SELENAShe abandoned me.The thought slammed into my chest, knocking the air out of my lungs.How could she leave me to grow up alone, without love, without safety, without even knowing who I truly was?No—It wasn’t possible.It couldn’t be true.Tears burned the back of my eyes, but I blinked them away.I wouldn't break. Not here. Not now.My voice came out in a broken whisper. "Why didn’t you ever come for me? Why didn’t you save me?"Angela opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Only a fresh flood of tears streamed down her cheeks.For the first time in my life, I wasn't sure if I even wanted to hear her answer.The pain clawed up my throat, sharp and raw. My heart screamed at her, how could she still be alive after everything my father told me and never once come for me?I took a shaky step back, turning away, but her voice, strained and desperate, sliced through the air."I loved your father!" she cried, pushing herself to her feet. Her whole body shook as she spoke. "I loved
SELENAMy fingers trembled as I stabbed at the screen, dialing Adam’s number.It barely rang once before he answered.“He took her,” I choked out, voice breaking under the weight of panic.A thick, tense silence hung between us.“Where are you?” Adam’s voice was sharp, urgent.“Behind the building,” I managed, my voice barely a whisper as hot tears streamed freely down my cheeks.“Don’t move. I’m coming,” he said and the line went dead.I pressed my back against the cold brick wall, folding in on myself. I couldn’t stop shaking. I felt trapped, hunted, like a bird in a snare. Stephen my stepbrother always found a way to corner me, to remind me I wasn’t truly free.A wave of terror washed over me. What if he took my freedom again? What if I never escaped him?A hand brushed my back and I screamed, raw and terrified until I turned and saw Adam standing there, wide-eyed, reaching for me.“It’s me,” he said quickly, his voice low and steady. “I’m here, Selena. I’m not going to let him any
ADAMSelena was gone.Gone.The word pounded in my head, each repetition slicing deeper than the last.No.No.FUCK!A low growl rumbled from my chest as realization hit me like a punch to the gut.He took her.Stephen took her.And this time, he wouldn’t stop until he burned everything I loved to the ground.I stood frozen in the middle of the chaos, my fists clenched so tightly my nails bit into my palms. Around me, confused faces blurred together, voices overlapping shouting, whispering, panicking. But none of it mattered.I should’ve pulled her off that damn stage.I should have kept her by my side.I should have protected her.My bones cracked as I half-shifted, my wolf instincts screaming to find her, to tear apart anything that stood in my way. My eyes, now glowing gold, scanned the room searching for any trace of her scent.There.A flash of movement.Damon.Our eyes locked across the room, his lips curling into a smirk that twisted my gut with a sick sense of betrayal.He kne
ADAMI closed my eyes.Not out of peace.Not out of surrender.But because I didn’t want the last thing I ever saw to be Damon’s twisted satisfaction.The cold kiss of death hovered near, his power crackling in the air like a storm about to break when something shifted.A presence.Fierce.Familiar.A warm, furious energy surged between us like a living wall.My eyes flew open.And there she was.Angela.Standing in front of me, arms spread, shielding me like a lioness. Her body trembled, not from fear but from the sheer force of the rage she barely kept contained.My breath caught.What the hell was she doing here?“Angela,” I said, voice raw, “you shouldn’t be here.”She turned her head slightly, her eyes never leaving Damon.“I’m sorry, my prince... but I can't stand by and let them hurt my daughter.”Her words echoed in my chest like a drumbeat.“Your daughter?” I asked, stunned.She nodded, firm and unflinching. “Selena is my daughter.”My gaze snapped to Stephen, who looked just
SELENACold.It wasn't the kind of cold you felt from winter air or an ice cube against your skin. It was the kind that seeps into your bones the kind that makes your soul shiver. I tried to move, to open my eyes, but it felt like I was floating in a void, swallowed by a darkness so thick it weighed down my thoughts.Open your eyes, Selena. Please… open your eyes.I said it over and over in my mind like a prayer, but nothing changed. My limbs were heavy, my voice lost somewhere inside me. And then I heard it footsteps. Soft. Measured. Getting closer. But I had no idea where I was.The last thing I remembered was being ripped away from Adam’s arms his warmth, his scent, the safety I felt in his hold gone in an instant. Someone had yanked me from him, and I couldn’t stop it. Couldn't fight back.Where am I?Suddenly, warmth returned to my body. A slow, crawling heat like a fire trying to wake something frozen. My skin tingled. Not in comfort, but in fear. They were doing something to me
SELENAI had searched for answers about Adam, about your mother. The truth shattered me.She was alive.I hadn’t expected to see her again, not after all these years. The day I saw her, my heart stopped. I stood there, frozen, mouth parted as if the words would come on their own, but nothing did. She looked older, yes, but her eyes held the same gentle strength I remembered.“I never knew,” I whispered to myself. “She’s alive…”You’ve probably met her by now. Maybe you’ve looked into her eyes and seen yourself in them. I hope so. You deserve that, Selena.The day you disappeared left me standing alone in that grand hall I met her. She walked in like a ghost from the past, and for a second, I truly thought I was dreaming. She recognized me instantly. Her hand flew to her mouth, and tears brimmed in her eyes.“I never came back because it was the only way I could protect her,” she said, voice trembling. “If I had, something bad might have happened.”There was no anger in her, no bittern
