Chapter 222

The morning sun cast golden rays through the curtains, painting delicate patterns across the silk sheets. Lillian stirred, her body still humming with the lingering warmth of last night’s passion. Beside her, Sebastian lay sprawled, his muscular frame taking up most of the bed, his breathing slow and steady.

She traced the faint scars along his shoulder, remnants of battles fought long before she entered his life. A small smile tugged at her lips. Mine. The word echoed in her mind, fierce and possessive.

The scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted into the room, signaling that Giselle, the head maid, had already begun her duties. Lillian carefully slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake Sebastian. She padded barefoot to the window, pushing aside the heavy drapes to gaze at the sprawling estate below.

The gardens were already alive with activity—gardeners trimming hedges, staff setting up for the day’s events. Today was important. The annual Lycan Summit was being held at Blackwood Manor, and tensions were high.

A knock at the door startled her. "Come in," she called softly.

The door creaked open, and Oliver peeked in, his dark curls tousled from sleep. "Morning, Lillian," he whispered, his bright eyes darting to Sebastian before returning to her. "Did I wake you?"

She shook her head, motioning for him to join her. "Not at all. Couldn’t sleep?"

He shrugged, a habit he’d picked up from his father. "Too excited. All the Alphas are coming today."

Lillian ruffled his hair. "And you get to meet them properly this time."

Oliver grinned, but then his expression faltered. "Do you think… Alpha Harrison will be here?"

Her fingers stilled. The memory of that night—drunken laughter, hands too rough, fear coiling in her gut—flashed through her mind. She forced a smile. "If he does, he won’t dare look at you or me. Your father made sure of that."

Sebastian’s voice, rough with sleep, cut through the quiet. "Damn right I did."

Lillian turned to see him propped up on one elbow, his amber eyes sharp despite the early hour.

Oliver beamed. "Dad!"

Sebastian smirked. "Come here, trouble."

The boy bounded over, clambering onto the bed with all the grace of an overexcited puppy. Lillian watched them, warmth blooming in her chest.

Then, a sharp knock—urgent this time.

Marcus, Sebastian’s Beta, stood at the door, his expression grim. "Alpha, we have a problem."

Sebastian’s playful demeanor vanished. "What is it?"

"Alpha Voss just arrived early. And he didn’t come alone."

Lillian’s stomach dropped. Maximilian Voss. The rival Lycan chairman who had been circling Blackwood’s territory like a vulture.

Sebastian’s jaw tightened. "Where is he?"

"At the gates. With an entourage."

Lillian exchanged a glance with Sebastian. This wasn’t just a courtesy visit.

War was coming.

And it had just knocked on their door.

Oliver glanced up, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"I wanted to finish this quickly so we could spar outside!" he said excitedly. "Though I kinda miss the mansion. It was nicer there."

"Your father thinks it's safer here with all the paparazzi around," I explained. "Until things settle down, it's better if we stay."

I hoped Sebastian would resolve the issue soon. The last thing I wanted was to remain under the same roof as Victoria. The tension between us was already unbearable, and spending more time with her father would only make things worse.

Oliver nodded thoughtfully before flashing another grin.

"So… are you going to be my mom?"

I nearly choked on air as I sat beside him.

"Excuse me—what?" I blurted, snapping my head toward him.

He shrugged as if he hadn’t just dropped that bombshell.

"I saw the news. I’m not clueless," he said, eyeing me with a knowing look that made my cheeks burn. "And I wouldn’t mind if you were. Actually, I’d really like it."

My heart clenched. I didn’t want to hurt him, but marriage to Sebastian? That wasn’t even on the table.

"Oliver… maybe we should talk about this another time?"

His smile dimmed slightly, but he nodded. He wasn’t stupid—he knew I was dodging the question. Still, he was polite enough not to push.

We finished his homework, then headed to the backyard to spar. Now that the film crew was gone, we finally had the space to ourselves again.

I didn’t notice we had company until Oliver’s eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh, hello, Miss Devereaux," he greeted.

I turned—and nearly dropped my sword when I saw Celeste approaching. She gave Oliver a brief nod before her sharp gaze landed on me. My face heated under her scrutiny.

"H-Hello," I managed, hating how my voice faltered.

"Can we talk?" she asked coolly.

My pulse spiked. What could she possibly want with me? I glanced at Oliver, who took the hint and quickly resumed his archery practice.

