The night air was thick with the scent of damp earth and lingering embers, the remnants of their last battle still smoldering in the distance. Selene sat beside Ronan, her fingers gliding gently over his bandaged arm, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her touch. He was awake but silent, his golden eyes staring into the darkness, troubled and distant. “You’re still here,” he murmured, his voice rough with exhaustion. Selene arched a brow. “Where else would I be?” Ronan exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “You should keep your distance.” She didn’t move. “Why?” He flexed his fingers, then clenched them into a fist. “Because I don’t trust myself anymore.” A chill passed through her, but she didn’t let it show. “Then trust me,” she said softly. “Trust that I won’t let you lose yourself.” His jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue. Silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words. Selene could see the war raging inside him—the fear, the guilt, the torment of nearly
The night was thick with silence, the kind that felt alive—watching, waiting. The small cavern where Selene and Ronan had taken shelter was barely enough to keep the cold at bay, but neither of them seemed to care. Not when his transformation was worsening.Ronan sat against the jagged rock wall, his breath coming in slow, measured exhales. His body trembled—not from weakness, but from something deeper. Something unknown.Selene knelt beside him, dipping a cloth into the cool water from a small stream running along the cave floor. The dim glow of moonlight barely reached them, casting Ronan’s features in harsh, shadowed angles. He looked different—not just wounded, but… altered.His skin burned under her touch as she pressed the damp cloth to his brow. He tensed, jaw tightening, but he didn’t pull away.“You’re burning up,” she murmured.Ronan let out a ragged chuckle. “Feels like my insides are breaking apart and stitching themselves back together.”A chill ran through Selene. That w
The clash of steel rang through the night, echoing against the jagged cliffs. Selene barely had time to dodge as a cloaked attacker lunged at her, twin daggers gleaming under the moonlight. She twisted away, slicing her blade across his arm, but he barely flinched.They weren’t ordinary warriors. Their movements were too precise, too fast. Magic pulsed through them like a dark current.Cassian was holding his own, his sword carving through the enemy ranks with brutal efficiency. But Selene’s attention snapped to Ronan—his breathing was ragged, his hands trembling as black veins pulsed beneath his skin.Not now.“Ronan!” she called, shoving back an attacker. “Stay with me!”He clutched his head, staggering. His golden eyes burned with an unnatural glow, his body vibrating with power. The very air around him seemed to crackle.Then, he moved.Lightning-fast, he grabbed an enemy’s throat and lifted him effortlessly off the ground. The man thrashed, choking, as Ronan’s grip tightened.“Ro
A heavy silence settled over the group as they moved through the dense forest, the night pressing in from all sides. The air was thick with damp earth and the lingering scent of blood. Selene stole a glance at Ronan. His jaw was clenched, his movements stiff, but it wasn’t exhaustion slowing him down—it was something worse.She had seen it in his eyes when Elias’s voice had echoed through the night. The way his hands had trembled. The way he had flinched, as if the voice had reached inside him and wrapped around his very soul.But he wouldn’t talk about it.And that scared her more than anything.Cassian was the first to break the silence. “We need to find shelter before dawn.” His voice was sharp, his usual sarcasm gone. “Ronan’s in no condition to keep moving.”“I’m fine,” Ronan growled, but even as he spoke, he swayed slightly.Selene stepped closer, gripping his arm. “You’re not fine.”His skin was burning beneath her fingers, feverish and unnatural. The black veins running up his
Selene’s breath caught as she stared at Ronan—no, Elias—standing before her, his emerald eyes now laced with an unnatural, eerie glow. The body was Ronan’s, the sharp lines of his face and the battle-worn strength she had come to trust. But the way he moved, the way he smiled—it was all wrong.“Selene,” Elias purred, his voice a twisted echo of Ronan’s. “You look at me like I’m a ghost. Am I not real enough for you?”Her pulse thundered in her ears. “Let him go.”Elias tilted his head, a mockery of thoughtfulness. “Let him go? Oh, darling, I just got here. I don’t think I’ll be leaving anytime soon.”Cassian moved first, drawing his sword in a blur of silver. “Then we’ll force you out.”Elias smirked, shifting his gaze to Cassian. “Ah, the ever-loyal knight. You know, Ronan truly despises you.” His fingers flexed at his sides, and a rush of dark energy flared around him. “Shall I show you just how much?”Cassian lunged, but Selene threw out her arm. “Wait!”Cassian froze, his blade in
