CHAPTER 7

Selina

Raymond stepped closer. His scent enveloped me once more—that scent that made my head spin. You should be careful whom you trust. Rowan belongs to a clan interested in pure souls.

I know. Elian told me that many people here have reasons to stay close to me.

At the mention of Elian’s name, Raymond’s expression darkened. The vampire. Where is he, anyway? He’s supposed to be guarding you, yet he only shows up when it suits him.

He’s here. I saw him this morning. He’s keeping his distance because the bond makes you restless.

Raymond gave a short, bitter laugh. The bond makes me restless. Your scent makes me restless. Your magic makes me restless. Everything about you makes the wolf restless.

I stared at him. Then leave the wolf alone. I didn’t ask you to save me. I didn’t ask you to watch over me. And I didn’t ask you to leave behind ointment and shirts.

He took another step closer—so close I could feel his breath. You think I do this out of kindness. I do it because the bond demands it. Because your weakness becomes my weakness. Because your pain consumes my curse faster.

That’s a lie, I whispered. You could ignore me. You don’t.

For a moment, he looked as if he wanted to say something. Then he pulled away. Go to the archives. Learn. And when the magic returns, call me.

He left me with a pounding heart. I hated how my body reacted to him. I hated that his words hurt while simultaneously stirring something awake inside me.

That afternoon, I was back in the archives with Alfred. We found an old text about soul bonds between hybrids and werewolves. It described how the bond not only stabilized powers but also amplified emotions. Closeness. Attraction. Even protective instincts.

Alfred read the paragraph aloud and then looked at me. "That explains a lot. Raymond’s behavior. The way he watches you. The bond is driving him."

"Or he’s just an asshole," I replied.

"Both are possible. But the bond makes it more complicated."

Geraldine joined us later and sat down. She and Alfred spoke quietly about old records, and I saw their hands brush briefly. A small smile flitted across Alfred’s face. It felt good to see that someone here could find something beautiful.

When the archives closed, Alfred walked me back. On the way, we ran into Liora. She gave a wide smile, her silver hair gleaming in the light.

"Selina. I’ve heard about your magic. Impressive. If you need help controlling it, come to me. The Fae know more about pure blood than the wolves do."

I offered a polite but cold smile. "Thanks. I already have help."

She shrugged and walked on. Alfred murmured quietly, "She’s dangerous. Stay away."

"I know."

It was quiet back in the quarters. Raymond wasn’t there yet. I showered and put on comfortable clothes. When I walked into the living room, he was suddenly standing in the doorway. He looked tired. The curse was gnawing at him; I could see it in the tension of his shoulders.

"You ate?" he asked.

"Yes. Alfred brought me something."

"Of course." He sat down on the sofa, and I sat in the armchair opposite him. The silence stretched out.

"Why did you leave the ointment?" I asked eventually.

"Because the wound could get infected. And because the bond weakens when you’re sick."

"Always the bond."

"Yes. Always the bond."

I leaned forward. "Tell me the truth, Raymond. Is there more to it? You watch over me. You warn me. You leave food and clothes. That’s more than just the bond."

He looked at me for a long time. His eyes were darker than usual. "Your scent. It calms the wolf and drives him wild at the same time. It’s confusing. And your magic... it feels like it belongs here. Like it belongs to the very thing the curse is destroying."

I swallowed hard. "That doesn't sound like hate."

"Hate would be easier," he murmured. "I know hate. This... I don't."

The air between us grew heavy. I felt my heart beating faster. Magic tingled beneath my skin. Green sparks danced briefly around my fingers before I suppressed them.

Raymond saw the sparks and slowly stood up. He came over and knelt in front of the armchair. He raised his hand and held it over mine—not touching, just close.

"Calmly," he said softly. "Breathe. Control it."

I breathed. The sparks died out. His proximity was overwhelming; his scent filled my lungs. I wanted to pull away and move closer at the same time.

"Why are you helping me?" I whispered.

"Because I have to. And because I want to."

The words hung between us. Then he stood up abruptly and took a step back.

"Get some sleep, Selina. Tomorrow will be hard."

He disappeared into his room. I remained seated, staring at my hands. The magic was quiet. But my heart wasn't.

Later, lying in bed, I could hear him pacing back and forth in the other room. The curse was tormenting him. I could sense it somehow through the bond—a dull ache that wasn't mine. I pressed my hand against my chest and whispered into the darkness.

*I still hate you. But I don’t want you to destroy yourself.*

The pain subsided. As if he had heard me. Or as if the bond had carried the message.

I drifted off to sleep with the feeling that something was changing. Slowly. Dangerously. And unstoppably.

The next morning, there was something on the chair again. This time, a small book. An old manual on Fae control. Inside was a slip of paper with just one line.

*Read this. And come to training tonight. Just the two of us.*

No name. But I knew who it was from.

I picked up the book and smiled, despite everything. The asshole Alpha was leaving behind books, salves, and warnings. And somewhere beneath it all lay something that felt like the beginning of something I didn't want to name.

Today, I would read. Today, I would train. And today, I would find out just how far this damn bond would push us.

 

And perhaps I would find out what this damned bond was really doing to the two of us.