The air was heavy, thick with an energy that pressed against Selene’s chest. It wasn’t just the remnants of the storm—it was her. Her magic. It churned within her like a wildfire, burning in a way it never had before. Her power had always been volatile, but this… this was something else.“Selene,” Ronan’s voice broke through the haze of her thoughts. His hand was on her arm, grounding her. His skin was pale, his wound still seeping blood, but there was a strength in him that defied it.She turned to him, eyes wide. “Ronan, I can’t… I don’t know how to control it.”“It’s not just your magic anymore,” he said quietly, his gaze flicking to the scorched earth around them, the trees now blackened and skeletal. The aftermath of the battle still hung in the air, the echoes of destruction lingering like smoke. “But you’re not alone. We’ll figure this out together.”Selene swallowed hard, trying to steady her breath. She wanted to believe him, needed to believe him, but the fire inside her… it
The air was thick with the acrid scent of burned earth, and Selene’s senses were assaulted by the echoes of her own power. She could feel the remnants of the magic inside her, like a restless beast clawing at the edges of her control. Every breath she took was heavy with the weight of what she had unleashed. The storm, though passed, had left scars—blackened trees, smoldering rocks, and a world that felt too quiet, too still.Ronan stumbled beside her, his breath coming in labored gasps. He had insisted on moving despite the deep, gaping wound on his side. She had tried to make him rest, but he wouldn’t hear of it. There was something about the way he clung to her side—resolute, determined—that kept her moving forward.“Ronan, you need to stop. You’re going to bleed out if you don’t rest,” Selene urged, glancing at the blood-soaked bandage wrapped tightly around his midsection.“I’m fine,” he rasped, his jaw clenched against the pain. “We can’t afford to stop. They’re still coming.”S
The wind howled through the desolate landscape, carrying with it the scent of ash and burning wood. The remnants of the battle had left their mark—scarred earth, smoldering trees, and a silence that felt unnatural. In the distance, the storm clouds still loomed, a reminder of the fury Selene had unleashed the night before. The world had changed, and so had she.Selene moved forward, her boots crunching over the frozen ground, her breath visible in the cold air. She felt the weight of every step, the burden of her magic pulsing beneath her skin. It wasn’t the same power she had once wielded. No, this was something darker, more dangerous. She could feel it in the depths of her bones—something ancient, something that did not belong to her.Behind her, Ronan’s footsteps were heavy, slower than usual. She had to force herself to ignore the concern gnawing at her. His wound, while bandaged, was far from healed. His body was still fighting the infection, and Selene knew that each day they pu
The wind howled through the barren landscape, carrying the scent of ash and blood. The remnants of the storm still lingered in the air, leaving a heaviness that weighed on Selene’s chest. Her magic, raw and untamed, swirled within her, a constant reminder of the power that was now part of her being. It had been only days since the battle, and already, she could feel its price.Her hand rested lightly on the hilt of her sword, her fingers trembling as she tried to steady her breath. She could feel Ronan’s eyes on her, the weight of his gaze pulling at her, but she refused to meet his gaze. Not now.Not when everything was unraveling.Cassian’s voice broke the silence, his tone strained. “We need to keep moving. We can’t afford to stay here long.”Selene glanced around, her mind still fogged with the aftermath of the last few days. The forest ahead was dark and silent, the trees gnarled and twisted as though they, too, had felt the wrath of her power. She had unleashed something far dar
The night stretched before them like an endless void, dark and suffocating. Selene’s breath came in shallow gasps, the cold air biting at her skin, but it was nothing compared to the fire inside her. The magic, that raw, ancient power, surged through her veins, hot and wild. She couldn’t control it anymore—not fully. It pulsed like a second heartbeat, a constant reminder of the price she was paying for the strength it granted her.They had been traveling for hours, moving under the cover of darkness, but even that felt like an illusion. The storm had passed, but a heavier, more oppressive silence had fallen over the land. Cassian had been scouting ahead, his sharp eyes catching every flicker of movement in the distance, but Selene knew it was only a matter of time before they were hunted again.“You need to rest,” Ronan said, his voice rough and strained, but there was no mistaking the concern in it. He’d been pushing himself just as hard as she had, despite his injury, despite everyt
The temple stood before them, an imposing structure of dark stone and ancient carvings. Its presence loomed like a shadow, unnaturally still in the midst of the raging storm outside. Selene felt the weight of its history in the air, pressing down on her chest like a vise. The wind howled as it swept across the barren landscape, but within the temple’s walls, there was an eerie silence.“We’re here,” Cassian’s voice broke through the tension, but there was a coldness to it that Selene couldn’t ignore. His eyes flickered uneasily to the entrance. “This is it.”Selene nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this place held the answers they sought, yet at the same time, it felt like a trap. There was something ancient here, something old and dangerous that was waiting to awaken.Ronan moved to Selene’s side, his hand brushing hers. His touch, though faint, grounded her in the midst of the chaos swirling inside. “Are you alright?” he asked quietly, his