The night was thick with mist, curling like phantom fingers around the ruins ahead. Selene barely felt the chill biting at her skin as she pressed forward, her heart a relentless drum in her chest. Ronan was out there—she could feel it, a tether between them that hadn’t broken despite the darkness trying to consume him.“Selene, wait,” Cassian hissed from behind, catching her wrist. His grip was firm but not forceful, his golden eyes scanning the eerie landscape with caution. “Rushing in without a plan is suicide.”“We don’t have time for a plan,” she shot back, wrenching her arm free. “If Elias tightens his grip on Ronan, we might lose him forever.”Cassian exhaled sharply, but he didn’t argue. He understood—perhaps too well. They had been tracking Ronan’s presence for hours, every lead drawing them deeper into the ruins of an ancient fortress long abandoned to shadows and whispered nightmares.The entrance yawned before them like the mouth of a beast. Selene barely hesitated before
Selene’s heart pounded as she stepped closer to Ronan. His eyes—once filled with fire and devotion—were now cold, distant, and shadowed by Elias’s power. He stood rigid, his muscles tense as if restrained by invisible chains. Every instinct told her to run, that this wasn’t the man she had fought beside, the man who had kissed her like she was his salvation.But she wasn’t leaving him behind.“Ronan.” Her voice was steady, but her heart trembled. “Look at me.”He didn’t move.Elias’s laughter echoed in the air, smooth and mocking. “You truly believe love can break my hold on him? You overestimate your worth, Selene.”She clenched her fists. “I don’t need to be enough for you. I just need to be enough for him.”Taking a shaky breath, she reached out, pressing her palm against Ronan’s chest. A shiver ran through her as she felt the unnatural chill of Elias’s magic seeping into him.“Come back to me,” she whispered.For a moment, nothing happened. Then—a flicker. His jaw clenched, a musc
The fire crackled softly in the dimly lit cabin, casting flickering shadows across the wooden walls. The air was thick with the scent of burning embers and damp earth, remnants of the storm that had passed through the forest. Selene sat at Ronan’s bedside, her fingers lightly tracing the back of his hand, reassuring herself that he was truly there—that he was truly free.His breathing was steady, but his body bore the marks of Elias’s control. Faint bruises marred his skin, as if the dark magic had tried to root itself inside him. She had barely slept, afraid that if she closed her eyes, he would slip away again.Ronan stirred, his lashes fluttering open to reveal those deep, stormy eyes she had memorized. For a brief moment, confusion flickered across his face, but then his gaze found hers, and his body relaxed.“Selene…” His voice was hoarse, as if he had been speaking through a void for days.She squeezed his hand. “You’re awake.” Relief flooded her, but it was laced with something
Selene’s breath came fast and shallow as she stared at Ronan—or what was left of him.His eyes, once filled with fire and defiance, were now bottomless pools of black. Shadows curled around his fingers like living creatures, slithering over his skin. The air around him felt wrong—heavy and suffocating.She stepped forward, voice barely above a whisper. “Ronan?”He tilted his head, studying her as if she were a stranger. “Selene.”A cold shiver ran through her. His tone was eerily calm, almost… amused.Cassian shifted beside her, blades at the ready. “That’s not him anymore.”Selene’s stomach clenched. “I don’t believe that.”Cassian exhaled sharply. “We don’t have time for this.”“Shut up, Cassian!” she snapped, eyes locked on Ronan. “I know you’re still in there. Fight it.”Ronan took a step closer, his boots silent against the cave floor. “Fight it?” His lips curled into something resembling a smirk. “You don’t understand, do you?”Selene’s pulse pounded in her ears.“Understand wha
Ronan lay still, his breathing slow, but the darkness hadn’t left his eyes. The faint red flicker in his irises sent a chill through Selene. She refused to believe he was lost, but something inside him had changed—something Elias had left behind.Selene knelt beside him, her hands trembling as she brushed damp strands of hair from his face. “Ronan, it’s me,” she whispered. “You’re safe.”His grip tightened on her wrist, not in aggression but as if he was holding onto the last bit of himself. His voice was hoarse, raw. “You should have left me.”Selene’s heart clenched. “Never.”Cassian scoffed from behind them. “You’re too blind to see it, Selene. He’s dangerous now.”Selene turned sharply. “He fought against it. He never gave in.”Cassian’s jaw clenched. “He almost killed you.”Ronan flinched, and for the first time since waking, his eyes dropped, his entire body tensing. He remembered.Selene softened. “That wasn’t you, Ronan.”His expression twisted in pain. “Wasn’t it?”Silence st
Selene’s heart shattered as Ronan lunged.She barely had time to move before he was on her—his strength unnatural, his speed terrifying. The Ronan she knew was gone, replaced by a predator. His blackened eyes locked onto hers, his breathing ragged.“Ronan, stop!” she cried, dodging at the last second.His claws—claws, not hands—sliced through the air where she had just been. He hit the stone wall with inhuman force, cracks spiderwebbing across the surface.This wasn’t just some mind trick. This was real.Ronan’s body trembled, his fingers flexing as if fighting against himself. For the briefest moment, his lips parted—Selene…Then he snarled and attacked again.Selene gritted her teeth, her mind racing. She couldn’t fight him. Not like this.Think, Selene. You need to reach him.Elias’s laughter cut through the chaos. “He’s magnificent, isn’t he?”Selene spun toward him, rage surging through her. “What did you do to him?!”Elias smirked. “I simply revealed what was always inside him.
