Chapter 132

The morning sun cast golden rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Sebastian Blackwood’s penthouse, illuminating the sleek marble floors. Lillian stretched lazily in the king-sized bed, the silk sheets cool against her skin. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries drifted in from the kitchen, making her stomach growl.

She had barely opened her eyes when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind. Sebastian’s deep voice rumbled against her ear, sending shivers down her spine. "Sleep well, little wolf?"

Lillian turned in his embrace, meeting his piercing amber gaze. "Better than I have in months," she admitted, tracing the sharp line of his jaw with her fingertips.

A playful smirk tugged at his lips. "Good. Because today, we have a meeting with Alpha Harrison."

Her fingers stilled. "What?"

Sebastian’s expression darkened slightly. "He’s been sniffing around our territory again. I won’t tolerate it."

Lillian swallowed hard. The last time she’d encountered Alpha Harrison, he’d tried to take advantage of her when she was drunk. The memory still made her skin crawl.

Before she could respond, the bedroom door burst open, and a small figure launched himself onto the bed. Oliver, Sebastian’s seven-year-old son, grinned up at them, his dark curls tousled from sleep. "Morning, Dad! Morning, Lillian!"

Sebastian sighed, though his eyes softened. "Oliver, what did I say about knocking?"

The boy pouted. "But I was hungry!"

Lillian laughed, ruffling his hair. "Well, we can’t have that. Let’s go eat."

As they moved to the dining room, Lillian’s phone buzzed. A message from Beatrice lit up the screen: "Emergency. Meet me at the café in an hour. It’s about Donovan."

Her stomach twisted. Donovan—her ex-fated mate—had been nothing but trouble since their bond shattered. What could he possibly want now?

Sebastian noticed her tension. "Problem?"

She forced a smile. "Just Beatrice being dramatic. Probably another fashion crisis."

But as she sipped her coffee, unease settled in her chest. Something told her this was far from over.

"You agreed to do what?" Sebastian demanded, his arms crossed tightly over his broad chest as he fixed me with an intense glare. I sat perched on the edge of his bed, my fingers twisting nervously in my lap.

"Victoria asked me to go," I murmured, lifting my gaze just enough to meet his stormy eyes. "She’s my friend, Sebastian. If she needs me there, then I have to be there."

He exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his dark, tousled hair. The frustration in his expression was palpable, but beneath it, I could see the concern that softened his features.

"Then I’m coming with you," he declared after a tense pause.

I stood abruptly, closing the distance between us in two quick strides. My arms wound around his neck, my fingers tangling in the hair at his nape. As much as I adored his protective instincts, this wasn’t something he could bulldoze his way through.

"And how exactly would we explain that?" I countered, arching a brow. "We’d have to come up with some excuse for why the mighty Sebastian Blackwood is suddenly shadowing me at a pack barbecue. That would raise more questions than answers."

His jaw clenched, but his arms slid around my waist, pulling me flush against him. The warmth of his body seeped into mine, steadying my racing heart.

"I was invited, you know," he muttered against my hair. "Every damn year. I just never go."

That surprised me. I tilted my head back to study his face.

"If you feel like you have to go, then go," I said softly. "But I need to prove to myself—and to everyone else—that I can handle this on my own. Besides, this is Victoria’s night. If you show up, all the attention shifts to you. That’s not fair to her."

He let out a slow breath, then pressed his forehead to mine. His scent—dark cedar and something uniquely him—wrapped around me like a shield.

"You’re right," he admitted grudgingly. "I hate it, but you’re right."

I rose onto my toes, brushing my lips against his. "Mr. Protective," I teased.

He rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "That’s me," he murmured. "Always the damn protector."

Then his mouth crashed down on mine, fierce and possessive, and the rest of the night dissolved into heated touches and whispered promises before we finally succumbed to exhaustion.

"Where have you been?"

My mother’s sharp voice cut through the quiet of the morning as I descended the stairs. The sun was already high, casting golden streaks across the polished wood floors. I’d slipped back into the house just before dawn, managing a few more hours of sleep before she could notice my absence.

Or so I’d thought.

"I just woke up," I lied, rubbing at my eyes for effect.