The air grew thick with dark energy as the temple’s stone walls trembled, groaning beneath the weight of the entity’s presence. It had awoken, and now, it was free—free to move, to twist, to reach out. The faint sound of a distant whisper crawled beneath Selene’s skin, and she could feel it trying to take hold of her, pull her into its depths. Her magic hummed uneasily, its connection to the entity undeniable. It wasn’t just inside her—it was her.“Selene.” Ronan’s voice cut through the chaos, his hand tight on her arm as he pulled her away from the center of the temple, where the entity’s presence was strongest. His face was pale, his jaw clenched with the force of his determination, but there was something else—something vulnerable behind his eyes. He could feel it too. The threat that loomed over them was suffocating.“I can feel it,” Selene murmured, her voice strained. The power surging within her was becoming harder to control, and it wasn’t hers alone. It was the entity’s, twis
Selene’s heart thundered in her chest, the echo of the ritual still reverberating through the air like a distant, angry drum. Her hand trembled as it hovered over the mark on her skin—the symbol now burned into her flesh by the ritual, an indelible reminder of what she had done. She had sealed the entity away, or so she believed. But the power inside her had shifted, turned, and now it felt like a living, breathing thing, coiling beneath her skin, restless and hungry.It had been hours since the ritual had ended, but the aftereffects were immediate, and more than she could handle. The air around her was thick, heavy, as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for something. She could feel Ronan’s eyes on her, but she refused to meet his gaze. His silence spoke volumes; she knew he was afraid.“You’re different,” Ronan said quietly, his voice tight with something she couldn’t quite place. His hand hovered near her, but he didn’t touch her. Didn’t dare. His concern for her h
The sky was painted with the deep shades of twilight as the moon rose higher, casting its ethereal glow over the land. The world felt suspended in time, as though everything had led to this moment—this decision. Selene stood at the edge of the cliff, the wind tugging at her hair, her thoughts as turbulent as the sea crashing below. The weight of the world pressed heavily on her chest. She had never imagined that the final choice would come down to this: the past, the present, and the uncertain future.Behind her, Ronan stepped closer, his presence as steady as ever, like a shadow that had been following her all this time, but never once imposing. His soft breath on the back of her neck made her shiver, but not from fear—more from the deep, unspoken connection that had been growing between them. It was real. It had always been real, even when she had denied it.“Selene,” Ronan’s voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, as if he too had been waiting for this moment to arrive. “You d
Selene’s heart ached as she stared at Kael, standing across from her, his face a storm of emotions. His eyes—once filled with a deep affection for her—now held a raw intensity that could have broken a weaker soul. She knew the hurt was there, the pain of her choice, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to change it.Ronan, standing just behind her, was silent, his gaze flickering between her and Kael. He had sensed the tension thick in the air since Selene’s confession, but the silence between them now was more deafening than any words could have been.“Kael,” Selene began, her voice trembling despite her attempts to remain strong. She took a tentative step toward him, but he recoiled, a flicker of something darker passing over his features.“Save it,” Kael snapped, his voice cold. “I get it. You chose him.” His hand clenched into a fist, and his body seemed to vibrate with the energy of the anger he was trying so hard to suppress. “But don’t think for a second that you’ve gotten rid of
The night air hung heavy with unspoken words as Selene stood in front of the gathered group, her heart racing. Ronan stood beside her, his hand resting lightly on her arm, a silent show of solidarity. It had taken them days to come to this moment, the decision to make their relationship public. They could no longer hide the truth from the people closest to them. It was time to stop living in the shadows.Selene took a deep breath. She had always known this day would come, but that didn’t make it any easier. Her gaze swept over the faces of their group—Cassian, who had a concerned frown on his face; Varian, who was unusually quiet; and Kael, standing a little to the side. His expression was unreadable, but his body language spoke volumes. His arms were crossed, his eyes darkened with what she could only guess was a mixture of hurt and confusion.“I—I have something I need to say,” Selene began, her voice shaking slightly despite her best efforts to stay composed. “I’ve spent a lot of t
