Chapter 206

The morning sun cast golden rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Sebastian Blackwood’s penthouse, illuminating the lavish space with warmth. Lillian stretched beneath the silk sheets, her body still humming from the intensity of last night’s mating bond.

She turned her head, expecting to see Sebastian beside her, but the bed was empty. A faint trace of his sandalwood scent lingered on the pillow, sending a shiver down her spine.

Where is he?

Before she could dwell on it, the bedroom door creaked open, and Oliver’s small face peeked in. His silver-blue eyes—so much like his father’s—sparkled with mischief.

"Morning, Lillian!" he chirped, bouncing onto the bed. "Dad said you need breakfast. He made pancakes!"

Lillian chuckled, ruffling his dark curls. "Did he now?"

Oliver nodded eagerly. "With chocolate chips! But he burned the first batch."

She laughed, imagining the usually composed Lycan chairman fumbling in the kitchen.

As she got dressed, her phone buzzed—a message from Beatrice.

Beatrice: Girl, you better not be skipping class again. Professor Sinclair is on a warpath.

Lillian groaned. Between pack politics and her newly solidified bond with Sebastian, her academic life had taken a backseat.

Downstairs, the penthouse smelled of coffee and slightly charred pancakes. Sebastian stood by the stove, his broad shoulders tensed in concentration as he flipped another pancake. The sight was so domestic, so unlike the ruthless Lycan chairman, that her heart swelled.

He turned, his gaze darkening as it swept over her. "Sleep well?"

She smirked. "Not nearly enough."

A growl rumbled in his chest, but Oliver’s giggle interrupted them. "Dad, it’s smoking again!"

Sebastian cursed under his breath, rescuing the pancake just before it blackened.

Lillian bit back a laugh. "Maybe I should take over."

He shot her a look. "I can handle it."

She arched a brow. "Clearly."

Before he could retort, the doorbell rang.

Sebastian’s expression shifted instantly—guarded, calculating. He wiped his hands on a towel and strode to the door.

Lillian’s pulse spiked when she heard the voice on the other side.

"Good morning, Alpha Blackwood."

Victoria.

Sebastian’s daughter stood in the doorway, her posture rigid, her gaze flickering past him to land on Lillian. The air thickened with unspoken tension.

Oliver, oblivious, waved. "Hi, Vicky! Want pancakes?"

Victoria’s lips twitched, but her eyes remained cold. "No, thank you." She focused on Sebastian. "We need to talk. Alone."

Lillian’s stomach dropped.

Sebastian exhaled sharply. "Not now, Victoria."

Her jaw tightened. "It’s about Donovan."

The name sent a chill through the room.

Lillian’s fingers curled into fists. What now?

Sebastian’s voice turned icy. "Later."

Victoria’s eyes flashed with defiance. "He’s back in the city."

Silence.

Then—

A crash from the kitchen. Oliver had dropped his plate, syrup splattering across the marble floor.

Sebastian didn’t move, his gaze locked on Victoria. "Where?"

She hesitated, then whispered, "The Winslow estate."

Lillian’s blood ran cold.

Donovan was here.

And he wasn’t alone.

Something was off... and my instincts told me it had everything to do with Thierry.

Sebastian’s POV

After Oliver fell asleep, I made my way to the estate to see Lillian. The way we left things last night didn’t sit right with me—there was a gnawing guilt twisting in my chest. I knew I’d hurt her, and I needed to make her understand my side of things.

But when I arrived, Lillian wasn’t there.

"Where is she?" I demanded, staring at Giselle, who stood before me.

"She went to a party at her university," Giselle answered with a careless shrug. "Some frat thing, I think."

A deep growl rumbled in my throat. A frat party? Alone? Did she have any idea how reckless that was? Worse yet, Frederick was here, waiting for her call to pick her up.

"You should’ve stayed with her," I bit out.

"Apologies, Alpha," Frederick murmured, lowering his head. "She insisted I leave for now."

Before I could reprimand him further, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, his brow furrowing as he answered.

"Hello?"

A pause. His expression darkened as he listened, nodding sharply even though the caller couldn’t see him.

"Yeah, I’ll be there as fast as I can."

He hung up and turned to me.

"Who was it?" I snapped.

"Lillian," he said, instantly seizing my full attention. "Apparently, Beatrice is wasted, and they both need a ride. I’ll drop Beatrice off first, then bring Lillian straight here."

He moved to leave, but I followed.

"I’m coming with you."

Frederick gave a curt nod, and we headed for the car.

Traffic was a nightmare. We inched forward at a crawl, the flashing lights of ambulances and police cars speeding past us signaling an accident ahead. Not surprising, given we were in the heart of the city.

Frederick pulled out his phone to text Lillian about the delay. A thumbs-up emoji came through in response.

But as minutes dragged on, an uneasy feeling settled in my gut. Something wasn’t right.

We were just around the corner from the university, yet—

The streets were a nightmare—cars bumper to bumper, horns blaring, the entire city at a standstill.

"Is there any way around this?" I demanded, craning my neck to see past the sea of vehicles.

"Afraid not," Frederick muttered, gripping the wheel. "Humans and their traffic."

A low growl rumbled in my chest. "I don’t have time for this. That party—I need to get there now."

Without another word, I threw open the car door and stepped out onto the pavement.

"Alpha Sebastian!" Frederick called after me, but I was already moving, weaving through the gridlock with inhuman speed. I didn’t shift—not with so many humans around—but even in this form, I was faster than any mortal or wolf.

It didn’t take long to reach the campus. The moment my boots hit the pavement, Lillian’s scent hit me like a punch to the gut. I let my wolf surge forward just enough to sharpen my senses, tracking her through the chaos.

The frat house was exactly what I expected—loud, obnoxious, packed with drunken students. Most were too far gone to notice me, but if they had been sober, they would’ve recognized me instantly. Sebastian Blackwood. A Lycan. My presence alone should’ve sent them scrambling.

I shoved through the front doors, ignoring the stumbling bodies in my way. My wolf led me down a dimly lit hallway, Lillian’s scent growing stronger with every step. My stomach twisted.

Then I heard it—muffled voices.

Hers.

And his.

Ice flooded my veins.

I turned the corner—and froze.

There he was. Some frat boy, Kyle, lifting Lillian into his arms like she was some prize. She was limp, her head lolling, eyes barely open. Drugged. Drugged.

And he had his lips against her neck, whispering something filthy.

That was it.

The world went red.

A snarl ripped from my throat—the kind that shook the walls.