The wind howled through the trees, carrying the scent of rain and damp earth. The air felt thick, charged with something unseen but heavy enough to weigh on Selene’s chest. It had been days since they’d left the ruins behind, but the tension between them had only grown stronger, stretching like an unspoken thread ready to snap.Selene tightened her cloak around her shoulders, her mind clouded with too many thoughts. Ronan walked a few paces ahead, his broad shoulders rigid, his usual effortless grace dulled by exhaustion. Cassian trailed behind, quieter than usual, his sharp eyes scanning the darkened forest like a predator waiting for a sign of weakness.She didn’t know when it had started—this shift between them. Maybe it was when they barely escaped Elias’s latest ambush. Or perhaps it had begun long before, festering beneath the surface, only now rising to meet them like an inevitable storm.Selene hated this. The doubt. The uncertainty.She had always trusted her instincts, but n
The storm rolled in without warning.Selene stood at the cliff’s edge, her cloak whipping around her as the wind howled through the valley below. Lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating the jagged rocks and the dark sky that churned like an unsettled sea. The air was thick with tension—electric, crackling with power that wasn’t just from the storm.It was coming from them.Ronan stood a few feet away, his eyes glowing with restrained fire, his stance rigid with anger. The embers in his palm flickered, threatening to ignite into something uncontrollable.Cassian, on the other hand, stood at the opposite side, his gaze dark, the storm answering his call. The way the wind wrapped around him, the way his presence crackled like the impending downpour—it was clear he wasn’t holding back anymore.Selene’s heart pounded against her ribs. This wasn’t just another argument between them. This was the breaking point.“Both of you, stop this.” She took a step forward, voice steady despite
The weight of silence hung over the camp as the sun dipped behind the horizon, casting long shadows over the land. Selene sat by the dying fire, staring into the embers, her thoughts far away from the present. The confrontation between Ronan and Cassian had left an ache in her chest, a wound she didn’t know how to heal. She had hoped that time would allow the tension to fade, that the events of the past few days would simply slip into the past. But the rift between them had only deepened, and no amount of silence could mask the reality that everything was beginning to unravel.Ronan was standing near the edge of the camp, staring out into the distance with his back to her. He hadn’t spoken since their argument—hadn’t really said much at all, in fact. She could feel the bitterness radiating from him, even from here. Every movement he made, every breath he took, seemed heavy with unspoken words.Selene exhaled sharply, pushing herself to her feet. She couldn’t let this linger any longer
The air was thick with tension as the group sat around the flickering campfire, the flames casting long shadows on their weary faces. The remnants of their earlier confrontation with Elias’s forces still hung in the air, unresolved and raw. Selene couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at her gut. Cassian’s sudden reappearance was a complication they hadn’t needed, but now he was here, and they had no choice but to deal with it.Ronan, still recovering from the injuries he’d sustained days ago, was sitting quietly beside her. His face was pale, his eyes darker than usual. She could see the exhaustion in every movement, every slight grimace that crossed his features. He was trying so hard to hide it, but she knew him too well. He was weakening. And the weight of that realization was heavy on her chest.Every time her gaze flickered to him, she felt a pang of guilt. There were moments when she wanted to reach out, to pull him close, but the distance between them had grown—physically
The tension in the air was palpable as Selene paced near the edge of the camp. The flames from the fire flickered, casting long shadows across the ground, their orange glow illuminating the darkness of the forest around them. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at her stomach, the one that had only grown stronger since the confrontation with the mysterious forces the night before. Something was off. And it wasn’t just the danger lurking at their doorstep—it was Ronan.Her gaze flicked to him, sitting by the fire, his back stiff, eyes distant, as if trying to shut out the world. He’d been like that since the moment they arrived at this temporary refuge, his usual easy demeanor replaced with something hard and unreadable. He hadn’t spoken much since their escape, only giving curt responses when she’d tried to approach him.But it wasn’t just that. There was something more, something deeper she couldn’t quite put her finger on. The air between them had changed, become charged w
The wind howled through the trees, the sound echoing through the silence of the night. Selene stood at the edge of the clearing, her back to the campfire that had long since dwindled to embers. The flickering light cast long shadows on the ground, and for a moment, she could almost pretend that the world outside of this small circle of warmth didn’t exist. But reality pressed in, and the tension hanging over them like a thick fog refused to be ignored.Ronan’s footsteps approached from behind, his presence as familiar as the rhythm of her own heartbeat. She didn’t turn to face him, even though she felt the pull of his gaze, the weight of his concern as he approached. His voice was low, measured, but she could hear the edge of worry beneath the calm exterior.“Selene,” he said her name with a quiet intensity, “we need to talk.”She finally turned to face him, her eyes searching his face for any hint of what he was thinking, what he was feeling. But his expression was unreadable, as it
The night air was heavy with the scent of rain, a storm on the horizon, but for now, the world was still. The moon hung low, casting a pale glow across the landscape. Selene stood at the edge of the camp, her gaze lost in the vast emptiness before her. The silence around them was unnerving, like the calm before a storm, and Selene couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to change—something that would alter everything they had fought for.Ronan was close, only a few paces away, his presence like a constant pull at her heart. They hadn’t spoken much since the last battle, the tension between them thickening with each passing day. He was there, always there, yet the distance between them seemed to grow by the hour. It was as though the unspoken words between them had created an invisible barrier—one she didn’t know how to break.She glanced over her shoulder at him, her heart catching in her throat when she saw the pained expression etched on his face. He was trying so hard t
The night air was heavy with tension, the kind that clung to your skin and made your breath feel shallow. Selene stood at the edge of the camp, her gaze fixed on the dark horizon. The fire crackled behind her, its warmth barely reaching her. Her thoughts were miles away, tangled in the web of her emotions and the weight of the truth Ronan had revealed.Can I trust him? That question had been gnawing at her ever since he confessed the truth about his past. The lies, the betrayal, the darkness he had carried with him—it was a lot to process, and she was still struggling with how to fit that new version of him into the space she had made for him in her heart.The camp was silent except for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. Her fingers absently toyed with the dagger strapped to her belt, the cool metal offering a strange comfort. There was a sharpness in the air tonight, something she couldn’t quite place, but it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.“Selene?”Her he
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