SERAPHINA’S POV
Lucian’s answer lingered in the night air, so charged that even the forest seemed to tense and hold its breath.
And he wasn’t done.
“If I’d been honest sooner—if I’d trusted someone enough to share the truth instead of controlling it—maybe things would’ve been different.”
“Who?” Finn’s soft voice floated through the air.
Lucian’s gaze remained steady on the fire, the reflection of its glow flickering in his eyes.
“Someone who deserved better,” he said quietly. “Someone I hurt because I thought I was protecting her.”
No one spoke. The usual easy laughter that had filled the campsite faded into a kind of reverent silence, broken only by the sharp crackle of flames.
But even the fire seemed to burn quieter, its orange glow painting everyone’s faces in thoughtful light.
I’d half expected Lucian to say something cryptic or charming, the kind of polished line Alphas often used to save face. But this—this wasn’t for show.
