37 Chapter 37 The Real Villain
Her smile bloomed wider, practically glowing with satisfaction. “Oh Julian, what a delightful way to find out, don’t you think?” She let out a soft, melodic laugh that made his skin crawl. “It’s absolutely true. I’m carrying your child.” Another giggle escaped her lips, as if she had just received the most wonderful news. “We’re going to be a real family at last!” 1
The tension in the living room was suffocating. Every breath felt like swallowing glass. Roxanne perched on the edge of the leather sofa, one hand resting protectively over her stomach while that infuriating smile stretched across her face. Her parents hovered behind her like sentries, their expressions caught between pride and visible discomfort.
As she turned toward the trees, their eyes met through the branches.
Something flickered behind her eyes, but that twisted smile never wavered. “Destroy Seraphina? My dear Julian, the only person who has ever hurt that girl is her own mate. Certainly not me.” She drew out the word ‘mate’ like it was something distasteful on her tongue.
Cold determination settled in his chest like armor. “Listen very carefully, Roxanne,” he said, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper. “You may be carrying my child, and I will fulfill every obligation to that innocent life. I would never abandon my own blood.” He locked eyes with her, making sure she could see the steel in his gaze. “But don’t mistake responsibility for affection. I will never love you. Not even a fraction. My heart belongs entirely to Seraphina, and I will spend every day of my life protecting her from your poison.”
The realization hit him like a physical blow. The villain in this story had never been Seraphina. It was Roxanne. It had always been Roxanne.
The jealousy and anger burning through his veins intensified, consuming every rational thought.
For the first time, her confident mask cracked. Her eyes went wide, panic flashing across her features. “What? Absolutely not! I refuse to live there! The father of my child lives here, so why shouldn’t I?”
He forced himself to move silently through the dense tree line until he had a clear view
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37 Chapter 37 The Real Villain
of the lake’s shore. His heart nearly stopped. Seraphina sat on a fallen log while Dorian stood beside her, speaking in low, intimate tones. Too close. Far too close.
Dorian.
Something about that Alpha had bothered him from the moment he’d joined the pack. The way Dorian’s attention always seemed focused on Seraphina instead of finding his own mate. The way his eyes followed her movements. The careful attention he paid to her words.
Julian’s POV
His jaw locked so tight it ached. “Cut the act, Roxanne,” he snarled, his stare boring holes through her. “We both know exactly why you orchestrated all of this. Every single move was calculated to destroy Seraphina.”
A growl built in his throat, primal and possessive. His hands shook with the effort of staying hidden instead of charging out there and ripping Dorian away from his mate. He felt nothing. Less than nothing. Her performance was pathetic and transparent. Without breaking eye contact, he reached out through the mind-link to one of the pack Omegas. Prepare quarters in the packhouse immediately. Comfortable but basic. For Roxanne.
This should be him comforting her. He should be the one she turned to in her pain. But because of his stupidity, because of Roxanne’s lies, Seraphina was seeking solace elsewhere.
“You’ll be relocated to the packhouse,” he announced, his tone completely flat.
Jealousy exploded in his chest like wildfire.
Julian stood frozen in the center of the room, his hands curled into tight fists at his sides. His heart thundered against his ribcage with such violence he wondered if everyone could hear it.
That’s when it all clicked into place. Every poisonous whisper, every carefully planted seed of doubt, every manipulation came flooding back. How many times had Roxanne filled his ears with lies when Seraphina first arrived? She’s trouble, Julian. She’s selfish and demanding. She’ll only bring you problems. All those moments when he’d questioned Seraphina’s motives, when he’d treated his mate with coldness and suspicion, it had all been Roxanne’s doing. She had orchestrated his mistrust from the very beginning.
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37 Chapter 37 The Real Villain
He burst through the front door, his Alpha senses immediately flaring to life, searching desperately for her familiar scent. There. That sweet, intoxicating fragrance that belonged only to her, though it was heavy with sadness now. The trail led toward the lake.
Without another word, he spun on his heel and stalked out, leaving Roxanne’s wails echoing behind him. Only one thought consumed his mind now. Seraphina. He had to find her, hold her, explain everything, beg for her forgiveness for being such a blind fool.
His legs carried him faster than he thought possible, following that precious scent like a lifeline. But as he drew closer to the water’s edge, another smell hit him. Male Alpha. His stomach dropped like a stone.
“Roxanne.” His voice came out as a dangerous rumble, barely containing the rage that threatened to explode. “What sick game are you playing now?”
Roxanne’s shoulders lifted in an elegant shrug, completely unbothered. “I couldn’t care less about Seraphina. Besides, she was never really my sister anyway.” The words fell from her lips with such casual cruelty that ice formed in his veins.
Disgust rolled through him in waves. “Do you have any conscience left, Roxanne? Any shred of decency? She’s supposed to be your sister.”
She was the reason he had failed Seraphina so completely. Because of Roxanne’s manipulations, he might have lost his mate forever. Let her suffer the consequences. He remained frozen in the shadows, watching Dorian finally step back and walk away. Seraphina lingered by the water for several more moments before slowly rising to leave.
Roxanne’s composure finally shattered completely. Enormous crocodile tears welled up in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks in dramatic streams. She turned toward her parents with desperate, pleading looks, but they appeared just as lost as she was. Her sobs grew louder, more theatrical, designed to tug at his heartstrings.
A harsh laugh escaped him. “Because this house belongs to me and my mate. Seraphina is the only woman who will ever share my home.”
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