Chapter 5

SELENE

His lips curved into a smile. I couldn’t see his face clearly due to the darkness, but there was something about him that made me wary—like a sense of danger hanging in the air.

“Someone who knows what it feels like to be betrayed,” he said, his voice smooth but laced with something I couldn’t place.

I became more cautious, my body instinctively tensing.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked, now on edge.

He tilted his head slightly. “Why don’t you get into the car and let’s talk about it?” he suggested. His voice was calm, almost inviting.

I stared at him for a long moment, uncertainty gnawing at me. Don’t get in, Selene—it could be a trap, Kiera warned in my mind. I bit my lip, torn between my gut feeling and the curiosity that surged through me. After a beat of silence, I made my decision. I opened the door and slid into the car, ready to face whatever consequences lay ahead.

I knew it was a foolish thing to do, but honestly, no one would even know if I went missing.

The door clicked shut behind me, and I turned to face him. For a brief moment, I was stunned. The man in front of me was undeniably handsome. His sharp features caught my attention—perfectly shaped brows, deep marble-grey eyes that held something fierce and intense, a sharp aristocratic nose, and full lips that seemed to beg to be kissed.

But despite his beauty, there was an air of danger about him—something that made my instincts scream at me to be careful. I didn’t understand how he knew my name, and that scared me more than his looks.

What does he know about me?

“What do you mean by, ‘You know how it feels to be betrayed’?” I asked again, unable to shake off the creeping sense of unease.

“Let’s just say I happen to be in the same situation you are in,” he replied, his voice low, sending a shiver down my spine.

“I have no idea who you are, so why are you speaking like you know me? How do you know my name? What situation do you think I’m in?” I snapped, suddenly furious. This stranger was starting to make me feel paranoid, and I didn’t like it. Gorgeous or not, something about him was off.

“I can help you get even with him—Lucien,” he said, his tone steady but cold.

“Get even with Lucien? What are you talking about? How do you know anything about what happened between us?” I felt my anger flare up. “I haven’t said a word about wanting revenge! Why do you sound like a creep? I should’ve trusted my gut and ignored you!” I shouted, my hand reaching for the door handle.

Thankfully, it wasn’t locked. At least I could escape if I needed to. But just as I was about to get out, his hand shot out and gripped my wrist, his touch sending a jolt of panic through me.

My heart hammered in my chest.

“Watch this. Then tell me if you still don’t want revenge,” he said, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous murmur. He pulled out his phone and swiped across the screen, his gaze never leaving mine.

I stared at him, uncertain. Should I look? Was this just another tactic to trap me?

I could feel the fear tightening in my chest. It wasn’t just the fear of being kidnapped; it was the fear of what I might see.

He gave me a strange look—reassuring, almost, though it didn’t do much to calm me—and then pressed play.

The video flickered to life, showing Lucien on screen. My heart sank as I watched him make an official announcement—one that shattered me. He was declaring that Mira was now his mate.

I couldn’t bear to watch any more. My stomach churned as I realized the depth of his betrayal. It had only been hours since I left the pack, and he was already parading Mira around like she had always been the Luna. And to make matters worse, it wasn’t just some private moment—it was a live stream.

“Turn it off,” I said, my voice cracking. “I don’t want to see this. It’s his life. He can do whatever he wants. I rejected him, remember?” I turned away, trying to hide the tear that slipped down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away, sniffling.

“You need to see this. Do you think any pack will welcome you now, after that announcement?” The man’s voice held a quiet, controlled anger, and it sent a chill down my spine.

I froze, the words hanging in the air.

Why would he say that? Was this really about Mira?

“I’m not the first Luna to be cast aside,” I replied shakily, my voice barely above a whisper. “There are still other packs… someone will take me in. And you—why are you doing this? Did Mira hurt you too? Did she reject you?” I snapped, my frustration building.

Why was everyone trying to make me feel like trash?

Why did people keep using my pain like a weapon?

I looked away, blinking back more tears.

“That’s not why they won’t accept you,” the man said, his tone cold as ice. “Lucien made another announcement. He claimed you plotted with rogues to attack the pack out of jealousy because Mira had his attention. He said your plan backfired and your pup died because of it. Then he said that’s why he rejected you.”

My breath caught in my throat, and my heart dropped into my stomach. My mind reeled, unable to comprehend what I was hearing.

“No… you’re lying,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Lucien might be obsessed with Mira, but he wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t lie like that. He knows I had no hand in any of it! And I was the one who rejected him, not the other way around!”

The stranger didn’t argue. He just pressed play again.

Lucien’s face filled the screen. He stood at the center of the pack grounds, flanked by guards and elders, with Mira beside him in a flowing white dress that made her look like some innocent goddess. But it was his voice—calm, resolute, and cold—that struck like a blade.

“It is with a heavy heart that I must address the truth about Selene,” he said, his expression grave. “Many of you know her as my former mate, the woman who was once trusted by the whole pack. But what you don’t know is the betrayal that nearly cost us our pack.”

I couldn’t breathe. My hands began to shake.

“Out of jealousy,” Lucien continued, “Selene conspired with rogues to stage an ambush during the spring festival. I believe she hoped to sabotage our leadership, to tarnish Mira’s name, and reclaim a position that was no longer hers. But the attack failed. Our warriors pushed them back. And they all tried their best.”

My nails dug into my palms. He was rewriting everything. Twisting my grief into malice.

“I grieved with her,” he said, voice tight with false emotion. “But when I learned the truth… when I uncovered her messages to the rogue commander… I had no choice. For the safety of this pack, and in memory of the innocent lives lost, I sever all ties with her. I reject her. She is no longer welcome in my territory. She is no longer my mate.”

Mira clutched his arm then, her eyes red and glassy. “She tried to destroy us,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “But we survived. The Moon Goddess has given me a second chance to stand beside the one I love. I only pray for peace moving forward.”

It was a show. A lie dressed in white lace and soft tears.

I sat frozen, unable to move, unable to speak. My lungs burned, but I couldn’t draw in air. The weight of their betrayal crushed every inch of my soul.

He didn’t just break my heart.

He burned down my truth.

He turned my pain into a weapon against me.

Tears poured down my face, silent and hot.

“All I ever did was love him,” I choked out. “And he turned me into a monster.”

The stranger watched me quietly, then leaned in. His voice was low, lethal, and promising.

“So… are you ready to let me help you now?”