Selene's POVWhen we were done eating, Kilian rose from his seat and held his hand out to me.“Come.”I slid my fingers into his, and he led me outside.The backyard stretched so vast and open it almost looked like a field of its own. Tall trees swayed gently, flowers bloomed in soft shades of color, and I even caught a few birds hopping around in the branches. It was peaceful here, peaceful in a way that made me almost forget all my worries.“This place is really spacious,” Kilian said as he looked around, smiling proudly. His voice dipped lower, “Up ahead is the lake. But we are not going there now.”He walked a little further until he reached a long shape resting on a bench, covered in velvet cloth. My curiosity picked up as he picked it up and unwrapped it.A sword?No… not exactly. It was a wooden sword.Kilian turned back to me, his lips curving into a smile, his eyes sparkled with that unreadable intensity. “I’m going to teach you how to spar.”My stomach dipped. Spar? With hi
Selene's POVThe carriage finally rolled to a stop, and my heart gave a little jump when I saw where we were. Killian was the first to step down. He picked up our suitcase with one hand, then turned to me with the other already outstretched.I smiled, placing my hand in his. He helped me down carefully.Behind us, I heard the carriage wheels moving, the horses snorting softly as the rider turned them away. I had no idea where it was headed now, but I didn’t care. My eyes were fixed on the sight of Killian's manor in front of me.It wasn’t like anything I had imagined. The great house loomed ahead, carved from dark stone, its walls were tall. Two towers framed the structure, not too tall but dignified. The heavy wooden doors at the front gleamed as though freshly polished.A gravel path led to the entrance, lined with lanterns that flickered softly.My fingers tightened around Killian’s as I stared, my breath caught in my throat.He turned to me, his piercing gaze softening. “Do you
Killian's POV“Shh..” I kissed her hair. “Don't say stuff like that, okay?”“But it's true. Lucian might want to attack your pack if he doesn't get me—”“I would never let that happen.” I pulled away from her embrace then cupped her face gently.“Selene, I'll do everything within my power to protect you. None of this is your fault and I don't want you thinking about it.”She stared at me with teary eyes. “After the ceremony, can we perform the ritual as soon as possible?”I froze, my heart racing rapidly in my chest. Performing the ritual wasn't something I wanted to do right now, because of what Soteria said.“Selene…The ritual can wait.”“Why? We should perform it quickly. That way no one would come for me and you and your pack wouldn't be at stake because of me.” A tear rolled down her now red cheeks.How do I tell her the reason I don't want to perform the ritual in the first place?The way the sacred ceremony worked, no one ever truly went there by choice. Most of the attendees w
Killian's POV. If it were up to me, I would have strangled that man myself, right there. But those men stepped in. I'll never let anyone disrespect my mate in my presence. Never. The sacred ceremony was in seven days. Soteria warned me about some things. If I didn’t perform it within a certain time, I would die. And even worse, if I did perform it and wasn’t careful… Selene could die. I had been skeptical, hesitant and afraid. And now it was just seven days away.I wanted to spend five days with her, away from the pack house, away from the chaos, away from all the trouble that seemed to follow us everywhere.“I have a surprise for you,” I said, trying to keep my voice light.She looked up at me with wide eyes. “A surprise?” she asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.“But we literally just went shopping,” she added, tilting her head.I smiled, stroking a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s something else,” I murmured.Selene’s brow furrowed slightly, intrigued. “What is it?” she a
Selene's POVI stumbled slightly as someone shoved me from hard. My hand instinctively shot up to steady myself, and I looked around, startled. Killian’s grip was immediately protectively around me, to steady me.“Are you okay?” he asked worriedly.I nodded, though my heart was still racing. “I… I think so.”Killian’s gaze immediately lifted to look at the person who pushed me. I followed his gaze and it landed on Zev. My stomach dropped, and my heart started racing as I recognized him.I almost stumbled again, but Killian’s strong hand kept me upright.“Are you blind?” Killian growled. “Couldn't you look where you were going? You almost made her fall”Zev smirked, his eyes glinting with mischief. “I did it intentionally,” he said, leaning slightly closer as if daring me to react.I stared at him, my pulse quickening. “Zev, what do you want? Why are you here?”He smirked again, the kind that made my stomach twist with irritation and unease. “Just passing through. Do you own the place
Selene's POVBeing in Killian’s arms like that was soothing in a way that made my eyelids heavy and my body relaxed. Before I knew it, I was drifting toward sleep.“You’re falling asleep,” his voice came softly, close to my ear. “We’re already here.”I opened my eyes slowly, blinking away the haze. There were voices everywhere—buyers arguing with sellers, laughter echoing between stalls, the occasional shout to advertise some irresistible deal. The air was filled with scents: spiced meat sizzling over open flames, freshly baked bread, and fruits. Somewhere close, a man held skewers, showcasing them for customers to buy.I turned my head fully toward Killian to see him smiling down at me. He stepped out of the carriage first, then held a hand up for me. I placed mine in his, and he helped me down with a gentleness that made my heart flutter in my chest.Once I was on the ground, he didn’t let go of me, his hand was still holding mine as we began to walk.The guard had followed us dow