Chapter 262

The morning sun cast golden rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Sebastian Blackwood's penthouse, painting the marble floors in warm hues. Lillian stretched lazily beneath the silk sheets, her body still humming with the lingering traces of last night's passion.

A deep chuckle rumbled beside her. "Someone's awake."

She turned to find Sebastian propped on one elbow, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement. His tousled hair and the faint stubble along his jaw only added to his rugged appeal.

"Barely," she muttered, though her lips curved into a smile.

His fingers traced idle patterns along her bare shoulder. "Sleep well?"

"Mm. Surprisingly."

The truth was, she hadn't slept this soundly in months. Not since Donovan had shattered her world. But here, wrapped in Sebastian's arms, the nightmares stayed at bay.

A sharp knock at the door interrupted the moment.

"Dad?" Oliver's muffled voice carried through the wood. "Are you awake?"

Sebastian sighed, pressing a quick kiss to Lillian's temple before rolling out of bed. "Duty calls."

She watched as he pulled on a robe, his movements effortless despite the early hour. The man was a force of nature—powerful, commanding, impossible to ignore.

The door creaked open, revealing Oliver's tousled head. His bright eyes darted past Sebastian, landing on Lillian. A grin split his face. "You're still here!"

She laughed, tugging the sheets higher. "Good morning to you too."

Sebastian ruffled his son's hair. "What's the emergency?"

"Victoria's downstairs. She says it's important."

A shadow crossed Sebastian's face. Lillian didn't miss the way his jaw tightened.

"I'll be right down."

Oliver scampered off, leaving silence in his wake.

Lillian sat up, frowning. "Everything okay?"

Sebastian's expression was unreadable. "Stay here. I'll handle it."

But curiosity burned in her veins. She waited until his footsteps faded before slipping out of bed. The plush carpet muffled her steps as she crept to the top of the grand staircase.

Below, Victoria stood in the foyer, her posture rigid. Even from this distance, Lillian could see the tension in her shoulders.

"—can't keep ignoring this," Victoria hissed.

Sebastian's voice was low, dangerous. "I said enough."

"You don't understand—"

"I understand perfectly." His tone left no room for argument. "This ends now."

Victoria's hands clenched into fists. "You're making a mistake."

Lillian's pulse quickened. What the hell was going on?

Before she could retreat, Victoria's gaze snapped upward—locking onto her.

A slow, venomous smile curled the other woman's lips.

Oh no.

Sebastian turned, his eyes widening when he spotted Lillian.

Victoria's voice dripped with malice. "Looks like we have an audience."

The air crackled with tension.

Lillian swallowed hard.

Something told her this wasn't just a family squabble.

This was war.

Lillian's POV

"So, are you ever going to tell me what really happened between you and Donovan?" Beatrice's voice cut through the silence of my dorm room like a knife. I froze mid-step, the teacup in my hand trembling slightly.

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the half-open blinds, casting striped shadows across Beatrice's concerned face. She sat cross-legged on my bed, her fingers nervously twisting the edge of my floral duvet cover.

I set the cup down with deliberate care, watching the steam curl upward. "There's nothing to tell," I lied smoothly, turning to face the window where students milled about the quad below. "Ancient history."

Beatrice snorted. "Don't give me that. I saw the way you reacted when Evelyn walked into the dining hall with him yesterday." She threw a pillow at my back. "You nearly shattered your water glass."

A muscle in my jaw twitched. The memory flashed before me - Donovan's arm possessively around Evelyn's waist, her triumphant smirk as she'd deliberately brushed past my table. The scent of her cloying perfume still lingered in my nightmares.

"You know what's ironic?" I said suddenly, tracing the condensation on my windowpane. "All those years believing he was my fated mate, only to discover the Moon Goddess has a twisted sense of humor."

Beatrice's expression softened. She moved to stand beside me, our reflections ghostly in the glass. "You're better off without him, Lils. Anyone can see how Sebastian looks at you-"

"Don't." I cut her off sharply, then immediately regretted my tone. "Just... don't go there. Not now."

The silence stretched between us, filled with unspoken words and the distant laughter of students outside. My wolf stirred restlessly beneath my skin, agitated by the emotional turmoil.

Beatrice finally broke the quiet. "Fine. But you can't avoid this forever." She grabbed her bag from my desk chair. "I'm late for my shift at the coffee shop. Gabrielle will murder me if I'm late again."

As the door clicked shut behind her, I exhaled shakily and pressed my forehead against the cool glass. My phone buzzed in my pocket - another message from Donovan, no doubt. I'd been ignoring them for weeks.

Outside, dark clouds began rolling in, mirroring the storm brewing in my chest. Somewhere across campus, Sebastian would be finishing his meeting with Alpha Harrison. And Donovan... Donovan was probably whispering sweet lies into Evelyn's ear right now.

I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms. The truth was, Beatrice was right. I couldn't avoid this forever. But tonight... tonight I just wanted to pretend everything was normal. Just for a few more hours.

The first drops of rain hit the window as I reached for my abandoned teacup. The liquid had gone cold.