Chapter 8: Territorial
Sebastian’s POV
My wolf stirred the moment I caught his scent on my territory. The same scent from the black wolf who’d “saved” Thea at the funeral. The beast inside me snarled, hackles rising. What the hell was he doing at my ex-Luna’s house this early in the morning?
I watched the stranger leave; something about his demeanor seemed off. He was hiding something, though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what gave me that impression. Whatever he was, I didn’t like him being anywhere near Thea. My wolf’s agitation intensified as I caught Thea’s scent mingling with his. The combination made me want to shift and tear something apart.
“We need to talk,” I said the moment she opened the door, my voice tight with barely controlled anger.
I noticed the warm smile on her face vanish instantly when she saw me. I’d never seen her shut down so completely, so quickly. The light in her eyes died, replaced by an arctic coldness that set my teeth on edge.
“No. We really don’t.” Her voice was flat, devoid of any emotion. As if I was the stranger.
I pushed past her into the house anyway, my wolf prowling restlessly beneath my skin. The sight of her arm in a cast made both man and beast uncomfortable, remembering how she’d crumpled to the ground during the rogue attack. How I’d been protecting Aurora instead of… No. I shut that thought down hard.
“What was that man doing here?” I demanded, not bothering to hide my anger.
“That’s none of your business.” She crossed her arms, wincing slightly at the movement.
“It becomes my business when you’re entertaining men this early with my son in the house.” The words came out in a near growl. “Did he stay the night?”
The mere thought made my wolf thrash violently. The idea of another male anywhere near what was mine… Except she wasn’t mine anymore. Had never really been mine at all.
She snorted. “How is it any of your fucking business? Do you see me interfering while you’re busy with Aurora?”
“Aurora is different—”
“Oh right, I forgot.” Her voice dripped sarcasm. “She’s your precious chosen mate. The love of your fucking life.”
My hands clenched into fists, fighting back the urge to release my Alpha authority. She was pushing every single button I had, and she knew it. Where was the quiet, accommodating woman I’d been married to? This sharp-tongued stranger in her place was setting my wolf on edge.
“I will never do anything to affect Leo,” she continued, eyes flashing. “But I’m a single woman now, Sebastian. I’ll see whoever I want. Did you think I’d stay alone forever?”
The casual way she talked about dating made something snap inside me. But why the fuck did I care? She wasn’t anything to me. Never had been.
She turned away. I followed her into the kitchen, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. I’d never bothered to visit her new home before. It was nothing like the mansion we’d shared—smaller, warmer somehow. More… her.
“I’d hoped you’d leave,” she said, wiping down the counter with sharp, angry movements. “In case you missed the hint, you’re not welcome here.”
“It’s the weekend, Thea. I came for Leo.”
“He’s not awake yet. You could have done what you always do—honk the horn and wait in the car.”
“We have something to—”
“Do we?” She turned those cold eyes on me again. “I thought we had nothing left to say to each other. Isn’t that the point of divorce? So we can pretend the other doesn’t exist?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, fighting for patience. “Why are you being so difficult?”
“Isn’t this what you wanted?” Her voice cracked slightly. “For me to be out of your life?”
“I’m not the one who asked for the divorce.”
“No, but you wanted it. And look how perfectly it worked out right when Aurora comes back to town. Now you can finally have what you’ve always wanted.”
“What do you want me to say?” I growled. “You knew from the start how I felt about her.”
“That didn’t stop you from using me, did it?” She slammed the dishcloth down. “God, I hate you. I don’t know what I ever saw in you. I don’t know why I wasted so many years trying to be good enough.”
Her words hit harder than they should have. My wolf’s distress grew stronger, making it hard to think clearly. This wasn’t how this conversation was supposed to go.
“I’m not here to talk about the past,” I said, forcing myself to focus. “This is about Leo’s safety.”
The mention of our son finally got through to her. She didn’t fire back, just reached for a bottle of pain medication with her good hand.
“Here,” I moved to help.
“Don’t.” Her voice could slice steel. “Say what you came to say, then get out of my fucking house. I won’t stand here and listen to you compare me to your precious Aurora. My behavior stopped being your concern when you signed those divorce papers.”
The silence stretched between us, heavy with seven years of unspoken words. Finally, I forced myself to focus on why I’d really come.
“The organization that ordered the hit on your father… they’re targeting pack leaders. My parents and your mother are going into witness protection. I want Leo to go with them.”
That got her full attention. “Why?”
“Because I’m pack Alpha too, and I helped expose their operation. They’ve threatened retaliation, and they know Leo is a future Alpha. They’ll use him to get to me if they can.”
“And Aurora,” she added bitterly. “Let’s not forget your darling.”
I exhaled sharply, struggling to maintain control. Why was she so determined to push every button I had?
“This isn’t a joke, Thea. Your father is already dead because of this. I won’t risk Leo too.”
She was quiet for a long moment, conflict clear on her face. Finally, she asked, “How long?”
“Until the threat is eliminated and the perpetrators are caught.”
“When does he leave?”
“Day after tomorrow.”
She nodded slowly. “Okay. You can have him today, I’ll take tomorrow. That’s fair.”
“Agreed.”
She went upstairs to wake our son, leaving me alone with my thoughts. And my increasingly agitated wolf. Something fundamental had changed in Thea—the love that used to shine in her eyes when she looked at me was completely gone. Now she looked at me the same way I’d always looked at her: with nothing but resentment.