“Thank you, Magnus. You’ve been so kind to me. I don’t know how to thank you properly.”
I thanked Magnus, but somehow, I noticed something shifted in Magnus’s expression-a strange intensity that made me uneasy. I wondered why he looked that way. But when I looked again, his face had softened, as if the moment had been nothing more than my imagination.
“You’re welcome, Seraphina. Remember to use it in your bedroom. It’ll help you sleep better.”
I accepted his gift and stepped out of the car. As he drove away, I turned and headed upstairs.
Suddenly, however, someone grabbed my arm. “Seraph, here you are! Can you forgive me? Let’s get back together, please.”
It was Lucian. Lucian stood there, his face filled with desperate.
Seeing him startled me, to be honest. I barely recognized him. He’d lost weight, his once-handsome face now gaunt and hollow. His bloodshot eyes revealed exhaustion, so different from the confident man I’d known.
Why couldn’t he simply let go? I could not understand. We’d broken up ages ago, and he knew about Kael. Why would he cling to something long dead?
“Lucian, when will you understand? I don’t love you anymore. I’ve moved on. Please stop this.”
I pushed him away, surprised at how easily he stumbled backward. He stared at me, his eyes pleading.
“No, Seraph, you do love me. You must still love me! I’ve changed. I only love you now. I know I was wrong. Just come back to me.”
“There’s no going back, Lucian. This only makes things worse between us.”
“Seraph, I regret everything. Please forgive me. I don’t even care about what happened between you and Kael.”
“I don’t care what you care about! We’re over. Let’s just go our separate ways peacefully. You need to understand that.”
I caught a flash of resentment beneath his sorrow, as if something had snapped inside him.
That look in his eyes chilled me. I didn’t understand his bitterness-he was the one who’d hurt me so bad. Was it my fault now for refusing his pleas?
“Fine, Seraph. Remember what you said today. I hope you won’t regret it.”
With that, Lucian walked away without looking back.
I then returned to my apartment, unease spreading through me like a shadow.
I placed Magnus’s gift by my bedside and lit one of the candles. The fragrance quickly filled the room, calming my nerves.
Magnus amazed me. He could treat my wounds and create such soothing scents. Was there anything beyond his talents?
For a moment, I imagined how wonderful it might be to be his girlfriend.
Just then, my phone buzzed with a message from Magnus about the lab: “Seraphina, familiarize yourself with this. I’ll show you around the place tomorrow.”
“Okay, thank you,” I replied.
Working with Magnus made me happy. He wouldn’t be around much because of his job at the club, but at least I’d be away from the drama with Kael, Lucian, and Vivienne.
All I wanted was distance from werewolves and a normal life.
That night, Magnus’s scented candle lulled me to sleep. Magnus’s creation was soothing, but I had a strange dream.
In the dream, I possessed extraordinary abilities-teleporting, instant healing, sensing things miles away. I could hear whispers through walls and move with supernatural speed.
I ran through forest paths, leaping effortlessly between treetops, weightless and free.
Then I encountered Vivienne and her friends. They tried to corner me, but I tore them apart without effort. Vivienne’s blood stained the ground, and I felt no fear, but only triumph.
The power made me feel invincible.
But something was wrong. I’d become a werewolf-someone who lived outside human rules, and acted without consequence.
“Werewolves are above humans. Werewolves can do as they please. Your potential goes far beyond this.”
The voice echoed in my head, making the transformation seem appealing, even necessary.
But no, that wasn’t me. I wanted to be ordinary, to hurt no one, certainly not to become a monster.
“Seraphina, you’ll want this. You’ll want to be a werewolf. You can kill Vivienne so they will never show up before you again.”
“Get out!” I screamed back.
I knew it was a dream. I needed to wake up. But my eyelids felt impossibly heavy. No matter how hard I tried, my eyes wouldn’t open.
Then, a voice called through the darkness. “Seraphina, are you okay? Seraphina, wake up.”
Someone shook me, pulling me from the nightmare.
I jolted awake, staring at the dim ceiling. My body felt lighter, held in someone’s arms.
Looking up, I found Marek leaning against the headboard, cradling me in his arms. His gray eyes were filled with concern.