Chapter 40

The morning sun cast golden rays through the curtains, stirring Lillian awake. She stretched lazily, her muscles still sore from yesterday’s training session with Professor Montclair. The scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted into the room, courtesy of Giselle, the ever-efficient head maid.

Lillian’s phone buzzed—a message from Beatrice.

"Meet me at the café in 20. Big news."

Curious, Lillian dressed quickly, opting for a simple sweater and jeans. As she descended the grand staircase of Sebastian Blackwood’s mansion, she nearly collided with Oliver, his small frame darting past her with a mischievous grin.

"Slow down, trouble," she teased, ruffling his hair.

"Can’t! Dad’s taking me riding today!" he called over his shoulder before disappearing down the hall.

Lillian smiled. Despite the chaos of her life, moments like these made everything feel… normal.

The campus café was bustling when she arrived. Beatrice waved from a corner table, her expression unreadable.

"What’s the big news?" Lillian asked, sliding into the seat opposite her.

Beatrice leaned in, lowering her voice. "You’ll never guess who I saw last night."

Lillian arched a brow. "Who?"

"Donovan."

The name sent a jolt through her. Her ex-fated mate. The man who had chosen Evelyn over her.

"Where?" she demanded, her grip tightening around her coffee cup.

"At The Crimson Moon," Beatrice said. "With Evelyn. And get this—they were arguing. Like, really arguing."

Lillian’s pulse quickened. "About what?"

Beatrice shrugged. "Couldn’t hear much, but Evelyn looked furious. Kept saying something about ‘ruining everything.’"

Before Lillian could process this, her phone buzzed again—Sebastian.

"Emergency meeting at the pack house. Now."

Her stomach twisted. Emergency meetings never meant good news.

Beatrice squeezed her hand. "You okay?"

Lillian exhaled sharply. "I have to go."

As she hurried toward the pack house, her mind raced. What was Donovan up to now? And why did Sebastian need her so urgently?

The moment she stepped into the meeting room, the tension was palpable. Sebastian stood at the head of the table, his expression grim. Marcus Grayson, his beta, stood beside him, arms crossed.

Sebastian’s gaze locked onto hers. "Lillian. We have a problem."

She swallowed hard. "What kind of problem?"

"Donovan," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "He’s made a move against us."

The room seemed to tilt.

"What did he do?" she whispered.

Sebastian’s jaw tightened. "He’s allied himself with Alpha Maximilian Voss."

Lillian’s blood ran cold. Maximilian Voss was Sebastian’s most dangerous rival—a ruthless Lycan chairman with a reputation for brutality.

And now, Donovan was working with him.

Sebastian’s next words sent a chill down her spine.

"This isn’t just a power play, Lillian. This is war."

What in the goddess's name happened last night?

I blinked against the morning light, my head pounding like a drum. How did I end up back in my own bed? My room looked untouched, but the air carried a faint, intoxicating scent that made my pulse spike.

Sebastian's scent.

I groaned, pressing my palms against my temples. The memories were hazy, but the aftermath was clear—I was a wreck. My hair was a tangled mess, my makeup smudged down my cheeks, and dark circles shadowed my eyes. I looked like I'd been dragged through a storm.

Splashing cold water on my face did little to help. Then, like a rogue wave, the memories crashed over me.

The ceremony. The drinks. Too many drinks.

One of the Alphas—Alpha Harrison—had gotten handsy, trying to pull me away. Then Sebastian appeared, all sharp angles and simmering dominance, and whisked me out of there.

He took me to his car.

And then—

Oh, no.

My stomach twisted as the realization hit.

I threw myself at him.

Did he bring me home? My face burned crimson, shame coiling tight in my chest. I couldn’t even look at my reflection anymore.

My purse sat at the foot of the bed, and now I understood why my room smelled different—like leather and winter pine. Sebastian had been here.

My heart stuttered at the thought.

Then I noticed the disaster around me—clothes strewn across the floor, half-empty cups on the nightstand. I hadn’t cleaned in days, and now I regretted every second of my laziness.

I fumbled for my phone, the screen flickering weakly. It was nearly dead. The moment it connected to the charger, notifications flooded in—all from Beatrice.

Beatrice: Where the hell are you? You vanished after saying you were getting a drink.

Beatrice: Answer me, Lillian. I swear to the Moon Goddess, if you don’t respond—

Beatrice: Someone just told me Sebastian took you home. Are you alive? How much did you drink?

Beatrice: CALL ME.

I winced. I’d abandoned her. She’d only come to that stupid ceremony to support me, and I’d left her there because I couldn’t handle my own liquor.

Guilt churned in my gut.

Without hesitation, I hit her contact and pressed call.

The line connected instantly.

"By the gods, Lillian!" Beatrice’s voice was sharp with relief and fury. "Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

I swallowed hard.

This was going to be a long conversation.

Beatrice wasted no time in confronting me the moment I stepped into the dorm.

"I'm so sorry, Bea," I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut as the memories assaulted me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t push them away. "I don’t know what came over me..."

"The rumors are spreading like wildfire," she said, her voice hushed but urgent. "I heard you got wasted and hooked up with an Alpha. Was it Sebastian?"

My heart nearly stopped. Had I really kissed an Alpha last night? Fragments of the evening flashed through my mind—Alpha Harrison getting too close, Sebastian stepping between us. I remembered throwing myself at him, but the rest was a blur.

"I don’t think that happened," I muttered, biting my lip. "At least, I hope it didn’t."

"Then what did happen?" she pressed. "Did you actually leave with Alpha Sebastian?"

I exhaled shakily. "Yes." My voice was barely audible. "And I think I made a huge mistake, Bea. I don’t know how to fix this."

"Tell me everything," she urged, gripping my arm. "If you didn’t kiss him, then you definitely didn’t sleep with him. It can’t be that bad, right?"

"I’m not sure," I admitted, my stomach twisting. "I think... I threw myself at him."

The silence stretched between us as she processed my words.

"And then?" she finally asked.

"And then... nothing. He rejected me." My cheeks burned with humiliation. "I think he got a call or something. I passed out in the car, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in my room."

Beatrice studied me, her expression unreadable. "So, you don’t remember anything else?"

I shook my head. "Nothing."

She let out a slow breath. "Well, that’s... something."

But the way she said it made my stomach drop. Because if I didn’t remember, that meant only one person knew what really happened last night.

And he wasn’t talking.