Selene’s POV“She’s not what you think she is,” Callum said loudly, his words cutting through the low hum of conversation like a knife. His voice was sharp, laced with anger, and impossible to ignore. The room fell silent, the whispers dying down as every eye turned toward us. My chest tightened under the weight of their stares. Each curious gaze felt like a probing question, and I could practically feel their judgment. Callum stepped closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over me, his expression dark and unreadable. “She’s not what he says she is,” he repeated, his tone colder, harsher. His next words hit me like a slap to the face. “I should know. I was mated to her once.” The air seemed to crackle with tension as his revelation rippled through the crowd. Gasps erupted, followed by a tidal wave of murmurs and shocked exclamations. People craned their necks, desperate to catch a glimpse of the woman he claimed had once been his mate. Me. My cheeks burned with humiliati
AdrianThe whiskey swirled lazily in the glass, the amber liquid catching the faint light of the room. I stared in the direction Callum had pulled Selene into just minutes ago, my grip tightening around the glass. Five minutes. That’s how long it had been since I last saw her walk through those doors, her back straight but her tension almost tangible. What were they saying? Or rather, what was *he* saying? My jaw clenched at the thought. Was Callum finally telling her the truth? Or was he spinning another one of his vile tales, manipulating her the way he always did? I hated the uncertainty, the not knowing. But then the door opened, and Selene stepped out. Her eyes scanned the room, sharp and calculating. She was looking for me—I could tell by the way her gaze passed over everyone else, disinterested and cold, until it landed on me. She walked straight toward me, her heels clicking against the marble floor with purpose. “Adrian,” she said the moment she reached me, her voice lo
(Selene’s POV)Then Adrian leaned in close, his lips brushing my ear as he murmured, “I want you, Selene,” a strange heat curled in my stomach. It was like he’d lit a match inside me, igniting something raw and consuming. My breath hitched, and for a second, all I could do was stare at him. The storm in his eyes reflected something dark and hungry, mirroring my own.Callum’s words from the party clawed their way back into my mind, the memory taunting me. When we pulled up to the house, the tension between us was unbearable. Adrian reached for the door, but before he could even step inside, I grabbed his wrist, holding him back. He turned, his gaze searing into mine as though he was waiting for me to make the next move. And I did. I surged forward, capturing his lips in a kiss so heated it felt like I’d burned myself. Adrian groaned low in his throat, his hands immediately finding my waist and pulling me closer. The kiss deepened, his tongue sliding against mine in a dance that mad
Selene’s POV I should have known better. Five years ago, when Evelyn disappeared without a trace, leaving a trail of unanswered questions, I should have never accepted Callan’s proposal. I should have questioned everything—the way Callum’s sudden affection swept over me, his proposal of alliance between our packs with our marriage. I should have known that all his proclamations of love were just an act. But back then, I wanted to believe. I dared to dream, dared to believe that he could love me as deeply as I had always loved him. I wanted to believe that the mate bond we had was deep and he was starting to feel it. But boy, I was wrong. Warm tears slid down my cheeks, stinging against the cold, numbed skin of my face as I stood there, staring at the scene before me. They didn’t even have the decency to hide it. I had always believed Callum held some respect for me, that even if his love had faded, he would still shield me from this humiliation. But there he was, utterly lost in h
Selene’s POVThey were right at it. Right in front of me.I leaned against the doorway, stunned, every part of me heavy with disbelief, anger, hurt—the whole flood of emotions you’d expect when you walk in on your husband in bed with another woman. And not just any woman. Evelyn. The same Evelyn whose name he’d “accidentally” called out in bed more times than I could count. The Evelyn who was supposed to be long gone from our lives. The Evelyn I had all but sacrificed my pride to help him move on from.I was supposed to be on vacation, taking a break from all the quiet, aching tension Callum and I had fallen into lately. I’d even suggested he join me, just so we could have some time together—really together—away from the pack, from the responsibilities, from the endless line of things that seemed to keep pulling him away from me. But he’d said no, something about work, about “business he couldn’t leave behind.”Business. I let out a hollow laugh. So this was his business? With his my
Selene’s POVI could feel it—the rejection clawing, tearing at my insides. It was more than just words, more than just a sentence; it was as if Callum had reached inside and torn out my heart, leaving only the hole. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Mates were meant to be sacred bonds, forged by destiny. But Callum had shattered it without a second thought, without even looking back.The pain spread across my body like a fire, searing every nerve, every part of me that had ever believed in him, in us. It was like being set ablaze from the inside out. My knees buckled, and I barely managed to catch myself on a table nearby. I heard rejections were brutal, that some didn’t survive it at all. But I hadn’t expected it to feel like dying in slow motion. There was no relief, no way to numb it; it just kept coming, wave after wave, pulling me under.“Selene,” he said coldly, “Let’s not make this harder than it has to be.”He didn’t flinch. He didn’t feel a thing. Callum was unaffected, his ey
