Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Selene
A month has passed since the dust settled, and life has gone back to normal. I like normal.
I mean it. After everything that happened—the chaos, the danger, the constant adrenaline—normal feels good. Safe. I wake up, go to the healers’ compound, tend to patients, come home to Seth. Simple. Predictable. Perfect.
I’m grabbing my bag from my office, ready to head out after a long shift, when I hear a voice.
“Selene.”
I turn and see Marina leaning against the doorframe, but there’s nothing casual about her. Her dark hair is pulled back in that severe style she favors, and her sharp, green eyes assess me with an intensity that makes my spine straighten automatically.
“Marina.” I smile, wondering what is about to happen. “What are you doing here?”
“Collecting you.” She says it like it’s a fact, not a request. “My brother has been avoiding me for months. Won’t answer messages.
Dodges me in the palace. Makes excuses.” Her expression doesn’t change, but there’s a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“If he thinks he can continue avoiding me, he’s sorely mistaken. ”
My heart rate picks up. Not from fear—more from anticipation of Seth’s reaction when he finds out.
Her expression softens slightly as she looks at me—just a fraction, but enough that I can breathe easier. “You’re not in trouble, dear. But you are coming to dinner at the estate. Tonight. Seth can’t avoid me if he wants to be with you. I hope that’s alright?”
“Of course,” I say, smiling for real now. “It’ll be nice to see you and your sisters again.”
Marina nods in approval. “Good.” She takes two steps and picks up my bag before I can reach for it. “How are things between you and Seth?”
“They’re good,” I say, unable to stop the warmth that creeps into my voice. “Really good.”
Marina’s sharp eyes study me for a moment, then she laughs—a genuine sound that transforms her face. “So, you’ve accepted him.”
I nod shyly.
“Welcome to the family, Selene. Officially.” She pauses. “I’ve already sent him a message that his mate is with me.” An almost predatory look crosses her face. “Let’s see how fast he can run over.”
The Rowan family estate is nothing like I imagined. As we drive through wrought-iron gates, past manicured gardens and a fountain that belongs in a museum, I can’t stop staring.
“This is where Seth grew up?” I ask.
“Yes.” Marina glances at me. “Overwhelming, isn’t it?”
The mansion looms ahead, all stone and windows and old money.
“Don’t look so worried,” Marina says as we pull up. “It’s just a house. And you’re family now.”
She leads me through the front door—marble floors, crystal chandelier—and up a sweeping staircase.
“Dinner’s in an hour,” she says. “You’ll want to shower and change. I’ve had some things prepared for you.”
“You didn’t have to—”
“Of course I did. You’re Seth’s mate.” She opens the door. “This is his suite. There are clothes in the closet. Take your time.”
I step inside, taking in the beautiful room.
“When Seth arrives, I’ll have him come get you for dinner.” She reaches out to briefly touch my shoulder. “I’m glad he found you, Selene.” Then, she’s all business again. “I’ll see you downstairs.”
The bathroom is ridiculous. Marble everywhere, a massive tub, and a steam shower with more jets than I can count.
The water is blissfully hot, and I wash my hair with Seth’s shampoo since mine’s not here. Being surrounded by his familiar scent helps calm my nerves as well as my wolf’s.
The closet has clothes that are clearly meant for me—my size, elegant but not overly formal. I choose a black dress that fits perfectly, then dry my hair and apply makeup.
When I see myself in the mirror, I look happy.
I’ve just finished getting ready when the door bursts open. Seth rushes in, slightly out of breath, his eyes wild until they land on me. Then, he’s moving, crossing the space in long strides.
His hands come up immediately, framing my face as his gaze sweeps over me. Checking. Assessing.
“Are you alright?” he asks me urgently. His hands move down to my shoulders, then my arms. “Did she—Marina didn’t hurt you? Didn’t say anything—”
“Seth.” I catch his wrists. “I’m fine. She was wonderful to me.”
He freezes. “Wonderful?”
“Very kind. Just like she was before.”
His brow furrows. “Before?”
“When I met her. And Vera, and Catherine, and Eloise.” I tilt my head at him. “They came to see me ages ago. They were all lovely.”
