SERAPHINA'S POV
Artemis pauses seconds before whoever it is knocks, sensing the approaching presence.
He pulls away instinctively, standing between me and the door with an annoyed scowl on his face, and I have to look over his shoulder to see who it is.
Standing there is a student I haven't seen around, with thick-rimmed glasses, obviously cowering at the doorway and fiddling with the tips of his oversized sleeves.
The fear in his eyes is mostly from the way Artemis glares at him for interrupting the moment, and I have to wrap my hand around his to remind him to stay calm.
"What is it?" he snaps coldly at the innocent guy who flinches by the door, closing his eyes and hiding his face.
"A-An urgent matter has arisen. The second batch of drinks has gone missing and no one knows where they went, the event has even started and everyone's panicking," he explains in a shaking voice.
Basically, someone's fucked up and they need Artemis to step in and fix it.
He sighs with frustration, rubbing at his temples the second he hears the news.
"You may leave now," he orders.
The boy bows too low, running away before Artemis can get mad at him any further.
"It's okay, I'll wait for you," I say softly, squeezing his large hand with both of mine reassuringly.
He still seems reluctant, bothered by something on his mind and holding my hands a little tighter.
"I'm not running away, I'm going to be here all night," I promise once again.
He pulls his fingers from his temples to look at me with a beautiful, tired smile before kissing my head.
"I promise I won't be long, and then we can go someplace where no one can interrupt us again."
I nod, pressing my cheek into the steady warmth of his palm before he can pull away, savoring and capturing the comfort only he can give as I brace myself for the wait.
When I open my eyes again, he's looking at me with a strange expression and desperate yearning. It's disarming.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Nothing... it's just... I love you." The words take me off guard, and I'm stunned, letting go of him before I realize it, stumbling backwards.
He panics quickly, grabbing my hand before I can put any more distance between us, pleading with me not to run away after he's said it, as though I ever considered it.
My heart races, and every last bit of breath escapes my lungs.
"I know it may seem too much and too soon, but I do. I love you so much. I've never felt so strongly about anything before and you don't have to reciprocate or anything. I just wanted you to know that I love you and...I love you," he ends it, laughing nervously at how stupid he probably sounds to me.
And while the hand that holds me trembles with the fear of my rejection, "I love you too," escapes my lips freely and without hesitation.
As I say it, the world falls into place when I catch his gaze-his laughter pauses, replaced by a look of serious intensity.
His eyes-that have always seemed a little bluer, a little more captivating, a little more perfect every time I stared into them-suddenly make so much sense.
This constant feeling in my chest suddenly makes so much sense.
This hunger, desire, and fervency to be where he is suddenly makes so much sense.
Because I love him. Desperately.
It's as if I can finally breathe. A light, calming yet potent, settles in my heart, fluttering and confirming that despite everything, this discovery might be our most powerful weapon.
"I know it's crazy, but I love you, Artemis Sinclair-like I've never loved anything before." Tears of emotion gather in my eyes as I laugh at myself, at the weird, awkward, yet perfect way this feels with him, as if it's meant to be.
He kisses me before I can retract my words-not that I would dare-and it's a kiss brimming with passion and love, lingering for more than just a moment before he pulls back to kiss my forehead.
"When I get back, I'm going to make you say that a million times until I'm satisfied," he promises.
"Okay," I chuckle, watching his face light up with a childlike brightness as he steps backward toward the exit.
"Wait for me," he calls out, and I wave in response.
After he's gone, I'm left alone, the silence enveloping me.
A minute in, my gaze falls back to the moon, trying to distract myself as I wait for him. Dread slowly begins to fill my heart, fear that always seems to accompany moments that feel too perfect.
It's the same feeling that's been haunting me since yesterday, like there's a storm blooming in the shadows, getting ready to rain all over me.
Shaking off these pessimistic thoughts, I decide to mingle in the hall, hoping a chat with Olivia and Jasper might distract me.
Wandering down the corridor that led me here, I savor the quiet until a presence behind me halts my steps.
A throat clears.
"Miss Hawthrone?" The voice, male and mature with a familiar accent, prompts me to turn and lock eyes with Mr. Jermaine.
I had seen him the day before, but the commotion had prevented a proper greeting. It's been a long while since we last spoke.
Before I can voice a greeting, he speaks with a solemnity that doesn't waver.
"His Majesty the King requires your presence," he declares.
A pause, heavy with foreboding, settles over me, half my mind warning me that something is wrong somewhere - but I can't see it yet.
I remain silent, pondering what to say, wondering why he wants to see me and remembering that Artemis will be back any moment.
But I can't refuse to see my benefactor.
"Of course," I reply sharply, nodding once.
He turns and strides off in a new direction without another word. I follow, quieting my nerves with a mental mantra: Everything will be fine.
We arrive at the door that once led to the Administrator's office.
"He's waiting," Mr. Jermaine states.
With another nod, I waste no time, pushing the door open to face what awaits.
I'm in the familiar, wide office, taking steps towards the table at the other end, and as I draw closer, he looks up to meet my eyes.
I'm always shocked for the first few seconds of seeing him, meeting his eyes and realizing just how much he looks like his own son, before it settles and my brain begins to distinguish the two.
"Good evening, Your Majesty," I say, taking a bow.
"Welcome, Seraphina," he says with a wide, charming smile that truly makes me feel welcomed.
I almost fall for his charisma until I force myself to remember the stories Artemis had told about his father and how the man treated him harshly, blaming him for his mother's demise.
And then I see through the cracks in his perfect outward expression.
"I'm sure you're curious as to why I summoned you tonight, right before the banquet commences."
"To be honest, I am terribly curious," I admit.
He chuckles at my answer; it seems genuine.
"I see that wit of yours is still very much intact. I hope it never fades, Seraphina Hawthrone," he says.
I nod, offering a polite smile to his compliment. He sits up now, smile intact, looking at me so intensely, straight into the eyes, that I feel awkward.
"How has life at Raven Wood Academy been? What was it like for you, mingling among the students and climbing to a position of power, child?" he asks out of nowhere.
I'm confused by the question, more so by his sudden interest in my school life after pretty much abandoning me to figure it out for months.
Still, I smile.
"It was... interesting," I summarize, putting all the bullying and death threats I've faced into one simple word.
He rubs his chin, contemplating my words.
"Actually, the truth is I'm deeply interested in you, Seraphina. You're a human with a fighting spirit that's rarely found even amongst wolves. It's bright as a beacon of hope; you're proof that an alliance with humans is possible, and I want to use that. Bring you under my wing directly. I want you to work for me."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"I mean giving you an official role as a human consultant in the Wolfdom, to become my bridge between the two races," he explains.
His offer shocks me, just as it is tempting. I'd be the first to occupy such a position in the political world, finally bringing in an era of equality for my people and fighting against oppression.
It would be what I did here with the omegas, only on a larger scale, helping more people.
It's possibly more than what I could ever dream of on my own, and I'm tempted to take his hand and become a tool in his project.
But then I remember Artemis and his story, and I realize I can't-my loyalty doesn't lie with him.
And I know, deep down in my gut, what it would mean: signing myself off to be under his thumb. I want to be a symbol of hope, but not in ways he'd probably twist the whole thing.
I take a deep breath, prepping my response before meeting his eyes squarely.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I have to respectfully decline."