LOGINThe sounds were a symphony of destruction. Smoke stung my eyes, the metallic tang of blood filled my nostrils, and the screams... Gods, the screams were a savage chorus that echoed in the hollows of my skull.They took her. Just the thought made my blood boil.That single, terrifying realization was all it took to send me crashing through the palace gates. Forget careful planning, forget battlefield tactics. Survival instincts? Gone. All that mattered was the heart-wrenching fact that Selene was gone. Hundreds of warriors stood ready, blades gleaming under the flickering torchlight, but they were mere obstacles.Selene. She was everything. And I would raze this entire kingdom, brick by bloody brick, if that's what it took to bring her back to me. I wouldn't lose her again. Not now, not ever.A soldier, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and battle lust, lunged at me. His blade whistled through the air, aimed at my heart.I didn’t bother sidestepping, didn't waste an ounce of energy on
Cold.That's the first thing that stuck with her.Not almost drowning. Not Aurek's intense stare through the downpour. Not the burn in her chest as the river dragged her under.Just the raw, biting cold.Selene's eyes fluttered open. Dark, with a layer of ashy fog hanging heavy. The ground was soft and soaked beneath her, covered with blackened leaves that turned to dust when she touched them. A tiny fire struggled to stay alive nearby.Take it easy.The voice came from her right. Deep, steady, and a voice she didn't know.Her body jolted. She sat up fast, fighting back a gasp. One hand shot to the bundle she carried, holding it tight before she even knew who was near.It was Kael.Aurek's brother. She'd only glimpsed him from above, always in the shadows. He was tall, built solid, and had a quiet danger about him that made her uneasy.He looked different now. The fire and fog played across his face. Harder. Worn out. His clothes were ripped, and a bandage, stained dark with blood, wa
The scent lingered, refusing to dissipate.It clung to him, coating his skin, saturating his clothes, permeating the very air of the war room. Smoke and rain mingled with the strange, sharp sweetness of wolfsbane and the delicate whisper of silk – a haunting reminder of her presence. It was faint, elusive, almost taunting in its persistence.Aurek leaned over the battle map, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge of the table. The old wood groaned beneath the pressure. Torches flickered in the corners, casting dancing shadows that mirrored the turmoil in his own heart. His officers stood stiffly, their silence thick with unease. Their eyes darted between their king and the bloodied sword resting against the table – a stark testament to the chaos of the previous night.She disappeared into the river? Aurek finally asked, his voice a low rasp. The sound sent a visible shiver through the nearest guard.Yes, Majesty. Alaric's reply was measured, the tone reserved, careful – the way one
The river bit.That's what she thought when she woke up. The cold was so deep she wasn't sure where she stopped and the water started. Coughing, she sucked in air that stung. Mud coated her hands. The world swam – gray sky, black trees, the faint sound of rain.She’d made it. Somehow.Selene rolled over, spitting dirt, her body shaking. The bundle – her bundle – was still there. She grabbed for it, her heart pounding till she felt the rough cloth she used to wrap it. Safe. Thank goodness. Clutching it, relief turned to fear.If the river had pulled her so far down, she was way past where the guards patrolled. No friends here. The air smelled wrong – wet pine, ash, and a touch like metal. It made her wolf uneasy.She pushed herself up, wincing at the cut on her hand. Blood was all over the bandage, thin and pink from the rain. Ripping a piece from her cloak, she tied it tighter. The world stopped spinning, enough for her to stand.It was so quiet it hurt her ears. Even the forest seeme
The storm didn't end when the river took her; it just changed how it sounded.Aurek stayed on the bank long after the torches were put out. All that was left was rain and wreckage. The water below him was a monster, roaring as it swallowed everything in its path. His men yelled orders – search the river, send for riders, get healers – but he barely heard them. All he could hear was her running away, the soft sound of her dress against the stone, and a heartbeat that wasn't his.He had almost touched her.Almost.He could still feel a burning feeling in his fingers, a faint but real strand of silver shining through the rain. He should have thrown it into the river after her. Instead, he held onto it.When he turned back to the castle, the torches made his face look like it was made of gold and shadows. His jaw hurt from holding back a growl. The wolf inside him was restless – pacing, snarling, and confused. Why did you let her go? It asked. Why didn't you follow her?Because kings don'
The rain lashed down, each drop a tiny, stinging needle against Selene's exposed skin.She leaned against the rough, cold stone, her lungs screaming for air. Every drop that found its way through the leaky ceiling jabbed at her nerves. Hours—or what felt like hours—she’d been running, but she knew, with a cold certainty, how close Aurek was to catching her.Aurek. Just the name sent a shiver down her spine.She could practically feel the echo of his presence ghosting behind her. It resonated in her chest like a living thread, vibrating with dark energy. His scent, a strange mix of iron, smoke, and something wild and uniquely his, had sliced through the storm's dampness. It clung to her, a phantom reminder of his nearness.He had seen her. A fleeting moment, a mere heartbeat, but enough. It had been too long, and far too careless.Her fingers trembled as she touched the thin cut on her palm, the small price she paid for her mistake. She’d left a trace, a thread too fresh, too strong. H