The cold stone walls of Elias’s stronghold loomed ahead, a fortress of shadows and secrets. Selene’s heart pounded as she stood in its eerie silence, Ronan by her side. Every fiber of her being screamed that this was a mistake—but she had no choice. Elias had lured her here, whispering promises of truth, of an end to the bloodshed. But Selene knew better.Ronan shifted beside her, his grip tightening around the hilt of his blade. He had insisted on coming, despite the raw wounds on his body. His time in captivity had changed him—his once-unbreakable spirit now carried a weight she couldn’t quite name. She had barely gotten him back, and now they were walking straight into the lion’s den.A gust of wind howled through the empty corridors as they stepped inside. Cassian and Varian flanked them, weapons drawn. The tension was suffocating.A slow clap echoed through the chamber.Elias.He stepped into the dim torchlight, a cruel smirk carved onto his face. Dressed in black, his presence w
The forest trembled with an unnatural stillness. Even the wind had ceased its whispering, as if nature itself braced for what was to come. Selene’s pulse thundered in her ears as she stood at the edge of the ruined temple, her dagger clenched tight in her palm. The flickering torches lining the crumbling walls barely held back the darkness, their glow casting twisted shadows over the figures waiting inside.Elias stood at the center, draped in a cloak as dark as the abyss, his piercing gaze locking onto her with unsettling ease. Beside him, a row of armed warriors stood like statues, their expressions cold and unreadable. The air was thick with the scent of blood and damp stone, a warning of the battle yet to come.Selene took a cautious step forward, her breath shallow. Behind her, Ronan’s presence burned like a wildfire, his heat radiating against her back. He was struggling—she could feel it. His breathing was too heavy, his stance too rigid. The transformation was devouring him, p
The fire crackled softly in the dimly lit cabin, casting flickering shadows across the wooden walls. The air was thick with the scent of burning embers and damp earth, remnants of the storm that had passed through the forest. Selene sat at Ronan’s bedside, her fingers lightly tracing the back of his hand, reassuring herself that he was truly there—that he was truly free.His breathing was steady, but his body bore the marks of Elias’s control. Faint bruises marred his skin, as if the dark magic had tried to root itself inside him. She had barely slept, afraid that if she closed her eyes, he would slip away again.Ronan stirred, his lashes fluttering open to reveal those deep, stormy eyes she had memorized. For a brief moment, confusion flickered across his face, but then his gaze found hers, and his body relaxed.“Selene…” His voice was hoarse, as if he had been speaking through a void for days.She squeezed his hand. “You’re awake.” Relief flooded her, but it was laced with something
Selene’s heart pounded as she stepped closer to Ronan. His eyes—once filled with fire and devotion—were now cold, distant, and shadowed by Elias’s power. He stood rigid, his muscles tense as if restrained by invisible chains. Every instinct told her to run, that this wasn’t the man she had fought beside, the man who had kissed her like she was his salvation.But she wasn’t leaving him behind.“Ronan.” Her voice was steady, but her heart trembled. “Look at me.”He didn’t move.Elias’s laughter echoed in the air, smooth and mocking. “You truly believe love can break my hold on him? You overestimate your worth, Selene.”She clenched her fists. “I don’t need to be enough for you. I just need to be enough for him.”Taking a shaky breath, she reached out, pressing her palm against Ronan’s chest. A shiver ran through her as she felt the unnatural chill of Elias’s magic seeping into him.“Come back to me,” she whispered.For a moment, nothing happened. Then—a flicker. His jaw clenched, a musc
The night was thick with mist, curling like phantom fingers around the ruins ahead. Selene barely felt the chill biting at her skin as she pressed forward, her heart a relentless drum in her chest. Ronan was out there—she could feel it, a tether between them that hadn’t broken despite the darkness trying to consume him.“Selene, wait,” Cassian hissed from behind, catching her wrist. His grip was firm but not forceful, his golden eyes scanning the eerie landscape with caution. “Rushing in without a plan is suicide.”“We don’t have time for a plan,” she shot back, wrenching her arm free. “If Elias tightens his grip on Ronan, we might lose him forever.”Cassian exhaled sharply, but he didn’t argue. He understood—perhaps too well. They had been tracking Ronan’s presence for hours, every lead drawing them deeper into the ruins of an ancient fortress long abandoned to shadows and whispered nightmares.The entrance yawned before them like the mouth of a beast. Selene barely hesitated before
Selene’s breath caught as she stared at Ronan—no, Elias—standing before her, his emerald eyes now laced with an unnatural, eerie glow. The body was Ronan’s, the sharp lines of his face and the battle-worn strength she had come to trust. But the way he moved, the way he smiled—it was all wrong.“Selene,” Elias purred, his voice a twisted echo of Ronan’s. “You look at me like I’m a ghost. Am I not real enough for you?”Her pulse thundered in her ears. “Let him go.”Elias tilted his head, a mockery of thoughtfulness. “Let him go? Oh, darling, I just got here. I don’t think I’ll be leaving anytime soon.”Cassian moved first, drawing his sword in a blur of silver. “Then we’ll force you out.”Elias smirked, shifting his gaze to Cassian. “Ah, the ever-loyal knight. You know, Ronan truly despises you.” His fingers flexed at his sides, and a rush of dark energy flared around him. “Shall I show you just how much?”Cassian lunged, but Selene threw out her arm. “Wait!”Cassian froze, his blade in