A day earlier

Damon had arrived at the meeting point long before they did, his car idling quietly as he leaned back in his seat, his eyes scanning the road with growing impatience, though he tried not to let it show.

Minutes stretched into nearly forty, and just when he was beginning to wonder if something had gone wrong, Corvine’s car finally pulled up, Seraphine stepping out right after.

The moment Damon saw her, every trace of irritation disappeared, replaced by something much brighter, something almost relieved, and whatever questions he might have asked about the delay faded before they could even form.

He quickly helped her into the car, his movements efficient but carrying an excitement he couldn’t quite hide, and soon enough, they were on the road, the long drive back to the pack stretching ahead of them.

Seraphine didn’t waste any time.

"Did you find out who was behind the chemical incident?" she asked, her voice calm but focused, her eyes already searching his expression for answers.

Damon tightened his grip on the steering wheel slightly, his gaze fixed on the road. "I don’t have solid proof yet," he admitted, his tone thoughtful, "but I strongly suspect Daisy. Ever since Ravyn took her phone, she’s been looking for any opportunity to get out of the pack."

Seraphine absorbed that quietly before continuing, her mind already moving ahead as she began sharing everything that had happened on her end—the launch, her plans, the steps she had taken, even mentioning Zane and his involvement.

Damon glanced at her briefly, surprise flashing across his face before it softened into admiration. "You’re always ahead of everyone," he said with a faint shake of his head. "So when are you planning to expose her?"

Seraphine leaned back slightly, her expression unreadable, her voice almost indifferent. "Not yet. Ravyn hasn’t suffered enough taking care of Bryan. When he does, I’ll reveal everything."

Damon let out a quiet breath, a small smile tugging at his lips despite the weight of her words. "That kind of truth might destroy him."

Seraphine didn’t hesitate. "And I’d gladly arrange his funeral."

There was no humor in her tone, only certainty.

A brief silence followed before she spoke again, her focus returning to something more pressing. "Did you find anything about that night?"

Damon’s expression dimmed slightly as he shook his head. "I’m sorry. I haven’t had the time to look into it properly."

Seraphine went quiet for a moment, her gaze drifting as she pieced things together, her thoughts aligning one after another until something clicked.

"The entertainment for that night was outsourced," she said slowly, her voice gaining clarity as the idea settled. "Ravyn wanted everyone in the pack to enjoy the moon festival, which means external staff were brought in."

She turned to him, her decision already made. "Let’s go talk to them."

Damon glanced at the time instinctively before shaking his head. "It’s getting late. If we go now, we won’t make it back in time. And what exactly am I supposed to tell Ravyn?"

Seraphine smiled faintly, a quiet, almost mischievous edge slipping into her expression as she turned toward him. "Where’s your phone?"

He hesitated for a second before handing it over, his attention still on the road, though curiosity lingered.

A few seconds later, she placed it back in his hand. "It’s off now," she said simply. "You don’t owe anyone an explanation."

Damon blinked, glancing at the screen before looking back at her. "They’ll still try to reach you."

Seraphine didn’t even hesitate. She pulled out her own phone and showed it to him. "Already off. Problem solved," she said lightly. "Now let’s go."

Damon let out a quiet breath, realizing there was no arguing with her once she made up her mind, and truthfully, a part of him didn’t want to argue anyway.

If this led to answers, bringing them even a step closer to understanding what had really happened, then it was worth it.

The drive took nearly two hours, the road growing quieter as they approached their destination, until finally, they arrived at the inn.

The moment they stepped inside, something felt wrong.

The atmosphere tightened subtly, like the air itself had become heavier, and while there were still a few customers scattered around, it wasn’t them that caught attention. It was the staff.

Several of them recognized Seraphine instantly, and instead of greeting her, they lowered their heads, avoiding her gaze.

"They look like they were expecting you," Damon murmured under his breath, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

Seraphine let out a soft, amused sound, her eyes scanning the room with quiet curiosity. "And how exactly did you come to that conclusion?" she asked, her tone just as low.

But then, her gaze landed on someone - a familiar face - one of the waiters from that night.

Recognition flickered instantly, and without hesitation, she began walking toward her, her steps calm but purposeful.

The moment the girl noticed her, she panicked. Then, she turned abruptly and began walking in the opposite direction, her movements rushed, almost clumsy.

Seraphine and Damon followed.

The tension snapped completely when the tray in the girl’s hands slipped, crashing to the floor with a loud clatter as she broke into a run, bolting straight for the exit.

"I’ll get her," Damon said quickly, already moving.

Pack activities had built his endurance and chasing someone like this barely slowed him down as he rushed after her without hesitation.

Seraphine didn’t follow.

Instead, she moved calmly to a nearby chair and sat down, crossing her legs as if she had all the time in the world, her expression composed, almost detached.

It didn’t even take two minutes.

The door burst open again, and Damon dragged the girl back inside, his grip firm as he pushed her forward.

A few customers had turned to watch, curiosity lighting up their faces, but Seraphine didn’t give them a show.

She stood up smoothly and walked out without a word. Damon followed immediately, pulling the girl along with him.

They didn’t stop until they reached the car. He opened the door and the girl was pushed inside, locked in.

Seraphine turned toward her slowly, her gaze steady, her voice calm in a way that only made the tension worse.

"Why did you run?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "That only makes you look guilty."

The girl was trembling now, panic written all over her face, her breaths uneven as she shook her head quickly.

"I didn’t want to do it," she blurted out, her voice breaking. "I swear I didn’t want to."