CHAPTER 3 : Into the Lion’s Den

SELENA

Sunlight slices through the thick curtains, casting a golden glow across the room. I groan, shifting under the soft cotton sheets, but the warmth disappears in an instant as they’re yanked away.

“Wake up, sleeping princess. It’s almost noon,” a teasing voice cuts through my haze.

My eyes snap open. I blink rapidly against the brightness, my vision adjusting to the figure standing beside my bed. A woman with dark hair pulled into a neat bun, warm brown eyes filled with amusement.

“Good morning, ma’am,” I mumble, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

She chuckles. “It’s Elizabeth.”

Oh. Right. I should’ve asked earlier. Embarrassment burns through me as I press my lips together.

“What time is it?” I ask, stretching my stiff limbs.

“Late enough for the Alpha to wonder if you’re part vampire,” she jokes. “It’s already noon.”

Noon? My stomach drops. I bolt upright. “Why didn’t you wake me sooner?”

Elizabeth folds her arms. “Because the Alpha ordered us to let you rest. But now that you’re up, you should get dressed. Lunch is waiting downstairs.” She turns to leave but pauses at the door. “Stephen’s already eating. If you take your time, he’ll be gone before you get there.”

She knows.

I swallow hard, nodding. She knows I’m avoiding him.

I stall as long as I can. Scrubbing my skin until it’s raw. Rinsing my hair three times. Anything to delay facing the ghosts of this place. By the time I step out, Elizabeth has laid out a pale blue gown. I pull it over my head, my fingers faltering when they reach my hair.

A tangled mess.

My throat tightens. Dad used to brush it for me. His fingers gentle as they worked through each knot, a quiet reassurance that he was there. But he’s gone now. My breath hitches, hot tears slipping down my cheeks before I can stop them.

A voice shatters my moment of weakness.

“Need help with that?”

I freeze. My stomach twists violently. Slowly, I turn to see Stephen leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, a cruel smirk playing on his lips.

“You know,” he drawls, stepping inside, “for a moment, I thought you were dead.”

His presence suffocates the room, shrinking the space between us. I struggle to breathe.

“Since I didn’t see you all morning, I assumed you vanished—just like your father killed my mother.”

My pulse pounds in my ears.

“My dad is not a killer!” I snap, rising to my feet.

Stephen’s smirk doesn’t waver, but something shifts in his gaze. Darkens. “Says who?” His voice drips with venom. “I was there, Selena. I watched him rip my mother’s throat out like she was nothing. I begged him to stop.”

His voice trembles, just for a second, before his mask snaps back into place. “And now, his daughter is under my roof. Do you really think I’ll let you live in peace?”

My knees feel weak. It doesn’t make sense. My father was kind. Gentle. He would never—

Stephen strides forward, gripping my shoulder and forcing me to sit before I can react. His touch isn’t harsh, but the weight of it pins me down.

“Don’t worry,” he murmurs, gathering my hair in his hands. “I won’t hurt you… yet. But one day, when the time is right, I will.”

His fingers weave through the knots with a practiced ease, his touch disturbingly gentle. A stark contrast to his whispered promise.

“When my father isn’t around to protect you, I will rip your throat out,” he breathes against my ear. “Just like your father did to mine.”

He steps back, his footsteps echoing as he leaves.

I press a hand to my chest, heart hammering.

I have to get out of here. I have to become stronger.

Because if I don’t—Stephen will make good on his promise.

---

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

Fifteen years. Fifteen years since I last saw Stephen.

The years have shaped me. No more whispers. No more hatred pressing against my skin like knives. I trained harder than anyone, forged my body into a weapon.

But it isn’t enough.

Because I still don’t have my wolf.

I try, over and over, but the shift never comes. Without her, I’m nothing. No match for an Alpha. No match for Stephen.

And he’s coming back.

Alpha Kingsley walks beside me through the garden, his presence grounding. “Your father was a stubborn man,” he says, laughing softly. “Too proud to admit when he was wrong.”

I force a smile, pretending I haven’t heard these stories a hundred times before.

“Sir,” I say, gathering my courage. “I think I’m ready to leave.”

He stops, turning to face me. “Why do you want to leave?”

I exhale. “I’m twenty now. I want to see the world.”

His brow furrows. “Selena, where would you go?”

“The human realm,” I say without hesitation.

His smile vanishes. “Absolutely not.”

“But I know how to fight,” I insist. “I’ve trained—”

“Fighting isn’t enough.” His grip tightens on my shoulder. “You have no wolf. You’d be defenseless.” He sighs, shaking his head. “If you truly want to leave, then prove yourself. Go to the academy. If your wolf awakens there, I’ll let you go.”

My stomach drops. “What?”

The academy. Stephen’s domain. And his girlfriend’s playground.

“I don’t want to go.”

“It’s time to face your fears, Selena.” His voice is final. “You leave tomorrow.”

Terror grips me. The academy means one thing.

I’m stepping into the lion’s den.

No wolf. No power.

And Stephen is waiting.

I will not survive this.