THE PROPOSAL

SELENE'S POV

Davis seemed shocked at my words and he gritted his teeth, the repentant facade simply disappearing as quickly as it was there.

“You're rejecting me?” He snarled at me.

Elara ran a hand through her messy brown hair and placed her hand on Davis's chest to soothe him. “Honey, calm down” She whispered.

The sight truly disgusted me, and I took a hurried step back, my hand on the doorknob falling as I felt the unfamiliar ache in my chest caused by the breaking of the mate bond.

It was a hollow shitty feeling, and my wolf, Diane, kept howling silently, feeling the same pain I was.

“Get ready to leave my pack in the morning” I managed to spit out at the both of them before I turned on my heels and left the room, my mind chanting the same thing.

I needed to get away from this cursed house for a while or I would break down.

The rain outside seemed to intensify, but that was the least of my worries as I trotted down the stairs, out of the house, and into the rain, not caring how drenched I became In a matter of seconds.

The storm poured down in relentless sheets, the wind howling like a wild beast.

I stood there in the rain, tears finally pricking at my eyes but I didn't let them fall yet despite the full ache in my chest.

My hair clung to my face, and the wet fabric of my dress weighed heavily on me, but I barely noticed. It felt as though I was trapped between the earth and the heavens, suspended in a moment where time stood still.

How could they do this to me?

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms, but it didn’t help quell the burning ache in my chest. The knot in my stomach only tightened the longer I stood there as if my body couldn’t even decide if it was cold or burning with betrayal. The pain was so raw that it felt like it might tear me apart from the inside.

I thought of Davis. How could he? Why? He had been my mate, my partner, my husband. We had shared everything, or so I had believed. I thought back to the countless times when he would whisper sweet nothings only that now the mere thought of it made me boil with anger.

And Elara. The woman I had called my best friend. How could she do this? My mind reeled, trying to put together the pieces of a puzzle I had never seen coming.

Why would they do this to me?

I remembered the times I had felt a flicker of suspicion—the way Davis had become more distant lately, the way Elara had been a little too eager to comfort him when I wasn’t around, the late-night talks they had when I was busy with pack duties. I had brushed them off, thinking it was nothing more than my own insecurities. How stupid I had been.

A sharp breath left my chest as my eyes turned toward the lake in front of me. The water was black as pitch, just like it has been since I was a kid. I thought back to the countless times Elara and I had spent here as children. It was our secret happy place. We would sit by the water for hours, dreaming of our futures, of our perfect lives, never once imagining that we would end up here—two women, one betrayed by the man she loved, and the other consumed by jealousy and greed.

Walking there with buckling legs, I knelt by the water's edge, my fingers brushing against the cold, slick stones beneath me. My reflection blurred in the waves, distorted by the rain. I couldn't look at myself anymore.

I couldn’t stop thinking of how my life had changed in an instant.

I had stood by Elara through everything. She had been there when I needed her most, when I first took on the role of Luna, when the weight of leadership felt unbearable. She had always been my rock, my confidante. But now, she was the one who had driven the knife into my back.

I stared into the lake, lost in thought, when I suddenly heard the sound of footsteps behind me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

"Well, well," Elara's voice called out over the rumble of thunder, smooth and mocking. "I knew you'd come here to sulk. How pathetic."

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to drown out the voice. But she was relentless, stepping closer until I could feel the weight of her presence beside me.

“You’re really going to stand there and cry over it? Over him?” she sneered, her voice dripping with venom. “You’re so weak, Selene. So pathetic, so predictable. You were never enough for Davis. He never wanted you. I’ve been the one he’s always wanted.”

I felt the sting of her words, but I held myself still, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me break. My jaw clenched.

“Why, Elara?” I spoke through gritted teeth, my voice cold as ice. “Why did you do this? After everything we’ve been through, how could you?”

She laughed, the sound cruel and unhinged. “You’ve always been so naive, Selene. You really thought you were the one, didn’t you? That Davis loved you, that you were his mate.” Her eyes gleamed with malice. “But you were never the one he wanted. I was. And now, it’s finally my turn.”

That made me stand up and turn around to face the monster in front of me.

A flash of lightning illuminated her face, and I saw the truth in her eyes—no remorse, no guilt. Just pure, unadulterated satisfaction.

I could feel the anger welling up inside me, bubbling fast, but I swallowed it down. I was the Luna of Blackthorne Vale and she was a traitor. I would not stoop to her level.

But then, she crossed the line.

“You think you’re so special, Selene?” Elara continued, her voice becoming darker. “You think Davis cares about you? He’s already ordered your departure from the pack. You’re nothing more than a burden to him now. You’ve served your purpose. I’m the one he wants now. I’m the one he needs.”

He ordered my departure? My heart skipped, the words sinking into my mind. He couldn't do that. I was the one with royal blood and he couldn't kick me out.

Before I could process what she had said, Elara's lips twisted into a wicked grin. “But it doesn’t matter, does it? No one will find you out here. Not in the rain, not in the storm.” Her eyes gleamed with a cruel delight. “You can’t swim, Selene. You’ve never been able to. And no one’s out here to help you.”

Confusion and disbelief flooded my thoughts, but before I could make sense of her words, Elara stepped forward, her hand outstretched.

“Goodbye, Luna,” she spat, a sneer on her lips.

Then, without warning, she shoved me hard.

My body fell into the lake, the cold shock of the water making me shudder. I gasped for breath, my hands scrambling for purchase, but the water was too strong, too deep.

The current pulled me under, and I tried to fight, to keep my head above the surface, but the rain came down harder, the thunder louder.

I screamed, my voice lost in the roar of the storm, but no one could hear me. No one was close enough. The world spun, my limbs heavy with exhaustion as I struggled to keep from sinking deeper into the lake.

With every passing second, the darkness closed in around me. I thought of Davis—my heart breaking for the last time—and Elara, who had stolen everything from me. The bond with my mate was gone, severed, and all I was left with was pain.

Please… I thought weakly, reaching out to the moonlit sky above as I struggled to come up to the surface but to no avail. Moon Goddess… help me. Please…

And then, just as my body began to surrender to the cold, the darkness closing in on me, a brilliant light shone from the depths of the water. It was like a beacon in the water… it wasn't real. Was it?

I heard a voice, strong and clear, cutting through the roar of the rain, traveling through the water even as I slowly sank to the bottom.

“Selene Arden, I have heard your wish… and I have a proposal for you. Do you accept?”

The voice was unlike any I had ever heard, full of power, full of promise.

But I didn’t know if I could hold on much longer.

I struggled to keep my eyes open, the light blurring before me, my body sinking deeper into the cold, dark water.

Then everything went black.