SELENE’S POVThe world slowly fades into focus, and the sterile white ceiling above me comes into view. My head feels heavy, and my body… even heavier. Where am I? A faint beeping sound draws me out of the haze, and I realize I’m in a hospital room.I take a breath and try to sit up, but a sharp, searing pain shoots through my abdomen, forcing me back down. I bite down hard to stifle a groan. My mind is a blur as I try to remember what happened, how I ended up here. Flashes of the last few hours flood my mind—Callum, his cold eyes, his dismissive voice, and then… that man. The stranger. Handsome, dark, and tempting. A shiver runs down my spine as I remember the strange way he looked at me, the way he offered me revenge. But as I try to grasp more, it all slips through my fingers like sand.The door swings open, and a nurse steps in, looking at me with a pitying gaze that sends a wave of irritation through me. She moves closer with careful, gentle steps, her face softening. “How are yo
Selene’s POV**I stared at the man in front of me, arms crossed, trying to make sense of why he’d sought me out of all people. He looked like trouble wrapped in a finely cut suit, with eyes so intense they seemed to strip me bare, seeing through whatever defenses I still had left.“So,” I began, clearing my throat, “are you going to tell me your name, or should I just call you ‘the guy who wants something from me’?”A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, and he inclined his head slightly, those dark eyes never leaving mine. “Adrian,” he said smoothly. “And as for why I picked you…well, you’re the closest contact I have to Callum.”I now hated that name. “And what’s that supposed to mean? What kind of history do you have with him?”He let out a low chuckle, shrugging in a way that felt casual yet loaded with secrets. “That’s none of your business, Selene. All you need to decide is whether you want in or not.”I narrowed my eyes, folding my arms tighter across my chest. “I still don
(Selene’s POV)Then Adrian leaned in close, his lips brushing my ear as he murmured, “I want you, Selene,” a strange heat curled in my stomach. It was like he’d lit a match inside me, igniting something raw and consuming. My breath hitched, and for a second, all I could do was stare at him. The storm in his eyes reflected something dark and hungry, mirroring my own.Callum’s words from the party clawed their way back into my mind, the memory taunting me. When we pulled up to the house, the tension between us was unbearable. Adrian reached for the door, but before he could even step inside, I grabbed his wrist, holding him back. He turned, his gaze searing into mine as though he was waiting for me to make the next move. And I did. I surged forward, capturing his lips in a kiss so heated it felt like I’d burned myself. Adrian groaned low in his throat, his hands immediately finding my waist and pulling me closer. The kiss deepened, his tongue sliding against mine in a dance that mad
AdrianThe whiskey swirled lazily in the glass, the amber liquid catching the faint light of the room. I stared in the direction Callum had pulled Selene into just minutes ago, my grip tightening around the glass. Five minutes. That’s how long it had been since I last saw her walk through those doors, her back straight but her tension almost tangible. What were they saying? Or rather, what was *he* saying? My jaw clenched at the thought. Was Callum finally telling her the truth? Or was he spinning another one of his vile tales, manipulating her the way he always did? I hated the uncertainty, the not knowing. But then the door opened, and Selene stepped out. Her eyes scanned the room, sharp and calculating. She was looking for me—I could tell by the way her gaze passed over everyone else, disinterested and cold, until it landed on me. She walked straight toward me, her heels clicking against the marble floor with purpose. “Adrian,” she said the moment she reached me, her voice lo
Selene’s POV“She’s not what you think she is,” Callum said loudly, his words cutting through the low hum of conversation like a knife. His voice was sharp, laced with anger, and impossible to ignore. The room fell silent, the whispers dying down as every eye turned toward us. My chest tightened under the weight of their stares. Each curious gaze felt like a probing question, and I could practically feel their judgment. Callum stepped closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over me, his expression dark and unreadable. “She’s not what he says she is,” he repeated, his tone colder, harsher. His next words hit me like a slap to the face. “I should know. I was mated to her once.” The air seemed to crackle with tension as his revelation rippled through the crowd. Gasps erupted, followed by a tidal wave of murmurs and shocked exclamations. People craned their necks, desperate to catch a glimpse of the woman he claimed had once been his mate. Me. My cheeks burned with humiliati
