SERAPHINA’S POV
Need proof that this was an illusion and someone somewhere was controlling the fog?
As soon as I recognized William, he turned in our direction. We would have remained hidden, but then the fog shifted, curling like restless spirits around the clearing, and we were suddenly exposed.
Our eyes met and, for a tense heartbeat, the forest itself seemed to hold its breath.
Then William’s shoulders loosened, his rigid stance softening.
“Seraphina,” he said, voice warm enough to cut through the chill. “It’s just you.”
Relief flickered in his expression, chasing away the hard mask of an Alpha on guard, and I found myself relaxing slightly.
For a moment, I almost forgot we stood in the middle of a brutal competition.
He looked like the man I’d met at the gala—gracious, steady, carrying his brother’s sharpness in his jawline but softening it with his own brand of kindness.
“William.” My voice came out steadier than I felt. “You startled us.”
