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Selene’s POV

The moon hung high above me, its silver glow seeping through the cracks in the thick canopy of Blackwood Forest. Every step I took felt heavier than the last, my body still adjusting to the overwhelming power coursing through my veins. The whispers of the moon goddess echoed faintly in my mind, soothing yet commanding. Her gift was more than strength; it was a promise that my broken heart could be made whole again. But tonight, I was still raw. Still alone.

The forest stirred with life, the sounds of nocturnal creatures filling the void. My instincts, sharper now than ever, told me I wasn’t alone. My muscles tensed as I scanned the darkness, my ears picking up the faint rustling of leaves and the soft crunch of boots against the forest floor. Someone was approaching.

“Who’s there?” I called out, my voice steadier than I expected.

A figure emerged from the shadows, tall and commanding, with an air of quiet strength. His dark hair was tousled, and his piercing amber eyes seemed to glow faintly under the moonlight. He was unfamiliar, yet something about him drew me in, like gravity pulling me toward him.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, his deep voice resonating in the stillness. “Are you hurt?”

My breath caught. There was no malice in his tone, no arrogance—just concern. It was a strange sensation, being worried over by a stranger when all I’d known recently was rejection and cruelty.

“I’m fine,” I replied, my voice softer this time. “Who are you?”

He took a cautious step closer, and the moonlight illuminated his sharp features. There was something wild yet gentle in his gaze, a contradiction that intrigued me.

“My name is Ronan,” he said, his lips curving into a faint smile. “I’m the Alpha of the Blackstone pack. And you are?”

“Selene,” I said hesitantly, my name feeling foreign on my tongue after the events of the night.

His brow furrowed slightly as if he recognized the name but chose not to comment. Instead, he took another step closer, his movements careful, deliberate. “Selene,” he repeated, my name rolling off his tongue like a soft caress. “What brings you to this part of the forest alone?”

His question caught me off guard. I couldn’t tell him everything—how I had been rejected, humiliated, and left for dead. The memory was too raw, too painful. Instead, I shrugged, keeping my answer vague.

“Just... finding my way,” I said, looking down at my hands.

Ronan didn’t press me further. Instead, he closed the remaining distance between us, his presence filling the air around me. For a moment, I felt something I hadn’t in weeks: safe.

“Finding your way can be dangerous in these parts,” he said, his voice soft yet firm. “The rogues are relentless, and other dangers are lurking in the shadows.”

I nodded, swallowing hard. “I know. I’ve already encountered some of them.”

His eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. “And yet you’re still standing,” he said, a hint of admiration in his tone. “You’re stronger than you look.”

A small smile tugged at my lips, unbidden. “Looks can be deceiving.”

He chuckled, the sound warm and rich. “That they can.”

For a moment, we stood in silence, the world around us fading as our gazes locked. There was something magnetic about Ronan, something that made it hard to look away. It wasn’t just his looks—though he was undeniably handsome—but the way he carried himself, the quiet strength that seemed to radiate from him.

“Let me escort you somewhere safe,” he offered, breaking the silence. “There’s a cabin not far from here. You can rest, and we’ll figure out where you need to go in the morning.”

I hesitated. Trusting someone after everything I’d been through felt impossible, yet something about Ronan made me want to take the risk. Maybe it was the way he looked at me like I wasn’t broken or weak but something worth protecting.

“Okay,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, his expression softening, and gestured for me to follow him. We walked in silence, the forest alive with the sounds of the night. I kept my eyes on Ronan, watching the way he moved with quiet confidence as if he were one with the wilderness.

The cabin came into view a few minutes later, a small but sturdy structure nestled among the trees. Warm light spilled from the windows, and smoke curled lazily from the chimney. It was inviting, a stark contrast to the cold and unforgiving forest.

Ronan held the door open for me, and I stepped inside, the warmth of the fire instantly wrapping around me. The interior was simple yet cozy, with a large stone fireplace, a worn but comfortable-looking couch, and a small table set for two.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Ronan said, closing the door behind us. “I’ll get you some water.”

I nodded, taking a seat on the couch and letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. The events of the night began to catch up with me, the weight of it all settling on my shoulders.

Ronan returned a moment later, handing me a glass of water before sitting across from me. His eyes studied me intently as if he were trying to piece together the puzzle of who I was.

“You don’t have to tell me everything,” he said gently. “But if you ever want to talk, I’m here.”

Something in his voice—his sincerity, his patience—broke down the walls I had hastily built around myself. Against my better judgment, I found myself speaking.

“I was rejected,” I said, my voice trembling. “By my fated mate.”

Ronan’s expression darkened, his hands clenching into fists. “He was a fool,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

The intensity of his response surprised me, and I looked up to find his amber eyes burning with a fire that sent a shiver down my spine. “You don’t even know me,” I said softly.

“I don’t need to,” he replied, his voice steady. “Any man who rejects his mate doesn’t deserve her.”

His words were like a balm to my wounded heart, soothing yet leaving me raw with emotion. I looked away, unable to meet his gaze.

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Ronan leaned forward, his hand brushing against mine. The contact was brief, almost accidental, but it sent a jolt of warmth through me. I looked up, meeting his gaze once more, and for a moment, the world seemed to fade away.

“You’re stronger than you think, Selene,” he said softly. “Don’t let anyone make you believe otherwise.”

Something shifted in the air between us, an unspoken connection that neither of us could deny. I felt my pulse quicken, my heart pounding in my chest as Ronan’s gaze lingered on mine.

And then, as if compelled by an invisible force, he leaned closer, his breath warm against my skin. My breath hitched as I felt the heat radiating from him, the tension between us crackling like a live wire.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t thinking about rejection or pain. I wasn’t thinking at all.

But just as his lips brushed mine, a sharp knock at the door shattered the moment, pulling us both back to reality.

Ronan straightened, his jaw tight as he moved to answer the door. I sat frozen, my heart racing, the taste of what might have been lingering on my lips.

Whoever was on the other side of that door had no idea they’d interrupted something I wasn’t ready to lose. And as I watched Ronan open it, a strange sense of anticipation filled me.

For better or worse, my life was no longer my own. It was entwined with his now, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to untangle it.