SeleneI opened my eyes to the familiar ceiling of Ama's hut. For a moment, I lay still. Letting the quiet press in.Then I turned my head and my eyes landed on Tristan. Leaning against the wall with his head tilted back, one leg stretched out in front of him, the other bent. His arms were folded across his chest, but there was nothing calm about the way he held himself. Even in rest, he was a coil pulled tight.I drank him in with cautious eyes. The sharp lines of his face, the way his brows stayed slightly furrowed even in sleep.For the first time in moons, the ghosts in my chest stirred. His lashes fluttered, and then his eyes opened stormy, silver, and fixed on me."You're awake," he said, voice rough with sleep."Yeah."He shifted, sitting up straighter. "How are you feeling?" he asked."Sore," I admitted. "But fine."He nodded slowly. His gaze swept over me like he needed to make sure I wasn't lying.I swallowed, then motioned toward the bed. "Why didn't you sleep here?""I di
Tristan I stood by the window, staring at the forest line in the distance, fists clenched at my sides."We found a partial trail," one of the trackers had reported earlier. That was enough for me. I was going after her. I grabbed my jacket from the back of the chair when Henry stepped into the room."Tristan, slow down," he said firmly. "You're not thinking straight."I turned to him, eyes narrowing."I've waited long enough. I should've gone the minute we lost her scent.""You've barely slept. You've got council meetings piling up. And Kayla's—""Don't say her name," I warned.Henry sighed and walked closer. "You think Selene would want you running yourself into the ground like this?"I met his gaze, unflinching. "If it were your mate out there, bleeding and scared, would you stay?"He didn't answer. I shoved past him, heading for the door.As I stepped outside, the old oak cane tapping on stone made me pause.Corvin. My father's trusted ally. A man who always had something to say.
Selene "Please," I whispered, clutching my side as I leaned against the vendor's cart. "I just need a ride. You said the truck's heading east?"The old man gave me a long look. His cap was tilted back, his eyes tired but kind. He studied the sweat on my brow, the blood that had seeped through the thin fabric around my stitches."You don't look good, miss.""I'll be fine," I lied. "I just need to get to East Hills. I'll sit in the back, I won't cause trouble."He rubbed the back of his neck. "Ain't got room for passengers. Not really.""I won't take space. Just... please." My voice cracked. "I don't have money. I don't have anywhere else to go."His gaze softened. After a pause, he nodded toward the truck. "Hop in before I change my mind.""Thank you." My knees nearly buckled as I moved, clutching the side of the truck for support.The ride was bumpy, every jolt making my body scream. The stitches burned, sharp. I bit my lip to keep from groaning, blinking back tears as we rattled thr
TristanI slammed the car door so hard the frame shuddered. My jaw clenched so tight it hurt. Untreated stitches? They let her leave in that condition?What kind of goddamn hospital! I gripped the steering wheel, trying to rein in the beast clawing inside me. As Alpha, I could walk back in there and tear that place apart with one command. But rage wouldn't bring Selene back. Fury wouldn't undo what had already happened.She was gone.My heart pounded against my ribs. She'd just given birth. She was bleeding. And alone. Why would she leave? What could've been so important that she'd risk her life—and our child's—just to vanish?The receptionist's face flashed in my mind. The panic in her eyes when I threatened her. Good. She should be afraid. I meant every word.If anything happens to her, they're all going down.My phone vibrated, but I didn't look at it. Probably Kayla, again, pretending like she gave a damn. She didn't. None of this mattered to her. Just the ring. The title.A sha
Selene I opened my eyes again, it was already night. I was lying in a dimly lit alley behind a closed bakery, wrapped in a blanket I didn't remember having. Someone must have found me and left it, but no one was in sight now. The blood had dried against my side. My head throbbed, and my limbs felt heavy like they were filled with stone. My wolf stirred weakly inside me, urging me to hold on—but even she sounded faint.I needed help. I needed strength. But more than anything, I needed to find her. My baby girl.I dragged myself up slowly, gritting my teeth through the pain. I couldn't go back to the hospital. I know I needed somewhere safe. Somewhere quiet to recover. But not until I track Parisa down and get my daughter back.With my hands braced against the alley wall, I began limping forward. One step. Another. Every part of me screamed. But I didn't stop.My baby was out there. And nothing—no pain, no weakness, not even death—was going to keep me from her. I didn't know how long I
Tristan I spend every spare minute searching for her. I remember her eyes. The way they locked onto mine and made everything else vanish. I remember her scent—warm, soft, like earth after rain. I've chased fragments of it through crowded alleys and market stalls, desperate for a sign. A whisper. Anything.I pray to the Goddess every night to lead me to her. So far, all I get is silence.Today, I'm roaming the streets with Henry. He's still skeptical, probably thinks I imagined half of it. But he humors me. Cracks jokes. Pretends we're just two Alphas-in-training avoiding responsibilities, not two brothers hunting a ghost.All of a sudden I felt something. Faint. So faint I almost miss it.But my wolf snarls awake in my chest. It's her.I freeze mid-step, heart pounding as I try to track it. It's coming from the other side of the street. I cross quickly, inhaling deeply—but just like that, it's gone. Snuffed out. Lost among the exhaust fumes and city chaos. Damn it.My phone buzzes in