Chapter 485: Spiral

Chapter 485

Seraphina

I can’t keep listening to this.

These are my mates they are talking about. Mine.

My Kai.

My Rylan.

And I have to endure other women talking about them?

I can’t do it.

I stand abruptly, the chair scraping against the ground. I do not look at Diana or Clarissa. I do not care what they think. I just need to leave.

I turn and walk too fast because I immediately collide with a hard chest.A familiar scent hits me.

Too familiar.

I look up.

Rylan.

The first time I have seen him in three years. Since that night. Since he broke our bond. Since he chose her over me.

I hear about him, of course. The packs talk. Whispers follow him wherever he goes. But I have never seen him. Not once. He has been avoiding me.

He looks so similar, yet so different.

There is a child on his shoulders. A small boy with dark hair and brown eyes. Rylan’s eyes. Rylan’s hair.

He has a mustache now. He used to look so much like Theron, but now he is different. Older. Harder. A stranger wearing the face of the man I once loved.

He takes a step back from me.

I reach out my hand.

He takes another step back.

I scoff.

"I can’t even touch you now?"

"You can’t."

The first sentences we have said to each other in years.

"Luna." He says with a bow and sidesteps me.

I reach for his arm to stop him.

"My apologies," he says, pulling his hand away. "The mother of my son doesn’t like it when I’m too close to other females."

I freeze.

I make eye contact with her.

She is still seated, tapping the table slightly with those painted nails, and she gives me a victorious smirk.

I hate her.

I hate her.

I hate her.

I hate her.

I hate her.

A hand on my wrist snaps me out of it.I look at who. It is Kai. I did not even notice he was here too.

I blink.

And there is Diana with their son. Rylan has dragged a chair toward their table. Clarissa has her hand in his hair, her fingers threading through the strands like she owns him. Rylan has his son on the table, the boy sitting there, legs swinging, babbling about something.

Rylan leans into her touch.

I think of her words.

Like a pet.

My chest tightens.

"Seraphina," Kai says.

His voice is low. Urgent.

I do not respond. I cannot. I am watching Rylan. Watching the way he closes his eyes when she touches him. Watching the way his shoulders relax. Watching the way he smiles at his son.

"Seraphina." Kai’s grip tightens. "We need to go."

"I—"

"Now."

He does not wait for me to respond. He practically drags me out.I stumble after him, my feet moving mechanically, my eyes still fixed on the scene behind me.

I catch her gaze one last time.

And she kisses Rylan.

Not a peck. Not a brush of lips. A real kiss. Deep. Deliberate. Her hand cupping his jaw, her fingers in his hair, her body leaning into his like she belongs there.

I want to go back and rip her face off. I want to claw out her eyes. I want to tear her apart with my bare hands until there is nothing left but blood and bone and the satisfaction of knowing she will never touch him again.

And this time I won’t stop until she’s dead.

Hands on my shoulders.

Kai makes me face him.

"Calm down," he says.

I stare at him.

Calm down.

"Calm down?" My voice is shaking. "How can you expect me to calm down seeing my mate with someone else?!"

We draw some gazes. People are looking. I do not care.

Kai looks around. He takes my hand. He pulls me through the crowd, past the games, past the rides, until we are behind a cluster of buildings with funny shapes.

He stops.

"My mate," he says, his voice low. "He’s not your mate anymore."

The words hit me like a blade.

I feel it in my chest. In my stomach. In my throat.

The pain and emptiness fight inside me for what I might feel more at this moment.

"That’s my Rylan, Kai." My voice cracks. Pleading. Desperate. "That’s my Rylan."

He looks at me. His dark eyes are tired.

"...No," he says. "Not anymore."

"No." I shake my head. "He is. He is."

"Don’t do this here," Kai says in an exhausted voice.

I shove him off.

"What do you mean, don’tdothishere?" I growl.

He rubs the back of his neck. A gesture I have seen a thousand times. A gesture that used to annoy me. Now it just makes me want to scream.

"My dear, you know I’m not good with words. I meant no harm, but please, my dear, do not react this way here."

I laugh in a self deprecating and mocking tone.

"And what’s that?"

He looks at me.

"You know the way you get when you start to... spiral."

I freeze.

I look at him. Waiting for him to apologize. To take back his words.

He doesn’t.

"Well, forgive me," I say, my voice shaking. "Forgive me for my reactions. How am I supposed to be okay after all the shit in my life?"

I step closer. I jab my finger into his chest.

"You think I want to be like this, Kai? I’m an Omega wolf, but I can’t conceive. Two of my mates fathered pups outside our bond. One mate broke our bond."

I jab him again. Harder.

"Tell me, Kai. How can I be okay?"

He does not flinch.

"I do not undermine your emotions and experiences, Seraphina," he says quietly. "But you need to calm down. Genuinely."

"Why?" My voice rises. "Are you embarrassed of me?"

"Because I want my son in my life!" He snaps.

I freeze.

"...What?"

"Diana is not comfortable with me being in his life as long as you’re my mate." His voice is tight.

"I am barely trying to convince her. I can’t even spend time alone with Kenta. I am barely trying to convince her, and you reacting this way will make weeks of progress take a step back."

He looks at me,his eyes are pleading.

"So please. I am begging you. Calm down."

I feel tears prick at my eyes.

"I didn’t even do anything to her," I whisper. "Am I not being cordial? I know she’s trying to take you away from me, like the other one—"

"No. Stop—"

"Yeah, I won’t let her succeed." My voice hardens. "You’re mine, Kai. I’m not letting you go—"

"It’s not like—"

"Don’t let her come in between us. She’s using your son against you. She’s—"

"In the Goddess’ eternal Grace, Seraphina, you nearly killed your other child!"

Kai shouts....Kai never raises his voice, especially not at me. I stagger back. My mouth opens. Closes. I cannot breathe.

"What?" The word is barely a whisper.

"You nearly killed Clarissa, and Ryan’s son.What mother would be comfortable with that? You are a mother. You should understand."

I feel the tears spill over.

Kai steps toward me. He takes my hands.

"I love you," he says. "I have always loved you. But I cannot lose my son. I cannot lose Kenta. He is the only thing I have left."

I look at him.

"The only thing?"

He flinches.

"That is not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

He is quiet.

I pull my hands away.

"You should go," I whisper.

"Seraphina—"

"Go to Diana.Go to your son."

For a moment I think he’ll stay with me, but he turns around and leaves. I fall to ground and cry.