Chapter 255

The crisp autumn air carried the scent of fallen leaves as Lillian stepped onto the balcony of Sebastian Blackwood’s mansion. The moon hung low in the sky, casting silver light over the sprawling estate. She exhaled slowly, her breath forming a faint mist in the cool night.

Inside, the grand hall buzzed with activity. The annual Lycan Council gathering was in full swing, and the most powerful werewolves in the region had gathered under one roof. Lillian could hear the clinking of glasses, the murmur of conversations, and the occasional burst of laughter.

Her fingers tightened around the railing. She shouldn’t be here. Not like this. Not when Donovan—her former fated mate—was somewhere inside, likely whispering sweet nothings to Evelyn, his new chosen partner. The thought made her stomach twist.

A familiar presence approached from behind. "You’re missing the party," Sebastian’s deep voice rumbled, his tone laced with amusement.

Lillian didn’t turn. "I needed air."

He stepped beside her, his broad frame blocking the chilly breeze. "Avoiding someone?"

She shot him a sidelong glance. "Wouldn’t you?"

Sebastian smirked. "If I were you? Probably."

The silence stretched between them, comfortable yet charged. Lillian had grown used to his presence, his scent—dark oak and something uniquely him—filling her senses. It was dangerous, this closeness. She knew better than to let herself rely on him.

A sudden crash from inside shattered the moment. Raised voices followed, sharp and angry.

Sebastian’s expression darkened. "Stay here."

Before she could protest, he was gone, disappearing into the crowd. Lillian hesitated, then followed.

The scene inside was chaos. Donovan stood at the center, his face flushed with fury, while Evelyn clung to his arm, her eyes wide with alarm. Across from them, Alpha Harrison—a notorious troublemaker—grinned, his posture relaxed despite the tension.

"You always did have a habit of taking what isn’t yours," Harrison taunted, his gaze flickering to Lillian as she approached.

Donovan snarled. "Stay out of this, Harrison."

Sebastian stepped between them, his voice a low warning. "Enough."

The room fell silent.

Lillian’s pulse pounded in her ears. This wasn’t just about her. It was about power, alliances, old grudges. And she was caught in the middle.

Then, from the back of the room, a voice cut through the tension.

"Father?"

Oliver, Sebastian’s young son, stood in the doorway, his small face pale with worry.

Sebastian’s demeanor shifted instantly. He turned, his voice softening. "Oliver, go back to your room."

But the damage was done. The moment was broken.

As the guests dispersed, murmuring among themselves, Lillian met Donovan’s gaze across the room. His expression was unreadable.

She knew one thing for certain—this wasn’t over.

Not by a long shot.

Lillian narrowed her eyes.

“Isn’t this a bit sudden?” Donovan asked, arching a brow.

I crossed my arms over my chest.

“I didn’t exactly get much warning either,” I admitted. “But this is huge. I can’t just walk away from it.”

After a brief pause, Donovan gave a slow nod.

“I’ll inform the Alpha,” he said. “He’s finally letting me speak again. Next week is school break, so it’s not like Master Oliver needs tutoring during that time.”

I nodded in thanks before turning to leave, but Victoria rushed down the stairs, cutting me off. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her cheeks damp—she’d been crying. She froze when she saw me, hastily wiping her face with the back of her hand.

“Oh, Lillian…” she exhaled. “You’re early.”

“Didn’t have much else going on today,” I said with a shrug. “Thought I’d get a head start.”

The tension between us was undeniable. She no longer saw me as a friend, and honestly? After everything, I didn’t see her as one either. But something twisted in my gut at the sight of her—pale, thinner than before, her eyes hollow. She was unraveling, and it showed.

I sighed, relenting.

“Are you okay, Victoria?” I asked, hating that I still cared.

She hesitated, shifting on her feet before finally meeting my gaze.

“Can I ask you something?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

I bit my lower lip but nodded.

“Of course.”

“What really happened between you and Donovan?”

The question caught me off guard. My brows shot up.

“What?”

“The truth,” she pressed, her voice trembling. “Why did you two break up?”

For a second, I considered lying. The truth would only hurt her more. But the reason she hated me in the first place was because I’d lied. I wouldn’t do it again.

“He cheated on me,” I said flatly. “With you.”

Her breath hitched. “What?”

“You met him at that conference with your father, didn’t you?” I shrugged, feigning indifference. “He fell for you. Left me. We’d been marked, mated for two years by then. Every time he’s with you, I feel our bond tearing apart. It won’t stop until he marks you—which, I assume, will be after the wedding.” I met her horrified gaze. “That’s what happened. He met you, and he left me.”

She exhaled sharply, as if she'd been holding her breath since the moment she first asked the question.

The devastation on Victoria's face was palpable, her expression crumbling under the weight of my confession.

I wanted to tell her everything—how Donovan had been trying to manipulate me into becoming his secret lover, how he wanted to keep his engagement to her while indulging in his selfish desires. I wanted to reveal that he didn’t love her, that he was only using her to get closer to her father, Sebastian Blackwood. I wanted to expose how he'd been blackmailing me, how I was certain he was the reason my father was now imprisoned with loan sharks hunting him down.

But the words stuck in my throat, refusing to come out.

She was already drowning in pain—she didn’t need the full storm crashing down on her just yet. Besides, withholding the rest wasn’t technically lying. I had answered her question honestly. Unless she asked for more, I didn’t owe her every ugly detail.

"I'm sorry I had to be the one to tell you this, Victoria. And I'm sorry I didn’t say it sooner," I murmured, the apology genuine.

She didn’t respond. Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, her body unnervingly still.

"Are you okay?" I asked after a long, suffocating silence.

She blinked rapidly, as if snapping back to reality.

"I... I don’t know," she admitted, her voice rough and barely audible. "I had no idea..."

I sighed, hating how much her pain affected me. Despite everything, a part of me still cared. She had once been my friend, and she was Sebastian’s daughter—some invisible thread still tied me to her.

"I know I might be the last person you want to talk to right now. But if you need anything... I'm here," I offered, forcing a small, reassuring smile.

I turned to leave, unsure what else to say and needing to find Oliver for our daily training session. Besides, I doubted Victoria truly wanted me here. Once the shock wore off, she’d remember she saw me as the enemy.

Then—

"I think he’s cheating on me," she blurted, freezing me mid-step.