Sera's Pov
The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a golden glow over the fortress. The usual sounds of training—grunts, clashing weapons, and barked orders—were absent. It felt strange. After weeks of relentless drills and blood-soaked competition, a day off felt almost unnatural.
I took a deep breath, letting the crisp morning air fill my lungs before making my way to the infirmary.
Lisa grinned when she saw me. "Sera! You finally decided to visit. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten me."
I smirked, leaning against the doorframe. "Forget you? Never. Who else would scold me for being reckless and getting stabbed with silver?"
Lisa scoffed, gesturing for me to sit on one of the beds. "Honestly, how are you even alive with all you're put through?"
"Sheer stubbornness," I quipped, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.
We chatted for a while, laughing over ridiculous stories about clumsy trainees, my messy love live in Lisa's eyes, and her encounters with particularly whiny patients. I didn't bring up the raid. I couldn't. The memory of the children's terrified eyes still clung to me like a second skin. So I laughed and teased, pretending for a few minutes that everything was normal.
Eventually, I left the infirmary and wandered the fortress. My feet carried me toward the main building before I even realized where I was going.
I stopped at the base of the grand staircase, staring up at the entrance. I hadn't stepped foot inside since the world meeting—since Lucian humiliated me in front of every high-ranking wolf in existence. The sting of that moment still lingered, buried beneath layers of training and exhaustion.
Neither had I seen him since I passed out from blood loss after the competition. That fact shouldn't have bothered me, but it did.
I considered stepping inside, testing whether the guards would block my way, but a familiar voice pulled me from my thoughts.
"Thinking of storming the place?"
I turned, finding Kael leaning casually against a nearby pillar, his arms crossed over his chest. His hair was tied back today, emphasizing his sharp features. He was as infuriatingly handsome as ever, but it was his expression that caught my attention. His usual smirk was there, but his eyes held something else. Caution. Worry.
I sighed, recognizing that look immediately. He was tiptoeing around me, unsure of my state after what happened the night before.
"Don't act weird," I told him, rolling my eyes. "I've mostly gotten over it."
His shoulders relaxed slightly, and he let out a dramatic breath. "Good. For a second, I thought I'd have to actually be nice to you."
I smacked his arm. "You wouldn't survive."
"You're probably right. I'm glad you're strong enough to get over it." His grin widened, and just like that, the tension between us dissolved. We fell into our usual banter, the rhythm of our friendship settling into place like a well-worn routine.
Eventually, we parted ways. I didn't try to enter the main building again. Whatever curiosity had driven me there in the first place faded, and I wandered the fortress a little longer before retreating to my room for the night.
As I changed into more comfortable clothes, my eyes caught something on my nightstand. A single slip of paper, folded neatly.
Frowning, I walked over and picked it up. The handwriting was neat, cursive, unfamiliar.
My breath hitched as I read the words. Kael's words.
I'm glad you're strong enough to get over it.
But the word "strong" had been crossed out, replaced with another.
Stupid.
A chill crawled down my spine.
I turned, scanning the room, but there was no sign that anyone had been here. No open windows. No disturbed furniture. Just that single note, waiting for me like a whispered taunt.
My fingers tightened around the paper.
Someone had been watching.