Seth goes completely still. “They what?”
“Your sisters came to my quarters. Introduced themselves. They were very welcoming.”
“When?” His voice comes out strangled.
“Right after we mated. The morning after, actually.” I watch the color drain from his face. “You don’t remember me telling you?”
“No.” He looks confused, his brow furrowing. “There was too much going on, I guess.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Those conniving—I’ve been avoiding them for months because I didn’t want them to meet you yet. Didn’t want them to overwhelm you or interrogate you or—”
“They already met me,” I finish gently. “And they were wonderful, Seth.”
He stares at me like his entire world has changed. “They met you. Months ago. And they were kind.”
“Very kind.”
“And I’ve been dodging them like a coward.” Something between a laugh and a groan escapes him. “They must think I’m an idiot.”
“Probably,” I agree. “Marina did say you’ve been avoiding her for months.”
“Because I thought she’d terrify you!” He looks genuinely distressed. “Here I was, trying to protect you from my family, and they’d already met you. You all got along fine without me.”
I reach up to cup his face. “They love you. And they were excited to meet me.”
“She sent me a message a little while ago that said, ‘I have your mate.’ Just that. Nothing else. I actually thought she had kidnapped you.”
“In a way, she did.”
“But she already met you. Already approved of you.” He shakes his head. “I’ve been running scared for nothing.”
“Not for nothing. You were trying to protect me.”
His eyes darken as they travel over me. “Is that my shampoo?”
“Yes.”
“Selene.” His voice drops. “You’re in my room. Smelling like me.”
“Your sister prepared all of this.”
He pulls me closer, sighing heavily. “I’m definitely not going to survive this dinner. They’re going to destroy me.”
I stand on my toes to kiss him. “But I’ll be there.”
“That’s the only thing that’s going to get me through it.”
Dinner is exactly as chaotic as Seth predicted.
Marina sits at the head of the table like a queen holding court, with Vera, Catherine, and Eloise arranged on either side. Seth and I sit together, his hand finding mine under the table within the first five minutes.
“So, Seth,” Marina begins, her tone deceptively casual as she cuts into her chicken. “Tell us about the last few months. You’ve been so busy, we hardly see you anymore.”
Seth’s jaw tightens. “I’ve been working.”
“Avoiding,” Vera corrects him with a sweet smile. “The word you’re looking for is ‘avoiding.’”
Catherine laughs. “Remember when he ducked into that supply closet when he saw us in the palace hallway?”
“I didn’t—” Seth starts, then stops. “That was one time.”
“Three times,” Eloise says cheerfully. “I kept count.”
I squeeze his hand, fighting back a smile. His sisters are ruthless, but there’s so much love underneath the teasing.
“We understand why, of course,” Marina says, her eyes softening as they land on me. “You were being protective. It’s actually quite sweet.”
“Sweet?” Seth looks as if he’s been slapped. “You’re calling my months of strategic evasion ‘sweet’?”
“Very sweet,” Vera agrees. “Completely unnecessary, since we’d already met Selene the morning after you mated and found her absolutely delightful. But sweet nonetheless.”
Seth groans and drops his head to the table. I run my fingers through his hair, unable to hold back my laughter anymore.
“We like her very much, Seth,” Catherine says more gently. “You did well.”
He lifts his head to look at his sisters, a vulnerable expression crossing his face. “I know I did.”
The rest of dinner passes with easier conversation—stories about Seth as a child that make him cringe and me laugh, questions about my work as a healer that make me feel like the women are genuinely interested and not interrogating me.
By the time dessert arrives, I understand why Seth was so worried.
His sisters are formidable. But they’re also warm, funny, and clearly devoted to their brother.
As we finish eating, Marina catches Seth’s eye. “Show Selene around, Seth. The gardens are lovely this time of evening.”
It’s clearly a dismissal, but it’s a kind one.
Seth takes my hand as we leave the dining room and leads me through the massive house. The tension that held his shoulders rigid throughout dinner starts to ease.
“That wasn’t so bad,” I offer.
“They went easy on me because you were there.” He glances down at me, a smile tugging at his lips. “Next time, they’ll be merciless.”
