Connor is terribly calm, as Selene can perceive. She can feel him watching her attentively, waiting for a response that perhaps she doesn't want to give at this moment."What's the point now? You didn't care about how I felt before, what difference does it make if I tell you now?""I was forced to act the way I did because you put yourself in danger," Connor tries to reason with her, his voice calm.She is aware of what she did and knew it would have consequences when she decided to leave, but she didn't think he would act the way he did."And of course I care about you, I almost went crazy when they told me they didn't know where you were. I couldn't contact you, no one could," Connor explains his reasons."I didn't put myself in danger on purpose, I was about to come back, I just stayed a few minutes to look at the water," she sobs.Connor stands there looking at her for a moment and then nods slightly before sitting on the couch next to the bed to face her."You disobeyed me.""I w
Selene inspects her naked body in front of the bathroom mirror and feels completely different from the naive and weak young woman who had arrived a few days ago. Something in her has changed and she knows it, even Saya is more active and focused. In these few hours she has been awake, she is learning to deal with some voices in her head from the members of the Redwood Wolves pack. She has no idea why she is hearing them, but she will soon find out. What she cannot ignore is the mark on her shoulder. She gently runs her fingers over that scar and her whole body trembles. She can feel the connection with Connor like never before, she can even hear his heartbeat and feel his heavy breathing from the other side of the door. Because she knows he is there, longing for her, but she won't make it easy for him.She runs her hands over her breasts and notices they are more mature. Her skin is glowing and the muscles of her body are firmer, as if she had exercised excessively. Definitely, Connor
"It will be an unforgettable day." That phrase keeps echoing in Selene's head. There was something in Inés's look when she said that which Selene didn't like. Additionally, Connor's insistence on changing the subject made her doubt; definitely, something strange is happening."Don't you like any of the options?" Clarisse asks, looking at Selene with a frown. "If you want, we can change them; there's still time.""Everything is fine, Clarisse. Thanks for your help," she says, realizing that she wasn't paying attention at all."But you haven't looked at anything, nor tried the menu.""I'm sorry, I'm a bit distracted," Selene starts tasting the dishes that Clarisse had the pack's chefs prepare. She immediately dismisses some and approves the ones she likes. "I was thinking about Inés's birthday. Is there something I should know about it?""No," Clarisse clears her throat, and Selene realizes from her reaction that she's lying. "It's just a birthday, don't pay attention to it. Let's get e
Selene is already seated on one of the couches waiting when Clarisse finally comes out of her station after choosing her own dress. Alexia is sitting next to Selene, and both are talking and smiling in a way that catches Clarisse's attention."Did I miss something while I was back there?" she asks as she approaches, waiting for the saleswoman who was attending to her to pack her things."Just talking about some anecdotes from when I was a child," replies Alexia, shrugging. Selene nods. That's indeed what they were talking about. She feels very comfortable with Alexia, and it seems that Alexia feels the same way. They even converse through the mental link very naturally, as if they had known each other forever. Maybe she is facing her new friend, despite the Luna-Gamma bond."I thought you would take a little longer to choose the dress. I wanted to see it," says Clarisse, making a few faces. "Now you're just going to kill me with anticipation until the weekend."Selene laughs, and Clar
Selene takes a long time in the shower, using some of the products that a saleswoman recommended based on her skin type. She also gives her hair a moisturizing treatment and dries it with a special brush for wavy hair before getting dressed. She looks at herself in the mirror and likes what she sees. Since she arrived here, she had stopped doing some things she enjoys, but that's all in the past now. Today marks the start of a new chapter in her life.Before leaving the bathroom, she thinks it over for a moment. Her plan to drive Connor crazy might backfire and spiral out of control, but she’s decided to go through with it. After all, he’s her mate, and he already bears her mark on his shoulder. Like it or not, they are bound to each other enough that running away now isn’t an option.She opens one of the boxes and pulls out a black lace lingerie set. With the waxing she had done and the moisturizing cream, her skin looks extremely shiny and healthy. She applies a few drops of perfume
"There comes that woman, don't go near her.""I can't believe the alpha marked her.""Take the children inside the house, don't let her see them.""What does she want here? I thought the alpha kept her locked up in the mansion.""That woman shouldn't be roaming free."Thousands upon thousands of voices begin to sound in Selene's head as she walks down the main path. What's going on? She doesn't know, but it's as if all the threads of these people's conversations are now connected to her mind. Unlike yesterday, they are now clearer, and she can understand every word.It makes her a bit upset to know what they think of her, but it doesn't surprise her since everyone has been hostile toward her since she arrived.As she moves forward, the whispers increase, and for a moment she wants to turn around and go back to the mansion, but that would give them more reasons to talk, and she doesn't want that. Besides, she needs to talk to her grandfather and ask what's happening, as this is new and
