Seraphine's POV
Kayne appeared in the doorway moments after Alpha Theodore's dramatic exit. His expression was carefully neutral, but I caught the slight tightness around his eyes.
"Miss Ida," he said gently. "Shall I show you to your quarters?"
I nodded, not trusting my voice. My hands were still shaking from the encounter with the Alpha. The way he'd looked at me when I compared him to a thundercloud. Like I'd committed some unforgivable sin.
Kayne led me through more corridors, his pace measured and considerate. Unlike his Alpha, he seemed to understand that I needed time to process everything.
"Don't take his coldness personally," he said quietly as we walked. "The Alpha has his reasons for keeping distance."
I glanced at him sideways. "What reasons?"
"That's not my story to tell." His voice held genuine sympathy. "But I can tell you that you're safer here than wherever you came from."
We stopped in front of a wooden door carved with intricate vine patterns. Kayne produced a key from his pocket.
"These are your private quarters," he said, unlocking the door. "The Alpha's chambers are in the west wing. You'd do well to remember that and avoid that area entirely."
The warning in his tone was unmistakable. I nodded quickly.
"Thank you for the advice."
"It's not advice," he said seriously. "It's survival."
He pushed open the door and gestured for me to enter. I stepped inside and immediately froze.
The room was beautiful.
Sunlight streamed through tall windows draped in soft blue fabric. A four-poster bed dominated the space, covered in pristine white linens that looked softer than clouds. A writing desk sat near the window. Fresh flowers filled a crystal vase on the nightstand.
It was the nicest room I'd ever seen. Certainly the nicest I'd ever been allowed to stay in.
"There's a private bathroom through that door," Kayne pointed to the left. "And a small sitting area beyond that. Your meals will be brought to you until you're comfortable navigating the main dining areas."
I turned in a slow circle, taking in every detail. The floors were polished wood. The walls were painted a warm cream color. Everything was clean and fresh and bright.
"This is all for me?" I whispered.
"Yes." Kayne's voice softened. "You're safe here, Miss Ida. No one will hurt you."
The kindness in his words made my throat tight. I blinked back tears, not wanting to cry in front of him.
"Thank you," I managed.
"Dinner will be brought in the evening. Is there anything specific you need?"
I shook my head, still overwhelmed by the space. By the simple fact that I had privacy. A door that locked. A bed that was mine alone.
After Kayne left, I stood in the center of the room and tried to process everything. The confrontation with Alpha Theodore. The harsh rules he'd laid out. This beautiful room that felt like a palace compared to the servants' quarters at Storm Peak.
My mind drifted back to this morning. To Nash's final words before I left.
"Don't think this distance will save you," he'd whispered, his hand caressing my cheek with false tenderness. "If you try to run, I'll hunt you down. I'll tear apart every pack between here and the border to find you. And when I do..."
He hadn't finished the threat. He hadn't needed to. The promise of violence had been clear in his eyes.
I pushed the memory away and explored my new space. The bathroom was twice the size of any I'd ever used. The tub was deep enough to actually submerge in. Thick towels hung from heated racks.
Real luxury. Not the pretense of it I'd glimpsed in Nash's quarters, but genuine comfort and quality.
I ran a bath, watching steam rise from the hot water. When was the last time I'd had a proper bath? It had been far too long. At Storm Peak, I'd been lucky to get lukewarm water and a few minutes of privacy.
Sinking into the hot water felt like paradise. The heat seeped into muscles that had been tense for months. I closed my eyes and let myself float, feeling truly clean for the first time in ages.
By the time I climbed out, my skin was pink from the heat and my muscles felt loose and relaxed. I wrapped myself in one of the thick towels and padded back into the bedroom.
A tray waited on the writing desk. Steam rose from covered dishes. My stomach clenched with hunger.
I lifted the covers to reveal more food than I'd seen in ages. Roasted chicken with herbs. Fresh bread still warm from the oven. Vegetables that actually looked appetizing. A small bowl of fruit that made my mouth water.
I ate quickly, afraid someone might appear and snatch it away. The flavors exploded across my tongue. Rich. Complex. Delicious.
My stomach, unused to such richness after a long stretch of scraps and stale bread, rebelled almost immediately. I barely made it to the bathroom before retching up most of what I'd consumed.
The violence of it left me shaking and weak. I rinsed my mouth and returned to bed, pulling the covers up to my chin.
A sound in the hallway made me freeze. Footsteps. Heavy and deliberate.
They paused outside my door.
My heart hammered as I slipped from bed and turned the lock. The small click sounded impossibly loud in the silence.
The footsteps moved away, but fear kept me awake long after they faded. I pressed my back against the headboard, watching the door like it might burst open at any moment.
Eventually, exhaustion won. I slipped into fitful sleep.
I dreamed of a massive wolf with kind eyes. He lay beside me in the darkness, his warm presence chasing away the nightmares. His fur was soft under my fingers. His breathing steady and reassuring.
"You're safe," he seemed to say without words. "I'll protect you."
The dream felt more real than anything I'd experienced in months. More real than the luxury of this room or the kindness of Kayne or even the cold intimidation of Alpha Theodore.
A sharp knock jolted me awake.
I sat up, disoriented. Sunlight streamed through the windows. It was morning already.
The knock came again. Insistent.
"Miss Ida." The voice was unmistakably Alpha Theodore's.
I stumbled from bed, still wrapped in the towel from last night's bath. It clung to my damp skin, the hem barely covering my thighs.
"Just a moment," I called, looking around frantically for something more appropriate to wear.
The knock came again. Harder.
"Open the door."
The command in his voice left no room for argument. I fumbled with the lock and pulled the door open.
Alpha Theodore stood in the hallway, imposing as ever in a dark suit. His eyes swept over me, taking in my state of undress. The towel had slipped slightly, revealing the upper swells of my breasts.
His jaw clenched. His dark eyes hardened to chips of obsidian.
"Our marriage," he said through gritted teeth, "has been deferred for a week."