Chapter 258

CELINE’S POV I should have been satisfied. The way Father’s fury finally lashed out at Seraphina, the way her face had gone pale when Alpha Draven’s orders were read aloud—every moment of it had felt like justice. A small, fleeting taste of balance after years of being her shadow, her punching bag. For once, I had taught her a lesson. But satisfaction never lasted long in this house. The very next day, as I walked through the outer courtyard, the sight before me stopped me cold. Darius. Standing far too close to Seraphina. They were whispering, their heads bent together, her hand brushing his arm as if she had every right. She laughed softly at something he said, and his lips curved into the faintest ghost of a smile. Instantly, my whole mood soured, the victory I had savored crumbling into dust. A tightness coiled in my chest, something ugly and raw. I forced myself to keep walking, my eyes fixed ahead, but my thoughts were a storm. I didn’t bother to ask him about it. What would be t