"He doesn't have bronchitis," says Selene, staring intently at the doctor.The doctor dismisses her words with a haughty smile, taking the opportunity to smooth her coat and display the identification badge hanging from one of her pockets."Excuse me, Luna, but I believe you don't understand this. Meddling in an area you know nothing about can be dangerous; someone could end up dead. I really must call the alpha to inform him of what you're doing.""And what exactly am I doing?" Selene releases the child and stands to face her."I already said, you're meddling in something for which you are clearly unqualified, given the incoherencies you're spouting. I am the doctor here, I've been practicing for over 10 years, and my diagnosis says the boy has bronchitis. Besides...""He doesn't have bronchitis," Selene interrupts her. "Didn't you hear what I said? Your diagnosis is wrong. If he had been treated correctly, he...""Are you calling me incompetent?!" The doctor, who Selene now knows is
Selene's eyes dart to the armchair and she notices a large figure seated in it. Connor growls softly before whispering, staring directly at her. His eyes glow a fiery orange in the darkness. Selene closes the door with her head held high."Come here, Selene," Connor's voice is so cold that Selene can feel her mate's anger deep within her chest, but she is also angry; he is incapable of listening to her and believing in her."Why should I go there?" She maintains her firm position in the middle of the room, standing confidently a few meters away from him."The punishment will be worse than it was going to be if you don't do what I ordered once since you came here."Selene's ears buzz at those words. Her hands tremble, not from the cold that is seeping into her bones, but from rage."I don't have to put up with this," Selene turns around, ready to open the door again.The creak of the armchair makes her hasten her steps. She throws the door open, but it is slammed shut by a powerful han
"I know that nothing I say right now can heal the wound in your heart after what you saw, but I beg you to listen to Connor. Your distance is killing him—he hasn’t even been able to heal properly. Please, Selene, don’t let him die.""He made his own decisions, Clarisse—just like all of you did. You all preferred to lie to me instead of making me part of what was happening so we could find a solution together. You never truly considered me part of your pack, nor your Luna. You made me look like a fool, the laughingstock of everyone."Clarisse begins to sob."We never wanted that to happen, I swear. We tried everything to keep you from suffering because of this.""But it happened! And I’m afraid it’s too late to fix it!" Selene exclaims.Suddenly, a wave of dizziness overtakes her. She tries to hold onto the door, but before she can steady herself, she collapses to the floor, unconscious.Clarisse screams at the top of her lungs. A few omegas in the house rush to help. Beltrán carries S
"I know you hate my mother for the way she's treated you since you arrived, but this is too much. Do you have any proof of what you're saying? Why would she do something like that against her own pack?"Selene gives him a sad smile while shaking her head."Will you ever trust anything I say?" Selene's question hits the alpha like a bucket of cold water. Connor tries to say something, but she cuts him off. "I already know the answer, and frankly, I don’t know why I’m still here, trying to open the eyes of someone who prefers to remain in the dark. You’re not worth my effort, Alpha Blazeheart.""Doctor Moreira, Grandpa, everyone, please explain to the alpha the treatment we're going to do with the children. Nothing more." Selene gives the order in a firm voice.She stands up from the chair and swiftly leaves the room. She hears her mate calling her, but she lacks both the will and the patience to keep fighting.Once outside the clinic, she rushes toward the forest. When she arrives, she
“What are you doing here, Connor?” Selene shoots a stern look at her mate as he enters the office. “You’re still recovering.”The alpha is so pale he looks like he might faint at any moment. His hospital gown barely covers his torso and part of his thigh. He looks not only exhausted and hollow-eyed but also utterly pathetic in that flimsy garment.Kaelan makes no move to stand, nor does he bother to look at him. Yet he can smell his jealousy and he smiles. This only fuels the alpha’s irritation.“How did this lycan get into our pack?” Connor demands, glancing between Selene and Kaelan. “Why didn’t anyone inform me of his arrival?”“Connor, Kaelan Darkmane is an old friend of mine. He came to accompany me on some matters. I apologize for not informing you earlier, that was my fault,” Uriel interjects.“There’s no need for you to explain, Grandpa.” Selene throws a sharp glance at her mate. “I will take care of our guests, and then I’ll come speak with you.” Now she addresses Connor dire
