SELENE“Before I answer that, I just have to clarify something. How many days did you say I spent in the hole?” I asked Tristan.“I went in to get you on the eighth day, but you went missing on the fifth day though. We couldn't track you anymore for some reason.”I stared at him, trying to see if he was lying, but it didn't seem like he was lying to me. And if he wasn't, then what exactly happened in that place?There is no way I would have survived being unconscious for two days without a monster finishing me off, unless…. Unless someone else was in there with me.“Are you okay? You suddenly went quiet.”I looked up at Tristan's worried gaze and smiled slightly at him.“Yeah…just thinking about some things.” I told him of my fights and some of the monsters I saw, and he listened intently, his expression darkening with each word that left my lips.Tristan's face was grim. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."He asked me a few questions, and I answered, but something told me to
SELENEIt was my first shower in over a week now, and the hot water was a welcome relief, washing away the remnants of sleep from my eyes.I took in a deep breath, savoring it before I shut the water off, dried my body off quickly, and dressed.The clothes fit me perfectly…of course they did. They felt very soft and comfortable, reminding me of the life I lived before, the life that was snatched away from me.With a sigh, I pulled my damp hair over one shoulder and stepped back into the room.There was nothing keeping me here anymore, but I knew I was stalling. As much as I didn't care, I needed the acceptance of the pack members to solidify my position here. It was time to see what exactly this pack thought of me.I stepped out of the room, ignoring the small part of me that wanted to run back to hide under the covers. The hallway was exactly how I remember it, but I had no idea which way to go.“Let's just go with left.” I muttered to myself as I turned in that direction.As I wande
TRISTAN Selene was still not comfortable with me, I could see how hard she was trying to hold back, but I was a patient man…sometimes. I would wait for her, no matter how long it took, I knew she would eventually love me the way I was already falling for her.And who could blame her? I don't have all the information, but it's obvious she was betrayed and hurt by someone really close to her, and that is what made her close herself off, but I would show her that not every body would betray her, in fact, there were people that would lay down there lives for her. People like me.I shut the door behind me softly and walked down the hallway to my office. A few pack members lowered their head in respect, but I barely acknowledged them, deep in thought.Although Selene had passed the judgement by the goddess, it was not like she would suddenly be accepted by the pack. Despite the fact that she's my mate, she was still an outsider, and the pack would be wary of her. I would have to figure ou
SELENE “Are you alright?” Tristan burst into the room right as I was about to take the last bite of my sandwich.He stared at me, a confused look on his face as he watched me chew.“I take it you heard.” I raised an eyebrow. It was not really a question.I had noticed the guard that kept following me, and I had a feeling that was Tristan's doing.“I want to hear it from you? What really happened?” He finally left the door and walked in, sitting next to me.“I don't think your pack members would accept me so easily.” I murmured as my eyes filled up with tears.Get over it, Selene. So what if some people didn't like me, I could deal with that.“They don't have a choice in that!” Tristan growled.I left my seat and went to him, lowering myself on his lap. The way his hand instinctively went around me was enough to give me butterflies, but I ignored it.Focus on the task at hand, Selene.“You can't force them to accept me as their Luna. I don't even know if I want to be a Luna.” He stare
SELENE“Tristan, we're not even dressed well for a place as fancy as this. Besides, do you even have a reservation?”This place was popular, but it was really hard to get a reservation here. I know because I had tried to get one a few months ago for Lucas and I, but it was impossible.“We don't need one.” He smirked before getting out of the car. He went round the front to open my door for me, but before he could get here, I had already gotten out myself.“You should have let me open it.” He scolded.“I think you've forgotten who you're talking to. I'm perfectly fine with opening my door.” I was a little bit pissed off with him, and I wanted him to know it.Tristan caught my wrist. His touch was warm, sending a wave of shock through me.“Selene.”Just my name, nothing more, but the war he said it, the possessive tone he used, it sent a wave of desire coursing through me. I may be angry, but my body wanted him.“This does not count as a date. I need to be asked out properly, not tricke
SELENEBy the time we left the restaurant, the tension between us was undeniable. I could feel it, and I'm very sure Tristan could too.“What did you mean earlier?” I asked, trying to distract my thoughts as Tristan drove us back to the pack house. “Hmm…you'll have to be a bit more specific.” “When you said we can do both at the same time? The mating ceremony and my plans for revenge.”I cleared my throat, trying to focus on the conversation instead of the feeling of Tristan's hand on my thigh, or his finger going around in circles and scrambling my mind.“You were a member of the Razorback, right? The pack that betrayed you.” He asked.“Yeah….” I replied, my mind going back to the life I lived before Lucas ruined everything.A part of me wants to go back to the time where I had no idea what was going on behind my back. I may have been naive, but I was happy, at least I thought I was.I hadn't told Tristan the whole story yet, about me being the daughter of the past alpha, and the p
