You are not important

Selina’s POV

Walking into the ballroom felt like walking into the lair of a beast I’d spent years preparing to kill.

Everything about the opulence around me screamed power and control. The crystal chandeliers, the polished marble floors, and the orchestra playing something sophisticated and soulless in the background. It was all so Lucas. Polished, arrogant, and reeking of privilege.

But this time, I wasn’t here to beg for his love or even forgiveness. I was here to show him what true power looked like. And to take everything he held dear, piece by agonizing fucking piece.

“Miss Carter.”

Vera’s voice crackled through the earpiece hidden beneath the cascade of my dark hair. Her voice was calm and collected, but I could sense her underlying concern.

“Yes?” I replied softly, my gaze sweeping the room, searching for the man who had once torn me apart.

“Your presence has already caused quite a stir. The guests are buzzing, and the cameras are trained on you. Exactly as you requested.”

“Good. Let them stare.” I allowed a cool, taunting smile to curve my lips. “Any sign of our gracious host?”

“Mr. Blackwood is approaching from the far left. And from what I can see… he’s not happy.”

“Perfect.”

I reached for a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, holding it delicately between my fingers like a weapon disguised as elegance. My gown—blood-red silk hugging every curve, the slit running high up my thigh—was designed to provoke. To make sure Lucas’s first glimpse of me would be seared into his mind forever.

I wanted him to suffer. To choke on the memory of what he’d thrown away.

And then I saw him. Lucas fucking Blackwood cut through the crowd like a predator, his gaze locked on me with the intensity of a wolf about to strike. He looked the same and yet… not. Taller, broader, his shoulders carrying the weight of both his corporate empire and his pack. His dark hair was still perfectly tousled, his eyes the same icy, unforgiving blue that had once made my heart race with something dangerously close to worship.

He was dressed in a tailored black suit that screamed wealth and dominance, his aura commanding attention and fear. The powerful alpha who ruled with an iron fist. The man who’d shattered me without a hint of remorse.

His gaze raked over me, hot and scalding, and for a moment, I saw something raw flicker in his eyes. Shock, desire, fury, and beneath all of that, something darker.

Obsession.

He was hungry, and I was the feast he couldn’t have.

I lifted my glass and raised it in a mocking salute, my smile sharp enough to cut. His jaw clenched, and he started toward me with purpose in every step. The crowd parted for him, their eyes flicking nervously between us as if they could feel the tension crackling in the air.

“Miss Carter,” Lucas greeted, his voice low and edged with danger. “I didn’t expect you to actually show up.”

“Really?” I took a slow sip of champagne, letting the cool liquid glide down my throat. “I thought you were smarter than that, Lucas. You issue a challenge, and you think I’d just stay away? How disappointing.”

His eyes narrowed, but his lips twisted into something resembling a smile. A predator’s smile. “Is that what you think this is? A challenge?”

“Oh, I know it is. You’re just furious I accepted.”

His gaze dropped to the slit of my dress, lingering on the expanse of bare leg revealed by the movement of silk. Heat flared in his eyes, but it was accompanied by something far more vicious.

“I see you’ve spent your time away… perfecting the art of being a manipulative little bitch.”

I laughed, the sound rich and condescending. “Oh, Lucas. You have no idea what I’ve perfected.”

His nostrils flared, his fists clenching at his sides as if he was barely restraining himself from reaching for me. As if he wanted to tear me apart and consume me at the same time.

“Walk with me,” he demanded, the authority in his tone designed to crush anyone who dared defy him.

I arched a brow, letting my amusement shine through. “I’m not some obedient little pet, Lucas. You don’t get to command me.”

“That wasn’t a request.” His voice dropped to a growl, the primal edge in his words making my wolf stir beneath the surface.

But I didn’t let him see that. Instead, I took another sip of champagne and smiled. “Fine. Let’s walk.”

He turned sharply and led me away from the prying eyes of the guests, his powerful stride forcing me to match his pace. He guided me through a corridor and into a private lounge draped in dark, expensive décor. It was his style. All dominance and no warmth.

The door closed with a soft click, and the air between us thickened.

“Was all of this just to get my attention?” Lucas asked, his gaze boring into me like he was trying to unravel every piece of me.

“Please. As if your attention is worth anything to me.” I leaned against the wall, my fingers idly playing with the rim of my glass. “You’re not that important, Lucas. You’re just a target.”

“A target?” His voice came out as a dangerous whisper. “Is that what this pathetic little crusade is about? You want to destroy me?”

“Yes.” The truth slipped from my lips like a weapon sharpened to perfection. “I’m going to tear everything you have apart. Just like you did to me.”

He moved faster than I expected, crowding me against the wall, his body pressing into mine with a force that stole my breath. His scent washed over me, dark and intoxicating, and I hated how my body responded to it.

“How long are you going to keep lying to yourself, Selina?” he murmured, his lips so close I could feel the heat of his breath. “You can hate me all you want. But it won’t change the fact that you still want me.”

My fingers tightened around the glass, the urge to throw it in his face warring with the treacherous heat building inside me.

“Want you?” I sneered. “You really think I came here for you? I’m here to end you, Lucas. Nothing more.”

His hand came up to cup my jaw, rough fingers brushing against my skin like a taunt. “You think you can destroy me? Go ahead and try. But don’t forget, sweetheart…” He leaned in until his mouth was just a whisper away from mine. “You were mine first. And you’ll be mine again. No matter what you tell yourself.”