SELENALight. Faint and flickering like a dream. Somewhere in the distance, a voice broke through the haze.“Good morning, princess,” Elizabeth whispered, her breath warm against my cheek.She said it every morning. I don’t know how many days have passed—maybe three, maybe more—but I always knew when she was near. Her touch, gentle but firm. The scent of lavender clung to her skin. It grounded me.Warm water trickled down my body as she bathed me again, just like she always did. My limbs lay still, but inside, I screamed. I hated this feeling—trapped inside my own skin. I wanted to move. I wanted to run. But all I could do was feel.“Princess,” Elizabeth said softly, “summer’s here.”The cloth brushed across my shoulder. I could imagine her frowning as she spoke.“The school’s planning a training session for everyone. It’s the season of awakening… maybe you’ll get your wolf this time. I wish you could join.”Her voice faltered, but she kept going, a steady stream of words that filled
SELENAThe mattress dipped.I didn’t dare flinch. Didn’t move a muscle.His scent sharp like crushed pine and something darker invaded my space, clinging to the sheets and smothering the air. Every nerve in my body screamed, but I stayed still. If he thought I was asleep, maybe just maybe he’d leave."You know the one thing I hate most?” His voice sliced through the silence, soft but laced with venom. “Lies.”His breath scorched the side of my face.“And you know what happens to people who lie to me, Selena?”Goosebumps erupted across my skin.But something inside me cracked, loud and wild like thunder in a storm. Because I was awake now. And I was done playing dead.Silence stretched for a heartbeat. Then another.“I know you’re awake,” he murmured, too close. “You’re shaking. I can feel it.” His voice dropped, amused. “What do you take me for, Selena? Telling Elizabeth to lie for you… have you forgotten who I am?”Of course not.How could I forget?He was Stephen. The next Alpha. Th
SELENAThe mattress dipped.I didn’t dare flinch. Didn’t move a muscle.His scent sharp like crushed pine and something darker invaded my space, clinging to the sheets and smothering the air. Every nerve in my body screamed, but I stayed still. If he thought I was asleep, maybe just maybe he’d leave."You know the one thing I hate most?” His voice sliced through the silence, soft but laced with venom. “Lies.”His breath scorched the side of my face.“And you know what happens to people who lie to me, Selena?”Goosebumps erupted across my skin.But something inside me cracked, loud and wild like thunder in a storm. Because I was awake now. And I was done playing dead.Silence stretched for a heartbeat. Then another.“I know you’re awake,” he murmured, too close. “You’re shaking. I can feel it.” His voice dropped, amused. “What do you take me for, Selena? Telling Elizabeth to lie for you… have you forgotten who I am?”Of course not.How could I forget?He was Stephen. The next Alpha. Th
SELENALight. Faint and flickering like a dream. Somewhere in the distance, a voice broke through the haze.“Good morning, princess,” Elizabeth whispered, her breath warm against my cheek.She said it every morning. I don’t know how many days have passed—maybe three, maybe more—but I always knew when she was near. Her touch, gentle but firm. The scent of lavender clung to her skin. It grounded me.Warm water trickled down my body as she bathed me again, just like she always did. My limbs lay still, but inside, I screamed. I hated this feeling—trapped inside my own skin. I wanted to move. I wanted to run. But all I could do was feel.“Princess,” Elizabeth said softly, “summer’s here.”The cloth brushed across my shoulder. I could imagine her frowning as she spoke.“The school’s planning a training session for everyone. It’s the season of awakening… maybe you’ll get your wolf this time. I wish you could join.”Her voice faltered, but she kept going, a steady stream of words that filled
SELENAI had searched for answers about Adam, about your mother. The truth shattered me.She was alive.I hadn’t expected to see her again, not after all these years. The day I saw her, my heart stopped. I stood there, frozen, mouth parted as if the words would come on their own, but nothing did. She looked older, yes, but her eyes held the same gentle strength I remembered.“I never knew,” I whispered to myself. “She’s alive…”You’ve probably met her by now. Maybe you’ve looked into her eyes and seen yourself in them. I hope so. You deserve that, Selena.The day you disappeared left me standing alone in that grand hall I met her. She walked in like a ghost from the past, and for a second, I truly thought I was dreaming. She recognized me instantly. Her hand flew to her mouth, and tears brimmed in her eyes.“I never came back because it was the only way I could protect her,” she said, voice trembling. “If I had, something bad might have happened.”There was no anger in her, no bittern
