“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
"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
"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
Full moon of October 2023, at some point in the Tierra de Pinares forest, time: 03:00 in the morning...The air thickened with a silence heavy with tragedy as Selene watched the scene before her in horror. Her beloved's body lay lifeless on the ground, surrounded by the darkness of the night and the cruelty of the rogues. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but her heart refused to believe what she saw. It couldn't be true. She couldn't accept that the man she was destined to spend eternity with, the one who had marked her soul under the moonlight, now lay cold and lifeless in front of her."Dexter, please, wake up. You can't leave me like this!" Selene pleaded, her voice breaking with anguish, but there was no response.It was too late; Dexter was dead, and Selene's heart was shattered. From her mark, a watery red liquid, much like blood, began to ooze. Her body trembled terribly, and her heartbeats slowed to the point where she believed she too might die."Please..." she whispe
One year after the attack...“How do I look in this dress?” Rouse spins in front of her sister, a broad smile on her face. “I think this color is divine, and besides, Mom loves white, so she’ll definitely approve.”Rouse glances at Selene through the mirror and shakes her head. Her sister is absorbed in her cellphone, completely ignoring her.“Selene!” Rouse calls, hands on her hips, frowning at her. Rouse is very sweet and charming, but she hates when her sister does that.“What?!” Selene’s question only confirms to Rouse that she hasn’t been paying attention at all. Clearly, she’s only here out of obligation because Katrina ordered it.“You should choose yours. This is the last store we’re visiting, sister, and you haven’t tried on or bought anything. Our mother will be angry if you’re not dressed properly, remember that many...” “Many packs from all over the world will be present. We need to make a good impression on the guests,” Selene finishes her sister’s sentence sarcastically
Selene doesn't dare to breathe loudly. She is literally trapped between two huge mountains with orange-red hair, making her look even smaller than she is. Both men at her sides are too big, and their legs even suffer in the back seat of the car. What kind of wolves are they? Not even her father or brother are this big. Why had she never seen or heard about them before? What is that scent they emit?Selene stopped struggling the exact moment she realized she was at a clear disadvantage. The man on her left hasn't stopped staring at her, and that silly smile on his face gives her the creeps. What's his problem? Does he find something on her face amusing? Aren’t his cheeks hurting from smiling so much? She tries to scoot away from him, but it's impossible to move even half a centimeter without bumping into the other one.The man on her right hasn’t moved the entire trip. He keeps his eyes closed, and his broad hand rests on his thigh while his long fingers move in a coordinated way, as i
“Are you okay, my little rebel?” Uriel stands beside Selene on the balcony, where she is watching the crowd in the courtyard of Alba Noctis Castle. He has noticed that his granddaughter has been very quiet and restless since last night. It could be the full moon affecting her, but he hasn't seen her like this since that night she found her mate a year ago.“I’m fine, Grandpa,” Selene clears her throat and rubs her hands against her clothes, clearly uncomfortable. Uriel can see Saya moving restlessly in his granddaughter's mind, wagging her tail and whining.“Why haven’t you gone down yet? There are many wolves your age down there. You could have a lot of fun.”“I don’t want to go, Grandpa. All those people suffocate me.”“We already had this conversation, Selene, three days ago, when you came back from shopping, grumbling about a certain ‘Mr. Carrot.’ You promised you would do it for your mother. She will be very disappointed if you don’t participate, at least for a few hours. You’re
"You?" Selene looks at Jackson in surprise, who currently occupies her entire frontal view. Her brow furrows, and for a few seconds, she seems incredulous about what is happening. Saya is also watching attentively from Selene's eyes, but when Connor slowly arrives at her position and stands in front of his cousin, her heart races like never before."Mate!" Saya chirps inside her mind, almost surfacing, but Selene doesn't give her space. The young woman opens her mouth but fails to say anything at all.Connor looks directly into her eyes, and from his expression, he seems as confused as she is. When he tries to take a step towards her, Selene transforms and runs towards the path, quickly disappearing into the dense forest. Connor makes a move to transform as well to follow her, but a hand on his shoulder stops him."Give her some space," Ethan says, looking sternly at what he now knows is his sister's destined mate. He felt it when Connor passed by him a moment ago to reach her. He had
"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