Page 51 of Clashing With The Grumpy Wolf

“You know Adrian is doing everything he can to recover the tiara.”

Seraphina swallows, then nods. “I know. But I also know we may never get it back.”

“Will you really cancel your wedding? You love Percy and he loves you.”

“You don’t understand. It’s not just the tiara, it’s the image associated with it.” Seraphina smiles, but it’s a sad smile. “I can’t marrywithout it and I can’t become matriarch either. But whatever happens, Percy and I will never give up. We’ll always stay together.”

But you won’t be married. I don’t say it out loud, because Seraphina doesn’t need to hear it. She knows. She dreamed of this wedding for so long, she deserves it. She deserves to be happy.

A sudden pinch of anger at the thief rises in my chest. All that pain and suffering, just for money.

"So, I heard you attended a pack gathering with Sheriff Wolfsbane." Seraphina changes the subject with surprising casualness. Her tone is curious rather than judgmental, another unexpected shift.

I set the candle down carefully, buying time as I formulate a response. The news of my appearance at the pack house has spread even faster than I anticipated.

Small towns and gossip go hand in hand.

"News travels fast in Saltford Bay," I observe, straightening a stack of menu cards. "Yes, I did. It was… intimidating but manageable."

"What was it like? The pack house?" Seraphina asks, genuine interest lighting her violet eyes.

"Grand. Rustic, but impressive. All wooden beams and wrought iron, with this massive stone fireplace that must be at least three centuries old." I find myself describing the experience, the pack members with their watchful eyes, the curious stares, the territorial displays. "I’m not sure they knew what to expect when they saw a human walking in with their future alpha."

Instead of the expected scoff or dismissal, Seraphina nods with understanding.

"I know what it's like to enter a world that wasn't made for you." Her voice carries a hint of weariness that I haven't heard before. “I had other dreams before all this, you know?”

She makes a gesture that encompasses the entire room with one elegant claw.

"But my role as future matriarch is more important than any of them. It doesn’t matter now, not really."

"What did you want to do?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"I almost opened an art gallery with an old college friend of mine," she says, a smile playing at her lips. "Not just any gallery. One that featured works by nonhuman artists who struggle to break into human-dominated art markets."

As she speaks, her gestures become more animated, her eyes brightening.

"There are so many talented artists whose work never gets seen because the traditional galleries can't, or won't, accommodate their needs. Did you know that selkie painters use canvases that need special humidity controls? Or that troll sculptors work with living stone that needs particular lighting to be properly appreciated? The world needs to see their art, and we wanted to help them spread it, far and wide."

I listen with growing surprise as passion transforms Seraphina's usually controlled demeanor. This is the most genuine I've ever seen her.

"What happened to that dream?" I ask softly.

"Duty," she says, her formal mask slipping back into place like a curtain falling. "Duty happened. In dragon families, duty comes first. Always has, always will."

"I admire that dedication to your family, even when it means setting aside your own dreams," I find myself admitting. Surprisingly, I mean it. I'm seeing a completely new side to the Bridezilla I first encountered.

"Building something from nothing, without a powerful name to open doors for you. That takes real strength." Seraphina’s smile turns dreamy, then she shakes her head. “I admire your courage, Julia. I wish I had some more of my own, sometimes.”

The moment hangs between us, delicate and unexpected. My phone buzzes with an email notification, breaking the spell. I check it quickly, then look up with excitement.

Thank goodness for small mercies.

"Good news," I announce. "The flower supplier just confirmed they can get us someVanda coeruleaafter all!"

Seraphina's face lights up. "This is amazing news!"

I quickly scan the details. "It’s not enough for all the centerpieces as originally planned, but it’ll be sufficient for your bouquet and the hair braid you wanted for the ceremony."