Chapter 146

The night was thick with tension as Lillian stood frozen in the dimly lit corridor of the Blackwood estate. Her heart hammered against her ribs, each beat a deafening echo in the silence. She had come here for answers—answers about Donovan, about the twisted fate that had bound them together before tearing them apart.

But she hadn’t expected this.

Sebastian Blackwood loomed before her, his broad frame casting a shadow that swallowed the flickering candlelight. His golden eyes burned with an intensity that made her breath hitch. "You shouldn’t be here," he murmured, his voice a velvet growl that sent shivers down her spine.

Lillian lifted her chin, defiance sparking in her chest. "I have every right to be here. You’ve been keeping secrets, Sebastian. Secrets about him."

A muscle in his jaw twitched. "Donovan is dangerous, Lillian. More than you realize."

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "And yet, you let him walk free. You let him hurt people."

Sebastian stepped closer, the heat of his body radiating against her skin. "I have my reasons."

"Reasons you won’t share," she shot back.

The air between them crackled, charged with unspoken words and unresolved tension. For a heartbeat, neither moved. Then—

A crash echoed from down the hall.

Lillian’s head snapped toward the sound, her pulse spiking. "What was that?"

Sebastian’s expression darkened. "Stay here."

But she wasn’t about to be left in the dark—not again. Ignoring his command, she darted past him, her bare feet silent against the cold marble. The hallway twisted into darkness, the only light coming from the sliver of moonlight slipping through the curtains.

Then she saw it.

A figure—tall, lean, unmistakably familiar—stood at the end of the corridor.

Donovan.

Her breath caught. He shouldn’t be here. Not in Sebastian’s home. Not now.

Donovan turned slowly, his lips curling into a smirk that made her stomach churn. "Miss me, little wolf?"

Before she could react, Sebastian was there, stepping between them like a shield. "Get out," he snarled, his voice laced with barely restrained fury.

Donovan chuckled, the sound dripping with malice. "Or what? You’ll throw me out? Again?"

Lillian’s hands clenched into fists. "What do you want?"

His gaze slid to her, cold and calculating. "You."

A growl ripped from Sebastian’s throat. "Over my dead body."

Donovan’s smirk widened. "If you insist."

And then—chaos.

Sebastian lunged, his form blurring as he shifted mid-motion. Donovan barely dodged, his own transformation swift and brutal. Claws slashed, fangs flashed, and the hallway became a battleground.

Lillian stumbled back, her mind racing. She had to stop this. But how?

Then—a whisper of movement behind her.

She spun, only to come face-to-face with Evelyn, Donovan’s new mate. The woman’s eyes gleamed with cruel amusement. "You really should learn to stay out of things that don’t concern you," she purred.

Lillian’s blood ran cold.

And then—everything went black.

The pain had become my nightly companion, creeping in as the sun dipped below the horizon and lingering until dawn. But with Sebastian by my side, holding me through the worst of it, the agony was bearable. Still, it made no sense. I had seen Victoria around the mansion—always distant, always avoiding me. She barely acknowledged my greetings, as if I were invisible. Most days, she locked herself in her room, and Donovan hadn’t bothered to check on her once.

Then the pain worsened.

The pack doctor confirmed what Sebastian and I had already suspected—my fated mate was betraying me. Every time Donovan slept with another woman, it tore at my body and my wolf, leaving me weaker with each passing night.

By the third day of unbearable torment, Sebastian had enough. He sent Marcus to drag Donovan back to face judgment. The man was cheating on Victoria, and the evidence was undeniable. The only question was whether Victoria knew—and if that was why she had withdrawn into herself.

"We found him," Marcus announced as he strode into the villa, arms crossed. Behind him, two guards hauled in a disheveled Donovan, his clothes rumpled, his eyes glazed. The sight made my stomach churn. How had I ever loved this man?

"He was unconscious at the pub," Marcus explained, his voice tight with disgust.

Sebastian’s lip curled as he glared down at Donovan. "So this is what you do at night? Drink yourself into oblivion and then crawl into bed with some random woman?" His voice was a low growl, vibrating with barely contained fury.

Donovan lifted his head, blinking sluggishly. "Why am I here?" he slurred. "Where’s Seraphina?"

Marcus ran a hand through his hair, visibly uncomfortable. "There was a prostitute with him. Looked like she was about to take him somewhere before we intervened."

My stomach twisted. "A prostitute, Donovan?" I demanded, my voice shaking. "You’re better than this—"

At least, I thought he was. But after everything he’d done, maybe I was wrong. Cheating on Victoria with a paid escort? It was despicable. I turned away, unable to stomach the sight of him any longer.

"How could you do this to her?" My voice cracked as tears welled in my eyes. Victoria didn’t deserve this.

Sebastian’s jaw clenched. "How dare you hurt my daughter," he hissed. "I gave you chance after chance, Donovan Winslow."

Marcus stepped forward. "He might not even know what he’s doing. Look at him—he’s completely out of it."

But that didn’t excuse anything.

And the worst part?

Victoria still had no idea.

The woman didn't seem the least bit concerned, despite being stone-cold sober. If anything, I suspected Donovan was the one being exploited here. His recent extravagant spending spree—no doubt lavished on these women—spoke volumes. This wasn't just reckless behavior; the man was clearly unwell..." Sebastian's piercing gaze bore into Donovan as he scrutinized the slumped figure for an uncomfortably long moment.

"If he intends to keep courting my daughter," Sebastian growled, his voice laced with steel, "he'd better grow a spine and start treating her with the respect she deserves. This drunken disgrace ends now. He either cleans up his act or loses Victoria forever."

Marcus cleared his throat, eyeing Donovan's unconscious form sprawled across the marble floor. "Perhaps this conversation would be more productive when he's coherent, Alpha."

