Chapter Three: The girl worth fighting for

Azrael's POV

Lyanna is so cruel.

I still couldn't understand exactly what her problem with Selena was, but one thing was obvious—she simply couldn't stand her. How could anyone be that heartless? Lyanna knew Selena was wolfless. She knew Selena had no wolf to defend herself with, yet she still chose to hurt her. It wasn't a fair fight, and Lyanna knew it.

I clenched my fists as I thought about what had happened.

I knew Lyanna had always been attracted to me. She had made her feelings obvious for years, but the feelings had never been mutual. I didn't love her. I didn't even want anything to do with her. And if she happened to be my mate, I had every right to reject her.

I would reject her.

I wasn't going to let some ancient bond force me into a life I didn't want.

"Where am I?"

Selena's soft voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

I turned toward the bed and saw her slowly opening her eyes. She looked confused as she glanced around the room.

"You're in my house," I said gently.

I had brought her here because I couldn't take her home in that condition. Her parents were already disappointed in her for being wolfless, and I knew seeing her wounded and helpless would only make things worse. The last thing I wanted was for Selena to return to a home where she would feel even more unwanted.

"Why didn't you take me home?" she asked weakly.

I walked toward the bed and sat beside her.

"Calm down, Selena. I couldn't possibly take you to your parents' house looking like this. I know how they already feel about your condition, and I didn't want them to see you this helpless and become even more disappointed in you."

Her eyes lowered.

I gently reached for her hand.

"I'm so sorry for what Lyanna did to you. I should have gotten there sooner."

"You did enough," she whispered.

"No, I didn't."

My voice came out more firmly than I intended.

"I should have protected you from the beginning. When Orion came to tell me what had happened, I rushed over immediately. I still can't believe Lyanna could be so heartless."

I sighed.

"I've already made sure she understands that what she did was unacceptable. I don't care what she thinks of you or what problem she has with you. And honestly, I couldn't care less about what she does anymore. You're my concern right now."

I paused, studying her face.

"Especially because you're wolfless."

I could see the pain flash through her eyes at those words, and I immediately regretted saying them.

"Not because I think you're weak," I added quickly. "But because I know how vulnerable you are without a wolf to protect you."

I pulled her into my arms.

"I'm sorry, Selena."

She rested her head against my chest.

"I'm fine now."

I knew she was lying.

She didn't want me to see how badly it had affected her. She wanted to appear strong, probably because she had spent her entire life being treated like she wasn't enough.

I gently pulled back and held her face between my hands, forcing her to look directly into my eyes.

"Selena, you don't have to be strong around me."

Her eyes widened slightly.

"Let me see your weakness. Let me see your depression. Let yourself look helpless in front of me. I will never leave you because of it."

My thumbs gently brushed against her cheeks.

"I would still love you. Your weakness doesn't make you less worthy of love. Your tears are precious to me, and I don't want you crying alone or hiding your pain from me. Let me be the person who sees both sides of you. Let me see your strength and your weakness. You don't always have to pretend that everything is okay."

Something changed in her expression.

Her eyes began to glisten.

I didn't understand why my words had affected her so deeply until I saw the tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

"Oh, my sweet Azrael..."

Her voice trembled.

"Your words are capturing my heart. You're making me fall even more in love with you."

My heart skipped.

She smiled through her tears.

"Thank you for being my biggest supporter and my biggest cheerleader, even when no one else was. Even when no one accepted me, you did."

I used the back of my hand to wipe away her tears.

"You accepted me wholeheartedly," she continued. "You made this pack feel like home to me."

She stared into my eyes, and then she said the words that completely caught me off guard.

"I love you, Azrael."

For a moment, I couldn't speak.

All of her emotions were written across her face. There was no hesitation, no uncertainty, no attempt to hide what she felt.

She wore her love openly.

It was the kind of love that was impossible to deny—the kind of love that made you wish it could last forever. The kind of love where, when you're with the person you love, every problem suddenly seems insignificant.

That was the kind of love Selena carried in her eyes.

She loved me.

And she wasn't hiding it.

I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly.

"I'll be right back," I whispered.

I called the healer and instructed her to tend to Selena's wounds while I attended the pack meeting.

"You need to rest," I told Selena.

She nodded.

I carefully helped her settle back onto the bed before pulling the blanket over her.

"Sleep. I'll come back as soon as the meeting is over."

She gave me a small smile before closing her eyes.

I watched her for a few seconds, making sure she was comfortable, before finally leaving the room.

As I walked down the stairs and through the hallway, I could hear murmuring coming from the direction of the meeting hall.

My brows furrowed.

Clearly, something was going on.

The moment I reached the entrance, Orion, my personal assistant, announced my arrival.

"Here comes the future Alpha of the Stygian Hunt Pack."

Every conversation immediately died down.

I stepped into the meeting hall and scanned the room.

My father, Alpha Lycaon, sat on his throne-like seat at the front of the hall, while my mother sat beside him. The atmosphere was tense, and I could immediately sense that whatever this meeting was about, I was somehow involved.

I approached my father.

"Alpha."

After greeting him, I took my usual seat on his left.

I barely had time to settle before one of the elders rose from his seat.

Marrok.

His presence alone was enough to command silence.

He was one of the most feared elders in the pack and was infamous for speaking his mind, whether anyone had asked for his opinion or not.

He was also Lyanna's father.

That explained a lot.

Marrok had always wanted me to marry his daughter. He was my father's right-hand man and one of his closest friends, which was probably the only reason he felt entitled enough to continuously push Lyanna toward me.

He turned toward my father.

"Alpha Lycaon."

His voice echoed throughout the hall.

"Your son has raised serious concerns and disrupted rules that have been established in this pack for many years."

My jaw tightened.

Marrok continued.

"He has shown complete disregard for the laws and traditions of the Stygian Hunt Pack by saving a minor—a wolfless girl."

"What?"

The word escaped my mouth before I could stop it.

So this was what all the murmuring had been about.

Me.

Selena.

I leaned forward in my seat, my eyes narrowing.

Marrok wasn't finished.

"That girl has no wolf, no standing, and no place within the affairs of our pack. Yet the future Alpha risked himself to protect her and even brought her into his home."

My fists clenched beneath the table.

How dare they?

They were talking about Selena as if she were nothing.

As if being born without a wolf made her less of a person.

Marrok's eyes met mine.

"And that, Alpha Lycaon, is why I believe your son must be held accountable for breaking the laws of this pack."

The entire room fell silent.

I looked at my father.

Then at Marrok.

And finally, I leaned back in my chair.

If they wanted a fight, they had chosen the wrong person.

Because I wasn't going to let anyone decide Selena's worth based on whether she had a wolf.

Not even my own pack.