In the council hall, Damien stiffened mid-discussion. A sharp, invisible thread pulled at his senses, alerting him of a presence crossing the pack's boundary. His hands clenched into fists, his wolf roaring in his head. He didn't need confirmation, he knew. Selene had left.
Elder Vaughn continued speaking, oblivious to the storm brewing inside Damien. He forced himself to remain still, schooling his expression into one of detached interest. There would be no point in rushing after her now, not in front of the council. If he chased her now, she would only run farther. No, he needed to be patient, to think strategically. He would bring her back, but on his terms.
Meanwhile, the meeting pressed on. The elders shared grim expressions as they revealed the intelligence they had gathered. "The witch who aided the vampires in taking the Northern Castle," Elder Vaughn announced, his voice heavy, "was none other than Selene Blackwood."
The room was filled with murmurs and sharp intakes of breath. Damien remained silent. This was not news to him. He had long known about Selene's past, about her rumored ties to Klein Cadis Allilovic, the enigmatic vampire lord. He had been waiting for this revelation, knowing the council would see her as evil as that vampire.
The night was cold, the scent of pine and damp earth filling Selene's lungs as she pressed forward. Every step she took was careful, and precise. The moon, her only witness, cast silver light through the dense trees of the Nightshade Pack's territory. She had planned this escape for weeks, knowing there was no other way. She couldn't stay, not when she was being watched so closely. Not when she knew that Damien, the Alpha, would never truly let her go.
She had one destination in mind, her coven. The place she had abandoned, the place she swore never to return to. But she needed something, something vital, before she could disappear forever.
The hours stretched as she ran, exhaustion creeping into her bones, but she refused to slow down. The stars began to fade, the deep blue of the night softening into the first hints of dawn. Nearly sunrise. Selene's heart pounded as she crossed the threshold of familiar territory, her feet finding the hidden pathways she once knew by heart.
Her coven lay in eerie silence, the remnants of old spells whispering through the air like ghosts of the past. It had been years, but nothing had changed the towering stone pillars, the ancient trees that stood guard, the faint scent of herbs and incense lingering in the wind. The memories clawed at her, unwelcome and relentless.
She made her way through the ruins of what once was her home, past broken archways and forgotten corridors, until she reached the chamber. The soft moonlight filtering through the shattered ceiling illuminated the object of her desire, a crystal necklace, resting atop a weathered altar.
Her fingers trembled as she reached for it. The moment she touched the smooth surface, a rush of warmth spread through her, and with it came the memories.
Klein.
His name alone sent a shiver down her spine. The way he used to hold her, his laughter like a melody only she could hear, the stolen moments beneath the silver moonlight. He had been her first love, her sanctuary in a world that sought to tear them apart. For a time, he had been her everything.
And then, betrayal.
The warmth of the memory was drowned by an overwhelming wave of pain, anger, and hatred. Her grip on the necklace tightened as visions of the past replayed in her mind. The cold emptiness in Klein's eyes.
She had loved him, and in return, he had destroyed everything.
A guttural sob threatened to escape her throat, but she swallowed it down. There was no time for weakness, not now. Clutching the necklace to her chest, Selene turned on her heel. She had what she came for. Now, she had to disappear, before the past caught up to her again.
The sun began to rise, casting golden hues across the land, but to Selene, it felt like the world was still drowning in darkness.
The morning sun painted the sky in streaks of orange and pink as Selene trudged forward, her body aching from the long night. The familiar weight of the crystal necklace pressed against her collarbone, a painful reminder of what she had left behind.
She had no time to rest. The further she got from the Nightshade Pack, the better. She didn't know how long Damien would allow her freedom, but she refused to wait and find out.
The dense forest stretched endlessly before her, its towering trees casting long shadows as the morning mist curled around the roots. She moved quickly, her bare arms scratched by branches and her dress torn at the hem from the relentless underbrush.
She hadn't been prepared for this journey. No supplies, no real plan. Just an unwavering resolve to get as far away as possible.
As she walked, her mind drifted back to the council meeting, to Damien's revelation. His mate. She still couldn't wrap her head around it. Witches and werewolves weren't meant to be mated. Yet, she had felt the pull, the undeniable bond that made her stomach twist and her heart race.
But she wouldn't, couldn't, let that stop her.
Selene clenched her fists.
She had trusted before. And look where that had gotten her.
The memory of Klein surfaced again, as unwelcome as it was painful. The way he had once smiled at her, the way he had whispered promises under the moonlight. The way she had loved him, fiercely, blindly.
And the way he had betrayed her.
A sharp pain twisted in her chest, but she swallowed it down. She refused to break. Not again.
By midday, the forest began to thin, revealing rolling fields that stretched toward the horizon. The wind was stronger here, carrying the scent of damp earth and the distant promise of rain.
She had to keep moving. If the Nightshade Pack had already sent trackers, she needed to be far ahead before they could catch her scent.
Selene inhaled deeply and forced herself onward, each step taking her further from the past, further from the monster who claimed to be her mate.
And yet, deep in her heart, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was far from over.
As she was drowning in her thoughts, the distant creak of wooden wheels broke through the rhythmic crunch of her footsteps against the dirt path. She lifted her gaze to see a small caravan rattling along the road ahead, pulled by a pair of weary horses. Goats were tied to the back, their hooves clattering softly against the wooden planks, their thick coats swaying with each movement. The scent of hay and livestock filled the air, mingling with the earthy aroma of the open fields.
Selene's heart leapt with hope. She quickened her pace, breath hitching, her tired limbs protesting against the sudden burst of movement. She had no idea where the travelers were headed, but anywhere was better than here. As she neared the caravan, she could make out the figures of two humans at the front, an older man holding the reins and a woman beside him, chatting softly.
With a desperate determination, Selene ran faster, her pulse thrumming in her ears. She prayed they would be kind, that they would let her travel with them, even if it meant sitting among the goats.