.

‎But somewhere beyond Moonveil Pack, deep within Bloodmoon territory, something ancient stirred, patient, watchful, and waiting.

‎And though I didn't know it yet...

‎I was no longer alone.