Rise of the Alpha's queen

Selene's povThe silk beneath me was icy, just like the man who’d left it wrinkled and infused with another woman’s scent. I buried my face deeper into the pillow, trying to drown out the sounds coming from the bathroom Kael’s low murmur of satisfaction, her sharp, gasping whimpers. The same sounds I’d once foolishly believed were meant for me.Fool. The word lingered on my tongue, bitter as I forced myself upright, my bare feet brushing the cold marble floor of what was supposed to be our shared bedroom. Our bedroom. A cruel joke. I was nothing more than an ornament Kael Ashborne displayed when convenient, discarded when another diversion captured his attention.The bathroom door clicked open softly, and I didn’t lift my gaze. I already knew what I’d see Kael’s tall, commanding frame in the doorway, his dark hair tousled, those steely gray eyes dismissive and unreadable. Behind him, Liora Veyra would be smirking, her auburn hair spilling over her shoulders like molten fire, her pale

Selene’s POVThe guest quarters were quiet except for the soft shuffle of pages as I carefully documented another entry in the leather journal hidden beneath my mattress. My hands shook slightly not from fear, but from anger.Day 1,127 of captivity. Alpha Kael Ashborne threatened to increase security measures after discovering my pregnancy. Referred to the unborn child as "heir" and "pack property." Showed zero concern for the mother’s wellbeing.I had been keeping this journal for eight months, ever since the night he struck me across the face for questioning his decision to punish a young wolf for “insubordination.” Every cruel word, every humiliation, every moment of deliberate mental torture all meticulously recorded in neat handwriting.If I died here, at least there would be evidence of what he had done.A soft, deliberate knock broke my focus. Three quick taps, pause, then two more our signal for Dr. Maris’ clandestine visits.“Come in,” I whispered, sliding the journal back in

:Chapter Five: Blood and BirthrightSelene’s POVThe secured wing felt like a tomb.I sat on the edge of the narrow bed, staring at the reinforced door that cut me off from any hope of freedom. No windows, no sunlight, just the sterile, oppressive glow of fluorescent bulbs that made my skin look sickly pale. The echo of guards’ footsteps in the hallway reminded me constantly I was not just a prisoner. I was a prisoner under direct threat.Three hours. That’s how long I’d been trapped in this concrete cage, and already the walls felt like they were pressing in. My hands trembled as I reached for the thermos of herbal tea Maris had given me, the one thing they allowed me to keep.It was still warm, fragrant with chamomile and something I couldn’t name. I barely took a sip when a strange tingling washed over me not nausea, but a vibration that started at my fingertips and raced up my arms.What the hell?I stared at my palms as the tingling intensified. For a heartbeat, I could swear I

Selene’s POVThe quiet inside Keal’s office felt altered now. Not suffocating, but alive with potential. I remained seated across from his desk the identical chair where I had endured so many icy directives and merciless dismissals. But tonight, I was not the shattered woman who once accepted his cruelty without resistance. Tonight, I was something entirely different.And he knew it.“Vincent’s troops have withdrawn past the northern boundary,” Keal informed me, placing the radio down after the final clearance came through. “Elijah’s units are reinforcing the perimeter, but it will take hours before we understand the full scope of the destruction.”I inclined my head, though my mind was only partly focused on what he was saying. The force that had awakened inside me continued to hum through my bloodstream, and with it came awareness unlike anything I had ever known. I could sense the feelings of every wolf inside the pack house their relief, their bewilderment, their lingering unease.