Lucian's hand lingered in midair, suspended and helpless after Seraphina pulled away, retreating into a distance he couldn't reach.
Perhaps the secret she was so desperately trying to protect… wasn't as simple as he had foolishly believed.
He slowly let his arm fall back to his side, unsure and defeated. The air between them thickened, weighed down by the tension that neither of them spoke into.
Until Seraphina set down her now-cold cup of tea and stood. She once again cloaked herself in the polished shell of an Alpha, an icy barrier Lucian could no longer penetrate, even with his pheromones.
"Sera…"
Lucian murmured her name gently, his eyes softening. There were so many things he wanted to ask, so many layers of ice he longed to break through. But he held back. He already knew, she would only evade his questions.
"Don't." Seraphina cut him off, her voice cool and sharp. "Don't say my name… when all you see in me is prey."
Her words sliced into his heart like a dull knife, slowly tearing at his heart. He looked up at her, his gray-blue eyes stripped bare, no longer proud, no longer guarded. Just a man, alone with his pain.
"Then tell me… have you ever seen me as just Lucian?"
A flicker of surprise flashed in her emerald eyes. A momentary crack in the ice. A sting of something that almost resembled pain. But it vanished with the blink of an eye. Seraphina turned away, leaving behind only a final, indifferent sentence.
"Just strangers walking opposite paths, there's no need to see one another."
Lucian didn't stop her. Didn't chase after her. He had no right. The wall around her heart remained impenetrable. All he could do was watch her walk away, radiant among the garden blooms, yet wilted, as if worn down by storms that had stolen her will to rise again.
Leaning back into his chair, Lucian let out a long breath. He had tried everything to reach Seraphina's heart. And every time, he had failed.
The memory of her faint smile—when she held the iris flower earlier—flickered across his mind.
Maybe he had been wrong from the very beginning. The more he tried to possess her, the further she ran, the deeper her hatred for him grew.
"Just strangers walking opposite paths, there's no need to see one another."
Her last words echoed like a cruel incantation, shredding his already bleeding heart.
Just a stranger, she said. So that's how she had always seen him. No more, no less.
It had never been a game of pursuit. Only him, fumbling blindly through the maze, while she stood still on the outside.
Lucian silently reached for the lip of the teacup, his fingers brushing the faint trace of her lipstick, fragile evidence left behind in the lingering scent of jasmine.
His gaze drifted toward where she had disappeared, and he slowly pressed the stained fingertip to his lips.
Perhaps she didn't know, those who are blind will never stop searching for light, no matter how long they're trapped in endless night.
*
Seraphina thought her words had been sharp enough to drive Lucian away, back to the capital where he belonged. But she'd clearly forgotten one thing: he was a stubborn, vexing Alpha.
The next morning, as she entered the dining hall for breakfast, there he was, still seated, calmly speaking with her mother. The two of them appeared deep in discussion, their expressions serious.
She couldn't turn around and walk out, much as she wanted to. Instead, she stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Good morning, Your Highness. Mother."
"Sera, come join us," Laura said with a kind smile, motioning for her to sit. "His Highness is proposing a reform plan for Balton's economy."
Seraphina paused halfway into her seat, frowning slightly. She expected to see that smug, signature smirk of his, but it wasn't there. Lucian was entirely serious. This wasn't some shallow show of dominance.
Balton's economic state had been neglected for years by the capital. Its mountainous terrain had rendered it isolated, no innovation, no practical policies, no future for its people. Even her father, a prominent voice in the royal court, had failed to draw real attention to the matter.
So what exactly was Lucian planning?
She finally sat down, letting her guard lower slightly to hear him out. Whether this was genuine concern or another attempt to win her over, she would find out soon enough.
Laura, unaware of the mate bond between her daughter and the prince, looked hopeful. For Laura, Balton was her homeland, perhaps duke Richard must have kept it from her, likely not wanting to cause her worry.
"Do you have a specific policy in mind, Your Highness?" Seraphina asked.
At last, Seraphina addressed him directly. Not in the way he longed for, but at least it wasn't cold indifference anymore.
"I've noticed Balton has fertile lands. Your barley and grapes in particular could become major supply sources for the capital."
Lucian set down his fork, clasped his hands, and rested his chin on them. His voice was calm, steady.
"For starters, I'll propose the construction of a direct road to the capital, as well as a port system connected to your rivers, for easier transport of goods."
Seraphina didn't touch her breakfast. Her focus was entirely on him. She questioned further.
"My father proposed road construction several times, but he was rejected each time."
Duke Richard had submitted numerous reports about Balton's economic potential, but not once had the royal court responded.
"True," Lucian nodded. "Because the court never saw potential in Balton while its people remained dependent solely on agriculture."
He paused, gauging her reaction. Seeing that she was still listening, he pressed on.
"So, I intend to bring in skilled craftsmen to open local workshops. That way, we can introduce new trades and elevate the region's economic value."
Beneath the table, Seraphina's hand slowly clenched. He spoke as if he truly understood the soul of this land. She wanted to dismiss it as a performance, but there were no flaws to point out.
There was no way he could have come up with this plan in just a day or two. Clearly, he had read her father's reports, and paid close attention.
Her eyes drifted toward him, and met his just as he looked her way. Those powerful gray-blue eyes held hers for a second too long, and she instinctively looked down.
Not out of fear, but guilt. She had always seen him as nothing more than an arrogant prince drunk on Alpha dominance.
Of course, Lucian noticed the flicker of doubt in her eyes, but said nothing. He simply smiled, satisfied. This was what he wanted her to see. That he was more than just a prince. More than an Alpha.
He wanted her to see Lucian.
Laura, who had been silently observing, suddenly spoke up, echoing a concern of her own.
"But the people here are so used to farming. How will you convince them to change their livelihood?"
Lucian silently admired Laura's perceptiveness. Despite living in seclusion, she still paid close attention to politics.
"It's true, older generations are harder to persuade," he replied, turning to her. "So I'll focus on the younger population. Anyone who joins the reform program will be exempt from taxes for the next five years."
Seraphina looked up again, not even trying to hide her surprise. His plan wasn't impulsive, it had depth, structure, and foresight.
"Your ideas are promising… but execution is another matter." She said cautiously, still a trace of doubt in her voice.
"Reform takes time," Lucian said calmly. "It can't happen in days."
He didn't blame her for the skepticism. Instead, he kept laying out his vision.
"To build an effective policy, I need a better understanding of the people's daily lives. I would appreciate it if someone familiar with this land could guide me."
He ended with a smile, calm and waiting. Like a wolf, patiently watching his prey step into the trap.
Laura remained silent, observing the subtle war playing out between the two. Her instincts told her something was happening between them, especially when every word Lucian said seemed aimed at Seraphina. But she chose not to interfere. Not yet.
Seraphina knew it was a trap. Knew that agreeing meant she'd be stuck with him for the rest of his stay.
But this… this might be Balton's one chance at change.
She couldn't throw it away.
"Very well. I would be honored to accompany Your Highness."
The curve of Lucian's lips deepened. He was more than satisfied with that answer.
"I truly appreciate your cooperation, Sera."
This time, Lucian would not allow history to repeat itself.
He would not leave, not until he shattered the frost around her heart.
Just once, only once…
He wanted her to truly see him.
Not as an Alpha.
Not as a crown prince.
But simply as Lucian, with nothing left but a bare, beating heart.
***