Five

The suffocating silence stretched.Every wolf bowed beneath Kael’s dominance, the air heavy with his claim. And yet Seren could feel the weight of hundreds of eyes piercing her, branding her not as Luna, not as chosen…

But as villainess.

Her pulse thundered in her throat. She wanted to disappear, to crawl under the dais and wait until the Moon Goddess turned the whole scene into a bad dream but the System had other plans.

Blue text burst across her vision like fireworks.

[New Quest: Publicly humiliate the Heroine before dawn.]

[Reward: +5 Charisma, +5 Reputation as Villainess.]

[Failure Penalty: None.]

Seren’s jaw went slack. You’ve got to be kidding me.

The box blinked expectantly, smug as a cat.

“Oh, of course,” she muttered under her breath. “Because I haven’t made enough enemies tonight. Let’s add ‘mock a girl who just got her heart ripped out’ to my to-do list.”

[Reminder: Villainesses are unforgettable.]

Her stomach churned. Across the clearing, Nova was still on her knees, her pale blue gown torn where it scraped against the earth. Her divine aura had sputtered to embers, leaving her looking fragile and breakable like a human. Wolves hovered near her like mourners at a funeral.

And Seren was supposed to kick her while she was down.

Lord Nightwind’s hand clamped around her wrist, cold and clammy with sweat. “Say nothing,” he hissed. “Stay silent. Do not draw more fire—”

But it was too late. The crowd already burned for her blood. The whispers hissed like snakes:

“Usurper.”

“Witch.”

“Villainess.”

Seren swallowed, her tongue thick in her mouth. She could keep her head down and maybe survive the night. Or… she could lean into the role the System was shoving down her throat.

She lifted her chin, the tiara tilting precariously. Her lips curled into a smile that wasn’t kind at all.

“Oh, Nova.” Her voice carried, sharp and clear in the stunned hush. “All that glow… all that sparkle… and he still didn’t want you.”

The words cracked through the clearing like a whip.

Gasps exploded from every direction. Nova’s head snapped up, eyes wide and glistening with tears. “Y-you…” Her voice trembled, her body shaking. “How dare you…”

“How dare I?” Seren tilted her head, feigning innocence. “Sweetheart, I didn’t reject you. Maybe next time, pray harder to your Goddess.”

The crowd recoiled, shock twisting into outrage. A wolf actually growled her name like a curse. Nova’s sobs broke into harsh, ragged breaths, the divine child stripped of divinity.

The System pinged triumphantly.

[Quest Complete.]

[Reward Acquired: +5 Charisma, +5 Villainess Reputation.]

A strange heat rippled under Seren’s skin, and when she glanced at the crowd, she saw their gazes snagged on her, unwilling to look away. Some with hatred while some with fascination.

She felt powerful and sick.

“Enough.”

Kael’s voice slammed through the chaos like a physical force. His hand tightened on her waist, dragging her closer until she could feel the sharp beat of his heart against her side. His molten eyes swept the crowd, daring anyone to breathe a word more.

The priestess found hers. “Alpha! You defy the Goddess! You bind yourself to that girl when the Moon decreed otherwise…”

Kael’s icy and merciless gaze cut to her.“The Moon decrees what she will. My wolf decrees otherwise. Question me again, priestess, and I’ll show you which is stronger.”

The woman stumbled back, silenced by pure terror.

The pack quivered in the tension, caught between worship and rebellion. Seren could feel the storm ready to break, and her stomach lurched.

Kael moved first. His arm slid under her legs, sweeping her off the ground as though she weighed nothing. Seren squeaked, clutching at his shoulder instinctively.

“H-hey! Put me down!”

His expression didn’t change. “You’ll not stand another second in their sight.”

And before the pack could recover, Kael carried her off the ceremonial grounds. When he stopped, it was in a moonlit clearing surrounded by pines, the night air thick with the scent of moss and fur. He set her on her feet but caged her immediately, his hand braced against the tree behind her, his body an unyielding wall before her.

His sharp molten-gold eyes filled with undisguised demanding locked onto hers.

“Explain.”

Seren blinked. “Explain… what, exactly?”

His voice was quiet, but dangerous. “When I rejected her, the bond shifted. The pack felt it. The Moon’s light bent toward you.” His head lowered, close enough that his breath brushed her lips. “That is not supposed to happen.”

The System chimed, smug and merciless.

[New Quest: Tempt the Alpha.]

[Reward: +10 Villainess Reputation, +5 Wolf Affinity.]

Seren nearly choked. You’ve got to be kidding me!

Kael’s hand shot up, catching her chin, forcing her gaze to stay on him. “What are you, Seren Nightwind?”

Her pulse tripped. He was too close and intense. Her first instinct was to tell the truth, to scream that she didn’t belong here. But the System’s quest pulsed at the edge of her vision. 

Tempt him. 

Villainesses taunted. 

Villainesses played with fire.

So she smiled wickedly. “Apparently… irresistible.”

His grip tightened almost imperceptibly. His jaw flexed, his nostrils flaring as though he were holding something back.

The System pinged.

[Attraction Rate: +68.]

Seren’s lips parted in shock. This guy is Psycho!

Kael’s eyes flickered, gold deepening to molten fire.

“You play dangerous games,” he growled, his voice ragged, wolf rumbling just beneath the surface.

Her smirk trembled, but she refused to back down. “Maybe I like danger.”

[Villainess Reputation: +2.]

The space between them snapped, the tension so sharp it felt like the air itself might ignite. Kael pressed closer, his body crowding hers until her back hit the rough bark. His scent wrapped around her, dizzying.

“Then you’ll burn,” he murmured, his forehead nearly brushing hers. “With me.”

Her breath caught. “Alpha…”

His hand slid to the nape of her neck firm and possessive. The moment stretched, breathless, his gaze dropping to her lips.

And then he kissed her.

The world shattered.

It wasn’t gentle or sweet. It was fire and dominance, sharp edges and raw hunger. His lips crushed against hers like a vow, like a claim written in heat and teeth. Seren gasped, and he swallowed the sound, pulling her tighter against him, his wolf growling approval low in his chest.

Her hands fisted in his jacket before she even realized she’d grabbed him. Her body betrayed her, answering his with a heat that frightened her almost as much as it thrilled her.

The System purred.

[Quest Complete.]

[Reward Acquired: +10 Villainess Reputation.]

[Attraction Rate: +75.]

Seren broke the kiss with a gasp, her head spinning, lips tingling, her heart rioting in her chest.

Kael’s eyes burned into hers, wild and unyielding, his voice a rough whisper against her skin.

“You are mine, Seren Nightwind. And I don’t give a damn if the Goddess disagrees.”

The night seemed to hold its breath around them, the forest itself trembling at the weight of his vow.

And Seren, breathless and stunned, realized there was no turning back.