The sound of hooves pounding against the earth echoed through the forest, a rhythm that matched the tumultuous beating of Selene’s heart. The starlit night above them seemed distant and cold as the moonlight painted their path, glistening against the bloodstained earth beneath her boots. She had barely been able to keep up with the group, the pain in her side flaring every time she moved too quickly. But she had to keep going.They had faced the onslaught together, survived the siege—barely—but now, the battle was far from over. The deeper conflict within her burned just as fiercely. The weight of her indecision was suffocating.She could still feel the sensation of Ronan’s healing hands, the way his magic had wrapped around her wounds, his power infusing her with an energy that had been so foreign, yet so welcome. But it wasn’t just the healing that lingered. It was the touch, the warmth of his presence that made her heart flutter against her will. And then there was Kael—silent and
The clang of steel and the cries of battle filled the air as Selene stood at the front, her eyes scanning the chaos that had erupted on the battlefield. Her heart beat in rhythm with the violence, and though every instinct screamed at her to retreat, she stood her ground. Her people needed her. Ronan was by her side, his eyes fierce but weary as he struck down another of the invaders, his strength finally starting to wane. But he was determined, and Selene could feel his resolve fueling her own.“Stay close!” she called out, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. “We’re not losing this!”Kael, his movements swift and dangerous, rushed forward, cutting down an enemy soldier who tried to flank them. Cassian was close behind, his usual smirk replaced with a grim expression as he took charge of a separate line of defense. The air crackled with tension, every movement sharp, deliberate. The battle wasn’t just a fight; it was survival.Selene’s mind raced through strategies, calcu
The air was thick with tension, every heartbeat echoing like war drums across the crumbling temple grounds. From her vantage point atop the weather-worn balcony, Selene watched the horizon darken—not with clouds, but with the approaching horde.The siege had begun.Below, Kael barked orders, still limping from his last encounter but determined to defend what little ground they had left. The allies they’d gathered—rogue wolves, witches who had once served in hiding, a handful of humans brave or foolish enough to fight—moved in hurried unison, preparing barricades and traps. But the numbers were not in their favor.Selene turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Ronan stood there, quiet but intense, his gaze locked on the distant army.“They’re moving faster than expected,” he said. His voice was steady, but Selene caught the flicker of tension behind his eyes. “Your brother isn’t wasting time anymore.”“Elias never did,” she murmured, jaw clenched. “But he’s more desperate now. He
The forest still echoed with the chaos they had barely survived. Selene’s hands trembled as she clutched Kael’s shoulder, his blood staining her fingertips. The kiss they had shared—born of desperation, confusion, and something deeper—still lingered between them like a ghost. But it was the man standing just beyond them, cloaked in shadow and moonlight, that stole all the air from her lungs.Ronan.He was bare-chested, panting, blood smeared across his chest, his golden eyes still glowing faintly with the remnants of his transformation. Fury burned in their depths, but so did heartbreak. And betrayal.“Ronan…” Selene’s voice cracked. She took a step toward him but stopped when he flinched ever so slightly, his jaw clenching.Kael groaned beside her, struggling to sit upright. “You know him?” he asked, voice raw.Selene didn’t answer.Ronan took a step forward, his gaze locked on Kael, who still lay weakened on the forest floor. “You kissed him.”It wasn’t a question. It was an accusat
The air crackled with tension as Selene stood before the two men—Kael, weak and recovering, his breaths shallow, and Ronan, standing tall and cold, a shadow of the man she once knew. Her heart hammered in her chest, a storm of emotions crashing inside her. Ronan’s gaze was hard, his jaw clenched tight. His return was unexpected, but now that he was here, everything had changed.Selene stood frozen, her hand still resting on Kael’s shoulder, her eyes wide in disbelief. Her mind couldn’t catch up with the scene unfolding before her. The man she had thought lost forever was here, standing just feet away from her, though so much had changed. So much had happened.Ronan’s cold eyes scanned her, the expression unreadable. For a moment, it was as if the world had come to a standstill. The fierce urgency of the battle, the destruction surrounding them, even Kael’s ragged breaths, all faded into the background.“Ronan…” her voice barely a whisper, barely a breath of air escaping her lungs. Her
The air was thick with tension as Selene crouched beside Kael, trying to steady her breath. The sound of pounding footsteps echoed through the dense forest, growing louder with each passing second. She could hear the snarls of the enemies, their vicious growls almost drowning out the rhythm of her heartbeat. Her body ached from exhaustion, but she pushed through the pain, desperate to protect herself and Kael.“Kael…” she whispered, her voice hoarse with fear. “We need to move. They’re coming for us.”Kael’s eyes, once fierce and filled with fire, now flickered with weariness. He was still partially transformed, the edges of his wolf-like features barely visible beneath his skin. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he stood, leaning heavily on the tree beside him.“I’m… not sure how much longer I can keep this up,” Kael admitted, his voice strained. “But we have to hold them off… for a little longer.”The ground trembled as the enemies drew nearer, their presence like an overwhelming shad