'That's my girl. You finally gave the loser what he deserves. With your skills, you'll make him beg for forgiveness,' Marsha said excitedly, her bloodlust vividly clouding Seraphine's mind.
'Shush Marsha, or you'll distract me,' Seraphine chided gently. Her eyes were focused on her now ex-husband.
For the first time, Alpha Ravyn's perfect composure shattered as a sneer of disbelief crossed his face.
In the past six years, he had thrown six separate divorce agreements at Seraphine, and she had refused to sign for six times in a row, choosing to cling to him like a pathetic parasite, desperate for his love.
This had to be another trick. He was the second most powerful Alpha in the entire community, second only in strength and wealth across all of New York.
She must have purposely signed the divorce agreement now to humiliate him, after knowing that he had invited other Alphas from other packs for this coronation event. Most of the prominent Alphas were present.
Only a few were absent, such as his closest friend, Alpha Voren Ashkael of the Grimroot Pack.
He gnashed his teeth. Seraphine was wicked to the core. He vowed to ruin her in retaliation. Laws protected Lunas, yes, but laws could bend. And more than anything, he wanted revenge for this humiliation. He had been absolutely certain that Seraphine would give in again, just like before, but this sudden change in her attitude stunned him.
The pack members were equally shocked and stunned.
"It can't be true, right?" a pack member murmured from the crowd. "She'll crawl back. She always does."
"Yes," another chimed in confidently. "Luna Seraphine can never leave Alpha Ravyn. She cares too much about her position."
If Luna Seraphine was capable of leaving Alpha Ravyn, then she would have left the moment Alpha Ravyn brought Daisy back into their home. Instead, she chose to endure the humiliation of watching her former nanny's daughter move freely through her home, issuing orders like she owned the place.
"You didn't think this through," Ravyn said at last, keeping his voice calm and confident. His gaze locked onto Seraphine, sharp and assessing. "You know divorcing an Alpha means you can never marry another Alpha again."
The Alphas around them nodded in agreement, murmurs of approval rippling through the crowd.
Ravyn straightened, his pride swelling at the support. "We have an oath not to take each other's exes. You won't even be able to marry a beta, only a low-ranking pack member."
The scorn in his eyes was unmistakable but Seraphine didn't flinch. She was used to his dislike but Marsha terrorized her mind again.
'Even if we can't marry an alpha, we'll find someone else, even a human to make him jealous!'
Seraphine had no choice than to lock her mind to prevent her from interrupting her thoughts. The last thing she wanted was Marsha influencing her to jump into another marriage to just prove a point. She had the skills to make it on her own.
Ravyn, in all his polished charm, looked just like his past self. Back then, on her eighteenth birthday, she stood on a hill during the Moon Festival with a racing heart and boldly declared her intentions to everyone in the pack.
"Alpha Ravyn is mine!"
Back then, everyone had turned to him, waiting for his response. He dismissed her confession. "Daisy is the one I want. Sera is just a spoiled brat!"
Because Seraphine was raised as a beta's daughter, they had labeled her spoiled. A pampered brat. Daisy, on the other hand, cried easily, spoke softly, and played the victim perfectly.
She accused Seraphine of bullying, winning sympathy from Ravyn and the pack. Even Seraphine's own parents believed Daisy over their own daughter. .
Back then, Seraphine hadn't defended herself, believing that the truth would eventually be revealed
Now, that silence tasted bitter. Her reputation was in the gutter. She met Ravyn's disdainful eyes, and regretted not taking action sooner.
"You don't think," Seraphine said calmly, her voice slicing cleanly through the murmurs, "that as a Luna I'm unaware of the consequences of signing a divorce agreement, do you?"
Her eyes were empty, cold. For the first time, Ravyn felt unsettled. There was no desperation like before, no pleading or tears. Just a stillness that made him uneasy.
"You shameless bitch! You forced me to marry you and now you're acting the victim?" he spat out in disgust. "You tricked me back then, and you're doing the same now. This must be some scheme of yours! I don't believe -"
"Take it and see for yourself," Seraphine cut him off mid-sentence, extending her hand, with the signed papers resting neatly in her palm.
Ravyn stared at them, unmoving, until Daisy stepped beside him. She slipped to his side effortlessly, her gown shimmering under the ceremonial lights. Gold threads sparkled against the fabric, blending with her blonde hair until she looked radiant, like sunlight wrapped in silk.
A subtle smile tugged at her lips. "Luna Sera," Daisy said sweetly, her voice soft enough to sound sincere. "Alpha Ravyn only needed my help because you were unwell. Now that you're awake and walking, the ceremony will be canceled. There's no need for a divorce."
Seraphine smiled in response, but her eyes remained distant. She wanted to speak, wanted to tear apart the lie right there. But with so many watching, she swallowed the words.
Instead, she looked around. "Where is Bryan?" Her heart tightened when she didn't see him.
"At the academy," Ravyn answered, unease creeping into his tone. "Why?"
"He's all I want after the divorce," Seraphine said simply.
"Never!" Both Ravyn and Daisy exclaimed at the same time.
Seraphine lifted a brow, her expression composed. She didn't need a crown or a title to prove her worth. Even dressed in a hospital gown, stripped of ceremony, she still carried herself with undeniable grace.
"You didn't expect me to leave my son behind, did you?"
Ravyn exchanged a quick glance with Daisy before gripping Seraphine's arm and pulling her aside.
"Don't make a scene," he hissed under his breath. "I'll explain everything when I get back."
She said nothing, simply turned and walked away.
The academy wasn't far from the pack house. The thirty-minute walk felt longer than it should have, each step pressing against her chest. Her body was still weak, but she pushed through it. She wanted to see her son so badly.
But when Bryan spotted her, his little face darkened immediately. "What are you doing here?"
Her heart cracked, but she smiled anyway, grabbing his little arm gently. "I'm sorry I've been away so long. Let's go home and talk. I'll make you the pancakes you like."
"I don't want to go home with you," Bryan snapped, pulling his hand away. "I hate you!"
The words stopped her cold. She had expected Bryan to show joy and excitement when he finally saw her again, but never did she expect his hatred and anger.
"Bryan, I know you're upset, but you can't say that to me. I'm your mother," she said carefully, her voice steady despite the pain creeping in. It must be Daisy who filled his head with lies. "I love you and I waited so long to see you. Come with me. We're leaving."
She reached out to grab his arm again but he avoided her touch like it burned him. "No!" he shouted. "You're not my mother. Leave me alone! I want my real mom!"
Before she could respond, an instructor stepped outside. "Luna Seraphine," he said, surprised. "You're well? Daisy said you would never recover."
Seraphine ignored him, only focusing on her son. She reached out again. "Bryan, you're going home with me."
The instructor moved to block her path. "I'm sorry, Luna, but Alpha Ravyn has stated that only Daisy has authority over Bryan. You have to let go of him."
"That's ridiculous! I am his mother," Seraphine exclaimed to him. "How could a nanny have more authority than me?"
The instructor looked even more hesitant. "Luna… According to Alpha Ravyn, Daisy is Bryan's biological mother."
Something inside her snapped. "Are you out of your mind?" Seraphine demanded.
The instructor shook his head. "I said the same until I was shown the maternity test results." He handed her a document.
Her vision blurred as she read the words. Her hand fell limply away from Bryan's arm. Her knees weakened. "No…" her voice broke. "This is fake. Bryan is my…" the world tilted beneath her feet.