TRISTAN "You want what?" Selene asked in surprise.The fire in her eyes reminded me of how she looked after I brought us to the restaurant, her feelings practically radiating off her in waves. She had been so adorable, her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl on her face.But what entertained me the most was how quickly her anger shifted to jealousy and possessiveness the second the waitress had greeted me like she knew me."Your usual table, Alpha?" the woman had asked, smiling warmly.Selene had gone stiff. She had tried to act indifferent like she didn't care, but I could see through her act.I had seen jealousy before, but on Selene? It was adorable. The slight narrowing of her eyes, the way she looked everywhere but at me, the forced indifference in her tone when she finally asked the question she had been dying to know.How many women have you brought here? She hadn’t wanted to ask, but the question had slipped out anyway.She had tried to sound casual, like she didn’t care,
SELENEA huge wedding ceremony…. If we did that, news would spread that the Alpha of the Denizens had found his mate, and a lot of people would try to get a glimpse of me out of curiosity.If that happened, Lucas might see me and recognise me, and he'd know I didn't die, he'd know I would come after him…My thoughts were occupied with the deal I made with Tristan earlier as I brushed out my wet hair.Once we got into the pack house, he was whisked away to attend to pack issues while I was left alone to my own devices.The huge bathtub in Tristan's bathroom, well our bathroom…since we shared the room now, was calling to me, and I decided to take a long soak while waiting for Tristan.It had been an hour now but he still hadn't come back. I didn't think anything major had happened while we were out that they needed his attention.I stared at myself in the mirror, from my snow blonde hair and snow white pupils down to the slight curves on my body. My father always said I looked just like
SELENE The blood drained from my face at Tristan's words. "I…" The words tangled on my tongue and my mouth opened and closed multiple times as I tried to figure out what to say, but nothing was coming. What happened last night? I could not remember anything…but Tristan must have seen something…something that told him I was behind the night ripper he had been after all these while. But what…? I could not say too much and risk giving out information that he did not know and digging an even deeper grave for myself. I felt like I was drowning, struggling to breathe through the sudden weight pressing down on my chest. "Where do I even start?" Tristan muttered after a few seconds of watching me flounder around for what to say, dragging a hand through his hair, making it even messier. "Start what?" I whispered as I stared at him, my heart hammering against my ribs. Goddess…why did my voice sound so small? Tristan exhaled sharply, then pushed himself up from the chair as he started t
SELENE "Ugh…my eyes…" I groaned, squinting as the sunlight stabbed at me like tiny, white-hot needles. I turned my head, burying my face into the pillow, but the damage was already done and now I was wide awake. I cracked one eye open, then the other, slowly adjusting to the golden light flooding the room. Wait…that was strange. I was pretty sure we had drawn the curtains shut last night. Tristan had been so insistent, muttering something about the cold draft sneaking in through the windows. I had watched him pull the heavy drapes closed, the muscles in his back shifting under his skin, and then he had turned back to me, those wickedly playful eyes filled with intent… Heat flooded my cheeks, and I yanked the blanket over my head, mortified at where my mind immediately went. Goddess…I could still feel the phantom traces of his hands on my skin, the way his mouth had worshipped every inch of my body. I pressed my palms against my burning cheeks, groaning again but this time from
TRISTAN My hands were trembling as I pulled Selene gently into my arms, trying to shield her body with mine. “Selene,” I whispered, pressing my forehead to hers, “Selene, what the hell just happened? What was that?” My brain was racing. None of this made sense. I had left her sleeping in our room not long ago. I had kissed her forehead, brushed her hair back and promised her that I would be back before she even noticed I was gone. So how the hell was she here now? Naked, unconscious, inside the remains of the night ripper? Was she…was she the one controlling it? Had it been her all along? No…that couldn’t be…right? Or had it tried to kill her but we got it before it could? But how had it gone up to my room, the pack was guarded and warded too…. Thoughts swirled around in my head, faster than I could keep up with, and I had no idea what to do. But how else could this make sense? The white smoke had formed her. I clutched her tighter, trying to shield her as the footsteps of my
