LOGINSelena's POV
The sunlight pours over the bed, warm and golden, and honestly, I just want to stay right here.
I’m curled up against Damian, his arm draped heavily around my waist, and his breathing is slow and steady. We’re both naked, skin touching skin, wrapped in sheets that smell just like him. It feels like ages since we’ve slept in this late. I can't even remember the last time I felt this safe.
Gently, I trace my finger along his coll
Damian's POVThe bonfire is already crackling to life as the sun sets.Torches flicker around the clearing, their golden flames contrasting with the deepening twilight. The pack house stands proudly behind us, finally completed, its windows shimmering with warmth. The crowd gathers, filled with laughter and chatter, everyone carrying food and drinks. They’ve been anticipating this moment for a while now. So have we.Selena’s next to me, her hand in mine, her gaze fixed on the flames. She’s in this simple white dress, her hair flowing freely, cheeks slightly flushed. She looks radiant—maybe even glowing.I give her hand a gentle squeeze. “Ready?”She meets my eyes, a hint of nervousness there. “Ready.”I step up onto the platform, and the chatter dies down, faces turning toward us, eager.“Tonight, we celebrate.” My voice resonates across the clearing. “We&
Selena's POVThe sunlight pours over the bed, warm and golden, and honestly, I just want to stay right here.I’m curled up against Damian, his arm draped heavily around my waist, and his breathing is slow and steady. We’re both naked, skin touching skin, wrapped in sheets that smell just like him. It feels like ages since we’ve slept in this late. I can't even remember the last time I felt this safe.Gently, I trace my finger along his collarbone and feel his heartbeat under my palm. He’s here. He came back. Last night by the lake, when he asked me to marry him... that was real, not just a dream. I glance down at his hand resting on my stomach, the spot where our children will grow, and I finally let myself breathe freely.There’s so much waiting for me. My mother, my father, I have to find Aldric my grandfather, and that rogue faction out there trying to twist me against him. All of that is still looming, still
Selena's POVHis hand feels warm in mine, and I cling to it tightly. I don’t intend to let go—not now. Every few steps, I glance up at him, checking his face to make sure he’s still right there beside me. Each time, he meets my gaze, squeezes my fingers, and plants a kiss on my forehead or lips."You’re staring," he says, a teasing edge to his voice."I’m looking," I reply.His smile is small but genuine. "Same thing."I shake my head. "Staring is distant. Looking is seeing. Right now, I’m seeing you."He halts, pulls me close, and kisses me slowly. "Then look as much as you want."We meander through the trees, the moonlight filtering through the branches. The path is familiar to him but feels new to me. He guides me to a clearing where the lake opens up before us.I stop short, my breath catching in my throat.The water lies still, like black glass reflecting the stars a
Selena's POV"Damian?"My voice trembles as I say his name. I stretch out my hand toward him, my fingers quivering, half-convinced I’m dreaming. He’s here. Really here. Sitting on the edge of our bed, his face wet, eyes red, gazing at me like I’m the only thing that matters in the world.I push myself up and grab his arms. "Is this real? Are you really here?"He cup my face in his warm, trembling hands. "I’m real. I’m right here."I break down. Tears spill over, and I can’t contain them. I throw myself into him, wrapping my arms around his neck as if he might vanish."I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I’m sorry—" The words tumble out repeatedly, and I can’t seem to stop. Pulling back slightly, I gaze at his face, brushing my hands against his cheeks, his jaw, his lips. He’s here. He came back.I kiss him. His forehead, his eyes, his cheeks, his mouth—I
Damian's POVThe lake is peaceful.Moonlight gently pours over the water, casting a silvery sheen that reflects the stars like scattered coins. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. It’s been my refuge during tough times—since my parents died, when the pack felt too heavy to bear, or when I just needed some time to think.I’ve never shared this place with anyone. I wanted to show it to Selene, to let her see where I come to when I'm feeling lost. I had plans to propose here. But that was before everything fell apart. Before she kept my children from me.Now, I sit here alone, gazing at the water, unsure if I’ll ever take her anywhere again.*You hid my child from me.*I shut my eyes, thinking of her expression when I confronted her. The way her hand dropped, the sound she made as I walked away.I was filled with rage. I still am. But there’s something else beneath it—something
Selena's POVThe morning light feels harsh.It slips through the curtains, all golden and soft, landing on the empty spot next to me in bed where Damian should be. The sheets are cold. He didn't come back. I lay here all night, waiting, listening for him. But he never came.I bury my face in his pillow. His scent is still there—pine, woodsmoke, just him. I breathe it in, hold it, let it break me apart.*You hid my child from me.*Those words ring in my head. I shut my eyes, and his face flashes before me. The pain. The tears. The way he pulled away when I reached out.Why didn’t I tell him sooner? I was going to, back at the garden, before everything crumbled. But the words came out all wrong, and he looked at me like I was a stranger, and I couldn’t— I didn’t—I roll onto my back and stare at the ceiling. I was scared. That’s what I told him. Scared, he’d make me stay behi