"You were not here all night," she snapped, arms folded tightly over her chest. "Don’t think I didn’t hear you sneaking in at sunrise. This has been going on for weeks, Lillian. You disappear all night and slink back in the morning like some—"

She cut herself off, but the unspoken accusation hung heavy between us.

I swallowed hard, my fingers curling into fists at my sides.

If only she knew.

Heat rushed to my cheeks at her words.

So, she had noticed. I gnawed on my lower lip, my gaze dropping to the floor. She studied me for a long moment before her eyes widened in realization.

"Are you seeing someone?" she asked.

"What? No, of course not."

"Is it Donovan?" The sudden question sent ice through my veins. I could see the hope flickering in her eyes. "Did you two reconcile?"

"No, Mom," I said, shattering her illusion. "Donovan is engaged to someone else... remember?"

She sighed, rubbing her temples as if warding off an impending headache.

"Well, I'd hoped, since he's your fated mate, that you both would come to your senses. But I suppose that's not happening." She exhaled sharply. "Anyway, we're going to the Winslow family barbecue tonight, so make sure you’re on your best behavior."

I frowned, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I'm not the one you should be worried about," I muttered.

She rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Lillian. That attitude is exactly what gets you into trouble," she chided. "I'm going to ask them for help with your father’s debt, so tonight needs to go smoothly."

My mouth fell open.

"Mom, we don’t need their money," I insisted. "I already told you—I’ll handle it."

"And I appreciate that, sweetheart. Truly, I do. But your father can’t stay in that horrible prison another minute. My wolf has been absorbing all his pain, and it’s tearing me apart. We need our mate back—safe. Right now, the Winslows are my last hope. They’re wealthy enough to help us. It doesn’t hurt to ask."

"The Winslows have never been kind to us," I reminded her bitterly. "No matter how much you and Dad tried to win them over, they’ve always treated us like dirt beneath their shoes—like we weren’t even worth the air we breathed."

"That’s not true," my mother countered. "Eleanor has always been kind to me, and so has her mother. They’re friends, Lillian. If we ask, they’ll help."

"You agreed to do what?" Sebastian demanded, his arms crossed tightly over his broad chest as he fixed me with an intense glare. I sat perched on the edge of his bed, my fingers twisting nervously in my lap.

"Victoria asked me to go," I admitted, keeping my voice soft. "She’s my friend, Sebastian. If she needs me there, then I have to be there."

He exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his dark, tousled hair. "Then I’m coming with you," he declared after a tense pause.

I stood quickly, closing the distance between us before winding my arms around his neck. His protectiveness warmed me, but it wasn’t practical—not for this. His presence would only raise questions we weren’t ready to answer.

"And how exactly would we explain that?" I countered, tilting my head. "You showing up out of nowhere to defend me? People would talk, Sebastian. It’s not a good idea."

His jaw tightened, but he pulled me closer, his hands settling possessively on my waist. "I was invited, you know," he murmured against my hair. "I get an invitation every year. I just never go."

That surprised me. I leaned back slightly to study his face.

"If you want to go, then go," I told him. "But I need to do this on my own. I don’t want to rely on you stepping in every time things get hard. Besides," I added with a small smile, "this is Victoria’s moment. You being there would just steal the spotlight."

He groaned but pressed his forehead against mine in reluctant surrender. "Fine. You’re right—I hate it, but you’re right. But if he gives you even a hint of trouble—"

"I’ll call you," I promised, rising onto my toes to brush my lips against his. "Mr. Overprotective."

A reluctant smirk tugged at his mouth. "That’s me," he murmured, his voice rough. "Always your shield."

Then his lips claimed mine in a searing kiss, and soon, the bed swallowed us both, the night melting away in tangled sheets and whispered promises.

"Where have you been?" My mother’s sharp voice cut through the quiet as I descended the stairs the next morning. The sun was already high, and I had only slipped back into the house a few hours ago after leaving Sebastian’s villa. I’d managed a little more sleep before dragging myself up, hoping to pretend I’d been here all night—but my mother had clearly noticed my absence.

"I just woke up," I lied, rubbing my eyes for effect.

"You weren’t here last night," she accused, arms folded. "Don’t think I didn’t hear you sneaking in at dawn. This has been going on for weeks, Lillian. You disappear all night and only come back in the morning."

I swallowed hard. She wasn’t wrong—but I wasn’t ready to explain. Not yet.