Chapter 36 The Price of Devotion

Alpha Sebastian spent Saturday trailing Serena through one luxury store after another, his arms loaded with shopping bags.

By seven, she had new dresses, shoes, handbags, and enough jewelry to stock a display case.

At her building, Serena stopped in the lobby and kicked off her heels.

"I can’t take another step."

Alpha Sebastian crouched. "Hop on."

She climbed onto his back, laughing as he carried her into the private elevator and up to the penthouse.

Once inside, he set her on the sofa. Serena kissed the corner of his mouth.

"Thanks for spoiling me."

"Take a hot shower and get some rest."

She glanced at the clock. "You’re leaving?"

"I should get home."

If he left now, he could still be back by seven thirty. That was when Eira usually came home, assuming she had returned from the Thorne estate.

Serena caught his wrist.

"Do you have to?"

"Eira and I are still married. Staying here all night would only make things more complicated."

Serena stared at him. "After everything we’ve done, now you’re worried about boundaries?"

"Serena."

"Are you falling for her?"

"No." The answer came fast. "I loved you then. I love you now."

"Then what is she?"

"My wife. I have responsibilities."

Serena lowered her eyes. When she looked up, tears filled them.

"You’re right. This is my fault. I should’ve stopped us that night."

"You did nothing wrong."

"I slept with a married man. If my grandfather finds out, he could pull my research funding. My whole family would turn on me."

"They won’t find out."

"That doesn’t make me feel better."

She stepped into his arms and pressed her face to his chest.

"I never stopped loving you. If I’d come back before your wedding, would you still have married her?"

"No."

This time, he did not hesitate.

"We already lost four years." Serena looked up at him, a tear sliding down her cheek. "I can’t lose you again. If all you can give me is stolen time, I’ll take it. I’d rather have part of you than none of you."

It was exactly what Alpha Sebastian needed to hear.

He cupped her face. "You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved."

Then he kissed her. His coat stayed by the door.

Serena fell asleep against Alpha Sebastian’s chest.

He reached for his phone and texted Eira.

Sebastian: How was the first workshop?

A few minutes later, she sent him a short summary with a chart of the main points.

Alpha Sebastian smiled. Eira had gone to class. She was taking his offer of a future seriously.

His plan was working.

He had no idea Rachel had sent Eira photos of the class notes. Eira had cleaned them up, added a chart, and forwarded the result.

The more secure Alpha Sebastian felt, the less likely he was to look closely.

He transferred ten thousand dollars to her account.

Sebastian: Stop worrying about work. Focus on becoming a good Luna and preparing for our family. I’ll take care of everything else.

Then he sent another lie.

Sebastian: I had a business dinner that ran late, so I won’t be home tonight. Don’t be upset.

Serena stirred against him.

Alpha Sebastian looked down at the woman he loved, then pictured the wife who had spent four years organizing his life.

In his mind, Serena was love and Eira was duty.

He told himself Eira needed him. She had no Pack or parents to fall back on. Who would take care of her if he let her go?

The thought made him feel noble instead of selfish.

--

Eira saw Alpha Sebastian’s messages over breakfast the next morning.

She nearly choked on her coffee.

A business dinner.

Right.

Apparently, that was what he called spending the night in Serena’s bed.

Before Serena came back, Alpha Sebastian had always made it home after client dinners, no matter how late. If he had too much to drink, he slept in the guest room because Eira hated the smell of alcohol.

The next morning, she would bring him coffee and breakfast. Most days, the smell alone woke him.

For four years, they had shared a home and built a routine. From the outside, they had looked like any other married couple.

As long as no one looked too closely.

Alpha Sebastian had played the devoted husband well.

Maybe that was why the truth had taken her so long to see.

That afternoon, Rachel sent her notes from the second workshop. Eira organized them and forwarded another summary to Alpha Sebastian.

His response came almost at once.

Sebastian: Good. Keep this up.

Eira stared at the message.

Then she muted the conversation.

While Alpha Sebastian congratulated himself on bringing his wife back under control, Eira stood in the sunroom at the Thorne estate with jewelry spread across a long table.

Beatrice fastened a sapphire necklace around Eira’s throat, stepped back, and frowned.

"No. Too dramatic."

She replaced it with an emerald pendant.

"Beautiful, but not with the gown."

Eira stood patiently while Beatrice tried another necklace.

The older woman rarely wore fine jewelry in public. Her simple cardigans and comfortable shoes gave no hint of the collection filling the velvet boxes in front of them.

"Alaric bought most of these," Beatrice said. "He had terrible taste when we were young."

Eira smiled. "Professor Thorne had strong opinions about everything."

"That’s a polite way to say he was stubborn."

Beatrice opened another case.

"When we first married, he could only afford tiny gold earrings for our anniversary. Years later, after his first major research grant, he came home with sapphires."

She held up the necklace and shook her head.

"He said the blue reminded him of my eyes. My eyes are brown."

Eira laughed.

"That sounds like him."

"He was brilliant in the lab and hopeless everywhere else." Beatrice’s face softened. "Eventually, he learned."

She opened a narrow velvet box and removed a strand of pearls.

"Let’s try these."

She fastened the pearls around Eira’s neck and added the matching earrings. Then she turned her toward the mirror.

The pearls gave Eira’s skin a soft glow.

Beatrice nodded. "That’s the set. Classic, elegant, and perfect with the lace on your gown."

Eira studied her reflection. "I’ll wear them to the expo."

"Of course you will." Beatrice began closing the other boxes. "And you’ll take the rest."

Eira turned. "The rest of what?"

"The jewelry."

Beatrice pointed at the table as casually as if she were offering leftovers.

"The emeralds, the sapphires, and the pink diamonds. Take one set in every color. You’ll need options for other events."

"Mrs. Thorne, I can’t accept all of this."

"Sure you can."

"It’s too much."

Beatrice settled into a cushioned chair.

"I’m not giving it to you for free."

Eira waited.

"Alaric and I never had children. I don’t want these pieces locked in a safe for the next fifty years. Jewelry is meant to be worn."

She reached for Eira’s hand.

"So wear it. Take care of it. And when I’m gone, visit us once in a while. Tell Alaric and me what’s happening in your life."

Her voice remained light, but her eyes did not.

"That’s the deal."

Eira’s throat tightened.

"You’re not going anywhere for a long time."

Beatrice smiled. "Then Alaric can keep waiting. Patience was never his strong suit. It’ll be good for him."

She pulled Eira down onto the seat beside her.

"Do you know what he wrote in the letter he left me?"

Eira shook her head.

Beatrice tightened her fingers around hers.

"He wrote, ’Beatrice, I’m leaving Eira with you, and I’m leaving you with her. Take care of each other.’"

Eira’s eyes began to burn.