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 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
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.
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 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
The world still smelled like smoke and magic.Selene’s body ached as she stumbled forward, her knees nearly giving out beneath her. The night air was cold against her sweat-dampened skin, but she barely noticed. All she could see was the lingering image of Ronan’s blackened eyes, the cruel smirk on his lips as he let them escape.He let them go.Cassian’s firm grip yanked her back to reality. “You’re slowing down,” he growled. “We can’t stop here.”Varian, still weak from casting the teleportation rune, wavered beside them. “We need to—” he coughed, “—get to cover. If Elias’s men tracked us, we won’t last long out in the open.”Selene didn’t care.She twisted out of Cassian’s grip, turning back toward the shadowed landscape they had just escaped from. “We have to go back.”Cassian’s expression darkened. “No.”Her heart slammed against her ribs. “Ronan is still in there! You saw it—he told me to run. He’s fighting it.”Cassian exhaled sharply, stepping closer until his face was inches
Selene’s eyes fluttered open, but the moment she did, an overwhelming sensation of cold metal pressing against her skin sent a jolt through her body. Her hands were bound, wrists tightly secured to a rough stone wall. The coldness of the dungeon seeped into her bones, and the faint scent of damp earth filled the air.She was trapped.The familiar pull of magic twisted in the air, and she knew immediately she wasn’t alone. She forced herself to sit up, her legs unsteady as the chains clinked against the stone. The dark shadows clung to every corner, making it hard to see clearly. It was as though the very walls were suffocating her.Her breath quickened when her eyes finally landed on the figure standing near the entrance—a figure she knew all too well.Ronan.He was standing at a distance, his back straight, his posture as rigid as stone. His dark hair fell over his forehead, and his once-bright eyes now seemed hollow, distant. The warmth that once radiated from him felt like a dista
Ronan knelt on the cold stone floor, his wrists bound in iron shackles, his body bruised and bloodied from the relentless torment Elias had inflicted upon him. But his golden eyes burned with defiance, refusing to yield.Selene struggled against the guards holding her back, her heart pounding wildly. She had never seen Ronan so vulnerable before, yet the fire in his gaze remained unbroken.Elias circled him like a predator savoring its prey. “You could make this easier, Ronan,” he mused, voice laced with mock concern. “Pledge your loyalty to me, and I’ll spare you this suffering. Or would you rather continue bleeding for a lost cause?”Ronan lifted his head, spitting blood onto the floor at Elias’s feet. “I’ll never bow to you.”Elias sighed dramatically. “So stubborn. But you see, I don’t need your cooperation. I just need to find the right pressure point to break you.” His eyes flickered toward Selene. “And I believe I already have.”Selene’s stomach twisted as Elias strode toward 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