Jackson’s growl diverts the attention of both Selene and Kaelan, who returns a haughty glance. He knows Jackson poses no threat to him. Lycans are much larger, more powerful, and even live far longer than a werewolf. It would take at least a dozen of them to stand a chance against him. “Calm down.” Uriel appears out of nowhere, stepping between an enraged Jackson and the guest. Selene throws herself into her grandfather’s arms, seeking the comfort she so desperately craves, uncaring of the eyes watching her. After a moment, a deliberate cough breaks their embrace. Selene looks up, embarrassed, at the towering and extravagant man standing just a step away, his gaze never having left her since they met. Kaelan observes her closely, scrutinizing her from head to toe, trying to catch even the smallest detail. This little one has a peculiar scent, one that unsettles his lycan and that he cannot quite decipher. Her aura is powerful, in stark contrast to her diminutive frame. Jackson r
Kaelan’s growl reverberates through the forest, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. Even Uriel covers his ears, overwhelmed by its sheer power. Knowing that the demon is still out there, free and destroying more lives—just as she had done to nearly his entire family—fills him with indescribable pain and rage. He can’t bear the thought that she’s alive, that she’s gotten away with this for so many years without anyone realizing it. “We need a plan,” Uriel reasons, though Kaelan is so consumed by fury that he can barely control his breathing. “Tell me where she is, and I’ll kill her. I don’t need a plan for that—I’ll rip her head off and burn her.” “Kaelan, please. My sister and granddaughter are under her control. Many people in that pack have already died, and more will die if we don’t act carefully. We need to neutralize her power before we can destroy her.” Kaelan bares his fangs in frustration, but after a tense moment, he nods reluctantly. Once he regains some semb
Uriel stays hidden for a long time, waiting for that woman to leave so he can find a way inside and check if Lilith is here. He hasn’t seen her, nor can he sense her presence, but something in his heart tells him she’s here, and he refuses to leave until he’s certain. Luckily for him, there are no guards—none at all—which makes things much easier. At dawn, Carla finally walks away from the cabin, and he manages to break the weak spell on the door to get inside. He never thought that, after so many years of being inactive, he’d have to use his gifts for something like this. He raises a hand to his nose as the stench of dampness and decay hits him full force. This place is worthy of Eisheth. Only a creature as vile and steeped in darkness as her could tolerate staying here. The smell is disgusting, and the atmosphere is so oppressive it feels like it’s crushing his head and chest. He can’t breathe, let alone think clearly. An ordinary person wouldn’t be able to survive here for long
Selene returns to the pack’s house mid-morning. She had slept far too long at the spring, which might explain why she feels more refreshed and calmer than yesterday, though her stomach growls in protest from hunger. There is absolute silence when she opens the door to the mansion. She only spots one of the omegas busy cleaning, who doesn’t even notice her arrival. She imagines Clarisse must be with Connor, and Carla taking care of her great treasure: Inés and the pup she’s expecting. Thinking of her, and the being growing inside her womb, makes Selene feel sick. She rushes to her room, heading straight for the bathroom. She hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday, and though she gags a few times over the toilet, nothing comes out—there’s nothing to get rid of. Resigned, she sits on the floor and reflects on how strange she’s been feeling these past days. What’s happening to her? What’s causing these sudden and drastic changes? Even Saya is behaving differently—more cautious. Once
“And to think they called me rebellious for still mourning him,” Selene whispers to her reflection in the water. Her eyes fill with tears. Despite the pain of losing him, Dexter has now become a beautiful memory in her life. “How could I ever forget him when he gave his life for me? How does someone just move on from that overnight?” She runs her fingers through the water, letting the pain wash over her. But the truth is, she isn’t crying for Dexter now—she’s crying for Connor. She remembers his attempt to explain, and her sobbing deepens. What justification could there possibly be for what he did? He was with another woman, and worst of all, he got her pregnant. He did it knowingly—he admitted it himself. What more does she need to understand? She can’t wait to finish her duties as Luna and leave this place forever. Suddenly, the crunching of branches makes her lift her head. A gray wolf with a few orange patches comes into view, and Selene recognizes her instantly. “What do
Saya reaches the spring, the place where she was last with Connor. That night, their intimacy had felt vastly different from other times, as if their connection had grown stronger. She had never felt so completely his; yet now, it is entirely the opposite. At the water’s edge, she shifts, and Selene gazes at the gentle movement of the water, overcome by a profound sadness. She still cannot comprehend what went wrong, why the Moon Goddess brought her here, so far from home and among people she had never known, only to make her suffer. Is she being punished for something she did wrong? Does she deserve this? First, the goddess took Dexter from her, the only person who had been by her side, caring for her since they were children. They were so close that he practically lived at the packhouse with her. Her parents never objected to their friendship and were happy to see her happy. The love they shared was always unconditional. During her most critical health crises, he was always ther