Chapter 61

The morning sun cast golden rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Sebastian Blackwood's penthouse suite. Lillian stretched beneath the silk sheets, her werewolf senses immediately detecting the faint scent of bergamot and sandalwood that always lingered around the Lycan chairman.

She rolled over, expecting to find the space beside her empty as usual, but instead met the piercing blue gaze of Sebastian himself. He was already dressed in a tailored navy suit, his dark hair slightly damp from a recent shower.

"Good morning, little wolf," he murmured, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine. His fingers traced idle patterns along her bare shoulder. "Sleep well?"

Lillian blinked in surprise. "You're still here." The words slipped out before she could stop them.

Sebastian's lips quirked in amusement. "Disappointed?"

"No! I just..." She swallowed hard, suddenly aware of how close he was. "You're usually gone before I wake up."

His expression darkened slightly. "I had some business to attend to with Marcus. The situation with Donovan grows more complicated."

At the mention of her ex-fated mate, Lillian stiffened. The memory of Donovan's betrayal still burned fresh, especially now that he was engaged to Victoria, Sebastian's daughter.

Sebastian noticed her reaction immediately. His hand stilled on her shoulder. "I won't let him hurt you again," he vowed, his voice dropping to a growl. "Not after what he did at the gala."

Lillian remembered all too well - Donovan drugging her drink, nearly forcing the mate bond before Sebastian intervened. She shuddered at the memory.

A knock at the door interrupted them. "Sir?" Theodore's polite voice came through the wood. "Your nine o'clock appointment has arrived."

Sebastian sighed, pressing a kiss to Lillian's forehead before standing. "Duty calls. Oliver has his fencing lesson this morning - would you like to join us?"

Lillian nodded eagerly. The seven-year-old had wormed his way into her heart despite her initial reservations about Sebastian's family. "I'd love to."

As Sebastian moved toward the door, he paused. "Oh, and Lillian? Wear the blue dress from Genevieve's collection. We have... special guests arriving this afternoon."

Her brows furrowed. "Who—"

But he was already gone, leaving her with a dozen unanswered questions and a growing sense of unease. Something told her their peaceful morning was about to be shattered.

Downstairs in the grand foyer, the sound of raised voices caught her attention. Peering over the balcony, Lillian saw Victoria arguing vehemently with Sebastian, her perfect features twisted in anger.

"—can't just banish him! He's my fiancé!" Victoria's shrill voice carried up the staircase.

Sebastian's response was too low for Lillian to hear, but whatever he said made Victoria burst into tears and storm out, nearly colliding with Beatrice who was just arriving.

"Trouble in paradise?" Beatrice quipped as she bounded up the stairs toward Lillian.

Lillian sighed. "When isn't there?" She eyed her best friend's designer outfit and perfectly coiffed hair. "You're awfully dressed up for a casual visit."

Beatrice grinned. "Oh, didn't you hear? Celeste Devereaux is visiting today with Damien Laurent's film crew. The whole pack's buzzing about it." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Rumor has it Sebastian's planning something big."

Lillian's stomach dropped. The famous actress's unexpected visit, Sebastian's mysterious behavior... Pieces began clicking into place in her mind, forming a picture she wasn't sure she wanted to see.

Because if there was one thing she'd learned about Sebastian Blackwood, it was that the Lycan chairman never did anything without careful calculation. And whatever game he was playing now, she had a sinking feeling she was about to become one of the pieces on his chessboard.

The sleek black Bentley was already waiting when I stepped out of my last lecture. Of course, it would be. Frederick stood beside the car, his gloved hands clasped behind his back. As I approached, he gave a slight bow and opened the rear door with practiced ease.

I shot him a warning look.

"Frederick, you can't just park here like this," I hissed under my breath. "People will notice."

His ears turned pink as he ducked his head. "My apologies, Miss Dumont. I wasn't thinking clearly."

With a frustrated sigh, I slid into the leather seat before any curious eyes could spot me. The drive to Blackwood Manor passed in silence—the kind of heavy quiet that let me replay every awful moment of today. Someone had deliberately leaked my dyslexia to Headmaster Wellington. But why? To humiliate me? Destroy my academic standing?

The car rolled to a stop. Frederick opened my door with another murmured apology. Inside, Theodore stood stiffly by the grand staircase, his lips pressed into a thin line as I passed. That man had disliked me from day one, though I couldn't fathom why.

The back gardens offered sanctuary. There, beneath the golden afternoon light, Oliver was already practicing with his bow, his small frame tense with concentration. When he saw me, his entire face transformed.

"Lillian!" He came barreling toward me, nearly tripping over his own feet in excitement.

I couldn't help but smile. After the day I'd had, Oliver's unfiltered joy was exactly what I needed.

"Look what I can do now!" He grabbed my hand, dragging me toward the archery targets. With dramatic flair, he nocked an arrow, drew back the string—and missed the target completely.

But it was closer than last time. Much closer.

"Excellent form!" I clapped. "Now try relaxing your shoulders just a bit... yes, like that. And tilt your chin up—perfect."

Oliver took a deep breath. The arrow whistled through the air—

THUNK.

Dead center.

"I DID IT!" He jumped so high I thought he might take flight. "Did you see? Did you SEE?"

Laughing, I ruffled his hair. "Of course I saw. I never doubted you for a second."

The pure, radiant pride on his face made my chest ache. In this moment, with the sun warming our backs and Oliver's laughter ringing through the garden, all the day's ugliness melted away. Here, at least, I was needed. Here, I belonged.

"Thank you, Lillian," Donovan murmured, pulling me into a tight embrace.

I laughed softly and gave his back a reassuring pat.

"We should head inside now and finish your homework," I suggested, stepping back.

He nodded, carefully storing his bow and arrows before following me into the house. We settled into the parlor, our usual spot for tackling his assignments. Oliver retrieved his worksheets from earlier that day and spread them out in front of me.

Just as we began working, the front doors creaked open and shut. Moments later, Donovan and Victoria appeared in the doorway. She clutched a lavish bouquet of roses, her cheeks flushed with delight as she gazed up at her fiancé.

"Donovan, you shouldn’t have," she cooed, admiring the flowers. "They’re absolutely stunning."

"Not as stunning as you," he murmured, leaning down to brush his lips against hers. "I can’t wait to make you Mrs. Winslow."

My stomach twisted at his words. Victoria wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him.

"I love you," she whispered.

He didn’t respond—instead, he kissed her deeply, pouring all his supposed devotion into the gesture.

Then his eyes flicked to me, seated on the couch, and I watched them darken. My throat tightened as I realized this was all for my benefit. He pulled back from Victoria, tucking a loose strand of golden hair behind her ear, letting his fingers linger on her cheek a heartbeat too long.

"You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the bridge of her nose.

Her blush deepened, and a radiant smile curved her lips. "I can’t wait to marry you, my love."

The entire time he spoke to her, his gaze never left mine.