"Looking for me, Jeremiah?"
Seraphina stepped in front of Mary and spoke softly, tossing another spark into the dry field of Lucian's temper.
"Lady Seraphina."
The man called Jeremiah immediately lit up at the sight of her, awkwardly offering her a blooming iris.
"They're blooming beautifully today."
Seraphina glanced at the vibrant petals and smiled.
"Thank you, Jeremiah."
She lifted the flower to her nose, letting its fragrance mask the lingering pheromones Lucian had left clinging to her.
Jeremiah scratched his cheek sheepishly and dipped his head, though his eyes kept darting up to catch another glimpse of Seraphina's radiant smile under the morning sun.
"It's nothing my lady. As long as it makes you happy."
That was the moment Lucian could no longer hold himself back. He stepped in behind Seraphina, planting his elbow against the doorframe above her head. His eyes dropped to the flower in her hand, lips curling into a smirk full of disdain.
He had sent her an entire garden of irises. She hadn't batted an eye. But now, here she was, smiling over a single one. It drove him mad.
His grey-blue eyes darkened, and he cast a heavy glance at Jeremiah, releasing a silent warning through his pheromones.
Jeremiah's smile froze the moment he sensed the presence of an Alpha behind Seraphina. He hadn't recognized the Crown Prince, but from Lucian's attire, he could guess this man wasn't just anyone.
Knowing better than to test his luck, Jeremiah bowed in proper form, then turned to Seraphina with an apologetic smile.
"I didn't realize you had company, my lady. I've intruded."
He took her hand gently and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. "Until next time."
Seraphina didn't pull away. She let the kiss fall upon her skin like a petal drifting to the ground. She waved goodbye as Jeremiah turned to leave, completely ignoring the swirling storm behind her.
Jeremiah had barely stepped past the gate when a firm grip pulled Seraphina back. Caught off guard, Seraphina tensed, ready to defend herself in case he went mad again and tried to drown her in his Alpha dominance.
But Lucian didn't lash out, nor did he attempt to subdue her with pheromones. He merely took her hand and began wiping the back of it with his sleeve, meticulously, as if afraid to miss even a trace of the other man.
Seraphina tried to pull away, but he gripped tighter.
"If you so much as flinch, I swear I'll hang that Beta."
It wasn't a threat. As outrageous as it sounded, something in his voice made her believe he meant every word. She froze, letting him wipe her hand until he was satisfied.p
"You're behaving like a tyrant, Your Highness."
Lucian's lips quirked upward. He didn't deny it. He lifted her now-"clean" hand and pressed his lips to the exact spot Jeremiah had kissed, as if reclaiming what was his.
The warmth of his mouth against her skin nearly made Seraphina shiver in response.
His voice was low and rough, his storm-filled eyes boring into her soul.
"And you're the one who made me a tyrant, Sera. Don't forget that."
Once again, she saw sincerity in those eyes.
Lucian wasn't bluffing. He was telling her that he could become a tyrant, for her.
The thought hit her like lightning, just how far could Lucian go… for her?
Startled by the idea, she instinctively yanked her hand away and stepped back.
This time, Lucian let her go. This time, Lucian let her go, chuckling darkly, amused by her reaction. Hands tucked in his pockets, he resumed his usual air of arrogant leisure.
"The Crown Prince came all this way himself. I doubt the Duke's family would be so petty as to kick me out, don't you think?"
Seraphina knew exactly what he was doing. Letting him stay at the estate now was dangerous. But as the future Duchess, with her father still serving at court, word of her failing to properly host a royal could give their enemies reason to strike at House Ashbourne.
A dirty move, but an effective one. And yet, Seraphina refused to yield, especially not with that smug smile plastered on his face.
"Then what do you think of the rumor that the Crown Prince chased an Alpha all the way to the South?"
Instead of being offended, Lucian's eyes gleamed with delight.
"If I cared about rumors, do you think I'd be standing here?"
He stepped closer, brushing a stray lock of her brown hair behind her ear. His voice dropped, low and deliberate.
"And it wasn't just for an Alpha. It was for my mate."
Seraphina wanted to argue, but there was no retort sharp enough. All she could do was muster a polite smile. She sidestepped him and addressed Mary with quiet authority.
"Tell the servants to prepare rooms for His Highness and his entourage."
Mary bowed and shot a nervous glance at Lucian before hurrying off.
"Your Highness must be tired after such a long journey. I'll leave you to rest."
Seraphina gave a slight bow and turned to leave. But Lucian was not about to let her slip away after coming all this distance. He shed his coat, handed it to Carl, and followed.
"Not at all. I came to see you."
"But your presence is exhausting, Your Highness." Seraphina didn't miss a beat as she walked toward the garden.
Lucian chuckled and kept pace beside her, leaning just enough for his breath to brush her ear.
"Exhausted from constantly resisting me?"
Her lips curved into a sarcastic smile, his words had struck home, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
"You overestimate yourself."
"Is it arrogance, or are you too stubborn to admit it? Hard to say."
She stopped at a pavilion in the middle of the garden, where a tea table was already set with sweets and fine porcelain.
Lucian quickly moved ahead and pulled out her chair. But Seraphina only gave it a glance before gliding past him and seating herself across the table instead. Lucian shook his head and sat down on his own.
She poured his tea first, as etiquette required, then served herself. The soft scent of jasmine mingled with the crisp morning air, serene, calming. A stark contrast to the silent battle unfolding between them.
Lucian rested his chin on his hand, watching the pale green liquid swirl in his cup. He didn't drink yet. Instead, he spoke, voice slow and deliberate.
"Every year, you come here. Twice. Always at the same time."
He raised his eyes to her. Just for a moment, her composed expression faltered. He smiled and pressed on, stabbing at the question that had long tormented him.
"Why?"
Seraphina had expected this question, just not so bluntly. She raised her teacup, letting the rising steam shield the subtle shift in her expression.
"I'm not obligated to answer personal questions, Your Highness."
Lucian knew she'd never give him a proper answer. But he asked anyway, trying to read the truth in the tiniest twitch of her expression.
"Not obligated, or unwilling?"
He leaned forward, eyes narrowing.
"What are you hiding, Sera?"
Her fingers tightened ever so slightly around the handle of her cup. But her face remained blank.
"If I were hiding something, then it wouldn't be wise to reveal it, would it?"
"So you admit you have a secret." Lucian smirked triumphantly.
Her hand paused midair, tea halfway back to the table. She shot him a sharp look, he had baited her.
"And what of it?" She said, tilting her head slightly in defiance. "Are you going to torture me for answers?"
"No, Sera."
Lucian shook his head. His gaze grew intense, each word dripping with heat.
"I won't torture you. It'll be sweeter… stronger. I'll take you to the heights of pleasure, and you'll want to tell me your secret."
A laugh burst from Seraphina's lips. Lucian had always longed to see her laugh, to tear down the mask she wore, but not like this. Not this bitter, mocking laughter.
It faded into a few soft chuckles, barely audible in her throat, as her gaze drifted toward the blooming flowers in the garden.
"To you, paradise is my hell."
Her voice was light, almost weightless in the morning sun. But the moment it touched Lucian's heart, it dragged him down like a stone into a sea of pain, because it told him the truth.
His mate was suffering.
His hand moved on instinct, reaching for her, wanting to use his warmth to chase away the sorrow behind her eyes.
But before his fingers could touch her, she flinched away.
Only then did Lucian realize, her resistance wasn't deliberate.
It was instinct.
What had his Seraphina gone through… to react like this?
***