Selene’s POV**The man didn’t know what hit him. One moment, he was gripping my arm, his face twisted in anger and insult, and the next, he was on the floor, sprawled out like a rag doll. It all happened so fast that I barely registered Adrian’s movement, the quiet but powerful force that had him reaching forward and flinging the man away from me like he was nothing.For a split second, the room went silent. It was as if time had paused, and every eye in the grand hall was on us. People froze mid-conversation, their faces painted with a mixture of confusion and surprise. Then, as if a dam had broken, whispers and murmurs rose from all directions.“Is that… Adrian?”“Adrian’s here? I thought he was gone.”“What’s he doing here, of all places?”The buzz around us grew louder, and I could feel the weight of everyone’s stares. My heart raced as I looked up at Adrian, who was standing over the man, his expression completely unreadable yet so fierce it made my breath catch. He stepped close
Selene’s POV**The car moved smoothly through the busy city streets, but inside, my heart was racing, heavy with worry. I had no idea what Adrian was planning, only that he had instructed, “Dress nice and act well.” Those words weren’t much help, especially coming from him, where “act well” could mean anything. Not knowing his intentions made my nerves prickle, keeping me on edge.I looked down at my dress, anxiously smoothing the dark blue fabric over my knees. The gown was elegant, hugging my curves modestly, and I hoped it was fancy enough for whatever Adrian had in mind without drawing too much attention. The necklace he’d given me sparkled against my collarbone, a surprising gift that made me feel… appreciated? But I knew better than to feel comfortable around Adrian, especially when he kept his Intentions so vague.The car slowed, pulling up to a grand building with tall glass walls that reflected the evening lights. I swallowed hard as Ismael, Adrian’s driver, stepped out and o
Selene’s POVI was in my office, sorting through the endless stack of reports on my desk. The ticking of the clock on the wall was the only sound in the room, echoing against the polished surfaces and heavy wooden furniture. I’d gotten used to the quiet here—it was the kind of silence that allowed me to focus, to plan, to work without distraction.My assistant, Marcus, knocked on the door and entered without waiting for a response. He knew the drill by now, had worked with me long enough to skip formalities. I looked up, nodding for him to take a seat.“Everything’s in order for the conference next week,” Marcus started, flipping through his own file of notes. “We’ve confirmed all the attendees, secured the location, and the press kit is ready to go.”I listened, taking in every detail as he ran through the list. Business was routine—a predictable set of tasks that I could manage in my sleep. Yet, there was one matter I had in mind that wasn’t so routine.After a few more minutes, Mar
Selene’s POV**The first half of the day was completely useless. The moment Adrian left the house, I felt both relieved and restless. I sat down to eat breakfast, but it was hardly enjoyable. The silence in the house was thick, and the empty spaces reminded me that I had a mission here, though I wasn’t even sure what that mission really was. After breakfast, I headed back to my room, trying to collect my thoughts.Something about Adrian didn’t make sense. He seemed to have a clear purpose—a drive for revenge—but he never spoke about it directly. It was like he was hiding the full story. But even more than his silence, it was his voice that troubled me. When he spoke, there was a familiarity to it, like I had heard that voice before, though I couldn’t place where. I was one to remember faces, voices, even small details of every interaction. If there was a reason his voice sounded familiar, I should have known it. And yet, nothing came to mind. This nagging feeling wouldn’t go away, as
Selene’s POVThe next morning, I woke up while it was still dark, my mind still fille with the events of the night before. The anger had shifted into something colder, a determination that felt like iron inside me. I had nothing left to lose, and I refused to let Adrian—or anyone—treat me like I was a fool. That was what Callum had done, humiliating me and leaving me broken. Too many nights had been spent blaming myself for letting him control me. Adrian wasn’t going to get the same chance.After a long, hot shower, I dried off slowly, letting the warmth sink into me, as if the steam itself was giving me strength. I took my time picking out my clothes, feeling as if I were putting on a kind of armor. Once I was dressed, I headed downstairs, my heart beating a little harder when I saw Adrian already at the dining table, his attention on his phone. I paused in the doorway, gathering my courage, and then, determined to stand my ground, I walked over to the kitchen counter.As quietly as
Selene’s POVThe entire room seemed to press in on me, suffocating me with a flood of sensations that I couldn’t control. Adrian’s touch burned through me, igniting an unwanted heat that I didn’t recognize as my own. His hands were confident, assertive, moving as if they already knew how my body would respond. I hated myself for the way I reacted, for the way I melted under his gaze. Every fiber of my being wanted to resist, to push him away, but I found myself unable to do anything but surrender to the warmth pooling low in my stomach.And then, before I could stop it, a release shuddered through me. My legs trembled, my breathing ragged as I struggled to regain control. Adrian’s smug smile was the first thing I saw, his face too close, too knowing, as though he’d been expecting this outcome all along. A slow, satisfied smirk spread across his lips, and I felt a surge of disgust – for him, but more so for myself.The auction room faded into a blur around us as my shame intensified. I