When The Moon Hides Her Crown (Seraphina) by Pooja novel Chapter 257

**He Promised to Give Me the World, Yet the Price Was My Soul by Caden Blake**

**SERAPHINA**

What just transpired?

“Are you alright?” Ronan stood protectively before me, his strong frame acting as a barrier against the curious gazes of those around us.

My heart raced uncontrollably, each beat echoing the confusion swirling in my mind. Just moments ago, when Ronan had burst into my view, it felt as though he had jolted me back to reality, as if I had been on the brink of succumbing to a darkness within me. He was my anchor, my savior in that tumultuous moment.

I lifted my gaze to meet his, nodding slightly, “Yes.”

Ronan’s arm remained firmly around my waist, a silent promise of safety as he called out, “Mace, my coat.”

A tall, striking man stepped forward, handing Ronan a sleek black coat. Our eyes locked for a fleeting moment, and he offered me a respectful bow before departing. A lycan, I noted, a creature of strength and grace.

Ronan enveloped me in his coat, the fabric warm against my skin, his scent enveloping me like a comforting embrace. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him; my heart raced faster with every heartbeat. Instead of tending to his own wounds, he was here, shielding me from the cold and the chaos, a protector in the storm.

“You’re hurt,” I murmured, instinctively reaching for his arm, my fingers brushing against the bandages.

“Don’t worry, Verkas is already healing it,” he replied with a reassuring smile, his thumb gently caressing my lower lip, sending a wave of warmth coursing through me.

I nodded, but a thought suddenly struck me. “How did you manage to get here? Your kingdom… it was under siege by the werewolves. What happened?”

“It was all a lie…” Ronan began, his voice steady as he recounted the events that had unfolded.

I blinked, my mind struggling to keep up with the revelations.

My gaze drifted to the side, where a massive tree stood, resilient against the chaos around it.

“Luna Victoria,” a voice cut through the tension as Aran entered the tent, “I am healer Aran, a friend of Alpha Asher. May I check your pulse?” His tone was friendly, yet Luna Victoria appeared to be trembling, fear etched across her face, not just from Aran but from the entire atmosphere.

Asher watched him with an unreadable expression, and Aran flashed him a smile. “Luna seems a bit panicked. We need to stabilize her emotions before things take a turn for the worse, don’t you think?”

Luna Victoria clung tightly to Asher, her frail frame suggesting she had been deprived of sustenance and social interaction for far too long.

Chapter 257: The Only One Who Could Stop Asher

“It’s alright,” Asher reassured her, but she shook her head at Aran repeatedly, her pallor indicating a deeper fear. She looked as if she might faint, teetering on the edge of collapse, her only tether being the presence of her son.

“Check me, Aran,” Asher offered, extending his hand toward the healer.

His mother’s gaze followed him, her anxious expression softening as she observed how safe it was for her to be checked. Slowly, she placed her trembling hand in Aran’s. Hesitation flickered in her eyes, but Aran’s gentle demeanor and calming words began to ease her fears. He spoke of their childhood, weaving a tale of friendship that seemed to resonate with her.

Asher’s expression remained stoic, but as his mother began to recognize him, the madness in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a newfound calmness.

“What exactly happened?” I asked Ronan, still grappling with the whirlwind of information. “Was Asher’s mother truly alive?”

It struck me then; Ronan had never explicitly stated that his mother had died.

“In an effort to prevent her from becoming pregnant again and to protect herself and others, Asher had someone confine her to the house where she lived before giving birth to him. Silver chains were the only thing keeping her from shifting and harming herself. Very few knew about her situation,” Ronan explained, his voice steady.

I blinked in surprise. So, Ronan had ventured to retrieve Asher’s mother to quell our conflict? She was the only one capable of reaching him, of stopping his descent into madness over her condition.

That was when I noticed—his mother was wearing my gown. It hung loosely on her frame, but it was undeniably mine. Just as I was about to inquire about it, a voice called out to me.

“Sera!”

“Lily!” I gasped, relief flooding through me as I rushed toward her. Was this a mirage? We embraced tightly, and the moment I felt her heartbeat, I knew she was truly alive. Not dead. “I was terrified when you fainted. Are you alright?” I noted how cold her body felt, how she trembled against me.

“I feel as if I’ve fallen into an odd dream… I can’t quite grasp what happened,” she explained, pulling back to scan the surroundings with fearful eyes. “Everyone was captured by the Alpha King’s wolves and brought here.”

I noticed the gloom that had clouded her face had lifted. The curse had dissipated. My gaze flicked to the she-wolves being untied by Alpha Hugo. Those who had succumbed to the curse were now awakening. No one had perished! Women, children—everyone was safe.

In my vision, I had seen them meet the most horrific ends.

My heart raced. “I turned my vision into a false one. Everyone is safe and alive,” I whispered, almost in disbelief. That had never happened before.

“Really, Sera?” Lily asked, her eyes wide with astonishment.

I nodded, clutching Ronan’s coat tightly around me. “Yes, for the first time, I managed to prevent my vision from coming true.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Ronan’s?”

“Yeah,” she said slowly, her face paling. “I think it was the same scent when our pack was attacked… when all the males were… exterminated.”

Phina stirred uncomfortably within me. “That’s not possible, Lily. Why would Ronan’s scent be there?” My own question hung heavily in the air, and I felt my smile waver.

Her expression turned frantic as she met my gaze, and I froze, the realization dawning upon me. Was it… Ronan?

**RONAN**

“What is happening?” Asher growled, his voice low and threatening. “You brought my mother here, she’s wearing Seraphina’s gown, and she suddenly recognizes me? What the hell is going on, Ronan?”

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “It is exactly as it appears.”

His eyes flickered to his mother, who sat quietly beside Aran as he examined her. No longer frightened, she listened intently, as though she understood him.

“This is absurd. You’re telling me that just by wearing Seraphina’s gown, she became like this?”

“Not just by her clothing, but by her scent. Her aura,” I clarified, meeting his gaze.

“What?” His brows knitted together in confusion.

“We’ve been mistaken about the Blood Petal all along,” I continued, my voice firm. “Everyone believed that when the Blood Petal touched those she-wolves, they were ruined. But when I approached your mother with Seraphina’s gown, infused with her aura and scent, she began to return to normal. I had my suspicions for a while, and now they’ve been confirmed. Her mind is reverting to the time she first gave birth to you, yet she retains knowledge of the years that have passed.”

Asher looked taken aback, but he shook his head in disbelief. “How is this even possible?”

“You can see it for yourself,” I gestured toward his mother. “She is… slowly returning to normal. It’s happening, and it’s only possible because of the aura and scent from Seraphina’s gown.”

“But I witnessed her mental decline every time she was touched by the Blood Petal! She harmed her newborns and herself. Are you suggesting that was all in my imagination?!” His voice was laced with bitterness.

“No, what I’m saying is that there’s something else surrounding the Blood Petal that caused harm to those she-wolves when they were touched by the white flower,” I explained, glancing at Seraphina.

Asher followed my gaze, his brow furrowing. “What do you mean?”

Verkas flickered in my vision, observing Seraphina’s aura sharpening without her awareness. Even her scent was intensifying, almost as if the flower was on the verge of blooming. I cast a glance at the darkening sky and murmured, “That is something I will uncover, no matter the cost.”