Chapter 292

The morning sun cast golden rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Sebastian Blackwood's penthouse, illuminating the spacious living area where Lillian sat curled up on the plush sofa. A steaming cup of coffee rested on the table in front of her, untouched. Her fingers absently traced the rim of the mug as her mind wandered back to last night's confrontation with Donovan.

She had expected anger, betrayal—anything but the cold indifference in his eyes when he declared Evelyn his new mate. The memory sent a sharp pang through her chest, but she refused to let it show.

The sound of footsteps pulled her from her thoughts. Sebastian strode into the room, his broad shoulders framed by the morning light. His dark eyes flickered with concern as he took in her tense posture.

"Did you sleep at all?" he asked, his deep voice laced with quiet authority.

Lillian forced a small smile. "Not really."

Sebastian exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. "Donovan is a fool."

She let out a humorless laugh. "That makes two of us, then."

Before he could respond, Oliver bounded into the room, his small face alight with excitement. "Lillian! Are we still going to the amusement park today?"

The sudden shift in mood was almost jarring, but Lillian welcomed the distraction. She reached out to ruffle his hair. "Of course we are. I wouldn’t miss it."

Sebastian’s expression softened as he watched them. "I’ll have Marcus arrange security."

Lillian hesitated. "Do we really need that?"

His gaze darkened. "After what happened last night? Absolutely."

She bit her lip, remembering the way Donovan had sneered at her before walking away. The thought of facing him again—or worse, Evelyn—made her stomach twist. But she refused to let them ruin Oliver’s day.

"Fine," she conceded. "But let’s keep it low-key. I don’t want Oliver to feel like he’s being followed."

Sebastian gave a curt nod before turning to his son. "Go get ready. We leave in thirty minutes."

As Oliver dashed off, Lillian stood, smoothing the wrinkles from her dress. "I should change too."

Sebastian caught her wrist as she moved past him, his grip firm but gentle. "Lillian."

She met his gaze, her pulse quickening at the intensity in his eyes.

"Don’t let him get to you," he murmured. "You’re worth more than he could ever realize."

Her breath hitched. For a moment, she wanted to lean into him, to let his strength chase away the lingering ache in her chest. But she forced herself to pull away.

"Thanks," she whispered before retreating to her room.

The amusement park was bustling with families and couples when they arrived. Oliver tugged at Lillian’s hand, his excitement contagious as he pointed at the towering roller coasters.

"Can we go on that one first?" he begged.

Sebastian arched a brow. "You sure you can handle it?"

Oliver puffed out his chest. "Of course! I’m not scared!"

Lillian laughed, the sound lighter than she’d felt in days. "Then let’s go."

They spent the next few hours weaving through the crowds, riding attractions and indulging in cotton candy. For the first time in weeks, Lillian felt free—untethered from the weight of Donovan’s betrayal.

But as they rounded a corner near the Ferris wheel, her steps faltered.

There, standing in line with Evelyn draped over his arm, was Donovan.

His eyes locked onto hers, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to stop.

Then Evelyn leaned up to whisper something in his ear, and his lips curled into a smirk.

Lillian’s stomach dropped.

Sebastian’s hand settled on the small of her back, his touch grounding. "Ignore them," he murmured.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to look away. But the damage was done.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, the earlier joy now tainted. Even Oliver’s laughter couldn’t fully chase away the shadow that had settled over her.

That night, as she lay in bed, Lillian stared at the ceiling, her mind racing.

Donovan had moved on.

So why couldn’t she?

A soft knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts.

"Come in," she called.

The door creaked open, revealing Sebastian silhouetted in the dim light.

"Can’t sleep?" he asked.

She shook her head.

He hesitated before stepping inside, closing the door behind him. "Neither can I."

Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words.

Then, without warning, Sebastian crossed the room and pulled her into his arms.

Lillian stiffened in surprise before melting against him, her face buried in his chest. His warmth seeped into her, chasing away the lingering chill of Donovan’s betrayal.

"I won’t let him hurt you again," Sebastian vowed, his voice rough with emotion.

She didn’t respond. She didn’t need to.

For the first time in weeks, she felt safe.

And that was enough.

The sting of sharp nails raking across my cheek made me hiss in pain. Warm blood trickled down my face as I glared up at the girl looming over me—Arabella, Alpha Maximilian's daughter, her eyes burning with fury.

A low growl rumbled in my chest, my own anger flaring. She only laughed, delighted by my reaction, before lunging again. But this time, I wouldn’t let her catch me off guard. I swiped back, willing my nails to sharpen, though full shifting was forbidden in this round of the competition.

She dodged effortlessly, smirking like victory was already hers. My movements grew reckless, fueled by frustration—exactly what she wanted. I knew better. If I lost control now, I’d make a mistake that could cost me everything. I needed to prove I could stay composed, no matter the provocation.

Forcing a deep breath, I steadied myself, letting my wolf’s instincts guide me. Around us, others took cheap shots, but I dispatched them with ease. Arabella, though—she was skilled. No surprise, given her father’s training.

She swung again. This time, I caught her arm, twisting her weight against her before slamming her onto the ground like a wrestler. She shrieked, writhing beneath me, but I pinned her wrists behind her back, ignoring her furious demands to let her go.

The crowd erupted.

Other opponents still fought, but I took advantage of the chaos, slipping into the shadows—my specialty. If they saw me coming, they’d counter. But unseen? I was lethal.

One by one, I struck. A quick, brutal takedown. One man nearly threw me off, but I dug my nails deep into his flesh, relishing his pained gasp. Blood slicked my fingers, and the scent only sharpened my focus.

I couldn’t kill him. But I could make him regret underestimating me.

The first round ended with a buzzer. Those advancing—myself included—were ushered to the locker rooms to clean up and rest before the next bout.

"You were incredible," Genevieve said, grinning—until she saw my face. She whistled. "Damn, Arabella really marked you up, huh?"

"Arabella?" I arched a brow.

Genevieve smirked. "Oh, you didn’t know? That’s Alpha Maximilian’s little princess. And she hates losing."

I wiped the blood from my cheek, smiling faintly.

Good.

Because so did I.

Lillian gave a firm nod.

"Exactly—Alpha Maximilian's daughter," she clarified, her gaze drifting across the locker room before settling on Arabella. The girl was preening in front of the mirror, surrounded by the same clique of girls Lillian had seen at the gym earlier. As usual, they were whispering behind their hands, no doubt spreading some petty gossip. Lillian rolled her eyes, irritation prickling under her skin.

"She won't get under mine," Lillian muttered under her breath.

"That's what I like to hear," Genevieve said, giving her shoulder an encouraging pat. "Don't let her rattle you."

Lillian exhaled sharply, suddenly feeling the walls of the locker room closing in. "I need air," she announced, already moving toward the exit. Genevieve nodded, returning to her own preparations as Lillian pushed through the door.

Outside, the scene was chaotic. Paparazzi swarmed the area, cameras flashing as they jostled for the best shots of the competitors—especially the Lycans. One particularly smug Lycan was basking in the attention, answering questions with a smirk that made Lillian's lip curl.

She turned away, refusing to let the spectacle distract her. The real challenge was still ahead.