SELENACold.It wasn't the kind of cold you felt from winter air or an ice cube against your skin. It was the kind that seeps into your bones the kind that makes your soul shiver. I tried to move, to open my eyes, but it felt like I was floating in a void, swallowed by a darkness so thick it weighed down my thoughts.Open your eyes, Selena. Please… open your eyes.I said it over and over in my mind like a prayer, but nothing changed. My limbs were heavy, my voice lost somewhere inside me. And then I heard it footsteps. Soft. Measured. Getting closer. But I had no idea where I was.The last thing I remembered was being ripped away from Adam’s arms his warmth, his scent, the safety I felt in his hold gone in an instant. Someone had yanked me from him, and I couldn’t stop it. Couldn't fight back.Where am I?Suddenly, warmth returned to my body. A slow, crawling heat like a fire trying to wake something frozen. My skin tingled. Not in comfort, but in fear. They were doing something to me
ADAMI closed my eyes.Not out of peace.Not out of surrender.But because I didn’t want the last thing I ever saw to be Damon’s twisted satisfaction.The cold kiss of death hovered near, his power crackling in the air like a storm about to break when something shifted.A presence.Fierce.Familiar.A warm, furious energy surged between us like a living wall.My eyes flew open.And there she was.Angela.Standing in front of me, arms spread, shielding me like a lioness. Her body trembled, not from fear but from the sheer force of the rage she barely kept contained.My breath caught.What the hell was she doing here?“Angela,” I said, voice raw, “you shouldn’t be here.”She turned her head slightly, her eyes never leaving Damon.“I’m sorry, my prince... but I can't stand by and let them hurt my daughter.”Her words echoed in my chest like a drumbeat.“Your daughter?” I asked, stunned.She nodded, firm and unflinching. “Selena is my daughter.”My gaze snapped to Stephen, who looked just
ADAMSelena was gone.Gone.The word pounded in my head, each repetition slicing deeper than the last.No.No.FUCK!A low growl rumbled from my chest as realization hit me like a punch to the gut.He took her.Stephen took her.And this time, he wouldn’t stop until he burned everything I loved to the ground.I stood frozen in the middle of the chaos, my fists clenched so tightly my nails bit into my palms. Around me, confused faces blurred together, voices overlapping shouting, whispering, panicking. But none of it mattered.I should’ve pulled her off that damn stage.I should have kept her by my side.I should have protected her.My bones cracked as I half-shifted, my wolf instincts screaming to find her, to tear apart anything that stood in my way. My eyes, now glowing gold, scanned the room searching for any trace of her scent.There.A flash of movement.Damon.Our eyes locked across the room, his lips curling into a smirk that twisted my gut with a sick sense of betrayal.He kne
SELENAMy fingers trembled as I stabbed at the screen, dialing Adam’s number.It barely rang once before he answered.“He took her,” I choked out, voice breaking under the weight of panic.A thick, tense silence hung between us.“Where are you?” Adam’s voice was sharp, urgent.“Behind the building,” I managed, my voice barely a whisper as hot tears streamed freely down my cheeks.“Don’t move. I’m coming,” he said and the line went dead.I pressed my back against the cold brick wall, folding in on myself. I couldn’t stop shaking. I felt trapped, hunted, like a bird in a snare. Stephen my stepbrother always found a way to corner me, to remind me I wasn’t truly free.A wave of terror washed over me. What if he took my freedom again? What if I never escaped him?A hand brushed my back and I screamed, raw and terrified until I turned and saw Adam standing there, wide-eyed, reaching for me.“It’s me,” he said quickly, his voice low and steady. “I’m here, Selena. I’m not going to let him any
SELENAShe abandoned me.The thought slammed into my chest, knocking the air out of my lungs.How could she leave me to grow up alone, without love, without safety, without even knowing who I truly was?No—It wasn’t possible.It couldn’t be true.Tears burned the back of my eyes, but I blinked them away.I wouldn't break. Not here. Not now.My voice came out in a broken whisper. "Why didn’t you ever come for me? Why didn’t you save me?"Angela opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Only a fresh flood of tears streamed down her cheeks.For the first time in my life, I wasn't sure if I even wanted to hear her answer.The pain clawed up my throat, sharp and raw. My heart screamed at her, how could she still be alive after everything my father told me and never once come for me?I took a shaky step back, turning away, but her voice, strained and desperate, sliced through the air."I loved your father!" she cried, pushing herself to her feet. Her whole body shook as she spoke. "I loved
ADAMThe sun streamed in through the high windows of the palace training hall, casting long golden stripes across the polished floors. The walls echoed with the soft clink of armor as my guards shifted restlessly in their formation.It should have been a day of celebration at Luxe Loom Academy. A day filled with pride and laughter.But not for me.Underneath the polished black of my uniform, my muscles were wound tight, every nerve in my body stretched thin.Stephen my own blood would strike today.I could feel it, a gnawing certainty clawing at my chest.And if he dared lay a finger on Selena... I would spill his blood without hesitation.I stepped forward, holding up the portrait of him, the bastard’s familiar smirk frozen on paper. His face made my hands itch for violence."This man must not," I said, my voice cutting sharply through the room, "must not enter Luxe Loom Academy today. He must not get close to Selena. If he does" I let the threat hang, heavy and dangerous, "do whatev