Chapter 7: The Pack

(From Book 1: The Devil’s Bargain – Dark Temptations Series)

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Seraphina wasn’t naive.

She knew that power didn’t exist in a vacuum. It thrived in networks, in alliances forged in blood and shadow. Lucian wasn’t just a man who wielded influence—he was part of something much larger.

And tonight, she was about to meet them.

The ones who operated in the darkness beside him.

The Pack.

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The invitation arrived in a sleek black envelope, slipped under her apartment door without a sound. No signature. No return address.

Just an intricate sigil embossed in silver.

And a single line of text:

MIDNIGHT. THE WOLFE ESTATE. COME ALONE.

Seraphina traced the emblem with her fingers, an uneasy thrill sparking through her. The design was elegant yet foreboding—two wolves intertwined in a circle, their fangs bared.

She had a feeling this was more than just a gathering.

This was an initiation.

And she wasn’t sure if she was the guest… or the prey.

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The Wolfe Estate was perched on the edge of the city like a beast watching over its territory. A sprawling mansion with high iron gates, ancient stone walls, and an air of quiet menace.

Seraphina’s car rolled up the long, winding driveway, the dense forest on either side swallowing any light from the road behind her. By the time she reached the entrance, the weight of unseen eyes pressed against her skin.

She wasn’t alone.

Stepping out, she adjusted the sleek black dress she had chosen—elegant, but not delicate. She had learned quickly that in Lucian’s world, looking like easy prey was a dangerous mistake.

A man waited for her at the grand oak doors, dressed in a tailored black suit. He was tall, his features sharp and angular, but his gaze was unreadable.

“You’re expected,” he said, stepping aside.

Seraphina nodded and walked past him, into the heart of the den.

The moment she stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted.

This was no ordinary party.

The room was vast, the ceilings high, adorned with antique chandeliers that cast golden light over the guests. But unlike the masked elites at Lucian’s other gatherings, the people here moved differently.

There was something raw about them. Something untamed.

The air crackled with an unspoken hierarchy, an order built on dominance and submission.

And every single pair of eyes in the room turned toward her.

Assessing. Calculating.

Testing.

She didn’t flinch.

She wouldn’t.

A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the space, breaking the tension.

Seraphina’s gaze snapped toward the source of the sound.

Lucian.

He was seated at the far end of the room, relaxed, but with the quiet authority of someone who knew he was in control. The space around him was occupied by a handful of others—men and women who radiated the same dangerous energy.

The Pack.

Lucian rose to his feet, his gaze never leaving hers as he strode forward.

“I see you received my invitation.”

Seraphina exhaled slowly. “Hard to miss.”

Lucian smirked. “And yet, you still came.”

“Would you have accepted any other answer?”

Lucian chuckled, reaching for her hand. His fingers curled around hers—cool, firm, deliberate.

“No,” he murmured.

A subtle murmur spread through the room, the others watching their exchange with open curiosity.

Seraphina had the unsettling feeling that this wasn’t just a meeting.

It was a test.

Lucian turned toward the group behind him, gesturing lazily. “Seraphina, meet my inner circle.”

The first to step forward was a woman—striking, with piercing emerald eyes and dark auburn hair that spilled over one shoulder.

“Eva,” she introduced herself, her voice smooth but edged with steel. “Lucian’s second-in-command.”

Her gaze flicked over Seraphina, assessing. “So you’re the one who’s caught his interest.”

Seraphina held her ground. “I don’t belong to anyone.”

Eva’s lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Interesting.”

Next, a man approached. He was taller than Lucian, broader, his dark hair tousled in a way that seemed effortless. Unlike the others, there was amusement in his gaze.

“Nikolai,” he drawled, his Russian accent slipping through. “I’d say it’s a pleasure, but I don’t think you’ve earned that yet.”

Seraphina arched her brow. “And how exactly does one earn it?”

Nikolai smirked. “That depends. Are you here to play?”

Seraphina didn’t blink. “I don’t play games I don’t plan on winning.”

Nikolai laughed, and something about it sent a shiver down her spine.

“I like her,” he said, glancing at Lucian. “She’s got a bite.”

Lucian’s gaze darkened. “You have no idea.”

Seraphina’s pulse quickened, but she kept her expression neutral.

Then, the final figure stepped forward—a man who had remained silent up until now. He was older, his presence heavier. He didn’t bother with pleasantries.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his tone flat.

Seraphina met his gaze evenly. “And yet, here I am.”

A flicker of something—approval, maybe—passed through his expression. But it was gone in an instant.

Lucian placed a hand at the small of her back, guiding her toward the lounge area where the others had gathered.

“Tonight is about more than introductions,” he murmured in her ear. “It’s about trust.”

Seraphina’s stomach tightened.

The room shifted as a tray of glasses was brought in, each filled with dark red liquid.

Wine.

Or at least, that’s what she assumed—until she noticed the way the others studied her.

Lucian took a glass and handed it to her.

“A toast,” he said. “To new alliances.”

Seraphina hesitated.

Was this another test? A ritual? A warning?

Lucian’s gaze locked onto hers, silent, waiting.

Seraphina took the glass.

The liquid was thick, smooth as she tipped it to her lips. It was wine—rich, decadent—but there was something else beneath it. Something she couldn’t quite place.

When she set the glass down, a slow smile spread across Lucian’s face.

“You belong to the dark now, Seraphina,” he murmured, his fingers grazing her wrist.

She wasn’t sure if it was a promise or a threat.

But she knew one thing.

There was no turning back