Sebastian exhaled sharply through his nose, the frustration evident in the tense line of his shoulders.

"Take him to the east wing guest suite," he ordered, rubbing his temples. "Have the staff draw a cold bath and bring up detox tea. Victoria mustn't know he's here—not in this state." The unspoken 'again' hung heavy between us.

Marcus bowed slightly. "At once, Alpha." With a sharp gesture, he summoned two armored sentries who hoisted Donovan between them like a sack of grain. As they ascended the grand staircase, Donovan's slurred mutterings echoed down the hall—"The resemblance... uncanny... just like her..."

My forehead creased. Who was he hallucinating about now? Before I could ponder further, Sebastian spun me around with surprising gentleness, his large hands warm on my shoulders.

"The bond pains will cease after tonight's ceremony," he murmured, golden eyes softening. "Once the mating mark takes hold, the severed connection will dissolve completely." I managed a tight-lipped nod, though my stomach churned.

"How can you still sanction this union?" The words burst out before I could stop them. "After days of infidelity? The man needs professional help, Sebastian, not an engagement!" My fingers twisted in the fabric of my dress. "Is this really the future you envision for Victoria?"

The grandfather clock in the hall ticked ominously as Sebastian's expression darkened like gathering storm clouds. Somewhere upstairs, a door clicked shut—the sound of Donovan being locked away with his demons. And his secrets.

The morning sun filtered through the heavy drapes of Sebastian Blackwood's private study, casting golden patterns across the antique mahogany desk where Lillian sat fidgeting with her pen. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mingled with Sebastian's distinctive sandalwood cologne, creating an intoxicating atmosphere that made her pulse quicken.

"Focus, Lillian," Sebastian murmured, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine as he leaned over her shoulder to examine her notes. His warm breath tickled her ear. "The council meeting starts in twenty minutes."

She swallowed hard, acutely aware of how close he was. "I know, I just—" Her words caught in her throat when his hand brushed against hers as he pointed to a line in her notebook.

A sharp knock at the door made them both jump apart. Marcus Grayson entered without waiting for permission, his expression grim. "Alpha, we have a situation."

Sebastian straightened immediately, his playful demeanor vanishing. "What is it?"

"It's Donovan," Marcus said, his gaze flickering to Lillian before continuing. "He's at the gates with Evelyn and... he's demanding to speak with Lillian."

Lillian's stomach dropped. She hadn't seen her former fated mate since their disastrous breakup at the winter ball. The pen slipped from her fingers, clattering against the desk.

Sebastian's jaw tightened. "Tell him—"

"No," Lillian interrupted, surprising even herself. She stood, smoothing her skirt with trembling hands. "I'll see him. This needs to end."

Sebastian's golden eyes darkened with concern. "You don't have to do this alone."

She offered him a shaky smile. "I know. But I need to."

As they walked toward the main entrance, Beatrice appeared from around the corner, her usually cheerful face drawn with worry. "Lil, are you sure about this? That bastard—"

"I'll be fine," Lillian assured her best friend, though her racing heartbeat betrayed her nerves.

The grand foyer was eerily silent when they arrived, the staff having discreetly disappeared. Through the glass doors, Lillian could see Donovan pacing like a caged animal, his new mate Evelyn clinging to his arm with a possessive grip.

Sebastian positioned himself slightly behind Lillian, his presence both comforting and intimidating. "Remember," he whispered, "you hold all the power here."

Taking a deep breath, Lillian pushed open the doors. The morning sunlight blinded her momentarily, but she didn't miss how Donovan's eyes widened at her appearance.

"Lillian," he breathed, taking an involuntary step forward before Evelyn yanked him back.

The sight of them together—Donovan with his new mate—should have hurt more, Lillian realized. But all she felt was... nothing. Just a strange sort of pity.

"What do you want, Donovan?" she asked, proud of how steady her voice sounded.

His expression twisted with something like regret. "We need to talk. Alone."

Before she could respond, Sebastian moved forward, his voice dripping with barely restrained anger. "Anything you have to say to my mate, you can say in front of me."

Donovan's eyes flashed with jealousy. "Your—" He cut himself off, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Lillian, please. It's about Victoria."

At the mention of Sebastian's daughter, Lillian felt the blood drain from her face. "What about her?"

Evelyn chose that moment to speak, her voice sharp with malice. "She's missing. And we all know who's responsible."

The accusation hung in the air like a guillotine's blade. Lillian's hands curled into fists at her sides. "You think I—"

"Enough!" Sebastian's roar shook the very ground beneath them. His eyes glowed with barely contained fury as he advanced on Donovan. "You dare come to my home and accuse my mate?"

Donovan held up his hands in surrender, but his gaze remained locked on Lillian. "I'm not accusing anyone. I just thought... if anyone knew where she might go..."

Lillian's mind raced. Victoria had been distant lately, but missing? She turned to Sebastian, whose face had gone frighteningly still.

"Marcus," he said quietly, "lock them in the guest quarters. They're not leaving until we find my daughter."

As guards moved to obey, Evelyn shrieked in protest. "You can't do this! We're—"

"You're trespassing on Lycan territory," Sebastian interrupted coldly. "Be grateful I'm not doing worse."

Lillian watched as Donovan was led away, his eyes pleading with her until the doors closed between them. The moment they were gone, she turned to Sebastian.

"We'll find her," she promised, placing a hand on his arm. "Where would she go?"

Sebastian's expression was unreadable. "That's just it, love. I have no idea."

The ominous words settled over them like a storm cloud as they hurried toward the security office, the weight of Victoria's disappearance pressing down with each step. Somewhere out there, a young woman was missing—and the clock was ticking.