“Next time?”
“Marina will insist on monthly dinners now. At minimum.” He doesn’t sound upset about it. “Fair warning.”
We step outside, and my breath catches. Lanterns illuminate winding paths through perfectly maintained flower beds. The fountain I saw when Marina and I arrived glows softly in the distance.
“This is beautiful,” I whisper.
“Wait till you see my favorite part.”
He leads me past the formal gardens, down a path that becomes less manicured, a little wilder. Trees close in around us, and then I see it: a treehouse, nestled in the branches of a massive oak, more elaborate than any I’ve ever seen.
“My father and I built this,” Seth says quietly, stopping at the base of the tree. “Took us an entire summer when I was eight. Marina was furious because I wouldn’t let her help.”
“It’s amazing.”
“Want to see inside?”
The ladder is sturdy; Seth climbs up first, then helps me through the opening.
The space is larger than I expected—tall enough to stand in the center, with windows on all sides.
Someone has clearly been maintaining it; the wood is in good condition, and there are even cushions on the built-in bench.
“Marina comes up here sometimes,” Seth says, following my gaze. “When she needs to think. She’ll deny it, but I know.”
I move to the window and look out over the estate. From here, I can see the mansion lit up against the darkening sky, the gardens spreading out like a vision from a dream.
“My parents spend most of their time elsewhere now,” Seth says, coming to stand behind me. His arms wrap around my waist, chin resting on the top of my head. “They’re in Europe currently. Or maybe South America. They move around a lot.”
“They like to travel?”
“They wanted to see the world together. After raising five children and running the estate for decades”—he pauses—“they decided it was their turn. Marina manages everything here now.”
I lean into him, feeling his steady heartbeat against my back.
“Selene.” His voice drops, becoming uncertain in a way that makes my wolf perk up. “Would you—would you want to live here? At the estate?”
I turn in his arms to face him. “Here?”
“We’d have our own suite. Privacy. But you’d be close to my sisters, the gardens. There’s more space here than in my quarters at the palace.” He’s talking faster now, like he’s afraid I’ll say no. “We could have our own wing, really. Or we could build a new house on the property if you want—”
“Seth.” I place my hand on his chest. His heart is racing now. “What do you want?”
He stops, blinks. “What?”
“Where do you want to live?”
“I want…” He trails off, studying my face. “I want you to be happy. To have a home that feels like yours.”
“My home is where you are.” The words come easily because they’re true. “It doesn’t matter if it’s at the palace, or here, or somewhere else entirely. As long as I’m with you, I’m home.”
His expression breaks with relief, love, and wonder all mixed together. His hands come up to frame my face, thumbs brushing over my cheekbones.
“You mean that.”
“Always.” I smile up at him. “So? Tell me, Seth. Where do you want us to live?”
He’s quiet for a long moment, his gaze drifting out the window, taking in the grounds spread out below us. When he speaks, his voice is soft but certain.
“Here. I want us to live here.” He looks back at me now.
“I grew up in this house. These gardens, this treehouse—they’re full of good memories.
My family is here. And I…” He pauses, sounding vulnerable again.
“I want to make new memories here. With you. Fill the house with our life together. And maybe someday…”
He doesn’t finish, but I hear what he’s not saying. Maybe someday there will be children running through these gardens. Maybe someday we’ll build them their own treehouse.
“Then, this is where we’ll live,” I say simply.
Seth’s kiss is soft and deep, one of his hands tangling in my hair while the other presses the small of my back. When we finally break apart, he’s smiling—that rare, unguarded smile that transforms his face.
“Marina is going to be insufferable about this,” he mutters. “She’ll take full credit for getting us to move in.”
“Probably,” I agree. “But you love her anyway.”
“I do.” He kisses my forehead. “Come on. Let’s go tell everyone before she sends out a search party.”
We climb down from the treehouse, and Seth keeps my hand firmly in his as we walk back through the gardens. The mansion looms ahead, warm light spilling from the windows.
Home, I think. Our home.
And my wolf, usually so quiet and content, sends a wave of pure happiness through me.
Yes. This is exactly where we’re meant to be.
THE END