A Rival at the Dinner Table

I stood by the window in my study, staring out at the sprawling estate grounds as twilight descended. Tristan's words still echoed in my mind: "I'm going to ask her to be my girlfriend."

The whiskey in my hand did nothing to calm the storm brewing inside me. My wolf was restless, pacing and growling at the thought of Seraphina with another man—especially my nephew.

What the hell was wrong with me? I had no claim on her. She'd made that abundantly clear this morning. One night of passion didn't give me ownership rights, no matter how much my wolf disagreed.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.

"Dinner's ready, sir," Maria announced.

I downed the rest of my whiskey in one burning gulp. "I'll be right there."

In the dining room, Camille and Tristan were already seated, chatting animatedly. Leo sat quietly, pushing food around his plate.