Chapter 5: Lycans

Selene's POV

I struggled nervously, and the man quickly set me down. I felt panicked as my mother continued to glare at me.   

The handsome stranger must have sensed my panic because before I could bolt in any random direction, his hand shot out and grabbed mine.  

“What are you—” I barely got the words out before he started moving, pulling me through the ballroom like a man on a mission. The crowd parted for us as we made our way to the back door.  

I didn’t resist. Why would I? He looked like he had a plan, and my plan consisted of, well, nothing. Plus, his grip was surprisingly reassuring and firm, and I liked the way his hand felt in mine. It was crazy and I knew it, to follow this strange, dangerous man out of the ballroom blindly. But there was something about him - something that I couldn’t refuse.  

We slipped through a side door and burst out into the cool night air. The moon was almost full and it shone brightly as we sprinted into the forest. His hand remained in mine as he pulled me along, weaving through the trees expertly, like he knew the way by heart.  

Eventually, we stopped in a small grove. The moonlight poured down on us.  

He let go of my hand and I doubled over, falling to my knees, gasping for air.  I looked up at me as I sucked in huge breaths. The man, of course, looked like he’d just taken a casual stroll.  

“Are you… okay?” He asked, looking down at me. I stood up and leaned against a tree.  

“I don’t know!” I sighed. “I just… this whole night has been insane. Jason, my mother, you. I mean, what even is my life right now? It’s almost too much.”  

To my surprise, a small chuckle escaped him, “You’re full of surprises.”  

“Oh, I’m full of something, all right,” I muttered, wiping my eyes. What had I just done? I’d run away from my mother and into the forest with a complete stranger. Was I crazy? I had to be! He eyed me curiously as I leaned against a tree. Then, suddenly, he  took a step closer and those insanely captivating red eyes locked on mine. I swear, I forgot how to breathe.

The moonlight caught the sharp angles of his face, making him look otherworldly—dangerous and beautiful all at once. Who WAS this man? And why did he seem so fixated on me? I felt an inexplicable pull towards him, like two ends of a magnet. The night was quiet and my heart pounded in my chest. I continued to stare into his eyes, losing myself in them.  

But then he stiffened, his gaze shifting. I didn’t know for sure, but it looked like he’d just received a mindlink.    

“Sorry, I have to go,” he said, his jaw tight.   

“Go?” I repeated his word as a rush of emotions washed over me. I was disappointed and sad at the same time. He was the one who had just hauled me off into the forest after all, and now, when we were finally alone, he had to leave?  

“I’m afraid so,” he replied, turning his gaze back on mine. 

“Oh,” I said, trying to sound casual, even though my voice wobbled. “Okay.” Because what else could I say?

He hesitated, and for a second, I thought he might say something else. But instead, he took my hand and then, to my utter shock, he pressed a soft kiss to the back of it. 

“Roman,” he said softly, his eyes holding mine with a seriousness that made me quiver.

“What?” My face was on fire. I was burning up. The heat from his lips lingered on my skin. I felt like I couldn’t think straight. 

“Roman,” he repeated, the tug of a smile on his lips. “That’s my name. Remember it.” 

“I’m Selene,” I said quietly.

“Selene,” he repeated softly, like he was testing how it felt on his tongue. I felt a jolt of electricity pulse through me when he said my name. “Do you really have to go?” I asked. “I mean, now?” I knew it was bold, but I didn’t want him to go. The moonlight washed over his face, making his red eyes look all the more surreal and illuminating his sharp features. 

“Yes,” he said. But then he reached out and his fingers brushed a strand of hair away from my face. “But we’ll meet again, Selene.” 

And without another word, he turned and disappeared into the woods.

I watched his figure disappear into the distance, and cupped my cheek where his hand had lingered. My body was still trembling slightly, caught in a wave of pure, overpowering joy mixed with a faint, inexplicable sense of longing. 

I’d never felt anything like this before. Not even with Jason. 

I let out a shaky breath, still leaning against the tree behind me, trying to steady my emotions.

‘We’ll meet again.’ His words echoed through my mind. But when? 

Just then, a branch cracked loudly, startling me, and I realized I was all alone in the forest in the dead of night. Without a wolf, it was a dangerous place to be, so I reluctantly made the decision to go back home. 

My thoughts lingered on Roman all the way home, and I felt like I was in a daze. So much so, that I barely noticed myself pushing my front door open. That is, until the angry tone of my mother’s voice snapped me out of it.  

“You went to the ball?” she demanded. “Selene, what were you thinking? I’ve spent my whole life trying to protect you from things like that!”  

My stomach sank. She was seated in the middle of the living room, her arms crossed and her gaze burning holes straight through me.  

“Yes, I did,” I said, lifting my chin in defiance. “I was invited. But you already knew that, didn’t you.” My tone was scathing but I didn’t care.   

Her face fell as my accusation. I’d never confronted my mother like this, but I was furious by her betrayal, so I continued. 

“You hid my invitations. All these years, you LIED to me. You saw how upset I was when I couldn’t go to the ball. But you lied anyway!” 

Her face twisted, “I was trying to protect you!”  

I laughed—an ugly, bitter sound that didn’t feel like it belonged to me. “Protect me? From what, Mom? From the entire world?”  

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and for a second, I thought she might yell. But then, something shifted in her expression, something almost like… panic?  

“I was worried you’d meet the Lycans and trigger the curse!”  

The room froze.  

Lycans? 

And what…curse?