#Chapter 2 Meeting Bastien

Selene's POV

I run until I cannot run any longer, finding myself at the edge of one of Elysiums's countless nature parks. The forest spreads out before me, and though I cannot imagine any refuge here, at least I know there won't be any people.

I dart into the dense woodland, the rough ground slicing into my feet as I trample over rocks, fallen branches, and foliage. I can't hear the wolves behind me anymore, but still I do not stop. I trek as deep into the forest as I can, until it's impossible to imagine I'm even in a city at all.

The darkness is complete here, and comforting after the overwhelming assault of lights and sounds in the city. I climb into the branches of a large fir tree, scraping just about every inch of my body in the process. I curl up against the rough trunk. I know I need to be making plans and sorting out next steps, but my exhaustion looms tall. I try to keep my eyes open, but I'm fighting a losing battle. A moment later I succumb, and the world goes black.

_____

I've always been an outsider. Maybe deep down my peers sensed I did not belong in the Nova Pack, but being a Volana wolf had been excuse enough to torment me. My mother and I were the only ones in Elysium, and children didn't care about rarefied bloodlines, all they knew was that I was different.

When I was five the school bully chased me into the winding mountain tunnels beneath Elysium. I thought I would be able to find my way back out; I didn't understand how complex the ancient pathways were until I was well and truly lost.

I wandered the subterranean maze for two days before Bastien found me. At the time he was a young teenager, but he never seemed awkward or uncertain like the other kids his age.

There is no guarantee that an Alpha's child will be their heir. Another wolf can always be bigger, stronger; more ferocious. At the end of the day these primal traits will always decide who is in charge, but there had never been any doubt with Bastien. From day one it was clear that no wolf in the pack would be able to challenge his dominance or intelligence once he was grown.

He carried me to safety all those years ago, and here he stands again, gazing up at me in my darkest hour with the promise of salvation. Only this time, I do not believe him.

He was kind to me once, but so was Garrick. He showered me with love for ten years before showing his true colors. I will not make the mistake of trusting so easily again.

“Will you come down to me, little wolf?" Bastien's deep voice sends a shiver down my spine.

I shake my head, clinging to my branch. "Go away." I beg meekly. My voice is barely a whisper, but I know his wolf ears can hear me.

His lips, full and soft against a backdrop of sharp lines and angles, form a hard line. "I can't do that." He replies, "You're injured."

I scramble for an explanation that will send him away. "I scraped myself climbing up here, that's all."

From the look in his steely silver eyes, he knows I'm lying, "And why are you up there?"

It's so surreal to be speaking to another person, someone other than Luna or Garrick. I scrabble for a logical answer, "The storm frightened me." As if on cue, a clap of thunder sounds overhead. I flinch, the memory of Garrick lurching toward me flashing through my mind.

“If you come down I can take you indoors where it will be safe and warm." Bastien coaxes.

The image of my basement cell replaces thoughts of Garrick's assault. No, I do not like the indoors. "I'm fine right here." I insist.

I can feel his eyes on me, dark and assessing. I squirm under their weight, hiding my face in the tree trunk. If I can't see you, you can't see me.

“If it's so nice up there, maybe I'll join you." Bastien suggests.

“No!" I all but shriek, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I need to get away from him, I have to find a better hiding spot. I glance over at the tree on my left, considering its heavy branches and wondering if I might be able to move through the treetops.

“Don't even think about it." The authority in his voice freezes me to the spot. No one can defy an order from the pack Alpha, it's in our very DNA. I whimper, hugging the tree more tightly as fresh tears fall.

“There's no need to be afraid." The harsh rumble belies his words. "Tell me your name."

I realize then he has no memory of saving me from the tunnels. I don't know why that hurts so much, but it does. His rescue had meant everything to me. Before Garrick imprisoned me, those days in the tunnels had been the most traumatic of my life – yet they were nothing to him.

His failure to recall the momentous event bolsters my distrust. "I'm no one."

“I'm beginning to lose my patience." His deep voice carries up to me. "Either you can come down, or I can come up."

I shake my head again, eyes burning. It isn't fair, I only just got free.

He makes the climb I struggled with so terribly in seconds. Silver eyes sweep over me as I huddle against the tree trunk, my body curled into a tight ball.

A growl rumbles in Bastien's chest, and my pulse spikes. Every muscle tensing for the imminent attack, I clench my eyes shut, sure this is the end.

His hands are huge and calloused, but impossibly gentle. "Shhh," His voice is a low purr in my ear. "You're alright." Warmth surrounds me as Bastien bundles me into his arms, and though I cannot explain it or even begin to understand it, I do feel calmer somehow.

We're on the ground in a single leap. I know I should fight him now that we're on solid footing, but I can't make my limbs work. My eyelids feel heavy again, and all I want is to cuddle into the pillowy muscles surrounding me.

As if reading my mind, Bastien tucks his coat around my frail body a bit more tightly, taking up a comforting rumble that vibrates against my cheek. "Sleep, little wolf. You're safe."

-----

I jerk awake, jolting to a sitting position in an unfamiliar bed. It takes a moment for my nerves to catch up with my head, sending shouts of protest and pain once they do; every inch of my body aches.

One of my eyes is swollen shut, but the other blinks rapidly against the light. The room – a large bedroom suite decorated in muted colors – is far too bright.

The silken fabric of my nightgown scratches my overly-sensitized skin despite its softness. How long has it been since I've worn clothing?

Someone has washed and braided my hair, and bandages have been wrapped around my feet and arms. Muffled voices reach my ears, and my attention swings to a closed door on my left. The fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and I slip from the bed as gracefully as I can.

I cross the small space, settling with my back against the door and pressing my ear to the cool wood.

“Selene Moreau." I don't recognize the voice speaking my name. "She's supposed to be dead."

“Well clearly she isn't." A second voice answers. "Has anyone found Garrick yet?"

A growl drowns out the final word, followed by a familiar bass. "Aiden is leading the hunt, he has instructions to check in the moment they catch his trail." A heavy pause punctuates Bastien's words. "I don't understand how we didn't know."

“Garrick put on a good show." The first speaker remarks, "No one ever suspected he could do anything like this."

“It's a failure on all our parts." The second man states gravely. "We should have asked more questions. Volana wolves are not easy to kill – two going at once should have been a red flag."

“We couldn't have known." The first man placates.

“No we should have known." This has to be the Alpha. As heir Bastien is second in command in the pack; no one else would be speaking with him this way. "Instead an innocent pup was left to suffer for almost a decade."

I was so busy trying to sort out all the implications of their words that I didn't notice the approaching footsteps. I heard the knob turn half a second before I felt the door pressing into my spine, sliding my body towards the wall.

Suddenly Bastien is peering down at me, an amused look on his handsome face. "Eavesdropping, little wolf?"