Author's pov.
Inside a dimly lit chamber, filled with flickering glow of lanterns, with the scent of damp earth and burning incense hung thick in the air. A man, putting on dark but lit clothing, sat in his usual spot, a grand chair carved from obsidian, legs crossed, fingers drumming against the armrest as he listened. The men before him shifted uneasily.
"She's been different since she found out."
"Ever since she learned that Lorien is her mate, she's gone astray," another voice added, cautious but firm.
The man's smirk didn't waver, but his fingers stilled. Lorien. The name was like a thorn in his mind. He leaned forward, eyes gleaming like a predator who had just spotted his prey. "Caelum you stopped me from killing her previously but you couldn't stop him from doing it… I might have to do it this time. It would be better to finish her up than let her spill words about us."
"She hasn't gone astray," he corrected smoothly. "She's confused. But confusion is a fleeting thing. She just needs a reminder of who she truly belongs to."
"And you know Lorien would never harm his mate, yes he doesn't like the fact that she's just a weak human slave but she's still his mate. Maverick killed her before the questioning would start and Lorien took the blame probably to make people fear him." Caelum paused.
"We all know he would never let anything happen to her again."
A murmuring agreement filled the room, but Caelum was already lost in thought. Seraphina had spent too much time in the arms of another man. He had been patient long enough.
"Tonight, I would remind her of exactly who he was." He smiled.
~~~
The air in Seraphina's chambers was cool, the night breeze slipping through the half-open window. Moonlight bathed the bed in silver. Her dark lashes rested against her cheeks, her breathing slow and steady.
Silent as a phantom, a figure slipped into the room, the scent of sandalwood and something darker, something forbidden filling the space. A hand reached forward, fingers brushing against the curve of her throat.
Then, pressure.
Seraphina's eyes flew open, her body reacting before her mind caught up. A gasp lodged in her throat as she struggled against the firm grip around her neck. Panic surged through her veins as she tried to cry out, but a warm, familiar mouth covered hers, muffling the sound.
Her pulse pounded.
The kiss was firm, demanding. It wasn't cruel, but it left no room for defiance. Then, just as suddenly as the pressure came, the hand around her throat released, shifting to her waist. The arms around her tightened, pulling her into a familiar embrace.
"I missed you."
The whisper was smooth, almost tender, but there was an edge to it she couldn't figure out.
Seraphina trembled, her heart hammering in confusion. The scent, it was familiar. The voice stirred something deep inside her.
"Caelum?" She rasped, her voice barely above a whisper.
A quiet chuckle brushed against her ear.
"So you do remember me, little one."
A flicker of something, not quite a memory, but something stirred within her. Flashes of dark eyes, whispered promises in the night, the brush of fingers against her skin. But she couldn't grasp it. It slipped through her mind like sand through her fingers.
"I don't…"
Before she could finish, the door slammed open.
A blur of movement, and a low growl vibrating through the air like the prelude to a storm.
Lorien.
Lorien moved like a beast unleashed. His body crashed into Caelum with enough force to send both men tumbling across the room. The air vibrated with power, the very walls trembling from the raw energy that clashed between them.
Seraphina barely had time to react before Lorien had Caelum pinned against the floor, one hand gripping his throat, the other poised to strike.
"You dare touch her?" Lorien's voice was a snarl, his fangs flashing.
Caelum, despite the position he was in, only smirked. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Ah, the mate arrives," he drawled, completely unfazed by the fury radiating from the man above him. "Took you long enough."
Lorien didn't waste words. His fist connected with Caelum's jaw, the sickening crack echoing through the room. Caelum's head snapped to the side, but his smirk didn't fade.
"Is that jealousy I hear in your voice, Alpha?" he taunted, spitting blood onto the stone floor. "Did it anger you to see her in my arms?"
Lorien's grip tightened, his claws pressing against Caelum's throat, but Caelum didn't flinch.
"I'll rip you apart."
"Will you?" Caelum's lips curled. "And risk breaking her?"
Those words struck a nerve.
For a second Lorien hesitated but it was enough for caelum.
Caelum moved. Fast.
A sharp burst of energy sent Lorien flying back, his body crashing against the opposite wall. The impact shattered the wooden paneling, dust raining down from above.
Seraphina scrambled to her feet, torn between the two men, her mind still reeling from the chaos.
Caelum turned to her as his expression softened slightly.
"We'll see each other again, little one."
And before Lorien could recover, he was gone.
Lorien stood, his breathing ragged, his eyes still glowing with untamed fury. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he turned toward Seraphina.
"Who the hell was that?" His voice was dangerously low.
Seraphina swallowed, still shaken.
"I…I don't know," she admitted, but the words felt hollow even to her own ears.
Lorien's jaw tightened. He took a step forward, his body still thrumming with tension.
"You don't know?" He echoed. "He was in your bed, kissing you, and you don't know who he is?"
Seraphina lifted her chin, anger sparking through the lingering fear.
"And you think I wanted that?" She snapped.
Lorien's nostrils flared.
"He touched you," he growled, his voice raw with something deeper than just fury.
Maybe Possessiveness, or Jealousy?
Seraphina took a shaky breath, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions inside her.
"I don't know him," she repeated, softer this time. "But… I think I've seen him before."
Lorien's gaze darkened. "Explain."
She shook her head. "I can't. It's… it's like a memory I can't reach."
Lorien exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. He was trying to control himself, but she could feel the storm raging beneath his skin.
"Stay away from him," he commanded.
Seraphina bristled. "You think I wanted this? You think I invited him…"
"That's not the point!" Lorien exploded, stepping closer, his presence overwhelming. "You are mine. And I won't let another man put his hands on you again."
Something in his words sent a shiver down her spine.
Not fear.
Something deeper. Something she wasn't ready to name.
As she turned away, something caught her eye in the mirror.
A faint mark on her collarbone.
Seraphina touched it absentmindedly. It wasn't a bruise. It wasn't a wound.
Like a tattoo… It was probably a… symbol?