TRISTAN The monster stared right at me, and I felt a shiver run down my spine, but I straightened and held its stare, refusing to flinch, a tight smirk curling my lips. “You are in my trap now,” I said under my breath, just loud enough for myself. “Your little reign of terror ends tonight.” It started moving again, slow and almost sluggish, like the runes were doing their job. Each step it took flickered more of the silver light around it, and I could smell the acrid burn of smoke where its misty form brushed the poison laced lines. Good…that meant our plan was working. Without a single hesitation, I ran towards it, my poison coated dagger already in my hand, cool and steady, coated in that rare venom we had spent a ridiculous amount of money to acquire. But now, as I closed the distance, I could feel its effect on the creature, and seeing how it flinched when I got close to it, its body coiling tighter in defense - made it all worth it. “You messed with the wrong pac
TRISTAN “You all know the plan,” I said, my voice steady, there was no room for doubt. “We may not have the full team, but the strategy holds. Do all you can to get it to the trap, and I will be at the end waiting.” Dorian exhaled hard through his nose, then lifted his chin. “We’ve got this.” “We do.” I met the gaze of every man there. “We finish this... tonight.” They nodded, one by one, every last one of them. There was no single hint of fear on their faces despite the fact that we were not prepared for this, they were all determined to see this through. That was why I knew that I could trust them with my life. “Do not let it double back,” I added. “Keep it moving. If you need to slow it down, do it, but do not get cocky. It’s faster than it looks.” “Yes, Alpha,” they echoed as one. I watched them melt into the trees, quiet as shadows, spreading out just like we’d trained. All our planning came down to this moment. I stood alone for a second longer, drawing in a slow brea
TRISTAN I walked ahead of my men, scanning the trees like I had a hundred times already, and there was nothing there, no footprints…no scent…no movement…just the same quiet tension pressing down on us. The Ripper was still out here, I was sure of it. But the bastard had gone quiet…too quiet. There had been no attacks in weeks, just silence, and while I should have been happy about that because it meant I did not lose any more pack members, something told me that whatever was coming was big….It did not sit right with me. It was almost like it had vanished into thin air, but I knew better, I knew that it was still in my pack and it would fall into my trap soon. All we could do now was wait and hope he was arrogant enough to fall into it. I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed. It was hard to focus today. My head kept drifting back to the pack house…back to Selene. She had still been asleep when I left, curled up under the blankets, one leg sticking out like she was fighting the
SELENE I got serious this time, with Tristan and I silently exchanging blows and none of us refusing to give in to each other. You’re not the only one who can play foul, I thought to myself as my heart pounded loudly. The moment I saw an opening, I moved quickly, stepping into his space and closing the distance between us until our noses were almost touching. I could feel the heat rolling off his body, the rise and fall of his chest. And then, in a tone I knew would undo him, I whispered in the most seductive voice I could, “I’ve missed you in bed.” Tristan's eyes went wide in shock as he stumbled a little and lost his footing, just like I hoped. That single second of hesitation was all I needed, I used the opportunity to grab his shoulder, twisting my weight, and taking him down hard onto the mat. He grunted as his back hit the floor, and before he could recover, I straddled him, my knees braced tightly on either side of his thighs and my hands pressed to his chest. “Got you,”
SELENE Tristan stepped into the ring without taking his eyes off me. “You may not see it…” he said, his voice smooth and calm as he began bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet, loosening his shoulders, “...but that boy looks at you like you hung the stars.” What!?? I didn't even know what I was expecting from Tristan, but that was the last thing I expected him to say. “I need him to not get any ideas about my mate,” he added, flashing that grin again…the one that showed a hint of fang, just enough to make my heart start beating faster. “Now, are we doing this or not?” “So…” I began as I raised my fists, “you’re really here just to spar? Or are you here to mark your territory?” “Maybe both,” he said, meeting my eyes with a glint that made my stomach flip. “What can I say? I don’t like sharing.” “Who says you have anything to worry about?” “I know I don’t,” he said as calm as ever. “But that does not mean I will not remind the entire pack that you are mine.” I raised a brow
SELENE “You seem pretty distracted. Is there something on your mind?” Eli grunted just before his fist came flying toward my face. I barely dodged his blow in time as I twisting to the side, but the movement threw off my balance. My foot slipped, and before I could recover or find my footing, I landed flat on my ass with a hard thud with the impact sending a jolt up my spine. I needed to focus or I would get hit. “Ugh…” I groaned, glaring up at him from the mat. “Remind me again why I agreed to spar first thing in the morning?” Eli laughed, already extending a hand toward me. “Because you said you would get rusty if you did not move. Your words, not mine.” I grabbed his fingers and let him haul me up, brushing dust off my training clothes as I caught my breath. The morning air was cool against my skin which was still sticky with sweat. My muscles ached in the best way…but my mind was all over the place and I could not get myself to focus. “I’m fine,” I muttered, turning away f