My Sister Stole My Mate And I Let Her (Seraphina) novel Chapter 197

Chapter 197: Chapter 197 GOODBYE

LUCIAN’S POV

Sera’s scent lingered long after she left—lavender, threaded with something softer that was uniquely hers.

The silence pressed in, thick and reflective as I sat by the fireplace, staring into the flames that had begun to burn low.

She’d told me the truth—about her wolf, about Kieran. And though everything in me twisted at the mention of his name, at the revelation of their bond, I appreciated her honesty.

I could only hope that when she said she had no intention of going back to her ex-husband, she meant it.

With a heavy sigh, I rose and doused the fire. The faint hiss of water meeting ember echoed in the quiet.

Then I turned and headed down the corridor toward my quarters.

The moonlight filtered through the tall windows, painting silver patterns on the stone floor.

Soft laughter floated in from outside, but in here, the night felt too still, like it was holding its breath.

Inside my room, I shed my shirt and tossed it aside. Cool air washed over me as I stood by the large floor-to-ceiling window. From here, I could see the valley that housed the Moonlit Spring.

I could still picture Sera stepping in, her head thrown back as the moon bathed her in its luminescence. She’d never looked more beautiful in that moment. And when she hugged me—

I shook my head, instantly banishing the carnal thought.

And that was when I heard him.

‘You’re troubled.’

The voice was deep, resonant, threaded with a calm I hadn’t felt in years.

I was stunned for half a heartbeat before my pulse kicked. “Rhegan?”

It had been months—no, years—since my wolf had spoken clearly. There’d been the occasional whisper, an instinct here or there, heightened whenever I Shifted, but nothing like this.

Hearing him again felt like having an old friend suddenly return after years of war.

“Is that really you?” I asked, rubbing a hand over my jaw.

‘Do you have more than one voice in your head?’

I exhaled an incredulous laugh. “I thought you’d gone silent for good.”

‘I was watching,’ Rhegan replied, his tone warm. ‘And waiting. You needed space to grieve. We both did.’

I lowered myself into the chair by the window. “You know, I could have used your help. Grieving was a lot harder when you abandoned me.”

‘I didn’t abandon you,’ he said simply. ‘I never could. But remember, you weren’t the only one who lost a mate.’

I swallowed hard, my gaze drifting outside to the Moonlit Spring. That I was hearing Rhegan’s voice loud and clear after all this time... Had I also been blessed by the spring tonight?

“How are you?” I asked softly.

A moment of silence passed before he answered. ‘Half a soul is still a soul.’

A melancholic smile crept onto my lips.

And then he caught me off guard. ‘She’s quite something, Alina.’

I felt his amusement at my surprise. ‘I sensed her, long before you did.’

I let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. “You could have told me, you know?”

‘It was not my news to share.’

I rolled my eyes.

“And what do you think of her?”

‘She’s strong, fierce,’ he said, admiration thick in his voice. ‘When she fully emerges, she will be a force to reckon with.’

Surprise rippled through me. “You...like her.”

‘I do.’

That was unexpected. Even before Zara, Rhegan rarely acknowledged female wolves. And since Zara’s death...silence.

‘You haven’t said that about anyone in years.’

“None were worth saying it about,” he said without hesitation. “This one is different. If I disliked her, do you think your connection with her would have unfolded this smoothly? You would’ve felt resistance. Conflict.’

I leaned back, frowning slightly. I wouldn’t necessarily call my connection with Sera ‘smooth.’

“So what—you’ve been quietly approving from the shadows?”

‘Observing,’ he corrected. ‘And waiting for you to realize your heart was trying to wake long before your mind let it.’

His words hit too close. I closed my eyes, pressing my thumb and forefinger against them. “I haven’t been denying my heart. I love Sera.”

‘But you haven’t fully given yourself over either. And I understand why. But Lucian...’ His tone softened. ‘You cannot keep punishing yourself by caging every emotion that isn’t grief. Zara wouldn’t have wanted that. Nor Arden.’

The sound of her name—their names—in his voice was both balm and blade. Grief surged beneath the comfort, sharp and tender, leaving my heart raw.

I clenched my jaw and stared down at my hands. Old scars caught the moonlight—reminders of battles fought both outside and within. “You think I should just...forget about them?”

‘Not forget,’ Rhegan murmured. ‘You should live again. Feel again. You honoring her doesn’t mean you have to wither beside her memory.’

My throat tightened. “You want me to let her go.”

‘I felt her last thoughts,’ he said softly. ‘Arden’s, too. Neither of them wished for you to spend the rest of your life trapped with ghosts. They wanted you free.’

For a long moment, I said nothing. The silence stretched, heavy and fragile.

I sighed, dragging a hand down my face. “I forgot how clear-sighted you could be.”

‘Wolves see truth without complication,’ he replied simply. ‘You humans like to twist it into whatever shapes hurt less.’

A humorless smile tugged at my lips. “Maybe. But I have no idea how to twist the news about Sera and Kieran.”

He hummed quietly, a low rumble of understanding. Then, softer: ‘You fear the bond between them.’

I grimaced. “Can you blame me? You know exactly what it feels like.”

I couldn’t fathom even looking at another female if Zara were still alive.

‘So tell me, will you back down because of it?’

That question was sharp, piercing. I sat up straighter.

“Back down?” I echoed. “You know that’s not me.”

A deep, approving rumble vibrated through our link. ‘Good. Because fate is only one thread in the tapestry. The rest, you weave with your own hands.’

That made me laugh, low and rough. “You’ve gotten philosophical in your silence.”

‘Maybe I had time to think. Put things into perspective.’

“Or maybe you’ve been waiting to lecture me.”

‘Also that.’

I couldn’t help the small smile tugging at my mouth. “It’s good to have you back, Rhegan.”

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