Forcing a smile, I faced Celeste. "What’s this about?"

A perfectly arched brow lifted. "You know exactly what this is about." Her voice was smooth, deliberate. "You and Sebastian."

My cheeks burned hotter than before. I wanted to explain that what we had wasn’t exactly a relationship—at least, not in the way she assumed. But the words stuck in my throat. My wolf refused to let me speak them, as if denying the truth would somehow make it less real. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I found myself pressing my lips together and letting her continue.

Celeste sighed, her expression earnest. "Had I known he was already involved with someone, I never would have pursued him," she admitted. "I just wanted you to understand—I’m not the kind of woman who steals another’s mate. And I can’t afford to have the tabloids painting me that way."

Her words caught me off guard.

"No one’s calling you that," I reassured her quickly.

She bit her lip, a faint flush creeping up her neck. "I kissed him on camera. Sooner or later, someone will connect the dots. Right now, they’re too focused on his new romance to dig deeper. Sebastian’s trying to suppress the stories, but… I can’t risk my reputation."

Before I could think better of it, the words tumbled out. "If it comes to that, I’ll tell them our relationship is new—that he was single when you met him."

The moment I said it, I wanted to take it back. Was I really about to publicly claim I was involved with Sebastian Blackwood? As if my life wasn’t complicated enough already.

Celeste blinked, surprised, then slowly nodded.

"Just don’t make it sound like he left me for you," she said with a playful wink, though her tone held an edge of warning. Then, softer, she added, "I truly am sorry for any confusion. I thought whatever was between you two wasn’t serious. I wouldn’t have crossed that line otherwise."

"It’s fine," I said, forcing a smile. "We kept things quiet. That’s not your fault."

Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and she gave a small nod.

"Well, that’s all I wanted to say." She turned to leave but hesitated, glancing back. "Oh, and Lillian?"

"Yes?"

Her gaze turned unexpectedly sincere. "Hold onto him. Tightly. He’s a good man… and he deserves someone who won’t let go, no matter what."

The moon hung low over Blackwood Manor as Lillian paced her bedroom, her bare feet sinking into the plush carpet. Outside her window, the scent of night-blooming jasmine mixed with the faint metallic tang of lycan pheromones - Sebastian was nearby again.

She paused mid-step when her phone buzzed violently against the mahogany nightstand. Beatrice's name flashed across the screen with three heart emojis - their secret code for urgent gossip.

"Tell me you're not still obsessing over Donovan's engagement party," Beatrice's voice crackled through the speaker before Lillian could even greet her.

Lillian's fingers tightened around the phone. "I wasn't—"

"Liar. Your scent is practically screaming anxiety from across campus." Beatrice's tone softened. "Listen, Vivienne just called. The Winslows are bringing that Evelyn girl to the pack gathering tomorrow. You need to—"

A sharp knock at the door made Lillian jump. "One sec," she whispered, padding across the room.

The door swung open to reveal Sebastian's imposing frame filling the doorway, his silver eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. Behind him, little Oliver peeked around his father's legs, clutching a worn stuffed wolf.

"Papa said you're sad," the boy announced solemnly. "We brought chocolate."

Sebastian held up a velvet box from La Maison du Chocolat, the scent of dark cocoa and sea salt wafting through the air. "Oliver insisted on the caramel-filled ones."

Lillian's throat tightened. These small kindnesses from the Blackwood men always undid her completely.

Beatrice's muffled voice came through the phone: "Lil? You still there? This is important—"

Sebastian's gaze dropped to the device in her hand, his expression darkening when he recognized Beatrice's voice. "Tell Beatrice we'll discuss pack business tomorrow."

Oliver tugged at his father's sleeve. "Can Lillian read me my story now? The one about the brave she-wolf?"

As Sebastian's large hand came to rest possessively on her lower back, Lillian felt the familiar electric current between them. Beatrice's warning about Evelyn would have to wait - the Blackwood men had claimed her attention, just as they'd claimed her heart.

But beneath the warm domesticity, Lillian couldn't shake the feeling that tomorrow's gathering would change everything. The Winslows never made moves without calculation, and Evelyn's sudden appearance reeked of Donovan's meddling.

She allowed herself to be led toward Oliver's room, Sebastian's fingers tracing secret patterns against her spine. Whatever storm was coming, they'd face it together - Alpha and Luna, as fate intended.